Neil Andrew Channing (born 9 December 1967 in Reading, Berkshire) is an English professional^{[citation needed]}poker player and author^{[citation needed]} based in Maida Vale, London. He is the 2008 Irish Poker Open champion.

Before turning professional, he worked as a bookmaker at various UK racecourses^{[citation needed]}, and now provides books part-time for various sports betting companies^{[citation needed]}. He has retained a keen interest in betting^{[citation needed]}, and can often be spotted at big events such as the Grand National and the Cheltenham Festival.^{[citation needed]}

Channing's reputation as a stalwart^{[citation needed]} of the cash felt is well known within the industry^{[citation needed]} and his ability to grind out a wage^{[citation needed]} on a daily basis at the Grosvenor Victoria Casino quickly garnered him the respect of his peers.^{[citation needed]} In 2007, however, he turned his attention to the tournament circuit and began appearing in numerous events across Europe.

In March 2008, Channing won the 2008 Irish Poker Open and €801,400 (over $1,200,000) against a field of 667 players.

James Akenhead (born 6 June 1983 in London, England) is a professional English poker player, sponsored by Genting Poker. and part of the London based poker group The Hitsquad. He is best known for being a member of the November Nine in 2009.

At the 2008 World Series of Poker, he finished runner-up to Grant Hinkle in Event #2, a $1,500 No Limit Texas hold 'em tournament. He lost the heads-up battle when he managed to provoke Hinkle to put all his chips in with 10 4, an underdog to his AK, only to see the flop come 10 10 4. The fourth 10 on the turn sealed the victory for Hinkle and Akenhead settled for second place and a $520,000 payday.

Akenhead was the only British player to reach the November Nine final table at the 2009 World Series of Poker. He started the final table with the least amount of chips and was knocked out in 9th place by Kevin Schaffel. Akenhead won $1,263,602 for his performance.

In the same year, Akenhead was one of two November Nine members to reach the final table of the World Series of Poker Europe main event, the £10,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em championship, the other member being Antoine Saout. Akenhead was eliminated in 9th place, earning him £66,533 ($109,687).

Philip "Phil" C. Laak (born September 8, 1972) is a professional poker player and a poker commentator, now residing in Los Angeles, California. Laak holds a World Poker Tour (WPT) title, a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet and has appeared on numerous nationally-aired television shows.

Laak was born in Dublin, Ireland, raised on the East Coast of the United States, and now lives in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1987^{[citation needed]} with a degree in mechanical engineering and worked as an engineer, a repo man, a dishwasher on Cape Cod, a stock day trader, a gardener and a real estate investor, prior to getting into open poker games in California. He is a former roommate of fellow professional poker player and close friend Antonio Esfandiari. Prior to his move west, Laak lived for several years in New York City where he honed his skills as a world-class backgammon player before he turned his focus to poker.

Laak learned to play poker as a child. His first major tournament victory was at the World Poker Tour (WPT) Celebrity Invitational in February 2004. He has made two other WPT final tables since: sixth place in both the season two Battle of Champions and the 2005 Five Diamond World Poker Classic.