Annie plays various roles as a writer, orator, and advisor in the domain of decision-making. She is passionate about exploring the dynamics of making decisions amidst uncertainties. Her most recent interest lies in the concept of quitting. Specifically, she is determined to redefine the term and encourage individuals to take pride in their ability to let go of certain matters.
Annie Duke, a native of Concord, New Hampshire, was brought up in a family where card games and competition ran deep in their veins. The bond of the family was strengthened by their collective love for card games, and every member was not just eager to win, but had a deep-seated need to emerge victorious.
Duke’s early years were marked by her struggle to find her place as a liberal child of two teachers amidst the conservative and privileged environment of the renowned St. Paul’s prep school. Feeling out of place, Duke decided to venture into the larger world at the age of 18 and enrolled at Columbia University. Being intelligent and popular, Duke pursued a double major in English and Psychology at Columbia University, with the initial intention of becoming a teacher like her parents. However, she later chose to study Cognitive Psychology at the graduate level at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1991, while deeply engrossed in her doctorate research, Duke decided to marry her long-time friend, Ben Duke. She then packed up her life and research, bid farewell to academia, and moved to Billings, CO.
Enduring the charm of a financially strapped lifestyle with her spouse, Duke started to engage in poker games at local venues to cover their initial home’s mortgage payments. In 1994, her brother, renowned poker player Howard Lederer, encouraged Duke to take part in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. She impressively achieved 13th place in her debut tournament, even outlasting her brother. After gaining 70K in her first month of competition, Duke and her spouse decided to relocate to Las Vegas for her to chase a professional poker career. During the subsequent ten years, Duke forged a reputation as one of the top poker players globally. In 2004, Duke triumphed over a field of 234 participants in the WSOP $2000 buy-in Omaha Hi/Lo Split, earning her first WSOP bracelet. In the same year’s August, Duke defeated 8 of the world’s most prominent poker players and secured $2 million in the No-Limit Texas Hold’em winner-take-all, invitation-only WSOP Tournament of Champions, organized by ESPN and Harrah’s Entertainment.
Duke currently works as an advisor for the internet poker platform UltimateBet.com, ensuring that their poker rules and tournament setup align with those found in the renowned poker venues of the Las Vegas strip. Additionally, she is highly sought after for her extensive poker expertise, mentoring celebrities like Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Ashton Kutcher, and Charles Barkley to enhance their poker strategies. Duke often contributes a private poker session with herself as a prize for charity auctions, raising money for various charitable organizations. Not long ago, Duke recommended The ESPN Poker Club product range, which provides poker enthusiasts with superior quality poker items of incomparable quality, design, and authenticity. This range, introduced in May 2005, features poker chip sets, tabletops, tables, and other poker-related items. In September 2005, Duke’s eagerly anticipated autobiography, “Annie Duke: How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker,” was finally available on bookshelves.
Co-authored with David Diamond, this autobiography details the hurdles in Annie’s private life, leading up to her securing her initial WSOP bracelet. Duke has unveiled a collection of DVDs, featuring “Annie Duke’s Advanced Texas Hold’em Secrets: How to Beat the Big Boys” in October 2005, “Annie Duke’s Beginner’s Guide To Texas Hold ’em” and “Annie Duke’s Girl’s Guide To Texas Hold ’em,” both launched in January 2006, and “Masters of Poker: Annie Duke’s Conquering Online Poker,” which was introduced in February 2006. Duke has also recorded a pilot titled “Annie Duke Takes on the World,” debuting on GSN on May 1. The businesswoman established her own production firm, Ten Dimes Productions, in collaboration with actor Joe Reitman. Currently, they are producing a film called “His Name is Murder” and developing another. Annie also collaborates with various charities, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Ante Up for Africa (a venture with actor Don Cheadle), Children’s Hospital, and numerous others.
In 2007, Duke and actor Don Cheadle jointly established the non-profit organization, Ante Up for Africa. This organization supports charities operating in African countries and has raised funds for numerous other charities and non-profits through hosting and participating in charitable poker tournaments. Duke has been an active advocate for several poker-related matters, including the legalization of online gambling and the rights of players to manage their own image. From 2011 to 2012, Duke held the positions of co-founder, executive vice president, and commissioner of the Epic Poker League.
Annie Duke attained her bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology from Columbia University and proceeded to secure a master’s degree in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She was a recipient of the National Science Foundation fellowship during her time there. Duke was on the verge of concluding her doctorate research when she realized academia was not her true calling. With her brother’s support, she embarked on a fulfilling journey as a professional poker player. She played her inaugural poker hand in a $1/$3 hold’em game in Las Vegas in 1991. By 1994, she had placed in the money in three World Series of Poker events. In 2004, Duke clinched a WSOP bracelet in the $2,000 buy-in Omaha high/low tournament. She followed this accomplishment by winning the $2 million grand prize in the WSOP’s Tournament of Champions. In 2010, she triumphed in the NBC Heads-Up Championship, earning the $500,000 winner’s prize.
