Gutshot

Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Mumbai |

www.gutshotmagazine.com

January 2021 | Pages 40

FANTASY FOOTBALL STARTUPS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2021

WORKING TOWARDS A HEALTHY 2021 THE CLAWZ COME OUT TO PLAY

GAURAV SOOD:

NUMBER ONE WITH A BULLET!

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CONTENT

05 Editor’s Note

RUMMY:

06 Poker News 08 Rummy News

27 What is Indian Marriage?

09 Esports News

29 RummyDangal: The Ultimate

Gaming Platform

37 Fun Section

Your Lucky Numbers In 2021

POKER:

30 IG Claws Jazzy:

A Budding Esports Player

10 Rumour Has It 12 Asian Poker Tour x PokerBaazi:

A Sumptuous Deal 13 Insights From The Best: Lloyd

Fontillas On APT x PokerBazzi 17 Big Daddy Casino:

Overcoming The Pandemic Woes

SPECIAL FEATURE:

15 Working Towards A Healthier &

Happier 2021 24 Online Gaming: To Ban or Not to

Ban, That is the Question

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ESPORTS:

32 Valorant: The Next Big Thing

FANTASY SPORTS:

34 Dream11: Striking a Relatable Cord

with Gully Cricket Lovers 35 Fantasy Football Startups To Look

Out For In 2021

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EDITOR’S NOTE

O

h good, you’re still here with us in 2021.

Congratulations on surviving the madness that was 2020!

www.gutshotmagazine.com

January 2021

Volume 2

Issue 1

RMG + LIFESTYLE

MANAGING EDITOR Sameer Rattonsey EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Peter Abraham CONTENT Dwayne Fernandes Manthra Koliyer Donna Amo Mrinal Gujare CONTENT STRATEGY Shriya Ghate DESIGN HB Design Pvt. Ltd. CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sajid Moinuddin Cover Photography Kapil Gulati Volume 2 I Issue 1 JANUARY 2021 Printed and Published by: Peter Abraham for Gutshot Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., S/6-8 Khira Industrial Estate, B.M.Bhargava Road, Santacruz (West), Mumbai-400054 Gutshot Magazine is not responsible for the opinions or views expressed by individuals or writers that may be included in any part of Gutshot Magazine. The views expressed are for encourage - ment and entertainment purposes only.

By being an author on this site all writers transfers copyright ownership of the manuscript to Gutshot Magazine. for publication in print, on line and in downloadable form. Permission is also given to publish all subsequent electronic media, reprints, and any other subsidiary print rights worldwide of this article for Gutshot Magazine. The author(s) will have the unrestricted right to reuse this material on condition that credits are included for prior publication in Gutshot Magazine, to include the issue and date of publication. Interviews are the personal opinions of the interviewee and are not necessarily the views of Gutshot Magazine or it’s Publishers Gutshot Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. take no responsibility for any of their answers or comments. All interviews are subject to editing spelling, grammar, and any content that is not useful may be disregarded when posted/published.

Gutshot Magazine reserves the right to change, update this disclaimer and policy at will without any notice.

It takes a fair amount of testicular fortitude to decide to become a professional in online gaming. When it’s for leisure, one can even be fearless about it. However when it’s your livelihood on the line, that’s a whole different kettle of fish (quite literally in this case!). Our cover feature this month is a young man from North India who told us back in the day, he was taking out time to give being a poker pro his absolute best. Fast forward a year and Gaurav Sood must be feeling pretty darn good about his decision.

Becoming one of the biggest winning players in the entire country is just the perfect vindication of all that time, energy, hard work and no doubt more than a few sleepless nights, he spent in getting there. Gutshot has a chat with him about his journey through last year and what lies ahead for the twenty-something pro.

Besides that cover feature, we bring you news and articles from other gaming verticals like rummy, esports and fantasy as well. I don’t know about you dear reader but a few kilos have been put on in these past months so the article on being in better health in 2021 will certainly be something to take to heart.

I came across a toast which goes, “May the best of last year be the worst of this year!” Need we say more?!

Till next time, stay safe and keep crushing!

PETER ABRAHAM Editor-In-Chief GUTSHOT

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POKER NEWSS

Neymar Jr Rejoins PokerStars As Brand Ambassador PokerHigh joins Quadnet Poker Network PokerHigh made a comeback by joining QuadNet Poker Network, India’s largest poker network, on 9 December, 2020. PokerHigh obtained its poker license from the Nagaland government in 2016 and was the third poker platform to do so. The poker platform will now share its player pool with well-known operators like Spartan Poker and BLITZPOKER. All the deposits and cashouts for PokerHigh will now be made by Spartan Poker’s parent company Quadrific Media Pvt. Ltd. With PokerHigh joining the QuadNet players can expect a lot more tournaments and offers coming their way.

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Football superstar Neymar Jr returns to the poker scene once again after rejoining PokerStars as an ambassador. The star announced his return with a social media post on 15 December, 2020. He had initially joined PokerStars back in 2015 but left two years later. The footballer is passionate about poker and even managed to win a pot with a royal flush in one of his poker games. The poker community is more than happy to welcome him back and his involvement in the game will only mean bigger things for the brand and the industry as a whole.

Huck Seed Inducted into Poker Hall of Fame 2020 On 31 December 2020, the Poker Hall of Fame voted Huckleberry Seed, the 1996 WSOP Main Event champion, as its 2020 inductee. Huck is the now the 59th person to be inducted into the club, joining popular players like Chris Moneymaker, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, and many more. The final list of ten nominees also consisted of known names like PokerStars’ founder Isai Scheinberg, Antonio Esfandiari, and first time nominee Patrik Antonius. Seed was the lone inductee for 2020, as the club decided to reduce the number of players inducted per year from two to just one.

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RUMMY NEWS

Punters in Telangana use Tech to dodge the police

No relief FOR Rummy websites in Tamil Nadu The final hearing about the gaming and gambling ban in Tamil Nadu will be held on 18 January, 2021. Advocate General Vijay Narayan said that the law on online gambling will be brought up in the Assembly in January.

The decision will be made by a division bench comprising Justice R Subbiah and Justice C Saravanan. The State sought more time to file a counter affidavit. During the hearing, the Advocate General Vijay Narayan opposed granting an interim stay as Tamil Nadu is looking to establish an Act against online games.

Telangana imposed a ban on online gaming apps that allow staking in 2017.

Punters have been resorting to several other means to access websites and engage in gaming. One such way is using fake Global Positioning System (GPS) location apps to mislead the police on their location. The city police busted several betting rackets recently, and that’s when they realized that punters have been using fake GPS of Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra etc., to play.

Poker and rummy platforms tackling irresponsible gaming with technology

Real money gaming companies are now employing technology to regularize performance of players. Gaming platform Games24x7 has been looking for information on players, such as a person’s handset model, their age, location and more to understand the spending capacity of the players.

The gaming organizations are also looking into the KYC process, which will be an automatic one to eradicate any human error. The Rummy Federation (TRF) added that they also employ a self-regulatory code, through 08

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which they use technology to emphasize on responsible gaming. 9stacks, an online poker company, has already been using technology to understand the wins and losses of players over a period of time.

ESPORTS NEWS

Possible return of PubG PUBG, a game that revolutionized mobile gaming in India was banned by the Indian government on 2 September, 2020 as a part of sweeping bans on Chinese applications over security concerns.

The ban did put the entire PUBG community in distress. However, there have been several speculations since then with regard to its return or relaunch in India. Recently, one of the most influential personalities in technology, Gaurav Chaudhary aka Technical Guruji, claimed that PUBG might

partner with Google to make its way back to India in one of his YouTube videos. With Krafton Incorporated, the PUBG parent company, appointing Aneesh Aravind as the new country manager for India and hiring multiple Indian candidates across the nation, PUBG players can expect a big surprise sometime soon!

Wakanda Forever!

Fortnite Heroes are remembered but legends never die!

Fortnite paid tribute to Black Panther lead, Chadwick Boseman, in one of their recent trailers. This is the second time Fortnite has paid tribute to the Black Panther actor, initially in the form of introducing a Black Panther statue and now by releasing a trailer which suggests the inclusion of the top Marvel character in the game. The trailer features the Black Panther being given a Wakanda Salute as he walks atop the statue with other Marvel heroes watching from beneath. Fortnite believes that players will definitely appreciate the gesture and keep the superhero alive in spirit.

GUTSHOT

Stadia Pro free trials now live Google is offering a free one-month trial to Stadia Pro Cloud Gaming Service.

While the free trials have been available since the second quarter of 2020, they required you to put in payment details in advance. This restricted a lot of gamers from trying it. This payment condition has now been removed.

However, this free trial without entering payment details will only last for a month as this is just to give the users an experience of the service.

As per a report in 9to5Google, a new Stadia account will allow users to enroll for the free trial with a single click.

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POKER

RUMOUR HAS IT...

Welcome to Rumour Has It, where we will be digging into juicy pieces of poker gossip! Is it true or verified? Who knows! We’re just here to give you the latest buzzing rumors on your favourite players and their interesting lives!

Poker community unhappy about Dan Bilzerian Signing With GGPoker Dan Bilzerian has always been a controversial figure in the poker world and this year was no exception. When Bilzerian signed with GGPoker to be their ambassador, the move left some people confused. What with GGPoker being a natural competitor to BLITZPOKER! However, it’s been reported that the king of Instagram is allegedly going through a bit of a rough patch financially. The pandemic may have hit this poker star a bit too hard. Signing up with GGPoker could be a last resort to help him bounce back to his glory days.

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Oh no! Another twist in the Mike Postle lawsuit The Mike Postle lawsuit is a long running battle that many in the poker industry are Norman Chad was not thrilled about Isai Scheinberg’s Poker Hall of Fame nomination Every year the nominees list for the Poker Hall of Fame creates a huge buzz in the poker industry. Many critics and fans join the conversation but it’s unusual for the nominees themselves to be participating in these discussions. Norman Chad came under criticism recently for voicing his unhappiness about PokerStars’ very own Isai Scheinberg’s nomination. Apparently, Chad was critical of Scheinberg’s nomination by claiming that he took advantage of the vacated U.S. market right after the passing of UIGEA in 2006. Chad allegedly called Isai a “businessman who cheated the system,” a statement that angered many fans who snapped back saying that Chad wouldn’t even be here had it not been for PokerStars back in the day.

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more than happy to see an end to. The well known cheating scandal gets yet another twist as the attorneys representing Postle have asked to be removed from the case. The attorneys cited Postle’s failure to pay them even after multiple warnings.

With no attorneys left to represent him, Postle will have to fend for himself or figure out a way to defend himself from the $330 million lawsuit filed against him. Yikes!

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Asian Poker Tour X PokerBaazi: A Sumptuous Deal WORDS BY MANTHRA KOLIYER

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he Indian poker and gaming industry’s growth in the last few years has been extraordinary. The country recorded around 365 million online gamers in the year 2020. The number of gamers and poker lovers has helped in creating a huge industry that now has boot camps, scholarships, online tournaments with large prize money and much more.

The upcoming APT India Online Series 2021, slated to kickstart from 15 to 26 January, 2021 will be solely open to Indian players. With a prize pool of INR 8 Crore, Indian poker players will have yet another hefty prize pool to compete for.

Let’s take a close look at how this association would be helpful to the gaming and poker industries: • Asian Poker Tour has been a part of the growSeveral international ing Asian poker industry brands are now trying to for a decade now. With enter the Indian market. One time, they have refined their exciting association is that of provisions and have now Asian Poker Tour (APT) with become one of the premier PokerBaazi. Talking about poker tournaments in Asia.

APT’s expansion in India, Indian players will get to PokerBaazi CEO, Navkiran compete with experienced Singh, emphasized that players as this collaboration this is a great time to be a lets all the Asian players poker player in India. You come together. can check out our exclu• This strategic partnership sive interview with Navkiran will help APT extend their Singh for the October 2020 reach into the bankable Indie-magazine here). an industry.

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• PokerBaazi is known to provide a very safe and easy gaming experience for its players. With this association, players can look forward to a carefree gaming experience that also assures a huge prize pool and a brand name that is respected around the world.

APT is known to be one of the world’s most valuable poker properties. This association will help several brands from our Indian shores to refine their tournaments in order to compete with such a giant.

Altogether, this is a huge step for the Indian poker industry that has been growing at a staggering pace. The expanding player community in India will now be able to avail double benefits, refine their game, and help this niche industry to flourish by leaps and bounds in 2021.

POKER

Insights from the best: Lloyd Fontillas on APT x PokerBaazi WORDS BY MANTHRA KOLIYER

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he Asian Poker Tour (APT) is one of the biggest poker properties in the world. They are known for conducting around 80 major and minor events across the Asia-Pacific region. APT recently hit headlines when they joined hands with Indian poker platform PokerBaazi.

Gutshot caught up with Lloyd Fontillas, the Executive Tournament director at APT to know more about the collaboration, what’s in store for Indian poker industry in 2021 and more.

While there are so many gaming websites in India, why did APT specifically choose PokerBaazi?

After reaching out to a good friend and a supporter of APT in India, while picking a poker site GUTSHOT

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“

had a good number of Indian players traveling to our live events and the Due to the vision is to see even more pandemic we were players traveling to live events because of Pokerapproached to do Baazi. an online event Can Indian poker which transpired players expect to get into two extreme- more opportunities and endorsements from ly successful overseas brands like APT in 2021? events that lead I believe that we were the us to the partner- first live poker brand to host an online event dediship with Pokercated to the Asian market Baazi. and because of the success of the event a few major brands are already following. 2021 will see PokerBaazi. Even once 100% more collaboration live poker fully comes events with live and online back, APT online events operators happening in Inwill always be a part of the dia and around the world. offerings throughout the How do you think APT years to come. It is clear Any plans of coming to managed to function to us that online and live India? and excel during the events will work hand in 2012 was the last year pandemic? hand from now on, inwe held an event in InAs much as the pandem- creasing player numbers dia. As soon as travelling ic has been negative for across the board. Bottom- opens up for players and live poker, for the APT it line, the future of APT is our team, we will come to somewhat has been a brighter than ever.

India. Gutshot will be the blessing in disguise befirst to know about the cause we have always After this major collablive event in partnership been known for strictly oration, what does APT with PokerBaazi which will doing live events. Due to look forward to from the happen before the end of the pandemic we were ap- Indian market?

2021! proached to do an online The collaboration is set to event which transpired into have a long term plan to The APT India Online Setwo extremely successful increase the number of In- ries 2021 will be held from events that lead us to the dian players playing online 15 to 26 January 2021, partnership with and live. We have always open for Indian players only.

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to work with, PokerBaazi was the first platform that he introduced me to. After a few online meetings with the owners and staff it was an easy decision. Not only are they easy to work with, but they also share the same vision for growth.

The dates picked for the event gives us ample time to market the event properly, work on setting up multiple pre- event satellites to ensure a successful event, a great schedule, the daily and overall leaderboard prizes, and the guaranteed prize pool of the series. There is also an added bonus as they have a live room that hosts some successful events and gives us a venue to host an APT live event in the future.

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

Working Towards a Healthier and Happier 2021 WORDS BY MANTHRA KOLIYER

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hen Indian poker player Ashutosh Balodhi, Spartan Poker’s Millionaire series winner told us that he lost 45 kgs in less than six months we were amazed at his perseverance. Like Balodhi, other poker players across the globe have taken several baby steps to stay fit during the pandemic.

International poker star, and six-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, Daniel Negreanu, recently spoke about being fit and transforming himself despite being vegan. Steven Van Zadelhoff is another top international poker player who has time and again asked his fellow players to lead a healthy lifestyle.

But aren’t poker players

the ones that sit in one spot and grind through the night? Yes, they are, but players these days have a different perspective towards fitness.

Fitness not only refers to being physically fit and healthy but also involves mental wellness, a healthy diet, and flexibility. Though hitting the gym and sweating calories is always given priority, bringing about

minor changes in eating habits, sleeping patterns, intake of liquids, etc., is also seen to make a huge difference.

The pandemic forced all poker players that were gym freaks to look for creative ways to workout from home. From lifting buckets of water to sacks of potatoes, they have tried it all!

Ashutosh Balodhi is a prime example. He was

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120 kg in the month of March and today he is around 75 kg.

“Each of us had to go through a change in lifestyle during the lockdown. When I was working on my diet, I was actually going through a very dark phase in my life. I wanted opportunities to appreciate myself, and this path helped me,” he says.

He emphasizes that he did not begin with the aim to lose kilos instantly.

Looking at the figures, we could assume that Balodhi exercised rigorously to lose weight so drastically, but in actuallity he did not.

Balodhi’s workout routine consisted of enjoying every meal he consumed, meditation, basic yoga, and being in tune with his body.

CONSUMING THE RIGHT MEAL

Balodhi contradicts the concept of cutting down on carbs, junk food, aerated drinks, etc., to reduce one’s weight. He emphasizes that enjoying every meal you consume and being aware of what you eat is itself enough to regulate your diet.

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practise this, he was living by himself in Pune. He used to be a stress eater in the past, which eventually led to him bulking up.

During the lockdown he started cooking for himself, in the pursuit of knowing the ingredients being added in the food he ate through the day.

This did not mean that he stopped eating outside food. He simply change his relationship with food.

MENTAL PEACE

Balodhi says that just before the lockdown began, he went through a terrible breakup and was in a very dark phase of his life. “During this period of time, my movements were restricted and I only had the option of looking within,” he says.

“My mindset was not fixed to do anything that was very difficult for the body to take. Going to the gym was not an option, hence I started looking for other ways. Reading about meditation was my first step to begin this regime.”

He further adds, “Meditation helped me a lot. I wanted to create a balance which was rightly achieved by sheer con2021

centration and basic yoga.”

KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE

Balodhi stresses that, “You do not need to look outside for clues. Your body itself throws signs at you. When I was under depression, I realized that our body needs to work according to us. The pimples that start showing up on your face, hair fall or even certain nervous breakdowns, all of this is a way of your body trying to drop hints at you.”

Balodhi suggests that one should process the hints and work on each of them. “It is very important to be aware of one’s body type before you begin working on it,” he concludes.

Working on the root, praying before eating, looking within and loving oneself; Balodhi’s routine is surely a holistic one. Chasing the pot and making it to the top, whether in poker or real life requires players to stay strong mentally as well as physically. Let us all take inspiration from Balodhi and march towards a healthier and happier 2021.

POKER

Big Daddy Casino: Overcoming pandemic woes WORDS BY MANTHRA KOLIYER

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ripping elegance and luxury, Big Daddy Casino on the Mandovi River in Goa is where gambling meets glitz and glamour.

Due to the pandemic and the lockdown, casinos across India shut down in March. In November, the state government of Goa agreed to reopen casinos after the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) requested the government to open offshore casinos.

Now, as the casinos have begun functioning and lockdown rules have eased in the state, we wanted

to know what Big Daddy casino has in store for us in 2021. We spoke to Clint Fernandes, Head of Marketing and Sales at Big Daddy Casino to know more:

stations. Onboard the ship, all protocols of safety and security are implemented across all departments. A Covid-19 team is placed at all points and levels to ensure guests and staff follow the strict guidelines.

What can casino lovers expect from Big Daddy Casino post the pandemic?

A big and safe environment for gamers and party goers can be expected.

Customer experience and satisfaction is utmost priority at Big Daddy Casino and we strive each day to ensure we achieve this difficult goal.

Customers that book and wish to experience Big Daddy Casino are welcomed with a warm smile, screened for temperature, and guided to all contactless sanitizing

When do you expect things to get back to normal and how long will the current safety precautions be in place?

The world has worked hard to get a vaccine approved and distributed.

The next 3-4 months will be crucial. With a vaccine that may soon be available globally, we will have a good season next year in Goa. I personally feel 2021 will be much bigger and profitable for all businesses across Goa. Slowly and steadily, casinos in Goa are getting back on track. Let us all look forward to days without lockdown extensions, no social distancing norms and blissful days on Big Daddy Casino very soon.

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COVER STORY

Number ONE With A

BULLET WORDS BY SHRIYA GHATE

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Photographer: Kapil Gulati

T

here’s an urban expression for something or someone that’s not just at the top of the charts, but got there at an unparalleled speed.

Such a person is considered not just number one but number one with a bullet! Who else could fit this bill but the exceptional Gaurav Sood?

He finished at the top of every statistic and poll for poker in India at the end of 2020, and there’s no knowing what else he will achieve in 2021. When we spoke to Sood around a year back, he complimented us on the Gutshot edition at the time and expressed his desire to be featured himself one day. As fate (or hard work and skill) had it, he did make the cover eventually. We caught up with the inimitable player about what makes him tick and what he foresees for the future.

In what ways has the pandemic changed the game for you?

The pandemic wasn’t really a big shift for online poker players as we were mostly used to being confined to our homes. It did cut down those oneoff outings though and I did not step foot outside for about seven months.

Having lesser distractions and more time helped me focus on getting better at my game.

In Feb this year, your lifetime online earnings were about INR 2.77 Cr. And now, they are touching close to INR 7.7 Cr! What did you do differently this year, that made this possible?

“

I used to be a really tight player when I started, but

when one starts digging and studying the game seriously, they tend to open up as a result. At least

“

First off, congratulations! What a whopping year you’ve had. Seems like 2020 was a good year for you?

Thanks a lot! It’s been good year poker wise and 2020 has taught me a lot in life too. I have had decent results, but more importantly improved my game immensely and that’s the main aim: to get better every passing day. So yeah, contrary to popular belief, 2020 has been an enlightening year for me.

that’s the curve I followed.

One interview described you as being “one of most feared players online today”.

Why do you think that is the case?

Haha, I wouldn’t know why exactly but probably because of the aggression when I’m on the table.

I used to be a really tight player when I started, but when one starts digging and studying the game seriously, they tend to open up as a result. At least that’s the curve I followed. Aces and kings are a pretty sight, sure, but it just becomes too boring to be waiting for them to show up.

Since you started playing in 2013, how have As the lockdown was you evolved as a player? imposed, every site had I learnt the rules of the multiple big series and game in 2013 but I took it the usual guarantees seriously only after the first were pumped a lot. I put PSL in 2017. Before that in a lot of volume studyI used to play low stakes ing and playing. I did not cash games with friends do something out of the and PSL-1 qualifiers were box, but I did go in with the first set of tournaa lot more intensity and ments I played. After PSL, focus than ever before.

I was backed by my menAlso, I focused on gettor of the Punjab team, ting healthier. Having a Abhishek Goindi, to play good pre-grind routine 100 to 500 buy-in tournahelped me achieve all ments. From there on I got this too. All in all, I’m inquisitive and started digreally happy with how it ging out free content on panned out in the last the internet. Starting out, few months. when I got some success GUTSHOT

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the most important thing I did was to invest my time and bankroll into studying the game more and having a strict BRM. After steadily accumulating knowledge and bankroll, I subscribed to Run It Once as my first major investment in studying poker.

Since then, I have always recommended RIO as the bible for learning poker, be it any format.

Although after PSL I started playing more often, I had to complete my graduation before I could seriously dedicate time to poker. February 2019, I graduated and that’s when I started playing regularly and considered that I could go pro. Using RIO coupled with a few tools, I started shaping my game

to what it is now. The main component that’s changed from then to now is my approach towards the game. As I kept learning, my approach towards the game got better.

What made you decide to go pro? Do you see yourself having an alternate career in the future?

It wasn’t any one particular thing but a string of events which made me confident about turning pro. Getting a few wins is something anyone on a heater or good run can do. But I wanted longevity in the game. If it’s just one big win or event that makes you think you can go pro, you’re possibly being result-oriented and/ or impulsive about it. So I made sure that wasn’t the case. I played the low stakes and did consistently well there. Gradually, I moved up and did decently well in high stakes too.

That is when I became almost entirely sure of going pro. Then that belief solidified into absolute conviction as I put in more volume and study.

As an alternate career

is concerned, I haven’t thought about it. I really want to focus on the present and that’s purely poker. If I had to choose, it would be a choice between something related to lawn tennis or writing.

How did Abhishek Goindi discover you in 2017? Did you guys train together for the tournament?

I wasn’t likely to be picked by any team according to my rank but luckily for me, Abhishek Goindi saw what he saw and picked me as a qualifier for Punjab. I have always spoken about the gratitude I have towards him and his role in shaping my poker career.

Along with being my first mentor in the game, we share an amazing equation as friends as well. PSL was an unreal experience and that’s the first time I realized there are people in India who play poker professionally. It was an amazing learning experience to play with everyone; I constantly picked the brains of everyone in my team. It still is one of the best if not the ultimate poker experience I’ve ever had.

How do you think physical fitness affects your game?

I have been guilty of neglecting health when I first started grinding regularly.

But in the past year and a half, I have realized the importance of getting fitter and eating healthier.

It still is one of the most underrated aspects of being a professional poker player. If you are physically fit, you’re just mentally sharper. Fatigue, mental or physical, doesn’t get to you that much. Exercising has a lot of positive effect on your mindset as well and it’s backed by science. All this is so essential in-game as we are always in high-dollar-highpressure situations and we need our minds to be at top efficiency.

Could you describe your daily routine?

This is what a typical grind-day looks like: I get up around 2PM in the afternoon, have my first meal and then study for a bit. Around 4-5PM I leave for tennis, returning in 1.5 hours. Then I take a shower, have a meal, and chant for whatever time I can. I usually do a primed mind session before I jump into the session at around 8-8:30 PM. Typically, the session gets over anywhere between 2AM5AM, sometimes later.

If I get done early I look through some spots and if I get done late, I just chill for a bit and go to bed as soon as possible.

Who among the poker community have been your biggest mentors How do you keep your- and supporters? self mentally fit for the Now this is going to be a game? long list! As I mentioned, For me, the routine leading Abhishek Goindi is my first up to the session is really mentor. After PSL, I was important. I play tennis for backed by Kanishk Bansal an hour or so before the and Sarth Rastogi to play session, and do some guid- for FTR Poker. That was ed meditation with Primed the time I built some bankMind app just before playroll and confidence. I met ing. I have been practicing Paawan Bansal properly in Buddhism for the last 8 the second season of PSL years and it has played a where he was Punjab’s Your journey as a pokpivotal role in maintaining a pick from the pro draft er player also involved strong mind-set. and we bonded a lot and becoming physically fit. chilled after PSL as well.

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“put in honest, I certainly dedicated work towards my game and I could very well be the next (WSOP) bracelet

“

winner for India.

These people are probably the biggest supporters and mentors I have had, with whom I share an impeccable equation and they’re more like friends than just poker buddies now.

I have looked up to and been supported by some people for whom I have utmost respect for—Ratul Steves, Aditya Sushant, Abhinav Iyer, Raghav Bansal. I don’t talk to a lot of people in the industry but there are a fair few whom I really like and we support each other be22

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ing on the same journey, namely Aditya Wadhawan, Shardul Parthasarathi and Rubin Labroo. I have taken coaching sessions from Damien Wain, an English player, which has helped me cover so many weak links in my game.

The biggest inspiration I have from the industry is Sriharsha Dodapaneni for sure. His work ethic, the way he plays and approaches the game, all of it is just so fluid. I have been fortunate enough to pick his brains a bit off late and am so excited to be chosen by him as a wildcard to play the Delhi team this year in PSL! Apart from the industry, my friends, Gunisha and Nishant, have been of immense support to my poker career and helped me believe in myself even at times when it was so easy to give in.

How has making your name and your earnings public affected you? How has your family reacted to your going pro?

Not a lot to be honest! I do see a lot of players sharing their wins on social media platforms. While I don’t condemn the practice, I personally don’t fancy it either. However, with

platforms like PokerGuru and Gutshot broadcasting scores on a daily basis, it’s pretty much public, especially to the community.

To my friends and family, I’m pretty much the same.

I’ve just probably earned a little more respect for being able to pursue my passion and doing well in it. My family is really proud of what I’m able to do in poker, especially my mom and dad. It makes me feel at peace because I never thought they’d be celebrating my success or even approving of what I’m doing. Life does work in funny ways when you’re hell-bent upon one thing.

Finally, with the WSOP coming up next year, do you think you might become the Indian’s next bracelet winner?

Which other Indian players do you think might become bracelet winners?

I’d definitely like to think I will be the next winner!

I certainly put in honest, dedicated work towards my game and I could very well be the next (WSOP) bracelet winner for India. I have never been to Vegas, so it’ll be pretty sweet to get the gold on the first trip. But the goal is to put in work and improve my game with utmost vigor until then.

The two other names off the top of my head would be Aditya Aggarwal and Sriharsha Doddapaneni.

These two undoubtedly are the absolute top crushers and I have utmost respect for them. So yeah, just a matter of time before they pick up the gold!

Sood is the ultimate definition of discipline, hard work and let’s be honest, a streak of genius. His affable and humble manner off the felts contrasted with the killer moves on the table has him making fans of all of us! Will the bullet fly even higher in 2021? We sure want it to!

Here’s wishing him all the luck he needs to get there.

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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

ONLINE GAMING: TO BAN OR NOT TO BAN, THAT IS THE QUESTION WORDS BY DONNA AMO

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he debate surrounding the legality of online gambling in India is not a new one. With rising cases of suicides and deaths related to online gaming, it is not a 24

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surprise that many people are against it. But will an outright ban of online gambling help curb the situation?

The Public Gaming Act of 1867 is a central law that prohibits running or 2021

overseeing a public gambling house. The central government, however, has given the freedom to state governments to determine gambling laws within their own borders. Which is why states like Goa,

Daman, and Sikkim have allowed casinos to operate while other states remain elusive with their gambling laws.

The main argument that many have against online gambling and gambling in general is that it may lead to addiction. While this may be true in some sense, addiction to gambling is more psychological than physical. This means that with the right counselling and help, addiction to gambling can be tackled. Even then, it is only a small percentage of the gaming population that have an addiction. Most people who play real money games, understand the risks it involves.

Tamil Nadu has recently joined the growing number of states that are outrightly banning online gambling and gaming, citing the many deaths and the effect it is having on the youth. In any form, responsible gambling is crucial. Which is why many legitimate gambling sites have protocols and rules in place to promote it.

What many of the states fail to recognize is the fact that an outright ban will not help curb the menace of illegal gambling. If any state rules in favour of

banning online gambling, it will only be the legitimate and legal operators that would be affected. This will only add fuel to the fire as it would push many players to sites that are unregulated, further putting them at higher risk.

Regulated online gambling on the other hand would be a more logical solution. Regulation would mean giving a legitimate space for sites to operate while keeping a check on them. In doing so, the state government could tax online operators and generate revenue from it.

Some states have already seen the advantages of this. For example, due to regulation, states like Goa

generated a revenue of INR 411 Crore from casinos for the financial year 2018-19.

Although India’s online gambling Industry is still at a nascent stage, the market potential is huge.

Governments should take advantage of this and tap into this abundant resource. Organizations like The Rummy Federation (TRF) or the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) have been established to act as self-regulatory bodies for online gaming platforms across India for this very purpose. This shows us that legitimate operators are ready to adhere to laws and regulations.

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POKER

WHAT’S AN ADMISSIBLE GAMING AD?

ASCI TELLS YOU WORDS BY MANTHRA KOLIYER

O

n 18 November, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of India held a meeting to discuss the breach of consumer rights with respect to online gaming advertisements on television. These guidelines come hot on the heels of bans on online gaming by several states in the country.

The I&B Ministry emphasized that advertisements could be examined with the assistance of the Cable TV Network Act. This regulation would itself help in curbing misleading ads from being aired on the television. They have also cited the Advertising Standards Council of India’s (ASCI) self-regulatory code.

The ASCI is a voluntary self regulatory council established in 1985. Their prime role is to deal with complaints from individuals and organizations about ads that are misleading, false or unfair by any means.

According to their regulations, they emphasize the need for transparency around ads in line with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which prohibits false or misleading ads.

To regulate the gaming sector, the ASCI has rolled out a few guidelines that must be followed:

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• Advertisements must adhere to legal norms and follow the compliances issued, in an honest manner and not be offensive to the larger audience. The advertisements must not instigate any harmful substances/practices but rather encourage fair competition.

• Online gaming and online gambling are two different concepts that must not be clubbed as one entity. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand the difference between online games that provide real money and online gambling.

• A state provision is intact to allow or disallow online games. States like Assam, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, etc., have prohibited games of skill that offer stakes.

Therefore, it is essential that advertisements related to such games must also be prohibited from being aired on television.

These guidelines could be very helpful in maintaining a transparent policy between advertisement broadcasting entities, television management and online gaming companies. A certain level of self regulation is also expected from media houses and advertising agencies in order to ensure that the advertising sector remains consumer friendly.

RUMMY

WHAT IS INDIAN MARRIAGE?

T

his article could be about the elusive and complex thing that we call the “Indian Marriage” but thankfully, we are referring to Indian Marriage the card game—a popular version of 21-card rummy, also known as Marriage Rummy. It is played

amongst 2-7 players online as well as offline using three or more packs of cards.

Though the basics of rummy variations do not vary much, there are a few unique aspects you need to know about Marriage Rummy:

Objective: Make the largest number of points after playing all hands. The trick is to show the game as early as possible to get these maximum points.

Game Play: Three 52card decks are used with no Jokers. And no other wild cards are called out

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RUMMY

either. 21 cards are dealt to each player. The other game play requirements such as stock piling, melds, draws and discards, making sets and sequences are the same as the regular 13-card rummy.

Hidden Joker: The uniqueness of this rummy version is in the ‘Hidden joker’. Once 21 cards are dealt to each player, a random card selected from the pile is hidden from all players. This is considered the ‘joker’. Apart from the joker card, two more wildcards called ‘value cards’ are designated. These cards are one value above and below the joker value, and from the same suit.

These are popularly referred to as the Cut Joker, Upper Joker and Lower Joker. For example, if 4 of hearts (4H) is chosen as ‘joker’ then the ‘value’ cards will be 3H—4H—5H and all the 4’s across suits will be jokers. These three different value cards will have different values assigned to them. All ‘jokers’ and ‘value’ cards can be used as wild cards in the game. This ‘Hidden Joker’ is only revealed when a player shows 3 pure sets or 3 pure runs and gets them validated by the rest.

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After this, the player can begin to use the joker or other wildcards.

Final Show: A player can only go down or show when they are eligible to see the joker.

Scoring: The numeric value of the cards is counted from 2 to 10. Face cards and Aces count as 10 points. ‘Value’ cards carry a special place in scoring.

Now, each rummy portal has a different method for calculating the valuecards.

In fact, each rummy portal has a different name for these value cards. Nichlu, Taplu, Paplu, Jhiplu are some of the names which are used. The concept however remains the 2021

same. The combination of the Low Value+ Joker+ High Value = Marriage Players may trade their value points with each other in this game.

Here’s a handy tip for playing Indian Marriage rummy: Watch out for what cards are being discarded or picked by the eligible players. They will never discard a joker or wildcard and will always pick jokers and wildcards from the discard pile.

So, ultimately, Indian Marriage Rummy does prove to be an enjoyable affair! Why don’t you play it on your favourite rummy site and tell us about your experience!

RUMMY PROMOTION

RUMMYDANGAL: THE ULTIMATE GAMING PLATFORM

T

o all the fans of rummy out there, we’d like to bring your attention to a phenomenal gaming platform called RummyDangal.

This brand comes from the same hood as the popular poker platform PokerDangal. The digital gaming platform has its CEO in Varun Mahna. The wonderful and inspiring story behind RummyDangal dates back to 2017 when Mahna and his classmate Varun Puri along with Shashwat Jain and Karan Gandhi put Xeta Networks together. In a bid to provide world class facilities to the rummy players on RummyDangal, the company has started XETA Gaming Pvt. Ltd. At RummyDangal, they believe in giving their players a flawless expe-

WORDS BY MRINAL GUJARE

rience and much more.

RummyDangal follows the highest safety norms to make sure the players keep their trust in the brand. Rummy lovers, you get 24X7 support and you can play from the comfort of your homes or any place you deem fit, round the clock.

That is not all. You get a chance to play multiple variants of rummy and tournaments that are held daily. For folks who are skeptical, there are free cash tourneys as well.

Doesn’t this sound exciting and something to look forward to? The gaming platform is one of the most highly anticipated launches in the world of rummy. Rightly so! RummyDangal has put their best foot forward.

This unmatched gaming giant ranks highest when

it comes to giving its players a secure and worthy platform to play rummy on. Check out their website and you will find a long list of extravagant offers which are just waiting for you. We say, check them out right away.

From sign up bonuses to instant cash, they have some hard to miss offers running. If this doesn’t sound like a winning combination then we don’t know what does!

There is an endless list of players in the gaming market, but we can say that none match the brilliance of RummyDangal.

If you want to enjoy an unparalleled game of rummy, just get on to RummyDangal.

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ESPORTS

IG CLAWZ JAZZY:

A BUDDING ESPORTS PLAYER WORDS BY SAMEER BAIG

What does it take to be an upcoming and successful esports player in India today?

Can you make a career in esports in India?

IG Clawz Jazzy, who already has many tournament wins under his belt, tells us about his journey to success.

How did you get into professional gaming?

I was quite fond of gaming for a very long time. When I was 7-year-old I used to watch my elder brother play CS 1.6 on his PC, which sparked an interest in me to play FPS games. When I started playing games I didn’t know anything about esports as families in India did not talk about it the way they spoke about cricket being a professional sport! With the introduction of PUBG MOBILE in India, I found my passion and realized that I wanted to pursue esports more seriously. I spoke to my family and they were supportive of it. They were ready to invest in it the way we invest in any other college course for doing a specialized graduate program. They got me an XR too, so I could progress in my career.

Do you remember a particular moment when you decided that esports would be your career?

When I was playing in the PMIT semifinals, I saw a player named Scout (a known PUBG player) and from that day onwards he be30

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came my inspiration. I wanted to become like him. I started playing the game very seriously. There have been several ups and downs but I think I will be able to make it.

What is Claw Esports?

Claw Esports is one of the oldest teams of PUBG. Our very first clan leader left the game a long time ago. Clan leadership was given to ClawFreak in 2019. ClawFreak gave me the opportunity to play for Claw Esports. He is a very humble and kind man. He manages everything in the clan and is doing a great job. Currently, I am also the co leader of Claw Esports.

How did you feel when you won PMAL? Everyone in the team was happy when we won PMAL. I was the top fragger for my team in that tournament. Almost every PMPL team in India played that tournament. We wiped out Fnatic Entity and many more teams in proper 4v4 fights.

I was also very excited about the points table and being on the top of the fragger chart as well. It was the best experience I ever had. It made me believe that gaming is my calling.

What are your future plans when it comes to your gaming and further education?

Tell me more about NPL, PMUL, I already cleared my 12th grade with 85%. My PMAL. parents are very supportive of gaming. My NPL was a specialized tournament with mom also likes to play games with me on my a prize pool of INR 3 Lakh designed only PS4. Due to Covid-19, I have not yet decided for Elite teams of PUBG MOBILE. PMUL about what’s next in terms of my education. and PMAL were comparatively smaller My parents have suggested that I move to tournaments with a prize pool of INR 20Canada but because esports is growing in 25,000 but better known in the community India, I am unable to decide what to pick. of PUBG. It was important for us to make Going abroad for further studies sounds our mark there and we were able to do it fascinating but leaving behind my passion easily by winning both the tournaments. makes me wonder which path to take.

Thanks to our IGL Claw Vegeta for the Rotations–a skill used in the gameplay and a strategy which was much needed for us to perform at our peak.

BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT Finalist of Porusplay and How do you think you could have semi-finalist of PMIT done better?

We have a balanced team with proper TOP SKILLS NEED FOR PORUS PLAY Sniper Entry fragger support and IGL. • Practice But there was a lack of communication in • Trust in every member of the some of the tournaments. Some players squad were busy with their studies and hence our practice was not as good as we exGAMES YOU WOULD RECOMMEND pected it to be. But it was a learning expe• GTA V rience and a lesson in how to manage our • Call of Duty: Cold War time better without compromising on our education as well as our dreams.

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ESPORTS

Valorant: The Next Big Thing WORDS BY SAMEER BAIG

I

magine if you had the best weapons on the planet. Now, combine those with some lethal abilities. Do you think you could qualify to be one of the S.H.I.E.L.D Agents?

While Nick Fury may have already created his team to save the world, you still have the chance to be an

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agent with Valorant!

What makes Valorant different and a game of choice is that it takes into account the skills of the players not only from the aim of their gun but also their sense of the game.

Valorant has recently outplayed Dota 2, League of Legends and Counter 2021

Strike because this game seems to be a combination of all of these. Someone who was good at FPS would excel in Counter Strike while someone who had a great strategic gaming sense and was skilled at using abilities of heroes would master Dota 2 or LoL. Valorant is designed

in a way that it caters to both the audiences at the same time, in the same battle ground.

It is a 5v5 FPS game where every player gets to choose an agent of their choice based on their skills and game play, out of the available 13 agents with their unique set of abilities.

The agents are categorized into four types based on their specialized set of abilities. The teams are expected to have the best possible formation consisting of these skills to balance out the abilities and powers in a way that it will lead them to victory. Here are the four major types of agents: Duelists: These are the self-sufficient fraggers of the team. It comes easy to them as their abilities and skills are powerful and they engage first in battles.

These are the attackers of the team. They are also known as ‘carry’ as they are the most offensive ones.

flank during their attacks.

2020, Valorant already has its first tournament Initiator: They set up in Europe. The game their teams by challenging has seen an enormous the angles of attack and rise in the players per pushing the defending day. With the rising numagents away. They are the bers, it can be easily stunt masters of the team predicted that the game and have some amazing will rule the world of skills and abilities giving esports for the foreseethem advantage to push able future until we see the enemy away. another classic strategic competition game. While Controller: These there is no official count agents focus on clearing maintained for now and the dangerous territories no official data has been to increase the chances released in terms of the of winning for their team. active players of ValoThey act as disablers for rant, Riot Games did rethe enemy by controlling lease some stats on the or slowing down the ene- two months’ beta testing mies using unique abilities period stating that there like flash/smoke, walls and were about 3 million traps that can be placed players per day. Considon the ground to slow ering this, we can safely down the enemies. assume that the number Launched in the year is three times in reality.

Sentinels : They are the defenders of the team.

They lockdown areas and keep a watch over the flanks on both the attacker as well as the defending side. These agents will either hang back or lay traps to watch the enemy team GUTSHOT

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FA N TA SY S P O R T S

DREAM11 : STRIKING A RELATABLE CHORD WITH GULLY CRICKET LOVERS WORDS BY MRINAL GUJARE

F

ans of the Indian Premier League (IPL) who were waiting for this tournament to kickstart, were more eager than ever for its 2020 edition. While the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to put all good plans under the bus, the IPL 2020 did take place, with Dream11 as its title sponsor.

Along with the tournament itself, what caught the attention of the viewers and industry experts was the ad campaign run by the title sponsor, Dream11.

The campaign showed well-known cricketers playing gully cricket with regular folks. Dream11’s tagline ‘Ye Apna Game Hai’ struck a chord instantly with the audiences. A chance to add their beloved cricketers in their respective teams was a proposition too hard to miss. Indian cricketers like MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah were part of the campaign.

Gutshot wanted to take a 34

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deeper look to understand exactly why it worked. We spoke to Gavril Mankoo, Account Director - Digital, at Action Global Communications about his take on Dream11’s ad campaign.

“Fundamentally, an advertisement needs to be relatable to the audience it is trying to capture. Playing on nostalgia has always been one of the best ways to grab attention. The gully cricket angle in the Dream11’s ad campaign ticked all boxes, bringing back memories and intertwining it with something more contemporary like a tech-backed fantasy cricket league,” says Mankoo.

Dream11 also has competitors in the market that

2021

they would like to crush.

Brands like MPL (Mobile Premiere League), My11Circle, HalaPlay, FanFight have a lot to catch up to if they wish to challenge Dream11’s victorious run. It won’t be easy, as Dream11 has managed to build a loyal fan base among its players and are also providing incentives to get on board. Furthermore, Dream11 becoming a title sponsor for Indian Premiere League (IPL) was a giant leap ahead. So now, the brand’s rivals can take some crucial tips from their growth and expansion strategy to make sure they survive the battle, in a market like India, which is fiercely competitive.

FA N TA SY S P O R T S

Fantasy Football Startups To Look Out For In 2021

F

antasy sports is one of the growing sectors in the Indian gaming market. Boosted by the abundance of smartphones and data internet, it has seen a tremendous uptick in popularity. Platforms like Dream11, KhelPlay, MyTeam11 have seen an increase in user base over the years with Dream11 being at the top. Just two years back, India saw the fantasy sports market boom as many startups began cropping up one after the other. However, during the 2020 pandemic lockdown many of these startups have either shut down or become inactive.

Even so, the industry has continued to grow and there are many startups that players can look out for in the new year.

While a majority of Indian fantasy sport players are invested in cricket, fantasy football is another sport that has begun to see a

WORDS BY DONNA AMO

rising fanbase in the country. Football is popular in states like Goa, Kerala, West Bengal, and the sister states in north eastern India. With the launch of Indian Super League (ISL), the football scene in the country has grown significantly. Many fantasy sports start ups are now including this sport and many others to their platforms. Here are some start ups to watch out for in the new year.

Vickram Assomull but only went live in 2018. Both the founders have a passion for sports and entrepreneurship. Within just two and a half years, the company reported a user base of more than a million and has continued to grow ever since.

Powering through the pandemic, it is one among the few startups that have managed to survive 2020 and pull through. Currently, the company offers games like cricket, football, and kabaddi, but users can expect more sports like basketball and rummy to be added in the coming months. Offering their users exciting prizes and rewards, LivePools is one start-up every fantasy sports fan must look out for.

LivePools LivePools is an Indian company with its headquarters in Mumbai. This company is one of the fastest growing startups in fantasy sports. It was launched in 2017 by Gaurav and

My11Circle Launched in January 2019

by PlayGames 24x7, My11Circle is one of the more recent fantasy platforms in the country. Founded by Trivikraman Thampy and Bhavin Pandya, the fantasy

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FA N TA SY S P O R T S

tion for the club. Being India’s first ‘only football’ fantasy sports platform has set ‘Twelfth Man’ apart from its competitors.

It offers users a range of contests like Live and Offline Trivia, H2H League, DFS, and many more. Users can also expect amazing in-app and cash rewards from this platform. The app is available on Android and startup is on its way to be- Twelfth Man iOS in freemium mode. coming one of the leading Twelfth Man is the first Since its launch in April, brands in the sector. While fantasy sports platform Twelfth Man has already My11Circle predominantly solely dedicated to football. amassed a user base offer its users cricket, they Launched in April 2020, of over 600,000 players have also added football to the platform is owned by and is steadily growing. their growing list of sports. NxGn Interactive and has With so many new Due to its relatively new Indian pro footballer Sunil startups to watch out for status, the space is welChhetri as its brand amin the coming year, the coming more players who bassador. The name of the fantasy sports indusare looking for less compe- fantasy football platform try has an exciting year tition. Fewer competitions comes from the term given ahead. Fans of fantasy would mean more rewards to supporters of football football, cricket, etc., will for the players. With the clubs who are called the have a lot to look forward tagline ‘Play With Champi- twelfth man due to their to in 2021. ons,’ My11Circle challeng- enthusiasm and dedicaes its users to use their analytical skills to come out on top of every game.

For fantasy football fanatics, My11Circle is one of the best platforms to get their fantasy fix. With its smooth gameplay and tutorials for those who are just getting started, My11Circle is easily one of the best start-ups fans simply can’t get enough of.

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FUN SECTION

GUTSHOT E-MAGAZINE WORDSEARCH Here’s a Fun Section to keep you charged through this January. To win free goodies, all you have to do is follow the steps below: Take a look at Gutshot e-magazine’s December 2020 edition Look for the words in the wordsearch picked from the December e-magazine.

Send the solved wordsearch to contact@gutshotmagazine.com

Win gifts!

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you take a look at how India’s first ever Esports Bootcamp looks like? Click here to read

The story of Spartan Poker and its rise to fame. Click here to know more

Candid Conversations with Millionaire Main Event winner Ashutosh Balodhi. Click here to read

Here’s what Shachi Mall, Goon-

jan Mall’s wife said about the poker industry.

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FUN SECTION

Your Lucky Numbers in 2021!

WORDS BY MRINAL GUJARE

A

New Year brings with it a ray of hope.

An opportunity to bring about positive change and accomplish your life goals. Gutshot would like to give you an insight on what the new year holds from Numerology’s perspective. The year 2021 is a number 5 year (2+0+2+1 = 5), ruled

by Mercury, which can 38

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make you reach great heights.

Number 1 - Those born on the dates 1, 10, 19 and 28 are number 1. People born How to get your number: on these dates are considAdd up digits of your birth ered fortunate as they get day to get your number. For positions of authority along example, if you were born with having dominant peron the 23rd of a month, sonalities. If you choose to add 2 +3 = 5, with 5 being do crucial tasks on dates your number. that add up to 1, 2 and 7, you can expect the results Now read what the num- to go your way. Lucky bers have to say! colours: Yellow, Brown and Golden. Gemstone: Ruby.

2021

Number 2 - Think Moon.

Folks who like to gaze at the Moon are mostly dreamers born on dates like 2, 11, 20, 29. People ruled by 2 should carefully walk their paths in 2021 and take key decisions on dates that add up to 1, 2, 7, 6. They can be taken as aloof, but give them space and time. Lucky colour: White. Gemstone: Pearl.

these people are influenced by the sun. Lucky colours: Yellow, Orange and Brown.

Gemstone: Hessonite.

Number 5 - Notorious as ‘over-thinkers’ this number flies high and low all the time. The year is 2021 which adds up to 5, is going to be a field year for you. Bring on your A game as its time to rock and roll. It’s time for you to say Number 3 - This is a macheers. Stay clear of numterial number. People who ber 9. It is not a clever idea are born on 3, 12, 30 of any to play with the feisty 9. month have their primary Lucky colour: Green. Gemnumber 3. These peostone: Emerald. ple earn a great amount of wealth. 2021 will bring Number 6 - The planet along a plethora of opporVenus shines on you. The tunities that 3’s are just number of luxury, splenwaiting to clinch. The Jupi- dour and entertainment. ter ruled people manage to If you see someone in a emerge as winners. Lucky party, who is dressed to colour: Purple. Gemstones: kill, you can bet the person Yellow Sapphire and Ame- is a number 6. Number 6 thyst. prefers a king size life. This year they will be looking at Number 4 - The planet making sure that life goes Uranus governs you. Often on with the terms they lay people say avoid number down. Lucky colours: Pas4 and 8. They are considtel shades and Blue. Gemered unlucky. This number stone: Diamond. gives its natives eccentric personalities. Strictly stay Number 7 - The intuitive away from earning monone with a head full of ey by unlawful ways and dreams. People who are keep a distance from court governed by number 7, are matters. Take this year to ruled by Neptune. Folks meticulously plan ahead, with a strong intuition. Born that is for 2022. Born on on dates like 7, 16 and 25, dates like 4, 13, 22 and 31, they will have your back.

This year keep going and make use of your strong intuitive skills to get on a winning streak. Lucky colours: Cream, White and Blue. Gemstone: Cat’s Eye. Number 8 - Saturn, the planet of trials and justice.

Shaking with fear already?

There is no need to press that panic button just yet. If you choose to do the right thing, Saturn will back you.

But, if you are on the wrong side of things, then God bless you. Just take one day at a time. There can be no better advice than this.

Lucky colour: Blue. Gemstone: Amethyst.

Number 9 – Mars ruled number with ample energy.

9’s are hot heads and won’t shy away from picking up a fight or giving it back as they have the required energy and will to do so. The upcoming year 2021, may not be the best year for you as 5 and 9 don’t really get along. Lucky colours: Pink, White and Blue. Gemstone: Coral.

Disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only. Please use your discretion and personal judgement when reading predictions.

Predictions should in no way be used instead of personal judgement.

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