From State Champions to National Icons: National Poker Series India Unveils National Poker Champion Showdown

Thursday, 16^th January 2025: National Poker Series India, the nation’s most prestigious competitive Poker series, has announced an extended leg to the tournament series, National Poker Champion Showdown (NPC)– A first-of-its-kind, national-level hunt for India’s Poker champion with a winner takes all prize of INR 1 Crore. The National Poker Champion Showdown isn’t just about individual glory. It’s about pride, rivalry, and state supremacy. National Poker Series India also unveiled its bold new campaign – ‘Never Play Second’ to set the tone for the 5^th edition of National Poker Series India 2025 with a record-breaking prize pool of INR 100 Crore. The series will be hosted on PokerBaazi from 23^rd February to 24^th March, 2025.  

‘National Poker Champion Showdown’ will be an offline event in Goa where only the top 12 players from different states across India, selected based on total points earned from medals in the India Leaderboard during National Poker Series India, will represent their state and compete to win a prize of INR 1 Crore and the title. The winner of NPC Showdown will also secure free entry for all players from their state who have participated in at least one National Poker Series India tournament for another INR 1 Crore event. Furthermore, the player with the highest medal tally points from each state/union territory, will win a cash prize of INR 2,00,000. 

Navkiran Singh, Founder and CEO, Baazi Games, commented, “National Poker Series India has become a symbol of excellence, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. With record-breaking participation year after year, it has risen to the pinnacle of Indian Poker, inspiring players from all corners of the nation to strive for excellence. Through the ‘National Poker Champion Showdown’, we look forward to witnessing fierce rivalries as all the states rally for their players and celebrate the unwavering drive for triumph, inspiring the next generation of Poker players”. 

National Poker Series India also kick-started its brand-new campaign – ‘Never Play Second’, for the 5^th edition.  The campaign features some of India’s most accomplished Poker professionals in a series of impactful films. While National Poker Series India acknowledges the prestige of every medal, it unequivocally crowns gold as the ultimate achievement, encouraging champions to uphold their dominance and igniting the aspirations of emerging players for Poker – a sport defined by strategy. Echoing the mantra, “Every hand you play, every move you make, it’s a race to the top, a relentless chase,” the campaign underscores that the journey to Poker glory is forged through unparalleled skill, unwavering focus, and an unyielding ambition to never settle for second place. 

Here are the links to the campaign films:   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGpURSDCib4 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7lfakUMwrI 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdUI0_e4CcY 

Since its inception, National Poker Series India has attracted over 5.3 lakh entries, hosted over 400 tournaments, and awarded more than 1200 medals, establishing itself as the cornerstone of India’s Poker ecosystem. The 2024 edition saw unprecedented participation, with over 2.25 lakh entries competing for INR 62.5+ Crore in prizes. The fierce rivalry culminated in Deepak Singh from Delhi securing the overall championship, with Maharashtra and Delhi dominating the medal tally, highlighting the intense state-level competition. 

National Poker Series India 2025 promises to build on this momentum, delivering an unparalleled experience for players and Poker enthusiasts alike. With the ‘Never Play Second” campaign setting the tone, the 5^th edition is set to redefine excellence in India’s Poker landscape.