Mumbai: After wrapping up an arduous journey at India’s coveted poker series hosted on PokerBaazi – the National Poker Series India (2023) – the winners across 107 tournaments were facilitated by India’s pride and boxing queen Mary Kom alongside the CEO of All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) Roland Landers, at the star-studded maiden ‘Night of Glory’ hosted at Novotel, Aerocity, New Delhi.
While the top 3 players who battled it out at the national tournament and booked a seat at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, the players “achieved ultimate glory” as they shared the stage with one of the most awarded athlete in the country. Quite notably, a lot of the medalists that graced the dais with prominent celebrities included players from regions such as Kolhapur, Nautanwa, Jabalpur, Chattisgarh, Ranchi, Darbhanga, Katihar, and Chamba, among many others, who made their mark on daily tournaments by registering medals to their names. A testament to the tournament’s growing success and penetration into various new markets was highlighted by a surge of 33% in the number of female players on the roster.
“We have relentlessly strived towards creating a robust poker ecosystem which not only contributes to the growth of players but also helps in creating awareness and recognition of poker as a game of skill. This event sets the tone for the celebration of the hard work and perseverance of poker players across the country and puts poker at par with other sports. We will continue to help players from India showcase their talent through platforms such as National Poker Series and eventually represent India at reputed international tournaments,” said Baazi Games founder & CEO Navkiran Singh.
Apart from felicitating the winners, PokerBaazi made it an evening to remember with acclaimed comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi who tickled the audience with his trademark wit and occasional jokes on Poker. The night concluded with a riveting performance by Indian electronic musician Ritviz with the crowd swaying to his popular tunes.
