BENGALURU: Since the High Court legalised poker in the state in 2014, Bengaluru’s poker scene has become one of the most sought-after in the country, next to Goa. Kings and Queens Poker Club in Koramangala is a haven for over 2,000 poker players in the city. City Express speaks to owner Suresh Ganapathy about what drew him to the game.
Suresh’s tryst with poker began when he first visited a casino in San Jose, California, while studying in Kellogg School of Marketing in 1998. Having learnt the game from players there, he went on to study the game through tutorials on YouTube. Over the next few years, Suresh played at casinos across the country.
When he visited Bengaluru for work in 2011, he found that there were few clubs – High Five in Indiranagar and Golden Aces in Domlur – in the city. Coincidentally, the year poker was legalised was when he moved here with his family. “I realised that this was something I could pursue,” he says.
Kings and Queens Poker Club was started in August 2014 with just one table. “Groups such as Bangalore Poker and Underground Poker Club, which are networking platforms that conduct games, were used to spread the word. “As an IT professional with Hewlett Packard, I was also able to use technology for the purpose,” Suresh adds.
From November onwards, poker training events, where players were taught card ranking, betting and other tricks, were organised. In January 2015, 25 city players were invited to play for a prize of Rs 1 lakh. Three months later, due to increasing demand, the tournaments became weekly. Soon, poker players from all over India started showing up.
KQPOKER.com was launched by Kings and Queens Poker Club for players to connect with those across India. Currently, there are 5,000 players in Bengaluru. “We try to sponsor flight tickets and accommodation for players who get selected to compete in the World Poker Series,” says Suresh. Today, he mostly monitors the tables from his cabin at Kings and Queens. “I see if the services are being provided as promised and all the legalities are in check,” Suresh explains. To start a poker club, a court approval is needed. Authorities have the right to inspect the place at any time.
It’s Not Gambling
Poker is often confused with Teen Patti, a form of gambling that requires no skills and is only based on luck. “Such confusion leads to a lot of negative perceptions of the game,” he says.
“Indians mostly play on PokerStars, an online poker cardroom. The demographic includes IT professionals of ages 21 to 35 and they mostly switch between poker and rummy,” he says.
Who can play poker? “Anyone who is good at analysing can. They say FBI agents who can see through people have a strong hand in poker. For instance, if a person sees pocket aces, he might speak less fluently. It is largely the study of body language,” says Suresh.
What it Costs
Around 100 people come to play poker at the club every week. The entry fee is Rs 3,000. There is satellite qualification, in which 10 people pay Rs 300 each and compete in a game. The winner gets Rs 3,000 and qualifies for the main tournament,” he says. however, average prize pool is about Rs 2 to 3 lakhs for the main tournament
‘Bengaluru is the Best’
Jai Prakash (name changed) occupies a high position in a Chennai-based multi-national company. He keeps Rs 4 lakh in a separate bank account every month and travels to Bengaluru for tournaments every week. He keeps a binding limit to Rs 25,000.
“In Chennai, I meet the same people at different house parties. Here, I meet new people each and every time. Moreover, it is legal here and the stakes are low,” he says.
Jai has played poker in Macau and Singapore as well, but he finds Bengaluru the best city in the world for the game. “There is aggression and passion here. Abroad, the demographic is varied. You can play against elderly women and people of all professions. In Bengaluru, you mostly play against IT professionals,” he says. It’s safer here as well, he adds.