Annie Duke
Annie Duke, the sister of Howard Lederer, is the most decorated and successful female poker player in the game’s history. She was born Anne LaBarr Lederer on September 13th, 1965 in Concord, New Hampshire, United States. She is extremely well liked around the circuit and is an acclaimed author and successful player. In 2004, she gained international fame when she won a WSOP gold bracelet. She is by far and away the leading money getting out of any women in poker history. She says having Howard as a poker playing brother helped her tremendously over the years, and they can often be spotted at the same table both in Vegas and on TV.
Unlike many of the other poker girls on our list, Annie Duke did not win her gold bracelet in a women’s only event. In 2004 she won the WSOP tournament of champions, featuring some of the uncontested best poker sharks in the world. In 2010, she also won the National Heads-Up Poker Championship.
Annie Duke is also an accomplished poker author. Her books are revered to contain tons of information that can turn an average player into an amazing won, and a losing player into a winning one. She has published “Decide To Play Great Poker”, “The Middle Zone” and “How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker”, her autobiography.
Annie is a philanthropist as well, as she co founded the “Ante Up For Africa” charity, as well as donating and playing for multiple other charities. She is also a huge advocate and voice in the legalization of online poker and gambling, as well as an advocate for players rights concerning branding issues. From 2011 to 2012, Duke co-founded and ran the Epic Poker League, which never fully took off the way people had originally planned.
You will continue to hear Annie Duke’s name long after she retires from the game, because she truly is a legend who’s name is mentioned among the greatest. She has won over $1 Million in WSOP cashes alone, and her total lifetime tournament winnings for live tourneys are $4,270,000 .