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The Symbiosis University tournament was a two day event, and the first hybrid poker event to take place anywhere in India. Day 1a and Day1b were played in a shootout format while the second, and final, day was a regular freeze out.  The tournament was open only to students, and with that in mind the buy in was kept very low at just Rs.500 and no rake or commission was charged. Given the uncertainty surrounding the legality of poker in India, there were no cash prizes awarded. Instead, there were gifts given to the highest placed finishers – including an Ipad2, a BlackBerry smart phone, a holiday and even a ticket to a major live poker tournament in Goa.




The tournament proved very popular when advance registration opened, and it was fully subscribed two days before the event started – with an additional 40 players on a waiting list. Over 128 players got to take part in the tournament, with most participants being students at the university. The venue chosen for the tournament was the 7th floor roof terrace at the university building – a fabulous location from where you could see the whole campus and appreciate the beautiful architecture. The smooth operation of the tournament was aided by the use of the Fundoo Poker Clock – advanced software which is perfect for running poker tournaments.




Day 1a started at 1 pm, with nine 7 handed poker tables in play. The top 2 players from each table earned their place in Day 2 of the tournament. Day 1b started at 5.30 pm, following the same format.  Players started with 5,000 chips each, and a turbo structure was used with the blind levels increasing every 25 minutes. The venue was packed, not just with the players and tournament organisers but with spectators from the campus and also nearby universities. After a total of 8 hours play across the two sessions, the 28 players coming back for Day 2 had been decided.




Day 2 started at 1 pm, with all the players no doubt having their eye on the top prize of a seat at the India Poker Pros Main Event (worth Rs.30,000) and an iPad 2. Play on Day 2 began with players starting afresh with 10,000 chips each. Blind levels were 30 minutes long and there were no antes. With prizes going to the top eight finishers, competition was fierce and no-one wanted to be knocked out. The play was very tight and, after four hours of intense poker, there were just 9 people left in the tournament and it was time for the final table.




On the final table, players were very much after the coveted first place and the prize that went with it. The 1st place prize was far more valuable than the rest of the prizes on offer and it was this prize that they all wanted. Play at the final table was pretty cautious, with nobody seeming to want to take unnecessary risks or get into a coin flip situation. It took 3 hours until just the two players remained. Heads-up play then lasted for a further 30 minutes before Manish emerged victorious.




The tournament was very much considered a success, and everyone was asking when the next tournament was going to take place. That should happen very soon, with more seats available and even better prizes. Congratulations must go to Manish for winning the tournament – he was certainly delighted with his victory and the prizes he won.




Final Results and Prizes Awarded

1) Manish - Seat to Main Event of the Indian Poker Pros Tournament & iPad 2
2) Rohit - BlackBerry Smart Phone
3) Tejas - 3 days & 2 nights stay for 2 in Goa
4) Sarthak - Tommy Hilfiger Wrist Watch
5) Jeet - 500 Piece Poker Chip Set 
6) Gaurav - 500 Piece Poker Chip Set
7) Tuhin - Wallet
8) Rohan - Set of Cologne Spray