DOWNLOADDOWNLOADIn the male-dominated world of poker, where chips clang and bluffs echo, emerges a formidable force breaking through the male-dominated. Meet Pratibha Arya, a maven hailing from India who swapped her coding keyboard for a deck of cards, conquering the hearts and tables alike with her ingenuity in Poker.
She has been welcomed by India’s biggest poker platform, PokerBaazi in 2021 for being one of the truest examples of letting go of her comfort zone to follow her passion for poker without hesitation. Erstwhile prodigious coder turned poker player, Pratibha Arya has been the talk of the poker town for a while now.
Let's glance at the stimulating journey of this Delhi-based female poker player, from her former days of coding all the way to her moments of triumph in the poker world.
Pratibha had been an ace in school, scoring 99 both in her 10th and 12th exams. Her nascent plans of becoming a software developer took a wild turn when she was introduced to poker around the final semester of college. Pratibha Arya had been playing poker regularly during that time and was crushing it.
Soon enough, she decided to take up poker professionally and devote her undivided attention to grasping the nuances of the game inside out. For Pratibha Arya, the transition was smoother than most, and she didn't face any struggle to make the choice.
Pratibha Arya’s rise in the poker-verse has been nothing short of extraordinary. Her turning point came about in 2021 when she clinched the 10th position in PokerBaazi’s flagship tournament, Baazi Poker Tour. This pushed her into the limelight, establishing her as a force to be reckoned with in the competitive poker arena.
This ace female poker player has surpassed gender stereotypes in the male dominated poker world by not just holding her own but excelling on the global stage as well. She has represented India at multiple coveted poker events such as Oxford’s Poker Nations Cup and IFMO Asian Nations Cup in Bangkok. Her global presence in the poker realm not just flaunted her individual success but also contributed significantly to the growing influence of women in professional poker.
Adding to her list of triumphs, Pratibha Arya secured one of the most prestigious trophies, the WPT trophy in the World Poker Tour 6-Max India Poker Championship in 2020. This victory further underscored her skillful versatility across different poker formats, strengthening her position as a formidable poker player.
In a game-changing move, Pratibha Arya squared off against an artificial intelligence named Deep Stack and triumphed, cementing not just her poker skills but her brilliant human mind. Her triumph wasn’t just another victory; it crowned her as the 'Player of the League' in the Match IPL’s 2nd season.
After all, this wasn't merely defeating just another opponent. For the audience and the rest of the poker pros; it turned out to be a masterclass in outsmarting technology, proving that in the ever-evolving poker world, Pratibha Arya stands as a strategic innovator, unfazed of unconventional challenges.
In another feat in 2021, Pratibha Arya secured the 3rd position in the National Poker Series (NPS), yet another top-tier tournament organized by PokerBaazi. The NPS holds a special place in the Indian poker scene as the country's first-ever gold medal tournament series hosted by the renowned poker platform.
Sure enough, Pratibha Arya's journey reveals more than a string of victories; it's a bold narrative of breaking gender barriers, challenging timeworn norms, and going against the tide to deliver exceptional performances. Today, her accomplishments extend beyond her personal success. They invoke a new wave of poker enthusiasts by validating the overarching notion that commitment, skill and a fearless approach can drive female poker players to the pinnacle of professional poker.
So far, Pratibha Arya has bagged over a crore in poker earnings and her largest single payout has been INR 9,40,000.
Poker entered the battlegrounds of Poker with a tenacity that was initially forged in the fires of a tournament held in Goa back in 2015 where she won ₹65,000 as cash prize.
Early on, she had set the highest standards of mastery by relentlessly sharpening her skills like a seasoned athlete where each game is perceived as a new challenge and each win, a triumph she aims to earn through unbridled dedication.
Pratibha’s commitment echoes in her late-night practices, drowning herself into strategy books to absorb the game’s intricate nuances. The Indian female poker player has been soaking up knowledge from professional videos and learning from the maestros. Clearly, this star in the making isn’t at peace with the status quo and has well-crafted plans to maintain her winning streak in the thrilling world of poker.
Pratibha compares achieving success in poker to that of the stock market. To exceed in either realm, one must be able to take calculated risks with incomplete information in a dynamic environment. She suggests, being skilled at poker also extends to succeed in trading and investment.
Both stock market trading and playing poker involve a combination of risk, strategy and calculative decision making under uncertain circumstances. The only difference being, the stock market is determined by economic factors while decisions in poker are influenced by psychological dynamics. That said, both activities require sheer discipline, risk management and the ability to read and react to the ever-changing landscape.
This kinship shared by the two has helped her share the fruits of discipline and calculated decision making with poker and the stock market. She reflects her acquired patience and emotional control learned by playing poker have honed her stock trading capabilities and armoured her with smarter decisions in investing.
All one needs to do is work on the game and how to get better with each game. One doesn’t really need support if he or she has passion for the game. Support will come to you inevitably once your folks and people around you see you deliver results. No loved one discourages or demotivates you when you achieve great results. To stay motivated in the game, a great player continues to apply one’s work despite having a bad day.
Talking about how playing poker has helped her evolve as a person, the female ace poker pro says, “Ever since I started playing poker, I have become calmer and wiser. It has taught me the importance of good mental and physical health and how they can directly impact one’s life. I learned to deal with my bad days in a better and more positive way.”
Pratibha Arya’s role models in the mind sport include some of the best names in the game such as Phil Galfond, Niklas Astedt and Indian poker pro, Jagdeep Singh.
