As the WSOP continues in Las Vegas this summer, you may spot PokerStars' iconic red spade in a few places, including on the shirts of their poker pro ambassadors.
The roster of players representing PokerStars US as part of the entity’s Team Pro is a small one to be sure – but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in talent.
And not just at the tables. The pros on this short list include chess masters and accomplished authors.
Below, we've compiled a who's who list for the PokerStars US Team Pros – scroll down to learn a little more about each of them.
Jason Koon
Jason Koon, undoubtedly one of the best poker players of all time, leads the team.
As an ambassador not only for PokerStars, but for the game of poker as a whole, few can compete with Koon as a representative.
At time of writing, Koon is currently going toe-to-toe with some of the greatest in the game in the WSOP $250K Super High Roller.
With nearly $60M in live tournament earnings over the course of a career that spans more than two decades, Koon is a fierce competitor on the felt – but he goes about his business with the utmost respect for his opponents and a level of humility that sets him apart from the rest.
Koon has found success at every level of the game.
Whether its the WSOP, the WPT, the PokerGO Tour, or the Triton Super High Roller Series (where he holds the record for most titles), Koon consistently rises to the challenge to put up big result after big result.
Maria Konnikova
Maria Konnikova got her first real taste of poker while working on her New York Times best-seller The Biggest Bluff.
After diving headfirst into the game – with the help of Erik Seidel to guide her along the way – Konnikova discovered not only a love for poker, but also a talent.
Having mastered the fundamentals with Seidel, Konnikova threw herself into the game full bore. In 2024, she earned her first WSOP bracelet in an online event.
Off the felt, Konnikova continues to work as a writer and has co-hosted the podcast Risky Business alongside Nate Silver.
Jennifer Shahade
Jennifer Shahade is an elite-level mind-sport athlete. As a Grandmaster and two-time US Women's Chess Champion, Shahade has established herself as one of the top chess minds of her generation.
In addition, Shahade has been a fixture on the PokerStars roster for years, but had a highlight year in 2025 as she won the PokerStars Women's Summer Festival Main Event in London and finished third in the NAPT Main Event for a career-best score of $291,800.
Aside from her duties as a PokerStars ambassador, Shahade is also a vocal proponent of growing the number of women involved in both poker and chess.
She also hosts a podcast, The Poker Grid, where she and her guests analyze notable poker hands from a mathematical and psychological standpoint.
Find out more and sign up at PokerStars Exclusively on FanDuel.
