Play four tournaments in a day, make it in the money in ALL of them, and make it to the Final Table in 3 of them. That’s what many would hope for, and that’s what Guruprasad ‘Fish_Calling’ Gupta achieved yesterday! March is certainly his month. In February, Guru was India Poker Ranking’s ITM Champ of the month with 33 ITMs – and it won’t be a surprise if it continues.
“I got introduced to poker around 4 years ago with Facebook’s Zynga Poker. It interested me instantly, and when I learnt about Adda52’s cash games, I played some of them in Mumbai and Goa. I attribute my first Deltin Jaqk ME win to ‘Beginners Luck’, but with absolutely no knowledge of BRM, it doesn’t serve any purpose,” recalls Guruprasad. His most prestigious win in online poker was Poker Baazi’s MoneyMaker last weekend because “…it not only boosts your bankroll, but also your confidence.”
Guruprasad is on a roll, an he’s not even a full-time player. An Engineering Math Tutor by profession, how does he manage all of this, and still stay calm!? “Before this sudden poker boom, it was easier to balance it out. But now, I will admit it is a challenge. Fortunately, my recent results are backing me up in a difficult decision that I have to take,” he shares, as he also suggests to us that the only way to beat variance in poker is to put in volume. “It’s important to stay composed. Experience always pays off, and now, four years into it, I have a pretty good read on opponents – be it cash or tournaments.” This leads us to ask him what he prefers between the two. “As I have other commitments on a day-to-day basis, it is not always possible to put in the hours that tournaments require. So, for personal reasons, I prefer cash. When I can make the time to, then I play high value MTTs. I also feel cash games require more skills than tournaments,” he says. As we continue to talk about skills, we are eager to know how his math knowledge helps in the game. “Of course it does! The skills in both subjects are similar, and I think math has developed my probability analysis required in poker. Engineering and poker are both tough ways to make an easy living – and being experienced in both is an advantage.”
Between hectic day and night schedules, how does Guru find the calm and composition he tells us about? “You need to be mentally sharp when playing. Outings with family and friends help me unwind and keep me fresh for the next grind,” says the gentleman who believes luck does play a role in the game, but it can be overcome with larger volumes. Gupta signs off with something he always says – “Zindagi Jua Hai, Jua Zindagi Hai!”