#20: Have you tried gambling with love yet?

#20: Have you tried gambling with love yet?

Right then, gather around, and let’s have a conversation about a gamble far riskier than any royal flush. We’re all rather fond of a bit of poker, aren’t we? We analyse our opponents, calculate pot odds, and bluff our way to victory. It’s a game of skill and a delicate dance of probabilities and psychology.

But have you ever considered the ultimate gamble, the one where the stakes are far higher than any pot you’ve ever seen? We’re, of course, talking about love. You might wonder why we’re talking about love when it’s not even the month of February. We’ll get to that in a bit.

You see, poker, for all its complexities, has rules. There’s a structure, a framework. You can mitigate risk, even if you can’t completely eliminate it. Love, on the other hand, is chaotic. A wild card that can turn your carefully laid plans upside down. You can’t read your opponent’s tells because they often don’t know their own. You can’t calculate the odds because the variables are infinite.

Think about it. In poker, you can fold a bad hand and wait for a better opportunity. In love, you might find yourself all-in with a pair of twos, hoping that it’s enough. You might be convinced you’ve got the nuts, only to discover your heart’s been rivered by a cruel twist of fate. We've all seen the pros, haven't we? They've honed their skills and mastered the game, and yet, even they can’t control the whims of fate when it comes to matters of the heart. One wrong move, one misplaced word, and everything can come crashing down.

Gamble of Love by Author Shuklaji

It’s a peculiar thing, this love. It’s a game where the dealer deals from a deck of emotions, and the house always seems to have an advantage. You can play your cards close to your chest, but eventually, you’ll have to show your hand. With that, we want to throw back to this 2021-released book called Gamble of Love by Author Shuklaji.

Now it may not have been an international bestseller in bookstores or online marketplaces, but in a country like India, where genuine poker content is lacking, this was exactly what we needed. It’s a proper good read, exploring love, relationships, adventure, thrill, spirituality, and of course poker.

It’s a story about a few young adults navigating through their respective hardships in life, all connected to each other through the game of poker. For those who aren’t very technically sound in the game, don’t worry because you won’t be reading about table positions and bet sizing or any other poker jargon here.

It's also worth mentioning that Gutshot Magazine had a major hand in bringing this book to life, with a foreword by Dwayne Fernandes and snippets from familiar faces from our community, such as Siddhanth Kapoor, Suited Connectors, Nikita Luther, and the All-India Gaming Federation (AIGF). They all contributed to a narrative that resonates with anyone who’s ever taken a punt on love.

So, while we’re all busy perfecting our poker faces and mastering the art of the bluff, let’s not forget the true gamble, the one that can leave us breathless and bewildered. Poker, as we all know, is a game of skill. Love, on the other hand, is the real high-stakes gamble. And sometimes, just sometimes, it's worth going all-in.

FREE TICKETS!

Didn’t enjoy today’s newsletter?
Here’s your chance to contribute! Your tales of how love was the bigger gamble? Share your thoughts, and 2 lucky winners will get free tickets worth ₹1,500 each to the Shark Attack ₹5 Lakh GTD on 20th April at 7:30 PM on A23 Poker. Reply with your answers! 🎉🃏

Your voice matters! 🎯
Got a topic you’d love us to cover in the next Gutshot newsletter? We’re all ears—hit reply and share your ideas!

And if you’re hungry for more exciting stories, updates, and insights from the Indian poker community, make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter. 🃏✨

See you in the next one — stay sharp and play smart! ♠️

Take care!