The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the world’s richest and biggest poker festival and attracts thousands of the top poker players each year from all over the world. It is almost every players’ dream to play and win a WSOP title at least once in his/her career. As with other poker series, the main event of WSOP stands as the ultimate challenge and achievement in the world of poker. Each year, thousands of players come together to compete for the coveted main event title and a whopping top prize coming along with it.
Over the years, many Indians have been competing for this coveted title. Although India does not have a WSOP Main Event winner yet, last year marked a significant milestone for Indian poker, thanks to Anirban Das‘ record-breaking performance in the WSOP Main Event.
Anirban Das, a renowned poker player from India, made history in 2023 by finishing 16th in the WSOP Main Event, earning a staggering $430,200. This achievement not only marked the deepest run by an Indian in the event but also the largest cash prize won by an Indian at the WSOP Main Event. His deep run also highlighted the growing talent and representation of Indian poker players on the global stage
Das has been honing his skills and strategic thinking for a long time. His journey to the WSOP Main Event was itself a testament to his strategic prowess. He earned his spot by winning a silver medal at The National Poker Series (NPS) India 2023 hosted on PokerBaazi. Representing India on such a prestigious global stage was a dream come true for Das, who had spent over a decade honking his skills. His dedication to the game and analytical approach, honed through his background in chess and other intellectual pursuits, paid off handsomely in the high-pressure environment of the WSOP.
The 2023 WSOP Main Event, which was won by Daniel Weinman for $12,100,000, was particularly noteworthy, with a record-breaking 10,043 entries and a whopping prize pool of $93,399,900. Das’ performance stood out as he consistently remained among the top stacks, navigating through a field of the world’s best players over eight intense days. Starting Day 7 with 13,375,000 chips (54 BBs), he faced multiple close calls but displayed resilience, bouncing back from near-elimination several times.
On Day 7, Das made significant strides, surpassing previous records set by Indian players. He increased his stack to an impressive 51,200,000 chips (102 BBs) by Level 34. Despite facing a swingy game and seeing his chip count fall to 6,200,000 (10 BBs) when only 17 players remained, Das managed crucial double-ups that helped him to bounce back. His pocket aces against Jack O’Neill and another double-up against Adam Walton showcased his strategic ability to battle back and chip up.
Unfortunately, Das’ dream run ended on the final hand of Day 7. Holding Qd Td, he faced Walton’s full house, leading to his elimination. Nevertheless, his 16th-place finish was a historic moment for Indian poker, setting a new benchmark and inspiring future generations of Indian poker players.
He surpassed Nishant Sharma‘s record 34th-place finish record set in the 2018 WSOP Main Event by recording the deepest run by an Indian in the WSOP Main Event. Anirban Das’ incredible feat at the WSOP 2023 Main Event is a significant milestone, highlighting the growing prominence of Indian players on the global poker stage. His journey, filled with highs and lows, serves as an inspiration and highlights the fact that with dedication, hard work and strategic thinking, anyone from India can improve his or her game and compete with the best in the world.
The highly anticipated WSOP 2024 Main Event is just around the corner, starting in less than two weeks. All eyes will be on the Indian players as they vie to break Anirban Das’ record or, perhaps, etch their names as the next champion. Keep following PokerProNews for the latest updates on Team India’s performances from the World Series of Poker!
