Joon Pahk

Joon Pahk is one player that knew how to take advantage of his strengths to make massive Daily Double bets. In a math category, the very-strong-in-math Pahk went for a $16,400 True Daily Double in his second game. Needless to say, he got it correct en route to a greater-than-$50,000 payday.

Joon’s second doubling up came in his sixth game—in what else?—another math category. This one was played to the tune of $14,200 and led to another game locked up for Joon.

Fredrik Gildea

In the semifinals of the 2001 International Championship, Sweden’s Frederik Gildea must have thought that he knew a great deal about Paris, as he went for a $9,500 ($19,000 today) True Daily Double. It worked out of him as he got it right, and proceeded to lock out Gosia Czepek from Poland and Laszlo Mero from Hungary. Frederik lost to Robin Carroll in the final.