Live Poker Returns To India

WORDS BY MANTHRA KOLIYER

When 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.

One of the biggest tournaments to take place in a live set-up recently was the Deltin Poker Tournament Xpress (DPTx) that ran from 11-14 March, 2021. We got in touch with Manish J. Adnani, the Business Head for Delta Corps’ poker division to know more about the DPTx tournament. “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.

Like DPTx, Spartan Poker’s poker room in Big Daddy casino and Casino Pride One’s poker room operated by poker pro Ramesh Thotapalli, are other live venues that have been active in the last few months. 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 your poker face, put you on the spot, and bring out the child in you. The pandemic took away the joys of a hug, a firm handshake and cheerful high-fives. Though online poker is the latest upgrade in the market, the charm of a live poker tournament continues to stay.