PAUL JACKSON

PAUL ‘ACTIONJACK’ JACKSON Paul Jackson is an English professional described by Jesse May as one of the most successful players in online poker history, including being the top money winner on Ladbrokes in 2005. As a former tax accountant his game is highly mathematical, based on solid foundations and in many ways he is the antithesis of the modern aggressive player. It has enabled him to complement his online domination by becoming a highly respected live player. Following a number of UK successes, including the Midlands masters, he cashed in the WSOP main event in 2004. A year later, he came runner up to Phil Ivey in the Monte Carlo millions for $600k, which included one of the great poker hands when he tried a series of courageous bluffs with 65 and induced a five minute stare out from his opponent. In 2006 he confirmed his status amongst the great players, making $140k in the World Heads Up championship in Barcelona from two events, with a first and second. A cash in the Omaha WSOP and second in the London Poker Masters took his live earnings past the $1m mark. A family man with five children, he is currently the online poker director at Dusk till Dawn with special responsibility for their academy.

Victoria Coren

Victoria Coren was born in 1972, and went on to get a degree from Oxford University. She is a journalist, writing regularly for the Guardian and the Observer, and an author who has published many books, including Once More with Feeling ( with co-author Charlie Skelton ) , a book about their attempt to make the best ever hard-core porn movie. She's also a radio and tv presenter. And in her spare time she plays poker. Vicky has been a regular on our screens since the early days of Late Night Poker, appearing 5 times. She is now co-presenting Late Night Poker Masters. But she insists that she is not a professional poker player. Many people find this modesty strange because Vicky just happens to be the first woman to win an EPT event, when she won the London leg in September 2006, taking home a £500,000 first prize. She is not a fan of the modern sour faced approach, or the ultra aggressive, all in game of many of the modern players, feeling more comfortable in the company of experienced, well known professionals. She plays the game for fun, and was typically modest about her ground breaking achievement : Being "in the zone" is being focused, making the right decisions, and knowing the reason for every bet that you make. Being "on form" is hitting lucky cards at the right time. Either of these can get you a long way in a tournament; when both happen together, you're unbeatable. Ivey is probably "in the zone" all the time, and "on form" enough to win a lot of major tournaments. For me, it could be 10 years before the two come together again. That's why, after the madness of the past five days, I think I will spend the next week just staring in disbelief at the trophy. The poker world is nicer all the while Vicky Coren is part of it.