POKER
LIVE POKER RETURNS TO INDIA! WORDS BY MANTHRA KOLIYER
W
hen was the last time you were on a live table? Shook hands with a new player? Fiddled with poker chips in a casino? Social distancing has helped us understand the vital role that human touch plays in our lives. To contain the spread of coronavirus, a year ago on 24 March, a countrywide lockdown was imposed. From then onward all the live tournaments came to a standstill. While casinos in Goa did open in November 2020, it is only recently that the action came back to the tables.
“DPTx had a far greater turnout than expected. It was great to see live poker back at Deltin Royale in full glory. The DPTx is a live tournament poker springboard for the new players and it is always overwhelming to see new entrants at the felts alongside the usual pros. Post a one-year break it was great to meet and greet players and give bump fists in real life,” said Adnani.
Radhika Shankar, one of the star players at DPTx 2020, was eagerly waiting for the tournament in 2021. After attending and grinding intensely in the three-day tournament, Shankar said, “When you’re at the DPTx, you don’t feel it, the adrenaline keeps you going!”
Live tournaments challenge One of the biggest touryour poker face, put you naments to take place in a on the spot, and bring out live set-up recently was the the child in you. The panDeltin Poker Tournament demic took away the joys Xpress (DPTx) that ran from Like DPTx, Spartan Poker’s of a hug, a firm handshake poker room in Big Daddy 11-14 March, 2021. We and cheerful high-fives. casino and Casino Pride got in touch with Manish Though online poker is One’s poker room operatJ. Adnani, the Business the latest upgrade in the Head for Delta Corps’ poker ed by poker pro Ramesh market, the charm of a live division to know more about Thotapalli, are other live poker tournament continvenues that have been ac- ues to stay. the DPTx tournament. tive in the last few months. 22
GUTSHOT
APRIL
2021
