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Biography

Ian Simpson is the most recent pro player to join the 888poker team of ambassadors. A former teacher turned professional poker player, Ian has lived in the northeast of England his whole life. Geordie land has always been his home. But as he grew older, it was a career as a teacher that came calling and after university, that’s precisely the direction his life took. However, he won a satellite ticket to the Irish Open in 2012. That win delivered an even bigger ROI when he took fourth place for €107,500 ($141,623). He also won a last-longer challenge in the event, which landed him an additional €100,000. As part of the deal, he had to use half of that win to play live events. The poker tournament schedule and his teaching schedule clashed. Ian chose poker in hopes of returning to teaching in the future. The very next year, in 2013, he went back to the Irish Open and this time took top honours for €265,000 ($339,604). Ian has racked up 1,086,946 in total live earnings as of May 2022. With steady in-the-money finishes since 2016, he has proven himself to be a tenacious and extremely talented poker player. Make sure to follow Ian “Simpioni” Simpson on his 888poker journey on social media. He posts regularly on Instagram @iansimpsonpoker, and you can catch up with him on Twitter @IanSimpsonPoker. Also, check out his latest Twitch poker streams

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Ian “Simpioni” Simpson Career Highlights

Year
Event Name
Place
Prize
2012
€3,200 + 300 No Limit Hold'em - Main Event Irish Poker Open 2012, Dublin
4th
$141,623
2013
€2,000 + 250 No Limit Hold'em - Main Event Irish Poker Open 2013, Dublin
1st
$339,604
2013
UKIPT £1,000 + 100 No Limit Hold'em - European Poker Tour - EPT London, London
2nd
$173,277
2014
$1,000 + 80 No Limit Hold'em WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic, Las Vegas
1st
$49,042
2016
£5,000 No Limit Hold'em Devilfish Cup World Poker Tour - WPT UK, Nottingham
9th
$36,556
2022
888 £800 + 88 No Limit Hold'em - 888Live London Festival Main Event
5th
$26,673

5 Facts You Didn’t Know About Ian…

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His favourite hand is 3♦4♦. He won the Irish open with it after getting backdoor diamonds. He then proposed to his wife with the diamond he had in his pocket for the entire final table!

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Ian used to be a science teacher before turning his hand to poker. The teaching background helped him know the best way to learn about poker. His scientific knowledge has enabled him to take a logical approach to understanding the game.

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He has a wife and daughter. He sometimes finds it hard to balance time between them and poker, especially since poker is typically played in the evening and his wife works regular hours! Thankfully, his wife is a teacher, so he spends lots of time with her in the holidays. And he makes sure to set aside time for daddy-daughter days.

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Ian is an animal lover. He has two rescue cats who are adorable creatures. They made lockdown so much easier for him with their companionship.

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He adores computer games. For Ian, being able to escape reality is essential. He believes enjoying immersive storylines whilst applying strategy to solving easier problems than poker is a great way to unwind!

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