The Indian poker circuit is bustling with activity as many new players make their mark in the online poker arena. With platforms like Spartan Poker, Adda52, and PokerBaazi dishing out big tournaments one after the other, it’s safe to say that the poker season in India is action-packed. Among the plethora of talented players, we have Nitin Arora, who just won the INR 23 Lakh Destiny tournament on Spartan Poker yesterday.
Arora did his schooling in Mount Carmel and then graduated from the Maharaja Surajmal Institute of Technology. While pursuing his MBA in Bangalore, Arora was introduced to poker by his friends. “When I began my journey, there was no going back. I started with live poker in Bangalore and switched to playing online after the completion of my course,” he recalls. After Arora graduated, the 27-year-old then ventured into the family business in 2017 but his heart was already set on the mind sport.
“For a couple of years, I had no volume online. I signed up for a few courses and consulted with a few friends in the industry on a regular basis. It was mid-2019 when I started putting massive volume and by the time 2020 came, I decided to play poker full-time, for a couple of years at least,” he shares.
Even though still relatively new to the industry, his hard work is certainly paying off. We got a chance to converse with this multi-faceted player and talk about the game and his Destiny win. Here are the excerpts from the interview.
Playing poker is something that you’re passionate about, tell us which aspect of the game do you love most?
“I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one aspect. I love everything about this game. Constant improvement, self-analysis, patience, the high risk and high return benefit, the adrenaline rush when you play, it’s beyond what I can put out in words. That feeling when you see results after constant improvements is what keeps me going.”
You just shipped the Destiny tournament on Spartan Poker, how do you feel about your win?
“Shipping Destiny on Spartan Poker is a wonderful feeling. It is a well-structured tournament with great value, a flagship that almost everyone wants to win. It’s also the added benefit of playing the 1 Lakh SnG that makes it so interesting. I have shipped this event four times now in the past two years and have also shipped the first SnG as well, so I was looking forward to clinching this one (SnG) as well.”
Did you implement any particular strategies for this tournament?
“There are no particular strategies for a single tournament. I’ve been playing full time for about 3-4 months, so it’s 8-10 tournaments a day. I play everything in a standard way and have made certain rules around which I play.”
What is your preparation like for the upcoming FTS 2.0?
“FTS 2.0 looks promising and I have been putting in a lot of study and volume. I am definitely looking forward to playing all the flagship tournaments and the Main Event which has great value.”
What are the tournaments you’re aiming to ship this year?
“Well, I have always aimed to ship the Millionaire on Spartan Poker and I am looking forward to winning it this year, fingers crossed.”
While bringing our conversations to a close, we also asked Nitin what he plans to do with his prize money. “Ahh! The prize goes to the poker bankroll. Nothing specific at the moment,” he replies with a smile.
Although Nitin Arora is still carving a niche for himself in the Indian poker circuit, with such dedication and enthusiasm, he will soon be one of the most noted players in the industry.
For more Feature Fridays, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram.
Donna Amo was a writer at Gutshot Magazine. She is a graduate from Sophia College of Women, Mumbai with a degree in English Literature. When this October born foodie is not writing content or poetry, she spends her time laughing at memes or watching series. Based out of Mizoram, she is drawn to all things nature and has a soft spot for puppies.
Sign-up with Gutshot
Offer: Get extra 28% on all deposits Register
Grab Welcome Bonus
Offer: FTD 50% Bonus Money up to ₹20K. Deposit code ‘ALLIN50’ Register
Sign-up and get bonus
Offer: Up to ₹50,000* Register
Deposit with code GSTDISCOUNT
Offer: Get 100% GST discount on deposits Register
Sign-up with code GUTSHOT
Offer: Get ₹50 FREE Register
First Deposit Bonus
Offer: 100% up to €2,000 Register
Sign-up with Gutshot
Offer: Get 30% Instant Rakeback Register
Daily Winnings Up To ₹40 Crore!
Offer: Get ₹550 Joining Bonus For Free Register