Annie Duke is an American professional poker player who has been the subject of controversy but is undoubtedly one of the most skilled players in the game.
She grew up in Concord, New Hampshire in a middle class family. Her father, Richard was a writer and linguist and her mother, Rhoda was a stay at home mom. She had two siblings, Howard and Katy. Howard became a professional poker player, as well. Katy became an author and poet.
Annie was an ardent student in high school and was accepted into Colombia University upon graduation. She had continued success the university, where she double majored in Psychology and English. She was awarded a university fellowship and decided to continue her education at the University of Pennsylvania to study psycholinguistics.
Annie decided to leave school in 1992, one month before she had to defend her thesis for her Ph. D. She moved to Colombus, Montana with her new husband, Ben Duke. She began playing poker, with the help of her brother Howard in the neighboring town of Billings, Montana.
In addition to playing poker, Duke moved to Portland, Oregon to work for a software gaming company called ieLogic. The company would later spawn into UltimateBet and the Cereus Poker Network.
Annie has had considerable tournament success and once tutored Ben Affleck, who a few months later, won the 2004 California State Poker Championship. She has cashed 38 times in WSOP events and won one WSOP bracelet in an Omaha Hi\Lo tournament. Her biggest tournament win was The Tournament of Champions, a winner take all 10 person tournament with a two million dollar prize. She defeated Phil Hellmuth heads-up to take down the title.
Annie Duke divorced her husband in 2002. She has four children and currently lives in Las Angleles, California. She is engaged to Joe Reitman.
