MUMBAI: Creating a unique platform for skilled 'mind sports', Amit Burman has announced the launch of an exciting new league - Poker Sports League. The Poker Sports League forays into the space of intellectual and mind challenges and aims to popularize mind skill games. This game changing league will offer a never before experience to poker players with varying degree of expertise but a passion for the game, to unite and celebrate their love for the game as well as hone their poker skills under the guidance of well-established professional poker players.
In its first season, the Poker Sports League will consist of 12 teams, seven of which have already been sold and the remaining five shall be made available for sale shortly. These teams are associated with some of the well-known names from corporate India such as Kunal Shah (Co-Founder, FreeCharge), Mehul Shah (Original Promoter, Anchor Electrical), Rishi Kajaria (Joint MD, Kajaria Ceramics), Karan Bhagat (Co-Founder, IIFL Wealth), Purrshottam Bhaggeria (Joint MD, Filatex Group), Ankkit Bahadur (Co-Owner, Playboy North India) and Gaurav Mohan (Founder, Eventwala) who strongly believe in the potential of the game and its ability to harness the latent talent from across the nation.
The 12 teams will consist of a total of 108 players who will play for the prize money of INR 3.36 crore. These teams will be selected through 70+ qualifying rounds held across various cities for a period of nearly 3 months, as well as through online tournaments that will begin early in 2017. The players who qualify to the 12 teams will then compete to play at the Mega Finals, where the best and the finest of India’s poker talent will be invited to a display of skill and entertainment.
The league would include four amateur players, who would be selected through nationwide qualifiers which will be held both online and offline. Two wild cards players would make-up the team to nine players. The qualifiers would begin early 2017 and the finals are scheduled to take place in mid-2017.
PSL founder Amit Burman said, “Poker is a popular mind sport across the globe and has gained tremendous traction within India, amongst individuals looking to challenge their mind, grit and decision making abilities. Although the game is played with cards and there is an element of luck - the vast majority of the game depends on pure skill, mathematics, probability and decision making strategy. With no entry fee and sizeable prize money to aim for, the Poker Sports League is a unique opportunity for players of the game to hone their skills as well as popularise the game that is set to be recognized by the International Mind Sports association along with Chess, Bridge and Draughts”.
True to its vision of harnessing talent across India, the Poker Sports League will offer players an opportunity to play and learn from some of the best players in India. Every team will also have a professional poker player as a mentor and captain to develop team strategy and help young players sharpen their skills during the play.
At the helm of the Poker Sports League will be a core team that includes some of the well known names associated with poker in India, and known for their expertise, knowledge and passion for the game. The team includes India’s largest poker portal Adda52.com founder Anuj Gupta, who is also a co-founder of Poker Sports League.
The team is further strengthened by India Poker founder Pranav Bagai. Besides, being the co-founder of the league, Pranav has also been appointed as the CEO of PSL, and Nikita Luther, who is India’s top female Poker professional, will take charge as COO for the league.
