Five similarities between Pokerbaazi and Mukkebaazi

07/17/2018

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Without a doubt, Poker and Boxing are right up there when it comes to entertaining and popular sports. And despite the contrasting style of play and rules, the two sports, astonishingly, share numerous traits and virtues that are similar and immensely necessary to excel in the sports.

Big Winnings

Of all the non-team sports that literally boast of the “winner takes all” adage, Boxing and Poker might be the closest to it in reality. In both the sports, the winnings are huge and a lot is at stake, which automatically takes the motivation to a whole new level. Floyd Mayweather had famously taken home a staggering $180 million after winning the much anticipated fight against Manny Pacquiao. The match lasted only 36 minutes and the loser was left $120 million richer, which only justifies the point. In the World Poker Series, the 2017 prize pool had a net worth of $67,877,400 with the winner getting as much as $8,150,000. Poker, like Boxing, doesn’t just push a player with glory or promising to etch their name in history, but the biggest motivator that has ever existed on the face of earth – money.

Patience

In games with stakes so high, the scope for making mistakes is also miniscule. Hence, patience plays a major role for the players. Just one bad move more than often brings the end to the bout or a hand. While one can argue that every sport in the world needs this virtue for one to excel in it, outfoxing an opponent over twelve grueling rounds seems to require superhuman patience. In the poker too, a player not only needs patience but should be impeccable in decision making with sharp instincts. Hence, from that bluff on the river or pre-flop, with pocket queens, the game emulates boxing in many aspects that demands patience.

Age-old sport

As long as one can remember, the oldest sport known to mankind has always been a duel between two people. Evolved from our beastly ancestors who used to give a gesture of dominance of being the king by defeating all other competitors, fighting has been one of the traits humans have kept alive from their pre-historic age. Boxing is just an attempt by them to give the age old sport a better shape and respect in the civilized society. Poker, too, has a similar history. Cards have been known to be one of a favorite past time of the creator himself, who couldn’t resist himself lending it to his creation. The oldest of Biblical references have had stories of people playing cards and all these years later, humans have furnished it and by adding the element of skill converted it into the sophisticated ‘Poker’ that we now know.

Trash talking

In a sport where patience plays a key role, it is only expected that your opponent would want to get the better of you by distraction. Trash talking plays a crucial part in both Boxing and Poker. No bout would ever be complete before a public show where both the boxers try to intimidate and insult each other and the press taking every note of it. Similarly, in a poker game, others sitting at the table would try their best to get the better of the person playing his hand and the only way to do that would be trash talking.

Knockout

Boxing is one of the few sports that gives a player a way out with a win through knockout prematurely before the 12 rounds are endured. Not only does it make the field level for players who are unable to stand the numerous rounds but also adds as a huge entertainment quotient for the crowd. A boxer also has the chance to lose out on his audience if he doesn’t go for the knockout frequently. After all, no boxer wants to be famed as a boring fighter. Poker also gives a similar card to the players in the Knockout tournament, where there is a separate prize for knocking out each player. A poker player cannot go along with his same strategy in knockouts and they have often been found adjusting their move accordingly.

And the biggest similarity of them all - Vijender Singh

India’s pride in boxing, Vijender Singh, has been a gold medalist at the 2006 Asian Games even managed to clinch the bronze at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. After winning for the country, Vijender decided to get down in the professional ring and has since won 10 fights going unbeaten. He has won seven of them through knockouts and three of them by decision. And him joining Pokerbaazi as their brand ambassador earlier this year in January is the biggest similarity between the two sports.

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