Becomes First Indian Member of Team PokerStars

PokerStars is the world's largest online poker website and has been the trendsetter for the game for over a decade. Back in 2003, a PokerStars qualifier by the name of Chris Moneymaker turned an online satellite into $2 million after winning the World Series of Poker. This helped bring about the poker boom in the Americas and helped to grow the game worldwide. Now PokerStars is hoping to explode the game in India following the signing of their first Indian pro, Aditya Agarwal.

As reported on poker update, Agarwal is the first player in history to sign with PokerStars as a sponsored pro. Sponsored players help to represent the website worldwide both online and in live poker tournaments. Following the Poker Boom in 2003, most of Team PokerStars was based in the Americas but in recent years, the company has focused primarily on international poker superstars.

Agarwal is credited as one of India's first poker pros. Known online as “Intervention,” Agarwal has over $4.2 million in online poker earnings. Agarwal is originally from Calcutta but discovered poker during his freshman year at Drexel University in the United States. He quickly discovered a talent for the game and after graduating from University, he decided to turn pro.

Agarwal's online poker resume includes victories in 74 separate tournaments as well as 140 top three finishes. His is one of the top ranked players in India and has been ranked in the top 10 of online poker players globally. His $4.2 million in online tournament earnings makes him the most successful Indian poker player in history.

Agarwal's success has also extended into the live arena. At present, he has over $470,000 in live tournament earnings, including four career cashes in the World Series of Poker Main Event. He had a career year in live poker in 2014, earning over $120,000.

His involvement in the game also reaches into the coaching realm. He has served as a coach and mentor for years and helped to train some of India's youngest and brightest poker players. Agarwal hopes to continue doing that as part of Team PokerStars. He was quoted in a press release as stating, “I've been playing at PokerStars since 2004, so this is a dream come true for me. As a poker ambassador I want to help promote the game in India, and inspire more players to play and enjoy the sport.”

Now as part of Team PokerStars, Aditya Agarwal can help grow the game of poker not just in India but also around the world. Hopefully he can continue his success and continue to inspire new generations of players to the point where poker experiences a boom in India similar to that seen in the Americas a decade ago.