With Spartan Poker’s IOPC reaching its fruitful end, we reached out to Sethuram Kannan for the second time as he managed to bag IOPC #116 Monster Stack ₹5 Lakhs GTD for ₹83,315. Along with this, Kannan also finished 4th in Adda52’s BigSlick tourney. In the chat session, Kannan also talked about his first-ever WSOP tourney experience.
Here are the excerpts-
First of all, tell us the experience of playing IOPC? How is it different from other tourneys and all?
IOPC is the biggest tournament in India. I can say that it is an Indian version of WSOP. Since the GTD’s are very high for less buy-in, it attracts huge fields. Also, the sharks were fighting hard for the leader board having huge BR. So, it is very tough for a recreational like me to get deeper in such tourneys where you get bad beats often from their every hand all-ins. Luckily I went passed and eventually shipped it.
Tell us about the IOPC #116 Monster Stack ₹5 Lac GTD event that you shipped. How were the competition and the FT moment? What was going in through your mind?
I haven’t put much volume overall in IOPC. I play mostly on weekends since I am working. I have hardly played some afternoon games. But there was always a dream to get that IOPC medal on my profile on the tables. Whenever I play on Spartan, I see someone in my table having that which kind of disturbs me always. So, when I got deeper in this tourney, I was confident that I am going to be in the top 3 and I need that medal. Not the money particularly in this tourney.
When there were 4 players left, others opted to deal. I was 3rd of 4 remaining. But I didn’t accept it. I know that it is the last day of this IOPC. If I miss this, again I have to wait for six more months or more. So, I wanted to play it off whatever happens. Finally when 3 people were remaining the chip lead was fluctuating because we 3 had almost even stack and then some funny things happened. When I got the chip lead, I accepted the deal. But the other guy didn’t. Again, when he got the chip lead, I didn’t. Finally, he loses a massive pot and I got chip lead and he finally accepted the deal. Hence, I got my IOPC medal.
Were you playing only IOPC in this duration or was there any other tourney you were playing alongside?
Of course, I played in other sites as well. I played the WSOP opener which is my first ever WSOP tourney. I am happy that I made a deep run and cashed in that. Also, I played a couple of tourneys on Adda52. Finished 4th in BigSlick on the same day I shipped the IOPC. I had a good chance of winning that as well. But lost a big flip where my AK lost to 55. It was a good day for me overall.
How do you choose a tournament?
Yes! It is very important to choose tournaments wisely. My strategy is to choose tournaments with the highest ROI. Sometimes I go little above my bankroll to play such tourneys. But it works for me.
Tell us about the WSOP opener. It is your first-ever WSOP tourney
I had never imagined that I would play a WSOP tourney in my life. I am the guy who took a couple of days leave to play a freeroll tourney where I get approx Rs.25. So, playing WSOP is not even in my dreams. But, thanks to lockdown. I wanted to play one bullet each in opener and Big50. But I ended up firing 3 bullets in the opener only. I played so cautiously in first and I was not playing my A-Game. So, I thought let’s try another one give my best and see whatever happens. But, lost that well. Poker gods were not good to me and I lost twice with AA and once with QQ. I tried my last bullet on the final day. That gave me a decent stack and played well overall in the DAY2. But I made a blunder mistake in the last hand. I got AJ and board was 5TA with two hearts. Villain check shoved on me. It is an easy fold situation considering ICM and my stack. But I ended up calling in seconds. Then I realized that was a very bad call. I also have that habit of making the moves quickly and then realize the mistake. I am working on that currently. But I got a decent profit in that tourney.
One last question- have you told your family yet or not?
Ha Ha…, not yet bro. As I said in the last interview, I have promised them that I will give them 10 lac at the end of two years. I am at halfway mark in 5 months. Still, I need to make half of it. As soon as I make It, I will let them know.
Stay tuned to check out the next Poker Star!