The Annie Duke Story

A featured guest of Good Morning America, The David Letterman Show, and ESPN News, Annie Duke is enjoying the recognition that comes with having won millions playing professional poker. When asked about her recent fame, Annie humbly explained: "Being a female in a male-dominated profession, a single mom of four small children, and having won millions playing poker, I am fortunate to be a story America wants to hear. Although publicity has fallen in my lap, I cultivate what comes my way."

She doesn't mention it, but just listen to Annie for a few moments and it becomes clear that she has a romance with the English language. Her ability to weave a tale with words that paint a vivid picture is a skill most probably born out of childhood experiences with her parents, both of whom were English teachers.

Fun Stuff

There are many interesting twists and turns in the Annie Duke story. In her very first World Series of Poker (WSOP) $10,000 championship event, she knocked out her teacher, the renowned Howard Lederer, who also happens to be her brother.

In 2000, Annie was nine months pregnant when she came in 10th in the grueling WSOP championship event, taking home some extra change for the new baby, $52,160. Two short weeks later, she gave birth to healthy little Lucy.

Although her stare is piercing and her style is aggressive, she won her first WSOP bracelet this year in a game of finesse and patience, Omaha eight-or-better.

She tutored actor Ben Affleck, who went on to win the 2004 California State Poker Championship. When asked if she deserves credit for his win, she replied dryly: "I wasn't playing. He did that himself."

Annie's biggest win was about $300,000 in pot-limit Omaha with $200-$400 blinds at Bellagio. Her biggest loss was $110,000 in a $1,000-$2,000 mixed game.

When asked whether she or her famous brother Howard Lederer is the better player, Annie rolled her eyes: "He's clearly better. It's not even a close call. I am not even in his zip code!"

Annie's Fans

Recently, I overheard a young man who was thrilled to be in Aruba, having won a World Poker Tour seat online: "Some people want to meet Ben Affleck or Shana Hiatt; I wanted to meet Annie Duke, and I was so excited when I ran into her at the airport. She was there with four incredibly well-behaved kids, and was so nice to me!"

Phil Hellmuth Jr., one of the all-time leading WSOP money winners and a WSOP main event champion, assessed Annie's skills: "Annie Duke is the best all-around woman poker player in the world today!"

Tournament Director Jack McClelland worked with Annie in Aruba, where she was the tournament hostess. He commented that she is a pleasure to work with: "She never has to be told something more than once. She always gets it." Jack remembers when Annie first started playing poker: "She was always an intelligent player, but she was not always a patient player. She sometimes let her nerves get the better of her. Now, she has nerves of steel. In a matter of years, Annie quickly went from a beginner to world-class status."

The first woman to win a million dollars in a tournament, Kathy Liebert, has the same opinion Annie does about characterizing players by gender: "It's an insult to say that Annie is a good female Omaha player, Jennifer Harman is a good female cash game player, or I'm a good female no-limit player. By our results, we have distinguished ourselves as good players, not just good female players. Annie is aggressive and has a style that works."

Annie's admirers visit her online at UltimateBet, where she has her very own Annie Duke hold'em table. There, she plays, gossips, and chats with fans all around the world. But her favorite fans are her four little ones at home, whom she kisses goodnight and cuddles with before bedtime.

Annie's Most Important Job

"My most important and rewarding job is raising my four kids. My goal is for my kids to grow up being happy people." Maud, her eldest, is 9; Leo is 6; Lucy is 4; and little Nelly is 2.

Annie explained that when she was growing up, her family was close but exceedingly competitive, to the point of being unhealthy. Everything was about winning. Her dad was so competitive that if he was competing in sports, he would literally pass out and have to be hospitalized rather than quit. Her brother Howard was 9 and she was 7 when their baby sister Katy was born.

"We were a family who played games, but it was not for family fun; it was cutthroat competition, where winning was everything." Of course, her dad most always won, Howard sometimes won, and Annie rarely won. It was frustrating, and certainly no fun. Perhaps this is why Annie really hates to lose.

Winning is Not Everything

"I have come to know that winning is not the most important thing. Raising amazing kids is what life is about. I have a huge desire to win, but that is not what defines me as a person. I want to win every time I sit down, but when I lose, it's OK now. There are more important things in this life. I go home and hug my beautiful kids. If winning or losing defines you, that's very unhealthy. I want to become a better poker player, but more important is being a better parent."

Annie explained that being a good parent includes the goal of financial security, balanced with being a good mom. "Sometimes those two goals are at odds. Being a good mom requires spending quality time at home, but giving my kids financial security requires working and winning enough to provide for the future. It is a constant balancing act."

Nap Time

Annie described her hectic lifestyle: "Basically, I have no time at all. I keep saying that in 10 years, I'll take a nap. When I'm at home with the kids in Portland, I spend all of my time with them. I'm home for the majority of every month, and am with the kids 24/7. I get up at 6:30 a.m., get the kids ready for school, pick them up after school, and then make dinner. My time with them is in clumps. I cook on weeknights; on the weekend, we go out. My kids claim I'm the best cook in the world!" What mother isn't?

Annie's relationship with her kids is the crux of her life. Although she was close to her mother, her mom was an alcoholic until Annie was 17. Annie spent her time as a child being the adult. When she was a young girl, the world felt like a bleak place. For this reason, it is very important that her kids view this world through innocent eyes, excited about small things and unconcerned that some big disaster is about to happen.

Growing Up

Born in Concord, New Hampshire, Annie grew up in a family whose primary form of entertainment was playing competitive games. Annie believes this gave her and Howard a distinct advantage, stating, "It's not an accident that two of the best poker players came from the same family. We spent our childhood playing games – Scrabble, word games, and cards. By the time I was 14, I was my dad's bridge partner.

"By playing games all the time, Howard and I became comfortable with the flow of cards, the strength of a hand, how and when to bluff, and how an opponent will behave. We became accustomed to observing and interpreting behavior. Plus, we both have the math gene."

Annie attended St. Paul, an elite, private, coed prep school in Concord, New Hampshire, where her father was a professor. Thereafter, she went to Columbia University for her undergraduate work. She earned a bachelor's degree, majoring in both English and psychology. From there, she moved on to graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania, having won a coveted National Science Foundation Fellowship.

Five years into her pursuit of a doctorate in psycholinguistics, and a month before earning her Ph.D., Annie left academia and moved to Billings, Montana. Why?

It's Howard Lederer's Fault!

While in graduate school, Annie's brother, Howard, invited her to Las Vegas during the World Series of Poker. He taught her the basic rules of poker, and the seed was planted. From time to time, she went to Vegas and tried her hand at poker, and found that she had the knack for it.

When Annie moved to Billings, Montana, she started playing in local cardrooms. After giving her poker lessons, Howard sent her $2,400 for a bankroll. When asked if she ever paid him back, Annie smiled: "Ooooh, yes."

In 1994, Howard convinced her to play in the World Series of Poker, where she placed 13th in her first tournament and third in her second. Since that time, she hasn't looked back.

Annie's Stats

This year, Annie was invited to play in the inaugural $2 million WSOP Tournament of Champions freeroll, a 10-player, winner-take-all invitational event. Her win in that event placed her ahead of Kathy Liebert as the all-time leading female money winner. Whereas Kathy has won almost $2 million in tournaments, Annie's record is now pushing $3 million. (See the chart below.)

Comparing Women Players

Although none of the top women players like to be compared, the pure statistics are quite interesting. There are several world-class female tournament players, regardless of which scale is being utilized.

Until Annie won the $2 million WSOP invitational event, Kathy Liebert was the all-time leading female tournament money winner, having won $1,944,891. Now, Annie is the leader, having won $2,874,795. If another woman had the opportunity provided by the $2 million invitational, who knows how the statistics might be skewed?

On the other hand, Annie did play against nine world-class tournament players. With her adept skill, she defeated Daniel Negreanu, Howard Lederer, Chip Reese, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, T.J. Cloutier, Phil Ivey, Greg Raymer, and Phil Hellmuth. That extraordinary win should not be diminished by virtue of the fact that other outstanding women were excluded. Hopefully, the future will offer more opportunities for other world-class female players.

If the comparison is WSOP prize money, Annie has $622,639, Nani Dollison has $545,550, and Jennifer Harman has $433,845. Yet, Nani has three coveted WSOP bracelets, Jennifer has two, and Annie won her first just this year. The bottom line is that there are several fabulous world-class female players, and the success of one should not diminish the accomplishments of the others.

Not Without Controversy

There is a predictable phenomenon that occurs when a strong, outspoken woman enters a predominantly male field: big-time controversy.

Annie's achievements have not been without such controversy. "People love me or hate me. Objectively speaking, I can see why. I have a big personality. I also think there are a few factors working. First, in order to be successful, you need traditionally 'masculine' skills such as aggression, intensity, and competitiveness. Otherwise, you cannot succeed. It is interesting to watch Gus Hansen or my brother. Everyone admires their intensity. Yet, when I behave with that same intensity, I'm considered a bitch. I've sat with people at a poker table and they think I hate them; then, they meet me later and think I'm nice. At the poker table, I am very intense, and I stare people down. It's part of my poker arsenal. People either hate or admire my style. I am very extroverted, opinionated, and confident, which is usually a man's style.

"People who get to know me don't come away not liking me. Only those who meet me at a poker table have issues with me. What I always say is, if you have a problem with me, come have a drink and we'll work it out."

God Bless Men

Another source of controversy stems from Annie's willingness to say what she thinks. For example, she wrote an article entitled "God Bless Men," in which she maintained that a woman playing poker has a distinct advantage over male counterparts. She described two types of men one might encounter at the poker table. There's The Flirter," from whom a woman will save bets, and "The Angry Chauvinist," from whom a woman will get extra bets.

Annie admits that some of the early controversy was her own doing: "I am a very intense person. When I first started playing, I was in my 20s. I would peek at a friend's cards or criticize a bad play. That was rude and wrong. I needed an editor from my brain to my mouth. I'm not proud of that bad behavior, and that's why I corrected it.

"I have noticed that some of the less-experienced players are making similar blunders on TV. They play up to the cameras in a way that is disrespectful to the other players. I can't stand excessive celebration. That loss by one player might cripple his tournament dream. The excessive celebration is so inappropriate. It's not the first or last pot won or lost. At one time or another, everyone will be on the losing end of a pot. I was never a 'celebrater,' but I was a 'berater.' Neither behavior is nice. A player who knocks out someone should be classy and shake the opponent's hand, and then celebrate. That's how you take care of business."

Controlled Aggression

Just as Annie modified behavior that didn't work, she also adjusts the part of her game that doesn't work. "My game is changing. I am making drastic improvements. When teaching Ben Affleck, I had to deeply explain the game. When I had to explain why a certain play is correct, that helped my game."

Annie explained the concept of controlled aggression: "To be great, you need more than an 'on' button. Being aggressive in a vacuum might get a player a few wins, but not consistent results. My brother and I understand why we choose aggression at any given moment. If aggression is not warranted, we aren't aggressive. I want to play well and win. My desire is to play each situation correctly. My goal is to play the perfect session of poker. I haven't gotten into that zip code yet."

"Poker Face"

Annie's sister, Katy Lederer, an acclaimed writer for 10 years, wrote a memoir about her family entitled Poker Face: A Girlhood Among Gamblers. Barnes and Nobles describes the book this way: "Following in the tradition of bestselling memoirists riffing on their dysfunctional families, award-winning poet Katy Lederer 'pokes' fun at her unconventional childhood at the gambling tables in Poker Face."

Annie thinks it's great that Katy wrote a book. "She has a different perspective than I do. Mom and Dad separated when she was 11, so that's her perception. Mom was drinking heavily. The family was dysfunctional, but a loving family, nonetheless. My mom was not happy to read about her past, because she hasn't had a drink since I was 17. Mom was focusing on the fact that she came off negatively in the book, but I thought it was great because Mom beat the disease. And I am proud of Katy for writing the book."

What Katy said about the book was this: "I have tried to be as honest as possible, but I doubt I've succeeded." Katy's advice to new writers contains a family trait: "Write what you love and then really push it. Feel no shame in pushing your work if you believe in it." In other words, believe in yourself. It must be a family tradition.

UltimateBet

When Annie first began working with UltimateBet, she was hired to be a celebrity endorser. After a few years, the UltimateBet team was so impressed with her varied skills that she was hired as a consultant. She is a consultant for marketing, tournaments, promotions, and many other deals. She describes her role as a "jack-of-all-trades consultant." She says the people at UltimateBet are like a family, which makes her job enjoyable.

She also hosts a $4-$8 hold'em table at UltimateBet, where her fans come to play and chat with the famous Annie Duke.

The Best and the Worst

Annie described her best quality as being a very loyal person who always takes care of her friends. When I asked her about her worst quality, she grimaced: "I am so stubborn. I always want to be right and I hate being wrong. I like getting my way. I'm a poor compromiser and I usually do get my way."

She laughed at herself when she said, "I sure wouldn't want to date me. Besides being stubborn, I'm a tough package. With four young kids and not being in the same place for longer than a week, I'm not looking, but I'm also not sure someone would want to take me on."

Future Plans

Annie appreciates the opportunities afforded her in the poker industry: "I love poker. It has given me a lot, and I hope I can give something back. I keep getting asked to do charity events, and I think it's nice to give of my time to raise money. I raise money for Portland public schools. I believe in public education and access for all kids. I'm a flaming liberal."

Annie also has a book coming out in the spring with Viking Press. It's an autobiography. The working title, subject to change, is, What are the Odds? She is also filming an instructional DVD for the Masters of Poker series.

Finally, Annie's goal for the future is to slow down and enjoy the precious moments she has with her children before time slips away and they are grown.