Poker is one of the most popular skill-based sports in India. It has been gaining popularity in the country since the beginning of the 21st century. Nowadays, it has become a serious profession. Players can use their brain power to ace their way to the top. Poker is becoming more and more accepted as a sport that tests cognitive skills.

The bigger side of Poker Poker is not only a card game, but it plays an important role in many aspects of life. For example, it teaches skills like decision-making and risk assessment. These skills can be applied to real-world situations such as business negotiation, investing, strategic planning, and more. Poker also builds emotional resilience, discipline, and self-control, which are essential in high-pressure situations.

Because of the similarities between the sport and real-life situations, Poker has become an integral part of management education around the world. The world-famous Massachusetts University of Technology (MUT) in Boston, USA offers a Poker Theory and Analytics course that takes a deeper dive into poker theory and how poker analytics can be used for investment management and trading purposes. Top MBA institutes in India such as IIM Kozhikode also offer poker lessons to help students develop leadership skills.

What makes Poker a sport?
A sport, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” So, if we look at the elements of a sport, we can see that in the case of poker, it is a competition between individuals, and in some cases, it is a team competition. It is generally considered to be an entertainment activity, and the players participate in it for their amusement.

There’s no doubt that you need to be skilled at poker, but there’s also a lot of debate about whether you need to be physically active. If you’ve ever played a long game of poker, you’ll know the answer to that question. Poker requires physical effort, concentration, endurance, and fitness. Those who make it to the top of live tournaments put in long days of physical and mental strain.

Poker is also recognised as a sport by the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), which makes it eligible for inclusion in the Olympics. These recognitions are a testament to the fact that poker falls under the legitimate sports category and corrects many myths.

Where is Poker headed in India?
Poker is one of the fastest-growing sports in India and is emerging as one of the most promising industries in the country. Several factors have contributed to the growth of the sport in India, and one of them is the increasing popularity of online gaming platforms and the growing awareness of the game.

Thanks to smartphones and internet connectivity, online poker in India has attracted players from all walks of life. The industry has seen an increase in investment and sponsorship deals, showing a growing interest and trust in the sector. PokerBaazi, India’s #1 online poker platform launched in 2014, was one of the first to introduce online poker to a wide audience in India. The platform has grown tremendously, with over 3 million players joining it since its launch.

This is because PokerBaazi offers a safe user experience and hosts some of the biggest online poker tournaments across the nation. Some of these are the Greatest of All Tournaments (GOAT) which this year offered an unheard-of ₹ 7 Crores guaranteed prize pool. The National Poker Series which recently wrapped up offers a whooping 25CR that went up to 32CR. The upcoming marquee poker tournament EndBoss which is just around the corner offers an exhilarating 5CR guaranteed prize pool.

The National Poker Series (NPS) is their most successful project and aims to change the perception of Poker in India. The top 3 players from the NPS 2023 (which lasted for 18 days) will represent India in the NPS Las Vegas.

Credit: The Bridge