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“Longevity At The Felts Is My Ambition,” Avneesh Munjal, APT Phu Quoc HR Winner

Avneesh Munjal, 35, has carved a name for himself in the poker industry with his formidable playing skills. The ex-Citibank Assistant Vice President shipped the High Roller event at APT Phu Quoc 2024. He evolved away from the corporate and financial world to become a full-time poker player, but not before he juggled both his passions – more about that in this interview. In this exclusive interview, Gutshot Magazine spoke with Avneesh Munjal about his poker experience, what Indian poker can endure, and his intriguing ambition.

Munjal’s journey to the poker industry is unique. It traces his roots from Gurgaon, through a corporate career in one of the biggest banks in the world, and into the fascinating world of the felts.

Surviving and performing well in a corporate career is a tall order, and Munjal succeeded, being promoted thrice in six years. He reveals that even through that phase, he found his real calling to be the felts. And as a statement for the younger players, he revealed that he didn’t take a risk: In his own words, “I didn’t punt. I was both working and playing for more than two years. But my health didn’t allow me to do both. I used to be overly caffeinated and sleep-deprived. I thought of giving this a try, and if it didn’t work out, I had saved enough, and I could always go back to my corporate life”. 

In Conversation with Avneesh Munjal

Congrats on shipping the High Roller event. How was your Phu Quoc experience?

This is my second time in Phu Quoc. We had earlier gone for a family vacation. Phu Quoc is beautiful; if it is different, it is not very touristy. The beaches are nice, and the weather is good. The whole vibe is chill. Having a poker tournament is like the cherry on the cake.

And how was the experience of playing an APT tournament there?

I have done APT events before, and this was probably my fourth one. APT series are always nice; they bring in good numbers and are carried out in a very professional manner. APT has always been a very pleasant and happy experience.

Do you prefer playing High Roller events?

It depends on the structure. I play with buy-ins ranging from $1,000 to $2,000. On the day of this high roller, I was planning on playing some other event. There was a $700 side-event, I landed in Phu Quoc, and Day 1A was going on. There was a poker series called Vietnam Poker Games going on.

My plan was to play the Phu Quoc Main Event the next day, but I met some friends, and they told me that I could play Day 1A today and try the high roller the next day. The high roller was 40-minute levels. I decided to play the high roller because it offered more playability.

 

 

 

 

 

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I ground a lot on Day 1. I ground 20 big blinds for four hours, and throughout, I had a stack of only 15 to 25 big blinds. That was a tough stage for me. But the next day, I had a pretty good run. Early on, I got a double up; Day 2 was a smooth ride; the field wasn’t that big, the event had 180 entries, and 18 were to make money.

More than 40 entries made it to Day 2. When 25 people were left, I had a sizeable chip lead. I exploited that on the bubble, extended my chip lead, and ran very well throughout the day. I picked up a lot of hands. I was playing several ‘hands’ and picking them.

All this contributed and I carried a decent stack to the final table as well. Our heads-up was long, it started with 65-35 or 60-40 in chips. I had around 14 Million out of 24 Million chips, and he had around 10 Million. That opponent was on the other table throughout. I had not played with the opponent (Ming Chen).

As I started playing the hands, I found out that I could grind him out and didn’t need to take high variants. I remember I had 60 big blinds, and he had around 15 bigs. He opened jammed, and I had pocket fours. If you fold a pair in a heads-up, there is a chance that you will end up ahead. I folded my hand, and in my head, I was snap-calling. I decided not to take the high-variance pot right now.

Everybody was competent. It’s a high-roller, so everyone comes with a certain edge. I respected everyone, and I remember there was this guy, William Jia, an Australian regular; he was a good player. I think someone else busted him at number 4, and that was fortunate. That was good for the entire table, as a formidable player was going out.

What made you quit your job and pursue poker?

I started playing poker in 2019 while working with Citibank. I left my job in 2021, and at that time, I was working and playing. I have been playing professional poker since 2021.

What is your final ambition in poker?

I have loved the game for a long time, and my ambition is just longevity. I am playing poker at various locations and enjoying my time at the felts. If I can do that at the age of 50 and beyond, I will be very happy.

Players like Avneesh Munjal inspire younger poker players and those who desire to pursue the game and their passion. This is an incredible story of a young Indian who pursued his dream with passion and is now firmly on his way to being in a league of his own. He is a true example of a poker player who didn’t really need to be in the money but definitely wanted to be at the felts.Once again, Gutshot Magazine congratulates Munjal on his win, and wishes him many more like these.

We provide information and updates about the poker and real-money gaming industry, from tournament itineraries to winners lists and interviews with winners. We also provide information about any federal and corporate decisions that might impact the industry. For more updates from the poker world, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram

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