Blockchain: A Legitimate Disruptor for Gaming and Poker

No more associated with finance, Blockchain technology has now made an impressionable move into gaming and poker industry too. We take a quick look at how blockchain tech with its secured, complex and robust data encryption, can redefine the world as we know it.

By Athira Laji

ne of the most dominant

Ofeatures/inventions of new-gen technology has undoubtedly been blockchain. Its high-end cryptography and distributed ledgers make it a legitimate disruptor for industries where payments are being rolled on every minute and want their digital assets unbackable and unalterable.

Blockchain is a key power for a potential game-changer for gaming and other real money segments due to its way of storing, transferring, and distributing data across massive networks. Its unique set of properties enables the data to remain unchanged or unmanipulated. Secured by complex cryptography that promotes robust data encryption, blockchain technology is now being used in redefining the entire scenario of the gaming industry as we know it.

More than just finance

Blockchain technology is no more just associated with finance as it also made its presence felt in the gaming industry too. One has constantly faced problems of piracy, unjust revenue sharing, duplication of in-game assets, etc. With the potential to overcome these challenges, blockchain will play a critical role in designing and redefining the gaming industry for developers, distributors, and players.

Blockchain technology allows game developers to develop hard-cross forged characters and resemble gamers and provide a more personalised experience, otherwise not possible in classic online games. Exclusive and unique artefacts for their games which are non-fungible maybe appreciate in value over time. These characters are hard to counterfeit and may even be moved across games.

A hoax call?

Most developers believe blockchain technology is a game-changer, but a little over one-third disagree, viewing blockchain as mostly hype. Elisha Ruth Parmar, CEO/Founder, Digital Crew – India, says,” Blockchain is not the hype, cryptocurrencies are. Blockchain is here to stay and change the way we live our day-to-day life.” Project Ethereum has changed the way people see finance now. It has taken out the finance from the larger institution to the smarter contracts. Blockchain has started tapping other industries like art, gaming, etc., that are undergoing transformation daily. New companies/projects are predicted to emerge as market leaders that will shape the future of technology using blockchain. Sergey Mukhanov, CEO, Connective Games, says, “We do believe there is a market for blockchain poker but that it is a niche one. We can see it working well in grey markets and with standalone brand operations.” This is mainly because blockchain technology better addresses payment reliability and when it comes to the distribution of cards in these markets as compared to the approach taken in established and regulated jurisdictions.

The need for one in poker!!

Poker is a game of skills, and if players have transparency on the cards dealt or other events on the game, then for sure right talent will be on the top, and the community will grow. Trust and fairness are two of the most critical factors in online poker, assures Mukhanov, whose company Connective Games helped build one of India’s most trusted online poker platforms, Spartan Poker. Blockchain technology can certainly help to address the grey areas as it is provably fair. This is why we are looking at more jurisdictions to regulate and license online poker, providing consumers with additional layers of trust that the sites they are playing at are reputable.

Blockchain cannot solve every problem, but for sure, it can bring transparency among users by providing the temper-proof history of an event that happened on its network. “Even if we keep transparency aside, blockchain has removed the boundaries for players. On a blockchain, players can use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, etc., by keeping their identity private. These transactions can happen in a faster and cheaper way, and there is no middleman involved for settlement, as they are done by public deployed verifiable Smart Contract”, says Parmar. Blockchain can help in providing an unbiased and 100% fair platform to the poker community.

Blockchain throughout!

There is a significant percentage of people or thought leaders who are in favour of using blockchain technology. They believe that blockchain can turn the tables and restructure the gaming market by creating more immersive and boundary-blurring games than ever.

Though poised for a sea of change, how the gaming industry would navigate hurdles of regulations and technology and embrace blockchain is something that only time will tell!

Sergey Mukhanov, CEO, Connective Games Ruth Parmar

Author Shuklaji’s

Story of Unconventionalism

By Athira Laji

ou decide to write a book

Ybecause you are pretty much intrigued with letting the world know that whoever we are and whatever we do, we belong to the scribbles of our past. In that process, you accidentally find out that Wow, you are the first Indian author to write a book on poker fiction! You do a small happy dance, and then you get back to your duty of being a) investment banker, b) poker player, and 3) storyteller! This is precisely what Prateek Shukla, who goes by the pen name Shuklaji did! Shuklaji is pretty much still unfazed by the fact that he just made an unconventional mark for himself in the poker world. Not just as the first Indian poker fiction author but as a storyteller who successfully blended spirituality, Indian mythology, and poker and crafted a beautiful narrative out of it. The one thing that became pretty much clear to us during the interview was how much this gem of a person adores India, India’s poker scene, and Indian mythology.

Let’s talk about how a boy from Varanasi made a mark for himself and ended up in London as an investment banker?

I am a big believer in ‘scribbles of the past’. So, though I was not fortunate enough to stay longer in Varanasi, the time I spent with my family was fruitful enough for me to learn about values and beliefs. I grew up in a family of spiritual masters where stories about values, religious beliefs, and spirituality were part of the daily ritual. The lessons taught during my time there helped me become self-dependent. This value of being self-dependent is now my way of living – being in the present but very much

independent in my decision-making and only connect with what works and is good for me.

In my learning about spirituality and Indian mythology, I also learned to be intrigued by the things around me. From an early age, I was inclined towards Mathematical subjects and science. When I got into engineering, I worked on a project for ISRO where other university students and I made India’s first student satellite SRMSAT. I think that is where I knew that this is the path that I would be taking up – more quantitative heavy and inclined towards business and tech and amalgamating both. Then I started finding opportunities in investment banking, finance, AI, Machine Learning, etc., - which made me go to Germany on a scholarship and from there to London.

Like I mentioned, I depend on the ‘scribbles of my past’ without knowing what my future holds. Now, when I think about the journey, I would like to quote Steve jobs, “as you look behind the dots connects itself.

How does it feel to be India’s first poker fiction author?

Excited!! I was and am a fanboy of poker movies and Aaron Sorkin. Rounders and Molly’s Game has been on my repeat list for several years. I loved watching 21, which is on Black Jack and not on poker, but it is still a card game, and you get intrigued by it. This series called Queen’s Gambit on Netflix is based on the book by Walter Tevis, whom I am a big fan of. If you see my narration and writing style, it is pretty much inspired by Walter Tevis.

When I was writing this book, I did a quick search to check about the authors who have written in a similar genre, but I could not find any. But when my publisher told me that I am the first Indian to write about poker, I was kind of overwhelmed and nervous. I was kind of worried about a book on sports fiction getting accepted.

Sports keep people thrilled, and poker is a game that is already gaining a lot of acceptance in India. When AIGF agreed to write a word in the book, I already knew that massive acceptance was already happening in India.

How did poker happen to you?

Poker happened to me in college, where I initially got a fair chance to play with my friends. We didn’t bet money because we didn’t have any!! So, it was more like playing the very basic poker. However, the entire gameplay got me quite intrigued. I realised that we were not betting against the house but people. I knew the permutations around the bet have positive and negative aspects, but the game’s outcome is decided as per the rules set by the people and not the house. This itself was enough for me to realise that poker is a game of skill and not gambling.

Poker rules, though limited, give you an opportunity to self-introspect the kind of player you would be. I have mentioned the same in my book as well with Gamble of Attraction, which plays on the Law of Attraction where I talk about a certain mindset that some have about how only winners win. It is not necessary that you must always win; what matters is the mindset. As a poker player, you pretty much want to put your mind on the right amount to bet, knowing the right strategy when you are under the gun, whether you wish to offset the momentum or not. So, there is this line between fear and action, where I think the mindset plays a significant role - that’s the thing I fell in love with.

I have watched numerous WSOPs, followed so many players, rewatched poker movies like 5-6 times. So, poker has always been a part of my journey. I have always been in a quantitative field, and poker got me very much intrigued.

There is quite a notion about bankers being the epitome of “No work life balance”? But you have shattered the ceiling by being a poker player and writer now. How did this transformation happen with such diverse choices?

Investment banking has a pretty wide range of sections. I am involved with a lot of AI and Data Science market strategy which is a new thing. Though it is a corporate job at the end of the day, it is not dull but quite exciting. We have people from diverse backgrounds joining banking which brings in an element of creativity.

When it comes to writing and storytelling, I was already in-

clined towards it since childhood. So, writing was my idea of a creative outlook/outreach. I always wanted to tell Indian history or mythological stories and convey the message to people through different characters - something that I have tried to portray in this book.

How did Buddha’s House of Mirrors happen?

I always believed that anyone who can write a book on spirituality is very much human in themselves. While getting through their life, humans make mistakes, have their ups and downs, and then regain their position in society and life and sail their boat in the right direction. For me too, it was the same thing, when you are far away from home from a very early age, you live in a different country, speak a foreign language.

Overall, you have to learn principles to keep you motivated and keep you aligned to some goal. There is always this uncertainty that stares at you, especially when you are a student in the international market. Because I was always inclined towards spirituality, Indian history, and mythology, it just clicked that millennials or people of our generation are not getting the proper rationality or reasoning behind it. They are very open to learning about it as more self-awareness and understanding and debates about gender identity, sexuality, society, atheist, religions, etc.

What I wished to do with Buddha’s House of Mirrors is create a very simple handbook that juxtaposes principles from Vedanta and Buddhism that helps of brings out certain life insights for the readers. These insights are based on self-introspection, self-observation without judgment, and when one says, ‘live in the present, meditate, focus on your game or let go what,’ does that mean exactly.

What came first in terms of theme when you decided to start writing Gamble of love?

Buddha’s House of Mirrors, the first book that I wrote, has this setup where a person hallucinates that he is having this conversation with Buddha. So, I took that as a reference and introduced my main character Alia as someone who talks to Buddha while hallucinating. This helped me bring out the spiritual undertone in the book.

The chronological order of the theme was spirituality, Indian mythology, and poker. I wanted to get the timings right and know what my character’s mindset is. Sports fiction focuses more on the emotional aspects of the character or the decisions the characters make rather than just focusing on the story.

So, with Gamble of Love, I wanted to create a strong base before I jumped into poker itself and strategise the game for the character itself. So, from a character development point of view, I explored the spirituality aspect first and then brought Indian mythology into it. This character called Suhana is a princess from Pakistan who is very much connected to her roots. There existed a place called Pahlavas Kingdom across the River Indus in Indian history books; I took that into a more fictional way, making Pahlavas her ancestry. The story describes the time when she became an orphan, her journey to India where she meets a Tawaif in Delhi who introduces her to dance and embraces Goddess Kali. Her story depicted aspects of Indian mythology.

Introducing poker and spy thriller bought elements of thrill and excitement, which encompassed the story quite successfully.

How did you manage to narrow down the dialogues and the characters?

For an author, irrespective of genre, it is always about the tone. Every character has a tone, emotional stuff, and the baggage that they carry. Even their dialogues need to be unique. Any prominent authors would follow the same. They make sure that the characters they write about are very much unique in themselves. For me, the four main characters who run the whole story were pretty much intrigued.

We have Jacky, who is a vagabond and an orphan guy. From a very early age, he was exposed to the adult world, and he knows his way around, and he sort of tries to mimic actor Jackie Shroff. He is from Mumbai and wants to be a tapori! So, here, I know he is not going to compromise on anything; he will be a guy who takes

his own decisions and is going to be very much open about it. Here, I know the situation in which I have to place him.

In contrast, Karan is another character who is a young millennial guy, alone and lives in London but is more away from the world, reserved – a complete contrast of what Jackie is. So, his dialogues are more introvert, as he speaks less but gets bullied by one of his comical and digital assistants called Sia, which the Indian RAW agency renders while they follow the criminal network. So, here I knew how to write his dialogues.

Each character needed a different dialogue delivery. Here, I took the help of poems. So, a lot of emotions that the book conveys are through poetic lyrics and gazals. I wrote ghazals inspired from Mughal-era for the character of Suhana. So, how she lost her parents and how her uncle took over is wholly written in poems; there is no prose around it. Even Alia’s character who is the main lead and the poker prodigy - her First poker introduction is conveyed through a poem with many emotions that might surprise the readers.

These poems help the readers have a connection with the characters because, through them, I connect. So, storytelling is not just writing something on paper, but it is like trying to make the readers feel with the fiercest words possible, and in that case, prose and poems always work. Especially gazals, they have sought of survived and endured so many generations, and it still prevails and still connects with people.

How much research went into writing this book?

The research did not take much time because I have been writing for so long, and these characters were already in my mind. So, the book got drafted in 2 months!

How did you combine spiritual theories and poker, especially when such a tone has never been explored before?

I was pretty confident that this theme and book would work. Indians thrive and grow on Indian mythology irrespective of whether you are a

believer of God or not. Whatever your culture is, you have values, laws, and family around you that thrive along with us. Devdutt Pattanaik has put it beautifully- ‘Mythology is the operating system of our society.

The millennials are pretty much intrigued to understand the history and its application in the present scenario. Now poker is a game of decision-making. People from diverse background are levelled on the poker board with just chips and cards. It is a fair treat - you are playing along with the people and against the people. So, your decision-making depends not only on the external environment but how you feel internally. For example, how’s the day going?, what are you feeling? Are you feeling sad because someone said something to you because you can’t let it go? So, here, spirituality helps you with tools to understand yourself , and before making any decision, how you need to empty that bucket of burden or be in the flow of the game. Irrespective of what you believe in, these tools help you connect with your natural game, inherently, becoming your spiritual beliefs.

Everyone has a different way of achieving that flow – some people let go, and some let them set themselves into music, play sports, etc. So, everyone connects to their inner self differently, working to make the past, present, and future anxiety go away. That’s where the amalgamation of religion, spirituality, and poker helps bring on that connect, emotional undertone, and amalgamation

“I would recommend everyone to watch Phil Hellmuth’s interview with Valuetainment Founder Patrick Bet-David. He talks about his past successes and game strategies in poker and his behavioural aspect too; how does he behave when he is around people or games, and why does he do what he “ does. He has his principles which he followed over a period that eventually became his spirituality.

Do you think poker players should go through spiritual learning?

It can be recommended but not made into a compulsion. Spiritual learning should be considered like an awareness or information gathering.

Another biggest example is Phil Ivey. If you have watched his game, you will be aware of his behaviour on the table. He is very reserved and silent but speaks when the right moment comes. I am a big fan of Phil Ivey. You ought to learn from them. Everyone has their way of dealing with adverse situations. Not everyone can learn, and not everyone can be the best, but you can always be a good player – you can take things step by step. End of the day, it is all about self-awareness and self-learning, which no one can force. It is always about your acceptance of your natural game.

Do you think your book would make a difference to the outlook people have about poker?

I think the change is already happening. If you read the reviews on Goodreads, and the comments from the readers who picked up the book from Amazon, they go on to say, “After reading the book, now I understand that poker is not a gamble but a game of skill.” This happens to be my tagline too. That is a winning streak. If you can get at least one stranger in the world to come and agree to your idea – it is an endearing moment as it is a tough thing to do – changing opinions.

Just the flip side of itself, even though I, on a fictional basis, have tried my level best to reso-

nate with the idea that poker is a game of skill, I have tried to bring on board the right people to get acquainted with it through my book. That is why I sent out the book to Roland Landers of AIGF, Dwayne Fernades of Gutshot Magazine, Nikita Luther – a WSOP Bracelet winner, Siddhanth Kapoor, Kanchan Sharma, and Yuvraj Singh writing in your book. So, that’s how I tried to bring in holistically the argument that poker is a game of skill and not gamble through eminent people’s and the character’s voice.

India doesn’t have any poker movies made? Any plans to convert Gamble of love into a film adaptation?

I would love to do that! I am working towards it. It is not something that was always in the plan. But now it is more like an idea to reach the wider audience with this concept that poker is a game of skill. I am looking forward to work towards that direction and

TELL TALES

YOUR NOT-SO-SECRET INGREDIENT OF YOUR ‘A’ GAME?

Self-confidence

FAVOURITE POKER MOVIE

Rounders

DREAM TOURNAMENT?

WSOP

YOUR FAVOURITE POKER PLAYER

Phil Ivey

YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR

Jhumpa Lahiri

COOLEST THING ABOUT BEING A POKER PLAYER?

Control the money!

COOLEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?

Storytelling

COOLEST THING ABOUT BEING A BANKER?

Diversity of people you meet.

YOU ARE BINGE-WATCHING?

Queen’s Gambit

BIGGEST PET PEEVE

Watching cheesy romcoms!

HASHTAGS THAT DESCRIBE YOU

#StrongStoryTeller

NETFLIX SHOW

Money Heist & Narcos!

POKER CRUSH?

Nikita Luther

AT GUNPOINT, YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ONLY ONE BETWEEN WRITING AND POKER

Writing