The COVID-19 Survival Game

By Ananya Agarwalla

020 - 21 would proba-

2bly go down in history as the year that totally changed one’s perspective of life. Many have tried to ameliorate their lives by finding ways to cope with the pain – whether it be forms of social interaction or mental and physical engagement.

These years of turbulence caused many businesses to ran out of juice and for some, it turned out to be fodder to flourish. What started as a passtime activity, is now all about serious business. A quick look at the numbers, the gaming sector is generating, will tell the story of how Indian gaming industry is the top gainers in this pandemic!

The escape we needed

The idiot box and the computer got tested for their maximum capabilty and capactiy for the first time since their invention, in 2020-21. Gaming somewhat became a second family to a lot of people. They sought comfort in these facets and used it as a way to get through these trying times. They all offer not only a way to be entertained but be interactive and social as well. The world of fantasy gaming, esports, rummy and poker have underwent multiple changes to cater to every individual’s needs under these unforeseen circumstances.

Online poker spikes the interest

Though the pandemic has wreaked havoc on the live poker industry with the closure and suspension of casinos, online poker is thriving. There has been a surge of traffic to online poker sites with thousands trying their luck at the cash tables and even more playing tournaments.

This huge increase in interest has had an extremely positive effect on the industry with online poker circles attracting millions of new users.

Tournaments which also usually happen in person are being streamed online by online poker leagues and companies like Poker Sports League. These events have grabbed the attention of a large amount of people while still adhering to COVID-19 protocols. The industry has worked with the circumstances of the world and benefited from it.

Game for mental health

WHO posted an article in 2020 which claimed that gaming is one of the best activities to engage in during lockdown. This is because it allows for good mental activity and even allows for social engagement. But to talk on technical terms during these tiring times, 5G, cheap data plans and improved broadband proliferation led to steady growth in India’s gaming sector which eventually gave a chance to monetise.

Games such as Black Ops Cold War, Modern Warfare and Fortnite reward players for playing in a group rather than alone. The gaming industry has seen a growth rate of 19.6% in this covid times and the revenue is expected to touch $174.9 billion, nearly 15 billion more than previous years. Titles such as Call of Duty, Among us and Fall Guys have witnessed record-breaking sales in 2020-21 despite their simplicity.

Esports when shifted online attracted a much larger userbase with their streams generating millions of views which has become a hub for advertisers. Though esports events are not able to churn out profit from tickets or in-person merchandise sales which used to be a large source of their earnings, the industry has been able to find a new fan and advertising base through online events.

Gaming has also seen negative impacts in their development cycles. EA, Raven Software and Sledgehammer Games are still struggling to complete their projects stated for a 2021 release due to work from home protocols and a shortage of staff. New titles earn these companies billions and annual title releases are extremely important as they have expectations not only from gamers but from shareholders and other creditors as well.

The pandemic has still been good for the industry and they have adapted with it. Since the industry has got the attention of a much larger user base, studios like Sony have begun stay-at-home initiatives which is a reward based incentive of playing x amount of hours per day. The industry is working more to come up with activities to do on a weekly bases to keep users engaged.

Giving back

For the fight against COVID-19, we had warriors arise from every walk of life. The gaming community of poker, rummy, fantasy sports and esports didn’t think twice before becoming a support system for the community.

Krafton, the gaming company behind PUBG, has donated ` 1.5 Crores to Covid-19, Natural8, an online poker company, initiated a campaign which raised ` 18,00,000 as Covid funds and these are just a few out of multiple companies like Adda52, MPL Esports and 9stacks who have donated funds for COVID. Fnatic has also launched a #GamingForGood initiative to raise funds to help those affected by the pandemic.

The world of gaming has been able to build a family and give back to those in need in these difficult times all at the same time.

When our own inhabitant became a unsuitable to live in, the gaming world created a refuge, proxy worlds to inhabit - a major part of our population kept their mind sound & peace by taking shelter in those proxy world.

Siddhanth Kapoor

A Force Of Good

By Athira Laji

hen someone

Wcalls poker a beautiful game instead of the usual ‘game of skill’ or ‘game of math,’ you know you are sitting across a person who has nothing except pure love for the game and its nuances. So, when we sat down with Siddhanth Kapoor, the first thing we noticed about him is how his eyes lit up when he talked about poker and his inexplicable ability to be a chilled-out entertainer - not easily defined and usually must be seen to be believed! Siddhanth Kapoor is as keen as mustard to learn new things now and then; otherwise, how do you think he is donning the cap of an actor, DJ, entrepreneur, poker player, and philanthropist!

When asked about his biggest pet peeve in our Tell Tales section, without a second thought, he answered ‘racism’! So, all Siddhanth wants to do is create a better world, and for that, he does everything possible in whatever little ways he can for humankind! Actor Harman Baweja recently was quoted saying, “Siddhanth can bluff you on the poker table, scare you on screen, but he will always win your heart with his actions.” This proved to be the case when he went all out to contribute to COVID-19 relief initiatives. From donating plasma, the ‘Find a Bed’ campaign, and now the recently concluded ‘Poker for Cause’ Tournament with Poker High, he is on a mission to leave no stone unturned in our fight against the invisible enemy!

Everyone is now aware that poker can be a force for good because of your initiative with ‘Poker for a Cause’ tournament!! So what prompted you to come up with such an initiative?

We are going through one of the most challenging times. This is when all humankind should come together and fight one single battle against the deadly virus. I personally feel that poker as a community is a force to reckon with, and when such people come together for a humanitarian cause, it is a beautiful feeling that cannot be put in words. A lot of poker players have been individually contributing towards COVID-19 relief initiatives. Still, when you come together, the impact is something different, in a good way and I too believe that we can do a lot more for humanity. Still, sometimes we fall short of platforms through which the entire initiatives can be implemented.

When Poker High approached me with this idea, I was on board with it immediately. We have already seen many global platforms conducting such events and raising vast sums of charity funds for donations that go into the right hands through proper channels. The people in need are really benefitting because of such initiatives. That is when I thought to organise a tournament with PokerHigh and give a platform for the poker players to come together.

Though the tournament turned out to be good, the turnout for the game was pretty low! The promotions we did were excellent, and because it was a

Sunday, the traffic was supposed to be great, but unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case for us. But no, we have not given up yet! You will be seeing a lot more such tournaments coming up to raise funds. However, this time, we would be working on what did not work for us the last time and maybe adding a different format to the tournament itself. Along with trying to aid the people in need, we are just reinstituting that poker can be a force for good!

A picture of you donating plasma, flashing a victory sign, and a grin for the camera has gone the rounds on the internet. That picture clearly depicted the message “not to hold back, do your bit.” What are your thoughts on being one of the torchbearers of such an initiative?

I was tested COVID-19 positive in December 2020. Post recovery and after the advised time gap, I decided to donate my plasma to help others fight the disease and could manage to donate to two people during these times. You cannot think twice before saving anyone’s life! We must give back to our society or humanity in any way we can. In the end, we are all humans, and we need to be there, do things and help each other most fittingly and positively possible.

You had a good run for the past few months, and in one of them, you were quoted saying, “I was playing with one eye closed; I was that sleepy.” How much have you mastered poker?

Absolutely not! I have not mastered poker; no one can really master poker in any way. It is always a never-ending learning process. I love the game, and I study hard to get the scores coming my way. They do not come often – but slowly and indeed hope to welcome them more. But yes, I want to win the main event of WSOP ASAP! Just striving to reach for that bracelet!

When did you play your first poker, and what triggered you to get into the game?

I played my first live poker tournament in a ball-

room in Worli in 2007. I clearly remember that I was very nervous, and I was waiting for the right hand, and I had pocket Threes, and the other guy got A-Q, and I just pushed because I was down to like 12-13 big blinds. Then there was a re-raise, I just pushed, and the guy calls with A-Q, which was a flip, and then he rivered a queen; like everything was good with the turn and the flop until the river card came out. I still remember that. Then again, it is just a part of the game. It was the first taste that I got of poker. It made me learn and study poker more in-depth. Post that, I played a lot of poker on Indian and international platforms and even went for live tournaments.

The trigger for me to get and stay in the game was that poker has got this beautiful positive vibe. It is a great game, and let me tell you; the poker community has some of the most incredible guys with the biggest hearts! That is the best thing that I like about being a part of this vibrant Indian community. I am at home! It is simply a great thing to happen to me!

You have time and again called Poker and Texas Hold’em a beautiful game. Which facet of the game do you find the most beautiful?

The whole buzz of having a positive vibe around poker makes it and everything about it beautiful. The first and the foremost thing I like about poker is that there is a lot of role-play involved for skill, rather than luck. Watching the turn, the river, the flop, then playing with friends and acquaintances in live and online tournaments and the different formats that tournaments implement and the other most crucial part, traveling around the world – makes poker one of the happening games in the world. I am very fond of all these things, and whoever plays the game would probably describe it in the same way.

You have always mentioned how poker nurtured the value of patience in your life. So, was there a moment during any of your games where you played too fast and too loose, and all your chips ended up in the middle of the table, and you thought to yourself, “Maybe next time I’ll remember to slow things down a bit?”

It was the EPT Barcelona National Event that I went for in 2019. The main event had a $5,500 buy-in. I remember I was sleep-deprived because I partied the previous night, which I should not have done. I ended up playing without any patience, it was a bit rough, and things ended up going wrong. I traveled almost halfway around the world to reach there and sat at the table for just 3 mins, and I got out. I did recover the money at another time and event. But that incident was a bummer and an eye-opener. I was a very impatient person in life, and poker really helped me nurture patience in all my things, be it playing poker, acting, DJing, music, anything.

What sort of poker player are you? Are you an intuitive player or more like a math guy?

I am a very intuitive kind of a guy. Being an actor, you read and study people, and it really works for me on the poker table. I am a very fun, moody poker player because it all depends on my mood. If I had a good shoot, a good night’s sleep, had a good gig, and had no arguments and stress around, I play a lot of good poker.

How do you get through your downswings in poker? What is it that made you a better player?

Downswing for me is break-time! I cut off, take a little bit of break, listen to some good music, and travel. I am then back in the zone. Every poker player has downswings, and that’s how you come back on top – bankroll management, patience, playing lesser tournaments.

There are a few games that I did play very fast and did not pay much attention. But after I started studying it with time and patience, my scores started looking pretty good! That is one of the reasons why I am now aggressively studying the game.

Who do you look up to from the industry, and who do you prefer to play against the most? Why?

I look up to Aditya Agarwal a lot. I think he is one of

the nicest people I have met and one of the greatest poker players. Also, I like to play against everyone and anywhere – irrespective if the people are new or old, friends, acquaintances, everyone. But I wish to play with Liv Boeree.

What role does music play in your life?

Music plays an essential role in my life. It makes a positive shift in your mind, heart, and soul – be it listening to music while playing poker, or on the dance floor, or before a shoot. Music can move mountains. I am a fan of not-so-loud electronic, chill out and fast-free music, with not too many words.

An actor, DJ, entrepreneur, poker player and philanthropist! How did you manage such versatility? Are we expecting more titles on your crown?

I do like to do many things. That is why I put my hands into all things possible. I do not want to do one thing and prove to the world that I am the best. Instead, I enjoy doing a few things, not to prove anything to anyone but to myself. I want to do it right, enjoy the work and life.

Everyone went through a self-discovery phase during this lockdown. What was yours?

Self-conscience, be positive, and keeping control over my mind are what I worked upon during the lockdown. It was a tough time for all; everyone went through so much stress. So, what I try to do now is control my mind and fill it with positivity. This plays a big difference in your life.

You’ve done a few movies over the years. What would you say are the similarities between an acting job and a job playing poker?

Patience, holding your nerves, focus, talent, and many other things you might find similar between acting and playing poker.

What are some of the acting projects you are working on, and we can see you in, soon?

A lot of fun projects are coming. Bhaukaal, Chehra with Mr. Bacchhan, I would be shooting for Bhaukal season 2, and many short films are in the pipeline and or maybe writing something on the game itself. Let’s see, fingers crossed.

There was a statement by Harman Baweja saying, “Siddhanth can bluff you on the poker table, scare you on screen, but he will always win your heart with his actions.” So I guess now the entire community believes what Harman said.

That is really sweet of Harman to say that! Really sweet! I hope to continue what I do and be of any support to humanity!

#Human TELL TALES • Poker crush? Liv Boeree Your not-so-secret ingredient of your ‘A’ Game? • Patience $2 million to never play poker again. Would you accept? No Favourite place to play poker? • Barcelona At gunpoint, you had to choose only one between acting, DJ-ing and poker. Favourite poker movie I would get shot! Still to be made

Live or online tournaments?

Live tournaments

Dream tournament?

WSOP

Your favourite poker player

Nikita Luther

One poker book/coaching series you vouch for

BBZ Poker and DTO Poker

Coolest thing about being a poker player?

Being a poker player

You are binge-watching?

Poker Tournaments

Biggest pet peeve

Racism

Hashtags that describe you

#Human

Poker crush?

Liv Boeree

$2 million to never play poker again. Would you accept?

No

At gunpoint, you had to choose only one between acting, DJ-ing and poker.

I would get shot!