National Poker Series India inaugurated its fourth edition on 3 March 2024. With 11,800 plus entries on the first day, National Poker Series (NPS) India embarks on a 21-day journey to witness the country’s growing Poker community competing with each other with a winning prize of Rs 50 crore plus.
With over 450 plus medals to be won at this year’s event, the series will comprise 150 tournaments starting from 3 March and concluding on 24 March 2024.
NPS India 2024 shattered records with 2,500 plus entries in the kick-off tournament alone, marking a 25 per cent increase from the previous editions. Ritwik Khanna from Delhi NCR was crowned the winner of the kick-off event by clinching the first gold medal of this edition.
Baazi Games founder and chief executive officer Navkiran Singh shared, “Over the past few years, we have witnessed the growing popularity and acceptance of Poker as a mind sport. With the intricate interplay and showcase of strategic thinking, psychological prowess, and sharp acumen, Poker has emerged as a celebrated sport among the Indian community. I am confident that this year we will see an even higher participation from players across different regions.”
The event also hosted a one-of-its-kind Poker reality series, NPS Camp, to prepare players for the series. The four-day camp, attended by leaderboard winners and five lucky winners of a social media contest, was conducted in a bespoke property in Goa. Led by Poker aficionado and professional, Abhishek Goindi, in association with Poker Boot Camp India, NPS Camp focused on reiterating how mental and physical well-being and learning about the gameplay. The 24 players were divided into teams of five players and each team was assigned a Poker mentor who closely studied each player’s gameplay and suggested techniques tailored to their playing style. NPS camp was planned meticulously and comprised rigorous Poker training in tandem with an array of activities like ice baths, explainers on different breathing techniques, yoga, and tug of war amongst other activities.
The camp has also been translated into a four-part series filmed in a reality sequence format. The series showcases the behind-the-scenes efforts it takes to become a Poker stalwart with the undertones of humour and strategy while showcasing the raw emotions of every participant who set forth on the journey. The four-part reality docu-series can be viewed on PokerBaazi’s YouTube channel and Poker TV, a feature on PokerBaazi that enables users to consume Poker-related content.
“With initiatives like NPS camp, National Poker Series India 2024 transcends beyond the usual Poker tournaments and segues into being a platform that empowers Indian Poker players with unique experiences. The idea to translate camp into a special content series can also be attributed to the fact that the Indian Poker community is actively looking out for a space where they can share and relate with people who have undergone similar experiences and struggles,” added Singh.
To register and participate in the National Poker Series India 2024, players can head to the PokerBaazi application and register for the individual events under the Tournaments section. In addition, the podium winners of the National Poker Series India 2024 leaderboard with max medal tally will be awarded with an all-expense paid trip to Poker Mecca, Las Vegas.
