Below is an introduction to the players who reached the final table (and their starting stacks) from the original runners:

Jim Reid
Starting Stack: 678,000

Born in Ireland, xx year old Jim has been a regular on the UK poker festival circuit for several years, where he has made over 30 final tables in European ranking events. His best performances to date were in the 2004 Grosvenor Grand Prix, which he won and the 2005 EPT in Dublin, where he finished in 6th place. Despite playing on almost all of the legs of the GUKPT in 2007, this is the first time he has even made it past the first day. He went into the final as chip leader on 678,000.

Karim Louis
Starting Stack: 574,500

38-year-old business man Karim comes from London. He is a keen poker player and last year here at Brighton in leg 5 of the 2007 GUKPT, he finished in 18th place. He also finished 3rd in a £1,000 event at the Vic during Grand Final week in November. This is his first GUKPT main event final table.

Joe Grech
Starting Stack: 454,000

One of the most experienced players on the final table, Joe is playing in his second GUKPT final. He finished in 9th place in Bolton last year but has had a string of good results recently, which pushed him into the top ten in the European rankings in 2007. Know variously as Joe the Joker or Maltese Joe, he is a lively character who adds life to every table he plays on.

Julian Thew
Starting Stack: 400,500

Bidding to become the first player to take down two GUKPT titles, Julian can rightfully be considered to be the unofficial UK number one player, having followed up his GUKPT win in Plymouth with victory in the EPT in Baden just a few weeks later. With more final table names to his name than most people have had hot dinners; mild mannered Julian is one of the nicest guys on the poker circuit.

Nik Persaud
Starting Stack: 173,000

34-year old professional Nik has been playing poker for four years and is a regular on the GUKPT. Twice in 2007 he just missed out on the final table, finishing in 10th place in the Bolton and Luton events and last year here at Brighton he claimed 16th place.

Marcus Bebb-Jones
Starting Stack: 158,500

44-year-old Marcus from Kidderminster is a fledgling professional player and has played in a number of GUKPT events. He is the reigning Grosvenor Grand Prix champion and made the money in the Blackpool leg of the tour in 2007.

Fabio Esposito
Starting Stack: 146,000

The first Italian to make a GUKPT final table, Fabio now lives in London where he works as a local authority manager. He is a recreational player but has a strong competitive streak and a will to succeed.

Robert Cowen
Starting Stack: 136,500

Abundant in youthful arrogance, Robert is playing in his first GUKPT final, but he has shown he is a strong player and also went deep in the £300 NL Hold’em event earlier in the week.

Michael Bolger
Starting Stack: 180,500

30 year old Michael is originally from Kilkenny In Ireland but now lives in London. He is a porfessional player and is playing in his first GUKPT event, but he hopes to follow the tour for the rest of the year.