Barny Boatman was just introduced as the newest member of the PokerStars Team Pro. Over more than 30 years in the industry, Boatman has made a significant impact on the poker scene. Known for his strategic brilliance, magnetic personality, and commitment to the game,
Boatman has received numerous honors throughout his career. On the felt, his most recent triumph was winning the European Poker Tour (EPT) Main Event title in Paris, plus an impressive collection of results, including two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and more than $5.4 million in prizes.
It was a star-studded night @PSLive_Hippo for the 300th episode of #PITE. The audience were treated to a night of surprise guests, and the announcement of @barnyboatman as the newest Team Pro.
— PokerStars (@PokerStars) March 14, 2024
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🌍 https://t.co/ySiHvUe3EJ
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On his recent signing with PokerStars, Barny had this to say:
Obviously, everybody knows that PokerStars (has) fantastic software, its the most trusted site, and I’m playing on it, obviously. But for me, it goes deeper than that.
He continued to speak about the Stars player-friendly approach to supporting and sponsoring European poker events.
"We are delighted to welcome Barny Boatman to the PokerStars family," said Kevin Harrington, CEO of PokerStars. "Barny's reputation as one of the industry's most respected and talented players precedes him, and we are confident that his insights and contributions will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and evolve as a platform."
Boatman's appearance as an ambassador on the special live recording of the Poker In The Ears podcast further cements PokerStars' dedication to fostering a vibrant and inclusive poker community. With Boatman's experience and charisma, PokerStars aims to engage players of all levels, offering unique experiences and opportunities to connect with each other.
"I am excited and honored to join PokerStars and its outstanding group of ambassadors," said Boatman. "I know that PokerStars is committed to providing the best live and online gaming experience and environment and I am particularly looking forward to taking an active part in the European Poker Tour and other events around the world."
Who is Barny Boatman?
Barny Boatman was born in London, the capital of England, in 1956. He is the oldest member of the quartet of players known as The Hendon Mob, Hendon being a famous region of London.
During his long poker career, Boatman became one of the pioneers of television poker, appearing regularly on the television series Late Night Poker. He was also the first person to reach three consecutive World Series of Poker (WSOP) final tables. In 2013, Boatman won his first World Series of Poker bracelet in Event #49: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em, earning $546,080. In February 2024, Boatman won the European Poker Tour Paris main event for €1,287,800, the biggest prize of his career.
His second bracelet was also in 2013, but at the European WSOP, in Berlin, the capital of Germany. He won Event #7: €550 Pot Limit Omaha and pocketed €54,725.
Away from the tables, Boatman was sponsored by the now-defunct Full Tilt Poker, starred in a TV series called “Barny's Home Games”, where he participated in poker home games throughout Great Britain, in addition to having produced more than 50 articles for The Hendon Mob website and commented on TV programs such as Late Night Poker and Poker Million.
PokerStars Team Pros in 2024
There’s a long list of Team Pros, with some names you’ve heard of and some you haven’t.
As of March 2024, here are the Team Pros that PokerStars has listed on their website.
- Lex Veldhuis, a Dutch professional poker player and Twitch streamer, has made a name for himself in the poker world with live earnings exceeding $702,789 and is recognized for his engaging online presence and mentorship from Bertrand Grospellier.
- André Akkari is a Brazilian professional poker player and PokerStars Ambassador, known for winning a WSOP bracelet in 2011 and co-owning the Brazilian esports team Furia Esports; his live tournament winnings exceed $1.4 million.
- Fintan “EasyWithAces” Hand, an Irish poker player and PokerStars Ambassador, has live tournament earnings of $153,016 and is known for his online alias "EasyWithAces" where he has achieved multiple SCOOP victories.
- Ben "Spraggy" Spragg, from England, is a PokerStars Ambassador with $469,137 in live earnings, who transitioned from cash games to tournament poker, achieving notable success in online tournaments including WCOOP titles.
- Parker "Tonkaaaa," Talbot is a Canadian poker player with a strong presence both live and online. His total live earnings amount to $1,692,126, with his best live cash being $360,193.
- Sam Grafton is an English professional poker player with over $15 million in live earnings, including a $5.5 million win at the $200,000 buy-in Coin Rivet Invitational.
- David Kaye is an American poker player from Michigan and a PokerStars Ambassador with live earnings of $124,141 and a passion for streaming both cash games and tournaments.
- Arlie Shaban is a Canadian poker player and PokerStars Team Pro with $65,362 in live earnings and a background that includes competing on Big Brother Canada.
- Felix Schneiders is a German poker player, Twitch streamer, and PokerStars Ambassador who specializes in small- to mid-stakes six-max no-limit hold'em and has been a part of PokerStars Team Online since 2013.
- Georgina James is a British poker player and PokerStars Ambassador known as "GJReggie," transitioned from a career in mechanical engineering to professional poker after participating in the Run It Up Platinum Pass Challenge.
- Jennifer Shahade is an American chess and poker player, known for being a two-time U.S. Women's Chess Champion and a Woman Grandmaster, and has a notable win at the 2014 Open-Face Chinese Poker World Championship High Roller event.
- Lasse Jagd Lauritsen, a Danish poker player known online as "Wistern," is a member of Team PokerStars Pro Online, having joined in April 2021, and is recognized for his online poker presence and content creation.
- Laurie Tournier is a Brazilian poker professional who has made a significant impact in the online poker scene, with notable achievements including winning two World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) titles and accumulating live tournament earnings of $148,853.
- Maria Konnikova is a Russian-American writer and psychologist who turned to professional poker as a means to explore decision-making and the interplay of skill and chance, as inspired by game theory. Her journey from poker novice to champion, with over $300,000 in tournament earnings.
- Nicholas Walsh is a professional poker player and content creator who has been producing poker-related content for platforms like Twitch and YouTube since 2022.
- Rafael Moraes is a prominent Brazilian poker player with a passion for the game that has led him to accumulate over $2.2 million in live tournament earnings, and he has been influential in the growth of poker in Brazil. His achievements include winning a Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) title and actively engaging with the Brazilian poker community
- Ramón Colillas from Spain has made a remarkable journey from local tournaments to the global poker stage, with his most significant win being the $5.1 million first-place prize at the inaugural PokerStars Players No Limit Hold'em Championship (PSPC)
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