Original Hendon Mobster and current PokerStars ambassador Barny Boatman has put his first WSOP bracelet up for sale in an informal auction to benefit children impacted by the fighting in war-torn Gaza. Boatman, noted for both his sharp opinions and peace-loving beliefs, announced the auction on his Twitter/X account, including an image of a longer text message explaining the purpose behind his auction.
The first of two WSOP bracelets that Boatman has claimed is the item he's auctioning. The bracelet dates from 2013, when he took down a $1,500 no-limit hold'em event. Boatman topped a 2,247-entry field in that tourney to claim the bracelet and a $546,080 payday.
Boatman went on to win a second WSOP bracelet in a WSOP Europe event two years later, but the $546,080 score remained the largest of his career until his big win in the EPT Paris Main Event in February. That was worth €1,287,800 (about US $1,388,059) and made him – again – a very marketable commodity within the poker world.
In his explanation, Boatman also noted the recent WSOP Bahamas charity event benefiting widows and orphans of IDF (Israeli Defense Fund) personnel, which raised $140,000. The auction for his bracelet is likely to bring in a significantly smaller sum, with the highest bid being $10,000 at last report. The proceeds will be sent to the Palestinian Red Crescent, which offers relief to Gazan victims of the fighting.
Boatman: Contribute if you don't win auction
Boatman spoke with PokerOrg and said that he would likely close the auction at Christmas.
"It's to do with drawing attention," Boatman said. "I've given to this cause before, and I put a link up last year. I was motivated to do it in that way at that moment because it's pointed. I didn't want to leave the impression that the poker community didn't care what's going on in Palestine.
"I would encourage everyone who made a failed bid to make a contribution. People feel impotent, but you can contribute in that way," Boatman added.
In his post on X, Boatman expressed his desire for the bracelet auction itself to not be seen as taking sides in the bitter Middle East conflict. "I would hate for anyone looking at the poker community to get the impression that we value the lives of sick, starving, mutilated, traumatized Palestinian children any less than those suffering tragic personal loss in Israel," he wrote. As Boatman, one of poker's global travelers, knows well, the poker world has traditionally embraced all comers, regardless of religion or race.
