The Immortals Mega Poker Festival was one of the most fiercely contested events, with several captivating stories emerging throughout the festival. One among the standout stories was Bhavit Parekh’s remarkable victory in the Colossus 50K PLO Event, where he defeated Rakesh Singh in a thrilling heads-up play to take home the trophy and the INR 4 lakh top prize.

Bhavit is not just a poker player but also a popular poker operator, who runs games at the Deltin Royale itself. Interestingly, this was Bhavit’s first-ever live tournament and he closed it out with a thumping victory, marking an explosive start to his live poker career. After his impressive victory, we caught up with Bhavit, and here are some highlights of our conversation with him!

PokerProNews: Hi Bhavit, congratulations on your 50K PLO event victory! What was it like winning this mega event at the Immortals Festival in Goa? What does this victory mean to you?

Bhavit: It was my first-ever played live tournament, so it felt great to win the trophy and bring it home. Since I love playing PLO Games, I really enjoyed playing this event with PLO lovers.

PokerProNews: Could you take us through some of the key moments from the final table? Was there a particular hand or strategy that stood out for you?

Bhavit: When I reached the final table, I was excited and confident that I would crack this table. All players were relatively inexperienced except one. Eventually, I managed my way to crack it.

PokerProNews: How did you handle the pressure, especially when it came down to heads-up play against Rakesh Singh?

Bhavit: I didn’t feel any pressure from start to finish. As for Rakesh Singh, he is a nice guy, but to be honest, there were several leaks in his game that made him easier to beat.

PokerProNews: Pot Limit Omaha is known for its action-packed nature. How did you approach the game differently in this high-stakes setting compared to other tournaments?

Bhavit: PLO is undoubtedly an action-packed game. Indian people are used to playing with 3 cards. I believe they all should try PLO at least once. It offers more variation, more excitement, no drama and more fun. I love playing DeepStack PLO 5 and you can find me anytime at the Deltin Royale card room.

PokerProNews: As someone deeply involved in the industry, how do you see events like the Immortals Festival shaping the future of poker in India?

Bhavit: Festivals like this can create more visibility and legitimacy for the game. They help build a strong poker culture, providing a platform for aspiring poker players to showcase their skills and compete against seasoned pros. This helps them to hone their skills and take their game to a next level. So, these events serve a catalyst for change and can help shape the future of poker in India.

PokerProNews: You are both a poker player and an operator. What key differences do you observe between running poker events and actively participating in them as a player?

Bhavit: Managing poker events requires a lot of behind-the-scenes work like ensuring fairness, maintaining smooth gameplay, and handling logistics. As a player, the focus is entirely on strategy and decision-making in the heat of the moment. While both roles require discipline and patience, playing is more about instinct, whereas managing is about creating an environment that lets players thrive.

PokerProNews: As someone who has seen both sides of the table, what trends do you notice in the growth of poker in India, particularly in live events?

Bhavit: The live poker scene in India is growing rapidly, with more people recognizing it as a skill-based game. Live events are drawing bigger crowds, and the stakes are getting higher, which is a positive sign. I have seen players becoming more professional, putting in time to study and improve their skills. This shift is helping to expand the poker scene in India and gain more recognition globally.

Keep following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories of poker pros and operators!

The post Poker Operator To Champion: Bhavit Parekh Talks About His Immortals Festival Win, Poker’s Growth & Future first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.