Big Daddy Casino: Overcoming The Pandemic Woes

Big Daddy Casino: Overcoming pandemic woes

WORDS BY MANTHRA KOLIYER

Dripping 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:

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 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.

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.

Number ONE With A BULLET

WORDS BY SHRIYA GHATE

There’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.

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.

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 SERiouS-

LY, ThEY TEnD To opEn up aS a

RESuLT. aT LEaST ThaT’S I Fo ThE cuRvE LLowED. “

As the lockdown was imposed, every site had multiple big series and the usual guarantees were pumped a lot. I put in a lot of volume studying and playing. I did not do something out of the box, but I did go in with a lot more intensity and focus than ever before. Also, I focused on getting healthier. Having a good pre-grind routine helped me achieve all this too. All in all, I’m really happy with how it panned out in the last few months.

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 you evolved as a player?

I learnt the rules of the game in 2013 but I took it seriously only after the first PSL in 2017. Before that I used to play low stakes cash games with friends and PSL-1 qualifiers were the first set of tournaments I played. After PSL, I was backed by my mentor of the Punjab team, Abhishek Goindi, to play 100 to 500 buy-in tournaments. From there on I got inquisitive and started digging out free content on the internet. Starting out, when I got some success

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.

Your journey as a poker player also involved becoming physically fit. 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.

How do you keep yourself mentally fit for the game?

For me, the routine leading up to the session is really important. I play tennis for an hour or so before the session, and do some guided meditation with Primed Mind app just before playing. I have been practicing Buddhism for the last 8 years and it has played a pivotal role in maintaining a strong mind-set.

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 and supporters?

Now this is going to be a long list! As I mentioned, Abhishek Goindi is my first mentor. After PSL, I was backed by Kanishk Bansal and Sarth Rastogi to play for FTR Poker. That was the time I built some bankroll and confidence. I met Paawan Bansal properly in the second season of PSL where he was Punjab’s pick from the pro draft and we bonded a lot and chilled after PSL as well.

I cERTainLY puT in honEST, “ 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 be-

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

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

hell-bent upon one thing.

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.