The Duchess of Poker

Read about Annie Duke Like You Never Have Before – this Poker princess takes us on a tour through her career, ventures and aspirations in this detailed player profile

Annie Duke is one of the most well known, successful and vibrant professional Poker players at the tables. She is best known for her two amazing wins at the 2004 World Series of Poker, yet has also gained respect and popularity through her extensive charity work, with her main causes being "Ante up for Africa" and the "Decision Education Foundation." And for those who aren't really familiar with her involvement in the Poker world, she can also be easily recognized for her participation in the recent Celebrity Apprentice. This January, Annie caught up with Ryan Lucchesi for a one-on-one interview, and this was her take on the following topics:

Poker and the Economy
Poker, in comparison to other sports and recreation these days, has proven itself to be quite "recession proof." Even though large buy-in tourneys are lessening in numbers – which is understandable taking into consideration the many job and pay cuts being thrown at people lately – the international online and offline Poker industry is still expanding, Annie explained. Pala Casino's brand new card room stands as proof of this, and it is further strengthened by the fact that Poker enables people to make more money.

Celebrity Apprentice
Annie admits that when meeting fans and followers in public places, she is more often than not recognized for her Celebrity Apprentice performance than for those she gives at the Poker tables. Since she had no intention of ever participating in a reality TV show, this can be seen as slightly humorous. Yet Annie explains that her eventual decision to partake in Celebrity Apprentice was based entirely on her ability to raise money for charity through it. In this sense, Annie insists that she did not represent Poker or Poker players on the show. That said, Annie and her Poker playing friends managed to raise about 50% of the $1.5 million raised on the show for charity, such that the community could only logically be seen in a positive light as a result.

Charity
Using her celebrity status for good is a key goal in Annie's life, and she has certainly succeeded on that front. Raising awareness is extremely important to her, and Poker is a fantastic platform for doing so.