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Annie DukeProfessional poker player
Date of Birth: 13.09.1965
Country: ![]() |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Annie Duke, born Anne LaBarr Lederer, was born in Concord, New Hampshire in 1965. Her father, Richard Lederer, was a writer, linguist, and professor at St. Paul's School. Annie's sister, Katy Lederer, also became a writer and penned a book about their family called "Poker Face: A Girlhood Among Gamblers." Annie attended Columbia University, where she specialized in English language and psychology. She later received a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied psycholinguistics and cognitive psychology. However, she left university shortly before her thesis defense.

Entry into Poker
Annie Duke married her college classmate Ben Duke and they settled in Columbus, Montana. It was during this time that she began playing poker under the guidance of her older brother, professional poker player Howard Lederer. Annie initially played poker to help support her family, as they were facing financial difficulties. She found early success in Billings, Montana.

Rise to Prominence
In 2002, Annie Duke moved to Portland, Oregon and started working for "ieLogic," a company that developed software for online casinos. In 2000, while eight months pregnant, she achieved a remarkable feat by finishing in 10th place at the Main Event of the World Series of Poker, proving that poker was not just a man's game. In 2004, Annie won her first major tournament, the WSOP Omaha Hi-Lo, which earned her a spot in the Tournament of Champions. Facing off against nine of the strongest poker players, including her brother Howard, Annie emerged victorious and won $2 million. This win set a record, as no woman had ever won such a significant cash prize in poker. From that moment, Annie Duke became a true poker celebrity. She appeared on magazine covers, received invitations to various shows, and earned the nickname "The Duchess of Poker."

Other Achievements
In addition to her playing career, Annie Duke became a mentor to actor Ben Affleck, who won the California State Poker Championship in 2004. Annie's own impressive victories continued, and in 2010, she won the NBC National Heads-Up Championship. By that time, her total winnings amounted to $4,245,549. Annie boldly declared herself the "Best Female Poker Player" on her website, dismissing the idea of gender-specific tournaments. However, she faced opposition as many women continued to participate in women-only events.

Current Life
Annie Duke is currently associated with the poker room UltimateBet.com. She resides in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California. Annie is a mother of four children: Maud (born 1995), Leo (born 1998), Lucy (born 2000), and Nell (born 2002). Following her divorce, she entered a relationship with actor Joe Reitman. In 2005, Annie Duke published her autobiography titled "Annie Duke: How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker."
