Aaron “abarone68” Barone started a poker stream on March 15, 2021. Little did he know back then that one day he would become a member of the 888poker Streamteam. Indeed, online poker giant 888poker added Barone to its star-studded Streamteam roster exactly two years to the day that Barone first fired up his personal Twitch channel. Funny how things work out.
Barone joins an elite cast of seasoned poker streamers, including such luminaries as Jordan Banfield, Nick Eastwood, Ricardo Mateus, Adam Tocholke, Josh Manley, and Andrei Cosmin, who produce stellar content for their personal channels and the ever-popular official 888poker Twitch channel.
Always a Fierce Competitor
Like many, Barone discovered poker playing around the kitchen table with friends. It wasn’t the money that initially drove Barone to develop his skills, as he exclusively revealed to PokerNews.
“I started off playing live poker with friends around the kitchen table. I was awfully competitive and one of the main reasons I put a lot of effort into my game wasn’t to make money, but to beat one friend of mine in particular. I couldn’t stand the smug look on his face when he dragged pots, and I knew there’d be less of it if I was the one with all the chips!”
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“Eventually, I became the best player in our home game, and in a quest to see how good I truly was, I deposited $100 online. From there, I discovered SNGs, built up a bankroll, went pro in 2008, switched to 3-Max Bounty Jackpots when SNG traffic dwindled, and then ultimately moved to MTTs.”
888poker officially announced Barone’s arrival on March 15, but the talkative pro put pen to paper a week earlier, something he struggled to keep under wraps.
“There was a week between when I signed for 888poker and the announcement itself, during which I was supposed to keep quiet about the deal. For those who know me, keeping quiet isn’t exactly one of my strong suits! So, when I finally got to share the news on stream, it felt great. But now I’m excited to show 888poker and the community that I belong.”
First Day “Binkage!”
One way to show that you belong among a cast of seasoned poker streamers is to let your poker do the talking, which is exactly what Barone did.
With the ink still fresh on his 888poker contract, Barone jumped into the $4,500 Mystery Bounty 6-Max 55 tournament, a tournament that attacted 84 entrants. A little under 5.75 hours later, Barone was the last player standing, and recipient of $2,278, which included more than $1,600 in mystery bounties!
“I’ve been a huge fan of the Mystery Bounty format ever since 888poker added them to the daily schedule. Both the $55 and $109 have a ‘must-play’ designation in my spreadsheet, so there was no chance I was skipping either of them. But did I imagine binking one of them on the first day? No, definitely not. It didn’t even cross my mind that it could happen until we made the final two tables.”
Keeping a Bounty in Play in a Knockout Tournament at 888poker
What can fans of Barone and the 888poker Streamteam expect to see from Barone in the coming weeks and months? Barone already ran a superb “Mystery Egg” promotion where stream viewers had the chance to win a random prize hidden inside an Easter egg, so expect more Barone-exclusive promos coming your way.
“In addition to more 888poker-themed giveaways and promotions, I’m in the final stages of putting together a ‘3-Max Bounty Jackpot Blast Challenge.’ Not everyone can dedicate 6-12 hours a day required to play MTT poker, so formats with shorter run-times (i.e. Blasts) can help make poker more accessible and grow the game. I had two of my best years when grinding 3-Max Bounty Jackpot, which makes me think not only with the Blast Challenge be fun and educational but quite profitable.”
Join Barone at the Tables with the Best 888poker Welcome Bonus
You can rub shoulders with Barone at the 888poker tables with the best 888poker welcome bonus. Download 888poker via PokerNews, and you’re guaranteed to receive a welcome offer that will blast your bankroll into orbit. Just be careful for Barone in the $55 and $109 Mystery Bounty tournaments because the man is a beast!