Annie Duke - Poker In The Early Years

Since her win over fellow player Steve Zolotow, for predicting that her marriage wouldn't last more than five years, Annie Duke moved on towards the poker tables with a new fervor. Her divorce witnessed relocation to Hollywood Hills in 2005 with her kids. The new neighborhood of Los Angeles, California saw her indulge on the personal front with her new possession - a Mediterranean style home. Annie Duke, at this time, began living with her actor friend who is also a producer, Joe Reitman. In fact the New York Times hyped the 2006 coverage of "At Home with Annie Duke" too.

Her career as professional poker player began quite after that. After her stance with academic work, she began a career in legal poker rooms. Her earliest stance was at the poker card rooms in Billings, Montana. She didn't have to work too hard to get a standing at the game of poker since her brother, Howard, was by then a successful professional poker player. He not only coached his sister but also financed her moves initially.

Annie Duke took to playing poker on a full fledged rostrum when she moved to Las Vegas in 1994. She has enjoyed her stance as tutor to none other than actor Ben Affleck. Did you know that under her guidance, Ben won the California State Poker Championship in the year 2004? However, Annie Duke has been a recipient of the true recognition due to her as the player to finish 10th at the 2000 World Series of Poker or WSOP main event. She was in actuality just a position short of making it to the final table! All this when Annie Duke was eight months pregnant!

This woman never ceases to amaze. Pregnant with her third child and a near-win! She went on to take the lesson learned and did splendid well at the 2004 World Series of Poker. In this round Annie Duke is credited with even eliminating her brother. Howard Lederer was eliminated by the Duchess of Poker at four separate events! Annie Duke won the first place at the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions. Howard finished third. It was at this time that she went on to earn her first gold bracelet. The tournament was an Omaha Hi-Lo dedication and Annie Duke became one of three women to win that year, in an open event.

She shared the limelight with Kathy Liebert and Cyndy Violette at the WSOP. Duke has always been and remains open about her stance on the restrictions that players have to admit to during televised tournaments. She has always questioned why it is that although players pay entry fees compulsorily to enter poker tournaments, they are not allowed to flaunt sponsorship logos at some venues. Duke played with controversy when in a spate of frustration she made the statement: "Poker players are not even slaves. We're people paying to pick the cotton." She is known for an honest and down to earth attitude that she carries with her to the poker table!