It’s Sunday and we look at poker beyond the U.S. and the Americas. We focus on an event that’s beginning to consolidate its local presence in India. And so, the second edition of the India Online Poker Championship (IOPC) is now on the cards. What does this mean?
The ten-day poker tournament known as the India Online Poker Championship (IOPC) will be kicking off in earnest on July 13. The pow-wow will feature as many as 55 events that will pit some of the country’s best players against one another. The event will be held through July 22 when a winner will emerge.
The tournament organizers haven’t spared many efforts either. They are hoping that second iteration of the competitive online meet-up will garner even better interest, and have now put as much as $1 million in prize money. This is some penny in India or anywhere for that matter.
Variety is Key – Many Events to Come
The prize money has been divvied up between a multitude of events that promise to keep you entertained throughout the whole duration of the tournament even if you are a mere spectator, and especially so if you are a successful competitor.
And so, a string of events will kick off. July 15 will see “The Millionaire” event take place, with prize money to the tune of $145,000, which can be quickly multiplied. The glitz and glamour of this particular leg will quickly fade when it’s followed by the Super High Roller (SHR) with hefty sums flying around.
All of this will come with the Elite High Roller (EHR), which is designed for the daredevils of Indian poker. The SHR kicks off on July 19 and it will provide you with a minimum guarantee of $72,000 in prize money, with the pot growing as participants become bolder. The HER will launch on July 20 and it will throw in $58,000.
The main event will be held after a short break on July 22 with $145,000 on the line. Additional events will spruce up the overall tournament. The tournament will also employ a leaderboard allowing the highest-ranking players to divvy up additional money, roughly $43,000.
The host organization, Spartan Poker came up with an official press release on June 28 about the upcoming event. Its co-founder Amin Rozani had this to say about the upcoming pow-wow: “The IOPC tournament is a platform where Poker players from across the globe can prove their mettle in the sport. With a participation of over 100k across tournaments every month and the rising awareness for Poker, we look forward to an exciting tournament with several edge-of-the-seat moments.”
Poker has been gaining huff across the globe. Its arrival in India may see one of the most populous countries in the world embrace the good game and before long, US players may be facing unknown competitors from the East, forcing everyone to rethink their strategies and jostle the game with a fresh crop of players who bring along their exotic prowess at poker with them.
