The Poker Sports League: A Royal Flush?
Maxim India|May 2017

The Poker Sports League Is a Battle of Not Just Masters of Cards, but Also of Mindsets.

Tanmoy Mookherjee
The Poker Sports League: A Royal Flush?

Now sports films are usually well received. They tend to be biographical in nature, which helps them connect on an emotional level. They look at the stoic heroism of the main character in question and are usually underdog stories. There exists, however, another kind of depiction in the movies of a particular sport—whether or not it can be called that is another matter.

No game has been as stylised and romanticised by Hollywood as poker, and almost every time it seems to carry dark undertones. Be it the James Bond movie Casino Royale, where Daniel Craig as 007 rejoins the game against his antagonist with a sly “The last hand nearly killed me!” or High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story, where the protagonist says, “See, life is a people game, too. Only, the emphasis is just a little bit different.” These lines are uttered by Stu Ungar, widely revered as the best poker player in the history of the game, who won more than $30 million in prize money in his life but died broke.

Think of poker and a few stereotypes spring to mind. Men and women dressed in their finest, the lavish casinos of Las Vegas and Monte Carlo, or the dingy back alleys of a shady neighbourhood; Hollywood is replete with such references. Will it be the same when the Poker Sports League (PSL), the first of its kind in India, has concluded on a cruise-casino in Goa? The setting will be dramatically different, but the organisers of the tournament have pulled out all stops to make it a resounding success, having given it a “twist” not seen in the game of poker before.

This story is from the May 2017 edition of Maxim India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 2017 edition of Maxim India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MAXIM INDIAView All
The Earth Is Suffering, Here Is Why You Should Care
Maxim India

The Earth Is Suffering, Here Is Why You Should Care

The environment tends to pay the price for our celebration. It’s time we think about leaving a livable earth.

time-read
8 mins  |
October 2016
A Luxurious Weekend
Maxim India

A Luxurious Weekend

Whether you are heading to Hyderabad for a business trip, a leisure stay, a holiday or family getaway, Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli is the destination for a pleasant experience.

time-read
1 min  |
January 2018
Keep It Movin'
Maxim India

Keep It Movin'

Keep It Movin'

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2018
The Inglostadt Ideal
Maxim India

The Inglostadt Ideal

Last year marked 10 years of Audi in India. We caught up with their Brand Director, Rahil Ansari, for a freewheeling chat deconstructing innovations, clean energy and strategies for the way forward.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 2018
Negroni Riffing!
Maxim India

Negroni Riffing!

Why bartenders around the world can’t stop experimenting on a classic.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 2018
Priyanka Chopra- The Hottest Woman In The World
Maxim India

Priyanka Chopra- The Hottest Woman In The World

Maxim’s first covergirl has topped the hot 100... Again! She’s also the undisputed queen of everything that’s pop. As she takes over the world, she returns to maxim in her hottest avatar yet! Gents, prepare to be blown away... Again.

time-read
9 mins  |
June /July 2016
Total Control
Maxim India

Total Control

The military-inspired Rezvani Tank is the extreme utility vehicle from hell.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2017
The Rise Of The Sexbot
Maxim India

The Rise Of The Sexbot

The debate on whether sex robots can actually offer real benefits to society—and to women—rages on.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2017
Five Ingredients Only!
Maxim India

Five Ingredients Only!

CELEBRITY CHEF JAMIE OLIVER’S NEWEST BOOK, 5 INGREDIENTS: QUICK & EASY FOOD, IS A TREASURE TROVE OF EASY AND DELICIOUS MEALS. HERE’S A CHEAT SHEET TO A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITES—HAPPY EATING!

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2017
Kunal Kamra
Maxim India

Kunal Kamra

The comedian faces his final joke as a mortal.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2017