Interview With "Player Of The Year" Winner Of Adda52.Com

My whole life is dedicated to playing poker- Pranav, Adda52’s Player of the Year interview - interview image

2015 has just arrived. 2014 has been fortuitous for many Indian poker players. The field of contenders has been narrowed down and the final shortlist has been revealed. After a marathon year in Poker Millionaire Tour (PMT) events, Pranav (last name withdrawn on player’s request) has sealed the 2014 Player of the Year title in his name. In his journey to win this accolade, the poker pro cashed win a whopping Rs. 4,00,000 in cash. He receives the prestigious POY Trophy as well as the coveted title of being Adda52’s Player of 2014. We present a chat with Pranav after he won the POY-

• Hi Pranav, thanks for your conversation with Adda52. Firstly congratulations on winning the Adda52 POY 2014. For our readers who don’t know much about you, please tell us how you got into playing poker?

Nine years back, I had gone to USA for my further studies. It was there I got introduced to poker. My fellow classmates used to play poker a lot, hence I also started playing poker with them. Every now and then, we used to play live poker at friend’s apartments, poker clubs and small casinos. I gradually got trained in the game, and could easily differentiate between the good hand and bad hand, strong players and weak players. My experience helped me to play tactfully at medium and high roll games. Hence, I started making money in live poker by going to casinos in States. Later, due to time constraints I started playing online poker. In comparison to live poker, I like online poker more.

• How do you feel right now - exciting, intimidating, terrifying?

I feel normal as I am accustomed with the game, though at the same time I am happy. I candidly love to play high stake poker games at adda52.com and follow the belief of keep playing, keep winning.

• How did ‘pornevalo0’ manage to stay ahead of the game? Do share your poker experiences with our existing players?

People in India are getting introduced to poker quite late. However, players are getting used to online poker. In poker, success depends on the number of hands you play, and how you play them. It takes time to develop poker skills, and experience pays off. My poker experience in US helped me to play smartly and skillfully. In all, I have 9 years of experience in playing poker, 5 years in US and 3+ years in India.

• Did you play any other events in PMT?

Yes, I played many events at PMT.

• How did you enter the POY Series?

I entered ‘POY Series’ by surrendering 7 lacs loyalty points. As I play high stakes games on adda52.com, it helped me to accumulate loyalty points.

• What type of game have you been playing - online vs. live and tourney vs. cash?

I play 99% online poker and 1% live poker. Likewise, I like both the game formats - tourney and cash. Real cash games are quick, involve a lot of money and game play depends on stake holding. On the other side, tourneys require a lot of patience. There is less risk and more reward in tourneys.

• Other than poker, what card games do you like to play?

I don't like any other card game. Playing poker is my hobby. I play both the versions of poker- Pot Limit Omaha and Texas Hold’em on adda52.com, and personally like Pot Limit Omaha more.

• In PMT 2014, you have been a steady performer. What would you suggest new players jumping in to play poker tournament for the first time?

When you start playing poker, focus on cards i.e, play good hands at the beginning. Once you get good understanding of the game and have developed basic skills, play poker to build a higher stack. Now as you have a higher stack and strong experience in poker, start playing big. At this stage, you should be able to outsmart your opponents and that comes with experience. In simple terms, play tighter in the beginning, then move strategically so that you can play loose at the end of the tournament.

• What are the good points of poker game lobby of Adda52.com?

The website of adda52.com has simple yet user-friendly interface. It is easy to change from one game to another, and a player has an option to sit on two tables simultaneously. The poker game lobby of Adda52.com has a classic flash based design. The lobby categorically displays different sections of poker games - Texas Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo. The lobby is engaging with no lags, and is easily accessible by a layman/ non-tech savvy person.

• Do you have any suggestions for Adda52 to improve game playing experience for poker players?

Adda52 has a lot of tournaments running from time to time but there are hardly any ‘Sit n Go’ games. I would recommend Adda52.com to run more of ‘Sit n Go’ games as it is common game format seen in popular websites. ‘Sit n Go’ is quick, convenient and accommodates various buy-in and prizes.

• What is your next poker milestone?

Presently, I do not have any poker goals set. I just want to keep playing poker naturally, and win more than lose. Before testing myself at highroll poker tournaments, I first need to get more equipped, more responsible and more versatile.

• Have you ever played poker at Asia-Pacific level?

I hardly play live tournaments at IPC or APT as I don’t have time to travel. Before being a part of any international tournament, I want to build a substantial bankroll, because you can’t afford to lose your hard earned money. Since my hard-work and experience paid off in Adda52 POY Series, I have now taken part in ‘Road to Vegas’ in hope to participating in the worlds largest poker tournament.

• Poker as a card game has gained tremendous popularity in India. What differences do you see in the new generation of players who are contending to be poker professionals now that the game has exploded?

Today, new poker players have access to a lot of educational material on poker like videos, tutorials, and blogs by poker professionals. They have vast opportunities to learn more and explore more of poker. In comparison to old players, these upcoming new players are far more aggressive and over-confident which is not good. As old or matured poker players are very calculative and patient while playing poker, likewise new players need to work on their patience level and play smartly to win more.

• Do you feel poker has potential to make it as a sport in India?

Poker has emerged as a sport across the globe. Poker is a game that involves a lot of skill and there is little dependency of luck. Validity of poker is a bigger issue in India. In India, playing poker is still considered gambling and is not favored in terms of legal point of view. However, I like the potential of this skilled game with its emerging popularity as a major sport around the world, and hope in future it may get a status of sport in India too.

• If not a poker player then what would you be today?

Most of my time is spent in playing poker. Apart from playing poker, I am also working on a social media venture with my friend in which I am involved in website development. Hence, if not a poker pro, I would rather be an entrepreneur.

• Is poker a long-term or short-term grind for you?

If I am an entrepreneur, I will play poker as a hobby, and if not, I will devote my whole time to poker. I may take up full time poker as a profession if the results seem realistic and there is a balance between profit and loss. However, poker has always been my first passion.