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Archit Khandelwal represents one of Indian Poker’s most compelling evolution stories.
Long recognized as a battle-tested mainstay in the domestic tournament arenas of India, Khandelwal has spent over a decade quietly refining a calculated, high-tempo tournament style.
In late 2026, that persistence translated into a massive international breakout.
After shipping his maiden World Poker Tour trophy at WPT Cambodia, he stormed through a four-figure field at the USOP Ha Long Bay II Main Event in Vietnam to claim runner-up honors and a career-defining $149,662 score.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
According to The Hendon Mob, Archit Khandelwal has accumulated $222,104 in recorded live tournament earnings, ranking among the top 70 players on India's All-Time Money List.
His breakthrough live score came in September 2026 at the U Series of Poker (USOP) Ha Long Bay II, where he navigated an enormous 1,185-entry field in the ₫30,000,000 Main Event to finish in 2nd place for ₫3,900,000,000 (~$149,662).
Just weeks earlier in August 2026, he secured his first official World Poker Tour side-event trophy at the WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship, winning the $300 Freezeout Turbo for $3,785 after finishing runner-up in the $200 Hyper Turbo ($1,446).
Major Tournament Results
Date | Event | Prize(USD) |
|---|---|---|
2015 | IPC Goa High Roller (5th) | $15,543 |
2023 | APT Da Nang Summer Series Double Stack (2nd) | $19,214 |
2024 | DPT Goa Main Event (6th) | $12,261 |
2026 | USOP Vietnam Ha Long Bay Main Event (2nd) | $149,662 |
Biography & Poker Background
Hailing from Bengaluru, India, Archit Khandelwal is an experienced grinder whose tournament track record dates back to 2015 on the offshore floating casinos of Panjim, Goa. In his earliest recorded deep run, he finished 5th in the ₹100k High Roller at the India Poker Championship (IPC).
Over the next decade, he became a consistent presence across the Indian circuit, cashing in premier series including the Deltin Poker Tournament (DPT) and Baazi Poker Tour (BPT).
In 2023, Khandelwal expanded his tournament travel into Southeast Asia, stringing together deep runs at the Asian Poker Tour (APT) in Da Nang. Late summer 2026 proved to be his international breakout stretch.
Play Style & Strategy
Khandelwal’s strategy centers on adaptive tournament pacing and fast-structure exploitation:
Turbo & Hyper-Turbo Proficiency: Proven ability to navigate high-blind-pressure environments, where precise push/fold charts, ICM awareness, and dynamic blind-defense ranges yield positive EV.
Deep-Field Endurance: Showcased patient stack building and variance-controlled play in massive four-figure field events like the USOP Main Event.
Pressure Spot Leverage: Known to capitalize on ICM inflection points at the final two tables to convert medium stacks into chip-leading positions against passive opponents.
About the Editor
Khanh Ho is a Live Content Writer at Somuchpoker, covering major poker festivals across Southeast Asia, including APT and PokerStars LIVE events. Alongside live tournament reporting, he conducts interviews and writes player features, bringing the human stories behind the game to life.