How Aaron Barone Gave Ian Simpson a Taste of His Own Medicine
Summary
At an 888poker Ambassador Sit & Go held ahead of the 888poker LIVE London Main Event, Team888 pros faced off against a few streamers for pride and a Madrid package. Ian Simpson led much of the action, adopting a playful slowroll mantra, but Aaron Barone ultimately flipped the script. Barone doubled through Simpson with a river ace earlier, then later turned the tables when Simpson jammed on a queen-deuce-ace board with three-deuce into Barone’s flopped set of queens. Barone called after an extended tank/act and took the pot, before dispatching Inaki Angulo heads-up to win the game.
Key Points
- The sit-and-go featured Team888 players (including Ian Simpson, Nick Eastwood, Vivian Saliba, Lucia Navarro, Aaron Barone and Jack Dean) versus streamers Sophie ‘Sophie Snazz’, Becky ‘bambinobecky’ James and Inaki Angulo.
- Early exits included James, Jack Dean and Nick Eastwood; Navarro was eliminated after running into Simpson twice.
- Simpson used his chip lead to apply pressure and make aggressive calls, winning several pots with unlikely holdings (eg three-deuce and king-three flops).
- Barone first doubled through Simpson with a rivered ace, then later called Simpson’s jam when Barone held a set of queens after an extended tank and theatrical acting.
- Barone beat Angulo heads-up to claim victory and the bragging rights among Team888.
Why should I read this?
Short and fun — if you like poker table theatre, cheeky reversals and a bit of team banter, this is your quick hit. We watched the stream so you don’t have to: Simpson’s slowroll schtick backfired spectacularly and Barone served him a proper slice of humble pie. Bite-sized, entertaining and a reminder that live poker is as much about personality as it is about cards.
Context and relevance
This is a light, human-interest recap from the 888poker LIVE London build-up rather than a deep tournament report. It highlights the crossover between pros and streamers in promotional sit-and-gos, where entertainment value and online personalities matter as much as results. For followers of Team888 and poker streaming culture, it’s a neat example of table dynamics, timing and how a single dramatic call can define a match.
Author style
Punchy — the piece leans into the drama and amusement of the moment. It’s short, entertaining and emphasises the payoff when a popular pro gets a taste of his own medicine.