Who Is The ´Duchess Of Poker´?

The Duchess of Poker is a name attributed to Annie Duke, the American poker player as famous for her liberated and forthright views as much as her brilliant poker ability.

Annie achieved a double first in English and Psychology and received a fellowship to study for her doctorate in cognitive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.  However, with just a month to go before passing out, she quit academia and moved to Columbia with her husband, Ben Duke.

It was in Columbia that her brother, the poker professional Howard Lederer, first noticed her prowess at the poker table.  Under his tutelage and finance Annie began cleaning up at the local card rooms.  It wasn't long before she moved to Las Vegas to play poker full time.

In 2000 she finished 11th, one place off the final table at the WSOP main event, despite being eight months pregnant.  It was this finish that prompted her to declare, "Poker is one of the few sports where a woman can compete on a totally equal footing with a man, so I don't understand why there's a ladies only tournament."   Since then, the first lady of poker has refused to play in any ladies-only tournaments… a queen who doesn't need a crown to prove her worth, it would seem!