Adda52’s annual poker championship – Adda52 Champions Leaderboard (ACL) 2.0 – successfully ended recently. The second season of the championship ‘ACL 2.0’ was won by a Goa-based attorney Ram Kakkar.

Ram Kakkar, who took an Adda52 contract worth INR 20 lakhs, will join the current three Adda52 game ambassadors and will be promoting poker.

After the conclusion of the year-long leaderboard program, Adda52’s Chief Revenue Officer and spokesperson, Krishnendu Guha addressed the development of poker as a game in India.

Mr Krishnendu Guha – a marketing leader with around twenty years of experience and knowledge of Digital product marketing – likewise described how poker is gradually yet consistently changing the scene of online gaming in India.

Mr Krishnendu Guha likewise expressed poker is rising as a famous skill-based game in the nation catching the limelight amongst the 25-45 age group.

At the point when asked about his evaluation of the Adda52 Champions Leaderboard (ACL) 2.0, Mr Krishnendu Guha said, “It was a year-long event and has made big progress. We started this two years back with a vision to set up a platform for upcoming poker players in India.

“It is a platform where players from all parts of the country get to showcase their skills and eventually establish themselves in the field of poker. We also wanted to ensure that they can make poker a permanent source of income so that they can build a life out of their passion.”

Discussing how the platform is helping youngsters and naive poker players to show their skills, Mr Krishnendu Guha said, “The winner will get the title of Adda52 Game Ambassador and get a contract worth Rs 20 Lakh.”

While talking about the feedback the tournament got, Mr Krishnendu Guha said, “I’m really happy with the overwhelming participation we saw, even during the qualifiers, held throughout the year. All the finalists, from their respective areas, were brilliant. Now we have a new winner, and we are setting his path for the next year so that he can live his dream.”

Mr Krishnendu Guha shared his insight about the current poker players (who took part in ACL 2.0). He is happy with the yield of young poker players coming up in India. He, although, named the growth ‘just the tip of the iceberg’.

“See, if you asked me this question in 2015, I would have said out of 100, only two or three people know what poker is. But in 2023, out of the hundred, probably 20-25 people will know, and some might be playing it as well.”

“So that’s the growth we have witnessed. Yes, the category is nascent. Overall, it has still not reached the masses. As I said, this is just the tip of the iceberg. A lot of poker games are happening in India now. Today you will see many people between 25 to 45 years of age playing poker in India.”

Mr Krishnendu Guha likewise said that what started as a side interest a couple of years back has changed into a more organized one, and individuals are mulling over making a full-time career in poker.

Mr Krishnendu Guha further claims, “We have seen people with steady jobs, quit their jobs to play full-time poker. And one of the biggest examples is Arun Sriram. He left his full-time job to follow his passion for poker and acing it. He is an inspiration to many budding poker players now.”

“Inspired by these guys, many are coming into the fray and making their mark. They have understood it is a pretty good way to follow your dreams and pursue a good lifestyle. But you need the discipline to achieve anything big. You’ll succeed if you’re following poker in a disciplined fashion. So that’s what we are seeing. I’m sure in the coming years will see more and more youngsters coming in and playing this game.”

Asked about what kind of difficulties poker is facing currently, Mr Krishnendu Guha said, “See, the biggest challenge, I would say till last year, was the taboo, social taboo. But with the government acknowledging this, the laws being framed, and during the Union Budget, we saw the Honourable Finance Minister setting up the tax regime for online gaming.”

“These are all positive signs, and I would say we are moving in the right direction as an industry. Once the rules and the guidelines are being set, which the government is working on, it should be completely like any other sport.”

Asked how the feedback towards poker in tier-2 and tier-3 cities have and are Adda52’s plans for such districts, Mr Krishnendu Guha said, “So we have seen a significant boost from tier 2 and tier 3 cities, and one of the primary reasons for that is awareness.”

“Today cricket is a religion in India, everybody knows about it. But not everybody knows poker because it originated in the West. So, the awareness will take time. If I compare from 2014-15, it has grown significantly. The only way you can take any sport to the next level is when you reach the masses.”

“So we have been working to penetrate tier 2 and tier 3 cities as well. When people in such pockets started playing, they found it pretty interesting. We have witnessed a massive jump in these areas. So, the response has been good from such pockets.”

Drawing a resemblance between one’s everyday skills and poker, Mr Krishnendu Guha said, “In poker, you don’t need to be a mathematician, or have huge skill sets to be an ace poker player but you should show some dedication.”

His message to the young naive players who wish to make a career in poker, Mr Krishnendu Guha said, “So it’s a very simple message, poker is just like any other sport in the country and it requires discipline and practice to master it.”

“You have to give time, and patience, practice it daily, and show adherence, and discipline. Poker requires all this. When you decide to follow your passion and work towards it, only then, you can reach the top. You have to devote time like any other sport to be a champion in poker,” he signed off.

Credit: My Khel