Barny Boatman

infobox poker player
firstname=Barny
lastname=Boatman
nickname=Barmy Barny


caption=Barny Boatman at the 2005 World Series of Poker.
hometown=Archway, London
wsop bracelet count="None"
wsop money finishes=18
wsop main event best finish rank=16th
wsop main event best finish year=2000
multi-year wsop winner=
wpt titles="None"
wpt final tables=0
wpt money finishes=4
ept titles="None"
ept final tables=0
ept money finishes=2

Barny M. P. Boatman (born in St Pancras, London in 1956 [ cite web|url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_barny-boatman |title=Barny Boatman |accessdate=2008-08-01 |publisher=pokerlistings.com ] ), is an English professional poker player and the oldest member of the poker-playing foursome known as The Hendon Mob. He is the older brother of Ross Boatman, and resides in Archway.cite web|url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/joe_beevers/the_sincerest_form_of_flattery.html|title=The Sincerest Form of Flattery|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Beevers, Joe|authorlink=Joe Beevers|accessdate=2006-08-09]

During his lengthy poker career, Boatman became one of the pioneers of poker on television by regularly appearing in the Late Night Poker television series. He was also the first person to reach 3 consecutive final tables at the World Series of Poker (WSOP),cite web|url=http://www.pokerineurope.com/pokerawards/awards2002.php|title=European Poker Awards 2002 |publisher=www.PokerInEurope.com|author=Shoreman, Jon|accessdate=2006-08-09] and came close to winning a WSOP bracelet.cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=4398|title=2002 World Series of Poker $2,000 pot limit Texas hold 'em event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]

Early years

Boatman grew up to socialist parents in London, where his babysitter was Dudley Moore.cite web|url=http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=7379.0|title=Barny Boatman|publisher=www.BlondePoker.com|author=Boatman, Barny|accessdate=2006-08-09] He left school at his earliest opportunity, following pressure from his ongoing truancy.cite video | people = The Hendon Mob | title = The Hendon Mob | medium = documentary | publisher = The Hendon Mob | location = London | date = 2005 ] He went on to travel for some time early in his life, and has both lived and worked in Barcelona, Australia, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka. He has worked as a bartender, builder, English teacher, journalist, computer programmer (for P&O) and as a legal advisor in Bermondsey, where he never lost a trial. He credits a near-death experience he had in a motorcycle accident, and the death of his younger sister Jo from cancer of giving him a sense of perspective in life.cite book | last = Wilson | first = Des | title = Swimming with the Devilfish | publisher = Macmillan | date = 2006 | id = ISBN 1-4050-8952-0 ] cite web|url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/about-the-mob.html|title=About the Mob|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://www.pokerchannel.co.uk/index.php?pg=30&id=137&title=Running+The+Mob%21|title=Running the Mob!|publisher=The Poker Channel|author=May, Jesse|authorlink=Jesse May|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/barnyBoatman.php|title=Barny Boatman|publisher=Full Tilt Poker|author=Boatman, Barny|accessdate=2006-08-09]

Boatman used to play poker at home with friends and later taught his brother Ross how to play. They began to attend poker tournaments together at the Vic on Edgware Road, where he won the first tournament he entered, a seven-card stud event paying around £2000. Together they went to a private poker game run by Joe Beevers and Ram Vaswani, with whom they became good friends. The four went on to be called The Hendon Mob. Together, they were invited by Nic Szeremeta to take part in the brand new Late Night Poker television series, where he reached the Grand Finals in series 3 and 4. During series 5 and 6, he commentated for the show, alongside Jesse May.cite book | last = Wilson | first = Des | title = Swimming with the Devilfish | publisher = Macmillan | date = 2006 | id = ISBN 1-4050-8952-0 ] cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=687|title=Late Night Poker season 3 results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=922|title=Late Night Poker season 4 results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]

World Series of Poker

Boatman first cashed in a World Series of Poker (WSOP) event in 2000 in the $3,000 no limit hold'em event. 4 days later he finished in the money in the $10,000 no limit hold'em main event, finishing in 16th place. (According to the James McManus book "Positively Fifth Street", he was the chip leader for much of the tournament.) He also finished in the money of the main event in 2001 (33rd) and 2006 (854th).cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=2001|title=2000 World Series of Poker $3,000 no limit Texas hold 'em event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=2010|title=2000 World Series of Poker $10,000 no limit Texas hold 'em main event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite book | last = McManus | first = James | authorlink=James McManus | title = Positively Fifth Street: Murderers, Cheetahs, and Binion's World Series of Poker | id = ISBN 0-374-23648-8 ] cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=3066|title=2001 World Series of Poker $10,000 no limit Texas hold 'em main event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=15849|title=2006 World Series of Poker $10,000 no limit Texas hold 'em main event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]

Boatman narrowly missed out on a WSOP bracelet in the 2002 $2,000 pot limit hold'em event. His 2nd place finish earned him $77,160 after outlasting a field including Erik Seidel, Johnny Chan, Phil Gordon and John Juanda. This 2nd place finish was one of a record 3 back-to-back final tables, which earned him a win in the European Poker Awards Tournament Performance of the Year category. He also finished one place off a fourth consecutive final table.cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=4398|title=2002 World Series of Poker $2,000 pot limit Texas hold 'em event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://www.pokerineurope.com/pokerawards/awards2002.php|title=European Poker Awards 2002 |publisher=www.PokerInEurope.com|author=Shoreman, Jon|accessdate=2006-08-09]

Other Poker activities

Boatman made the final table of the first Poker Million tournament. He also made the final table of the first ever Showdown Poker Tour event, finishing 2nd to Mats Gavatin.cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=633|title=2000 Poker Million results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://uk.pokernews.com/news/2006/5/showdown-poker-tour-mats-gavatin.htm|title=Barny Boatman Loses Out to Mats Gavatin in Showdown Tour|publisher=uk.PokerNews.com|author=Bromham, Tony|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=19233|title=£3,448 Showdown Poker Tour No Limit Hold'em|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]

His major titles include:

* L. 500,000 limit seven-card stud, 7th Torneo Di Poker, Slovenia, 1998cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=15289|title=L. 500,000 limit seven-card stud, 7th Torneo Di Poker, Slovenia results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]
* FIM 1,000 pot limit Holdem/Omaha, Helsinki Freezeout, 1999cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=10148|title=1999 FIM 1,000 pot limit Holdem/Omaha, Helsinki Freezeout results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]
* £500 pot limit seven-card stud, European Poker Championships 2002cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=1129|title=2002 £500 pot limit seven-card stud, European Poker Championships results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]
* $300 pot limit Omaha, Four Queens Poker Classic 2003cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=10704|title=2003 $300 pot limit Omaha, Four Queens Poker Classic results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]
* €1,500 no limit hold'em, Helsinki Freezeout, 2003cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=1640|title=2003 €1,500 no limit hold'em, Helsinki Freezeout results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]
* £500 no limit hold'em, Luton Christmas Cracker, 2003cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=1634|title=2003 £500 no limit hold'em, Luton Christmas Cracker results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]

In 2005 Boatman appeared on the chatshow Heads Up with Richard Herring to discuss his life, career and his love of poker. Since then, he has been known to use a small Barney Rubble statuette (given to him by Harry Demetriou) as a card protector.cite web|url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/joe_beevers/wsop_2005_at_the_rio.html|title=WSOP 2005 at the Rio|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Beevers, Joe | authorlink=Joe Beevers | accessdate=2006-08-09]

In addition to Late Night Poker, he has commentated for Poker Million, World Heads-Up Poker Championship, Celebrity Poker Club, European Poker Tour, Poker Nations Cup and Victor Chandler Poker Cup. He also starred in his own series "Barny's Home Games" where he attended home poker games throughout Great Britain.cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/barnyBoatman.php|title=Barny Boatman|publisher=Full Tilt Poker|author=Boatman, Barny|accessdate=2006-08-09]

As of 2008 his total live tournament winnings exceed $1,200,000.cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=s&n=2|title=Barny Boatman - Stats|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-09]

In addition, Boatman is a member of the Gutshot Card Clubcite web|url=http://www.gutshot.com/e/monthlyleader.php?play=1472|title=Barny Boatman|publisher=Gutshot Card Club|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-09] and is sponsored by Full Tilt Poker.cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/barnyBoatman.php|title=Barny Boatman|publisher=Full Tilt Poker|author=Boatman, Barny|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://uk.pokernews.com/news/2006/5/barny-boatman-interview-part1.htm|title=Interview with Barny Boatman - Part 1|publisher=uk.PokerNews.com|author=Bromham, Tony|accessdate=2006-08-09] He has written over 50 articles for The Hendon Mob's website, and two online poker lessons for Matthew Hilger's site Internettexasholdem.com.cite web|url=http://www.thehendonmob.com/barny_boatman/|title=Articles by Barny Boatman|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Boatman, Barny|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://www.internettexasholdem.com/pokertutor/setInfo.php?siid=28|title=Barny Boatman 1: SnG|publisher=www.InternetTexasHoldem.com|author=Boatman, Barny|accessdate=2006-08-09] cite web|url=http://www.internettexasholdem.com/pokertutor/setInfo.php?siid=33|title=Barny - William Hill Grand Prix|publisher=www.InternetTexasHoldem.com|author=Boatman, Barny|accessdate=2006-08-09]

Outside of poker

Boatman's hobbies include sky diving, snowboarding and scuba diving.cite web|url=http://poker.oddschecker.com/ukinternetpoker/id/poker-players-barny-boatmen|title=Boatman, Barny|publisher=Poker.OddsChecker.com|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-09] He is the godfather to his brother Ross' son.cite web|url=http://www.cardplayer.com/magazine/article/14128|title=The Hendon Mob|publisher=Card Player Magazine|author=Devine, Christy|accessdate=2006-08-09]

Notes

External links

* [http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=2 Hendon Mob tournament results]