<p>As Maria Kirloskar sits today, bespectacled, with her front locks coloured white, she exudes an aura of nonchalance, typical to that of professional poker players.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Like a hawk, she watches every move of her opponents, proceeding cautiously like a tigress out on the hunt. As a corporate-professional-turned-poker-pro, she spends nearly 30 hours a week indulging in her passion, grasping newer expertise and skill with every game, claiming to still have a long way to go. Read her story.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Humble beginnings</strong></p>

<p>"When I first watched poker on TV in the US, I found it fascinating so a few years later when it was made&nbsp;accessible, I started to play and learn," says the 49-year&nbsp;old poker pro. However, simply winging it at informal shindigs isn't the same as becoming a poker pro. On her learning curve in poker, Maria added, "It was a long and slow process as nobody in my circle of friends or family knew how to play poker and we just winged it during our home games, learning how to play each other as we went along. When I decided that poker was my calling, I headed to play the big tournaments in Goa. That sort of ushered me into the world of real poker! I had to unlearn much of what I thought I knew and go back to learning the fundamentals."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>On her journey</strong></p>

<p>After getting her basics right, Maria finally gave professional poker a shot and joined PokerBaazi. "I started playing on PokerBaazi about 2 years ago and came 2nd in my very first PLO tournament! I consider myself extremely lucky to have been chosen by it to become one of their team pros alongside mentor Jasven Saigal, Vikram Kumar, Abhisek Panda and Abhishek Rathod. Each one of them have been extremely kind and helpful, teaching me the intricacies of poker and being the best support system I could ever ask for. I have also bothered and annoyed countless other friends to help me out with various poker concepts and strategies and they all have been gracious with their support. I'm truly grateful to know all these amazing people!"&nbsp;</p>

<p>She plays more than 30 hours a week and loves getting to know other players on her tables. Connecting with strangers on shared their passion creates opportunities for friendships to transpire. Besides, the emojis help relieve stress during stressful tournaments. She has also benefited from the tutorials available at the platform and says, "Yes, tutorials on PokerBaazi are great and have been insightful, as I'm always trying to learn how to improve my game."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I recommend PokerBaazi to everyone as I believe it has something for everyone. It has freerolls, satellites, low buy-in tournaments for the smaller bankrolls; high-value deep structure tournaments with the toughest fields for the regulars; cash games across all stakes - and great promotions as well as tournaments series."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>On being a poker pro &nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>One would expect a poker player to be rolling in bundles of cash but Maria simply quashes such notions. When asked about earnings, she is quick to add, "Not enough! But I look at poker as a long-term endeavour and I know I will finally meet my extremely high standards and achieve my goals."</p>

<p>Giving up her established corporate career to pursue her passion inspired a mixed bag of reactions from friends and family. "Some people think it’s ultra-cool, others call it a risky business. But after 25 years of being in the corporate arena, I think it’s really up to me as to how I want to follow my passion. I believe poker is a sport and I do everything to approach the game as such."&nbsp;</p>

<p>On a parting note, she leaves a word of advice for poker novices. "Manage your bankroll well and if you love the game, try to learn the fundamentals so that you can be a long-term winner!"</p>


As Maria Kirloskar sits today, bespectacled, with her front locks coloured white, she exudes an aura of nonchalance, typical to that of professional poker players.

As Maria Kirloskar sits today, bespectacled, with her front locks coloured white, she exudes an aura of nonchalance, typical to that of professional poker players. Like a hawk, she watches every move of her opponents, proceeding cautiously like a tigress out on the hunt. As a corporate-professional-turned-poker-pro, she spends nearly 30 hours a week indulging in her passion, grasping newer expertise and skill with every game, claiming to still have a long way to go. Read her story. Humble beginnings "When I first watched poker on TV in the US, I found it fascinating so a few years later when it was made accessible, I started to play and learn," says the 49-year old poker pro. However, simply winging it at informal shindigs isn't the same as becoming a poker pro. On her learning curve in poker, Maria added, "It was a long and slow process as nobody in my circle of friends or family knew how to play poker and we just winged it during our home games, learning how to play each other as we went along. When I decided that poker was my calling, I headed to play the big tournaments in Goa. That sort of ushered me into the world of real poker! I had to unlearn much of what I thought I knew and go back to learning the fundamentals." On her journey After getting her basics right, Maria finally gave professional poker a shot and joined PokerBaazi. "I started playing on PokerBaazi about 2 years ago and came 2nd in my very first PLO tournament! I consider myself extremely lucky to have been chosen by it to become one of their team pros alongside mentor Jasven Saigal, Vikram Kumar, Abhisek Panda and Abhishek Rathod. Each one of them have been extremely kind and helpful, teaching me the intricacies of poker and being the best support system I could ever ask for. I have also bothered and annoyed countless other friends to help me out with various poker concepts and strategies and they all have been gracious with their support. I'm truly grateful to know all these amazing people!" She plays more than 30 hours a week and loves getting to know other players on her tables. Connecting with strangers on shared their passion creates opportunities for friendships to transpire. Besides, the emojis help relieve stress during stressful tournaments. She has also benefited from the tutorials available at the platform and says, "Yes, tutorials on PokerBaazi are great and have been insightful, as I'm always trying to learn how to improve my game." "I recommend PokerBaazi to everyone as I believe it has something for everyone. It has freerolls, satellites, low buy-in tournaments for the smaller bankrolls; high-value deep structure tournaments with the toughest fields for the regulars; cash games across all stakes - and great promotions as well as tournaments series." On being a poker pro One would expect a poker player to be rolling in bundles of cash but Maria simply quashes such notions. When asked about earnings, she is quick to add, "Not enough! But I look at poker as a long-term endeavour and I know I will finally meet my extremely high standards and achieve my goals." Giving up her established corporate career to pursue her passion inspired a mixed bag of reactions from friends and family. "Some people think it’s ultra-cool, others call it a risky business. But after 25 years of being in the corporate arena, I think it’s really up to me as to how I want to follow my passion. I believe poker is a sport and I do everything to approach the game as such." On a parting note, she leaves a word of advice for poker novices. "Manage your bankroll well and if you love the game, try to learn the fundamentals so that you can be a long-term winner!"

What made a corporate professional to become a poker pro

<p>Often being criticised, misunderstood, or simply put in the same box as gambling, the growth of poker in India has been fraught with several challenges. While the leading economies of the world have been cashing in on the growing popularity of this skill-based game, the attitudes and perceptions in India could use a little lift.</p>

<p>To the same end and to further help poker gain its due recognition and prominence in the industry, different celebrated sports personalities have, in the recent past, come up in the support of poker, appreciating the skill involved in the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Recently, poker found some support in India, in the words of the Chess maestro, Vishwanathan Anand. Confessing his admiration for the skill-based game, the Indian chess grandmaster and former World Chess Champion had drawn parallels between poker and chess.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="background-color: rgb(245, 246, 245);">Anand</span>’s words of encouragement are also echoed in the sentiments shared by Vijender Singh. Winning the first-ever Olympic medal for an Indian boxer, Vijender Singh has also been knocking out the regressive perceptions against poker.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his support for the game, Vijender Singh said, “Poker is an interesting and gripping game, perhaps just like boxing. In fact, nobody is a born boxer and it is only after years of rigorous training and self-discipline, does one become excellent at it. Furthermore, when someone is in the ring, your individual skills alone will not guarantee success. The ability to read the moves of your opponent ahead of time or to gauge their strategy etc. governs the fate of the game. Same holds true for poker. As a mind game, poker players have to invest a lot of their time in deepening their understanding of the game. Furthermore, the outcome of the game is also determined by the ability of poker players to pre-empt the moves of their opponents and come up with the right strategy while the game is on.”</p>

<p>The celebrity endorsements have definitely helped different poker players in India push their cause in the country. The celebrity support only follows the legal sanction provided by the Supreme Court of India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Back in the year 1996, the Apex Court had clearly distinguished between gambling and other games that involve skill. As per the Supreme Court of India, the games involving skills, including the card games like Rummy and Poker, don’t fall under the same ambits as gambling and hence, should be treated differently.</p>

<p>Skill-based games like poker, as per the Apex Court, don’t fall under the ambits of gambling and hence, are completely legal. With the legal sanction and a passionate community, poker as an industry has been growing in India. In fact, the present day start-up wave has only up the ante for poker. Poker start-ups in India are worth well over $120 million, only slated to grow in years to come.</p>

<p>Further support in the favour of poker, especially its online version came into force after the Nagaland Act of 2016. The Act further open doors for various newer format games to get licensed and have audiences participate in various games involving skill, such as Soduku, Poker, Fantasy sports and more.</p>

<p>The same has largely contributed towards the growth of poker in India. In this age of digitisation, the game has found an easier way to reach out to users, with its online variant.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In fact, the poker start-ups in India are worth over $120 million. Online poker platforms, such as PokerBaazi, make it easy for the Indian poker enthusiasts to connect with like-minded people and enjoy their favourite action-packed game, online.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition to helping users monetise their poker skills online, the platform also takes care of the overall experience. It provides a number of online resources, webinars and videos of poker pros, to help poker amateurs up their game and graduate to the level of poker pros, along with adding a stream of revenue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition, the platform pays complete heed to the states that don’t permit monetary stakes in gaming. To the same end, residents Assam, Orissa, Gujarat and Telangana are not eligible to game earnings at PokerBaazi, and verification is done through Aadhaar authentication.</p>

<p>These have been some of the key aspects that drew Vijender Singh to the platform, as its brand ambassador. He further adds, “PokerBaazi, as India’s most trusted online poker platform, helps poker aspirants up their game, by providing tutorials and webinars, where they can learn the best strategies of poker pros.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As a platform, PokerBaazi is dedicated to not only promote the game but also the skill and it gives me immense happiness to be associated with the same.”</p>


Often being criticised, misunderstood, or simply put in the same box as gambling, the growth of poker in India has been fraught with several challenges. While the leading economies of the world have been cashing in on the growing popularity of this skill-based game, the attitudes and perceptions in India could use a little lift.

Often being criticised, misunderstood, or simply put in the same box as gambling, the growth of poker in India has been fraught with several challenges. While the leading economies of the world have been cashing in on the growing popularity of this skill-based game, the attitudes and perceptions in India could use a little lift. To the same end and to further help poker gain its due recognition and prominence in the industry, different celebrated sports personalities have, in the recent past, come up in the support of poker, appreciating the skill involved in the game. Recently, poker found some support in India, in the words of the Chess maestro, Vishwanathan Anand. Confessing his admiration for the skill-based game, the Indian chess grandmaster and former World Chess Champion had drawn parallels between poker and chess. Anand’s words of encouragement are also echoed in the sentiments shared by Vijender Singh. Winning the first-ever Olympic medal for an Indian boxer, Vijender Singh has also been knocking out the regressive perceptions against poker. In his support for the game, Vijender Singh said, “Poker is an interesting and gripping game, perhaps just like boxing. In fact, nobody is a born boxer and it is only after years of rigorous training and self-discipline, does one become excellent at it. Furthermore, when someone is in the ring, your individual skills alone will not guarantee success. The ability to read the moves of your opponent ahead of time or to gauge their strategy etc. governs the fate of the game. Same holds true for poker. As a mind game, poker players have to invest a lot of their time in deepening their understanding of the game. Furthermore, the outcome of the game is also determined by the ability of poker players to pre-empt the moves of their opponents and come up with the right strategy while the game is on.” The celebrity endorsements have definitely helped different poker players in India push their cause in the country. The celebrity support only follows the legal sanction provided by the Supreme Court of India. Back in the year 1996, the Apex Court had clearly distinguished between gambling and other games that involve skill. As per the Supreme Court of India, the games involving skills, including the card games like Rummy and Poker, don’t fall under the same ambits as gambling and hence, should be treated differently. Skill-based games like poker, as per the Apex Court, don’t fall under the ambits of gambling and hence, are completely legal. With the legal sanction and a passionate community, poker as an industry has been growing in India. In fact, the present day start-up wave has only up the ante for poker. Poker start-ups in India are worth well over $120 million, only slated to grow in years to come. Further support in the favour of poker, especially its online version came into force after the Nagaland Act of 2016. The Act further open doors for various newer format games to get licensed and have audiences participate in various games involving skill, such as Soduku, Poker, Fantasy sports and more. The same has largely contributed towards the growth of poker in India. In this age of digitisation, the game has found an easier way to reach out to users, with its online variant. In fact, the poker start-ups in India are worth over $120 million. Online poker platforms, such as PokerBaazi, make it easy for the Indian poker enthusiasts to connect with like-minded people and enjoy their favourite action-packed game, online. In addition to helping users monetise their poker skills online, the platform also takes care of the overall experience. It provides a number of online resources, webinars and videos of poker pros, to help poker amateurs up their game and graduate to the level of poker pros, along with adding a stream of revenue. In addition, the platform pays complete heed to the states that don’t permit monetary stakes in gaming. To the same end, residents Assam, Orissa, Gujarat and Telangana are not eligible to game earnings at PokerBaazi, and verification is done through Aadhaar authentication. These have been some of the key aspects that drew Vijender Singh to the platform, as its brand ambassador. He further adds, “PokerBaazi, as India’s most trusted online poker platform, helps poker aspirants up their game, by providing tutorials and webinars, where they can learn the best strategies of poker pros. As a platform, PokerBaazi is dedicated to not only promote the game but also the skill and it gives me immense happiness to be associated with the same.”

Olympic winner Vijender Singh vouches for Poker

<p>Cards against humanity, a popular card game largely known for its inappropriate responses to questions, has purchased a section of land the along the Mexican-American border in order to stop Donald Trump from building the border wall.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Cards Against Humanity is said to be a &ldquo;party game for horrible people&rdquo; where &ldquo;one player asks a question from a black card&rdquo; and other players choose amusing and inappropriate responses from the white cards.</p>

<p>The founders of the game have launched a special website called &#39;Card Against Humanity Saves America&#39; which gives all the details about a &#39;holiday promotion&#39;, asking people to spend 15 USD for which they will be given &#39;an illustrated map of the land, a certificate of our promise to fight the wall, some new cards, and a few other surprises&#39;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Then it introduces this campaign saying - &quot;It&rsquo;s 2017, and the government is being run by a toilet. We have no choice: Cards Against Humanity is going to save America.&quot;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/4-20171115083632.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Cards Against Humanity claims that the government is being run by a toilet. (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&quot;There&rsquo;s no time for questions&mdash;now is the time to act. You give us $15, and we&rsquo;ll send six America-saving surprises right to your doorstep. It will be fun, it will be weird, and if you voted for Trump, you might want to sit this one out.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;Donald Trump is a preposterous golem who is afraid of Mexicans. He is so afraid that he wants to build a twenty-billion-dollar wall that everyone knows will accomplish nothing. So we&rsquo;ve purchased a plot of vacant land on the border and retained a law firm specializing in eminent domain to make it as time-consuming and expensive as possible for the wall to get built.&quot;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/2-20171115083748.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>For just $15, the game promises an illustrated map of the land, a certificate of promise to fight the wall, some new cards, and a few other surprises, all of which will arrive during the month of December (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>The website mentions that &#39;if one had voted for trump, they must consider sitting this one out&#39;.</p>

<p>In their new anti-Trump antic, they have informed that they will only let 150,000 participate in saving the United States from &ldquo;injustice, lies, racism, the whole enchilada&rdquo;.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/1-20171115083844.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>They answered a number of questions, trying to mock the president. (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/3-20171115083949.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Cards against humanity, a popular card game largely known for its inappropriate responses. (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Trump had pledged to bill a 700-mile huge wall along the border which was estimated to cost $18billion, but internal DHS investigators estimate the cost to be nearly $21billion.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The government is being run by a toilet. We have no choice... we are going to save America and attempt to keep our brand relevant in 2017<br />
<br />
Join in and for $15 we&rsquo;ll send you six America-saving surprises this December: <a href="https://t.co/o1BFmokO9W">https://t.co/o1BFmokO9W</a></p>
&mdash; CardsAgainstHumanity (@CAH) <a href="https://twitter.com/CAH/status/930484721909460992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


They have purchased a section of land the along the Mexican-American border in order to stop Donald Trump from building the border wall.?

Cards against humanity, a popular card game largely known for its inappropriate responses to questions, has purchased a section of land the along the Mexican-American border in order to stop Donald Trump from building the border wall. Cards Against Humanity is said to be a “party game for horrible people” where “one player asks a question from a black card” and other players choose amusing and inappropriate responses from the white cards. The founders of the game have launched a special website called 'Card Against Humanity Saves America' which gives all the details about a 'holiday promotion', asking people to spend 15 USD for which they will be given 'an illustrated map of the land, a certificate of our promise to fight the wall, some new cards, and a few other surprises'. Then it introduces this campaign saying - "It’s 2017, and the government is being run by a toilet. We have no choice: Cards Against Humanity is going to save America." Cards Against Humanity claims that the government is being run by a toilet. (Others) × "There’s no time for questions—now is the time to act. You give us $15, and we’ll send six America-saving surprises right to your doorstep. It will be fun, it will be weird, and if you voted for Trump, you might want to sit this one out." "Donald Trump is a preposterous golem who is afraid of Mexicans. He is so afraid that he wants to build a twenty-billion-dollar wall that everyone knows will accomplish nothing. So we’ve purchased a plot of vacant land on the border and retained a law firm specializing in eminent domain to make it as time-consuming and expensive as possible for the wall to get built." For just $15, the game promises an illustrated map of the land, a certificate of promise to fight the wall, some new cards, and a few other surprises, all of which will arrive during the month of December (Others) × The website mentions that 'if one had voted for trump, they must consider sitting this one out'. In their new anti-Trump antic, they have informed that they will only let 150,000 participate in saving the United States from “injustice, lies, racism, the whole enchilada”. They answered a number of questions, trying to mock the president. (Others) × Cards against humanity, a popular card game largely known for its inappropriate responses. (Others) × Trump had pledged to bill a 700-mile huge wall along the border which was estimated to cost $18billion, but internal DHS investigators estimate the cost to be nearly $21billion. The government is being run by a toilet. We have no choice... we are going to save America and attempt to keep our brand relevant in 2017 Join in and for $15 we’ll send you six America-saving surprises this December: https://t.co/o1BFmokO9W — CardsAgainstHumanity (@CAH) November 14, 2017 ×

Trump's border wall: 'Cards Against Humanity' buys land on Mexican border

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