With the 15th edition of the highly-anticipated Deltin Poker Tournaments (DPT) just two days away, we got in touch with Ram Kakkar, Adda52 Game Ambassador. He shares his poker journey, offers invaluable insights and advice to players gearing up for the DPT October 2023 edition. With years of experience, Ram highlights the importance of meticulous preparation, including studying schedules and structures. He encourages players to set goals and minimize focused errors during gameplay.
Drawing from his own experiences, Ram empathizes the significance of patience and maintaining composure, especially during MTT tournaments. Here are the excerpts of the interview with him:
OPN: Can you please introduce yourself for our readers and share a bit about your journey in the world of poker and your role as Adda52 Game Ambassador?
Answer: I am a lawyer by qualification, living in Goa, and have been experimenting with poker for almost a decade. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to be a part of the Poker Sports League during the first 4 seasons, which was a wonderful learning experience. Online and occasionally live MTTs is what I focus on. Being able to win the ACL and becoming an Adda52 Game Ambassador was a momentous accomplishment for me, and in that capacity, it is my endeavour to make people at large aware about the game of poker and hopefully play a small role in the growth of the game.
OPN: With the Deltin Poker Tournament starting this week, could you share some insights into your preparation routine and strategy for such a prestigious event?
Answer: Being a live event, I do spend some time studying the schedule and the structures, and try and formulate an optimal strategy for myself. Most other things, be it gameplay strategy or your physical and mental preparedness are long term journeys we can all try and have a protocol that involved some meditation exercises a couple of weeks leading to the event.
OPN: Are you setting any specific goals or expectations for your performance in this DPT?
Answer: I made several mistakes in the last DPT and WPT which came from playing in a live environment, which I am not as used to, and I hope to have learnt from them. My goal is to simply to keep the unforced errors to a minimum and give every single hand the thought and attention that one should.
OPN: Can you mention any key lessons you’ve learned from the past DPT editions?
Answer: Just working on my temperament and patience and paying a lot of attention to the table dynamics are some of things I would like be better at that the last DPT editions.
OPN: What’s the most memorable thing that has ever happened to you during DPT?
Answer: Running somewhat deep in the DPT HR event back in 2019 when I finished 10th was a lot of fun, playing with some very good players and trying to learn a few things.
OPN: Do you have any unique rituals or superstitions that you follow before or during a tournament of this scale to bring you luck?
Answer: I just try to be rested. I do not have any superstitions.
OPN: Which events are you planning to participate in? Are there any favorite events that you look forward to? If so, what makes them special to you?
Answer: The Main Event is always special, because it is the Main Event. The HR because the structures and the fields are so good. Bounty events have the x-entertainment factor and brings a lot of laughs. I will try and participate in as many events as possible.
OPN: If you could pick one poker legend, alive or from history, to play a hand with at the Deltin Poker Tournament, who would it be and why?
Answer: Phil Helmuth, with hopes of getting him to fume with a suck-out or such.
OPN: What qualities do you think are essential for someone aspiring to excel in the DPT tournaments.
Answer: All aspects of discipline are up there for me – bankroll management, physical and mental preparedness and hours spent off the table. Having live game experience does help.
OPN: In your opinion, what are the most common mistakes that players make in multi-day tournaments, and how can they avoid them?
Answer: Perhaps playing too tight towards the end of a day just to bag is a common mistake. You may be closer to the bubble that may necessitate tighter play, but do not take it too far.
OPN: Lastly, what advice would you give to poker players looking to participate in the upcoming DPT?
Answer: Stick to a bankroll strategy, have fun, play your best game, accept the beats and be kind to the dealers.
Thank for you Ram for your time and support. Good luck for the special DPT October 2023 edition!
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