Editor's pick

How Annie Duke won millions at the World Series of Poker

Product

Annie Duke: How I raised, folded, bluffed, flirted, cursed, and won millions at the World Series of Poker by Annie Duke with David Diamond

Hits

  • Honest and personal
  • Inventive format mixing clever prose and heartfelt anecdotes
  • Good mix of autobiographical content and poker tips
  • Great behind the scenes look at relationships between top players
  • Reveals the mental process of a top level pro operating in high pressure games

Misses

  • No advanced poker theory

Review

Known for her exceptional skills at the poker table, Annie Duke is widely considered one of the best poker players in the world, a reputation she solidified by winning a gold bracelet and $137,860 in the $2,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split event at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas in 2004, knocking out older brother and mentor Howard Lederer and best friend Erik Seidel in the process. Ms. Duke's win propelled her to a level of poker superstardom unprecedented in her life, and cleared the way for a myriad of business and professional opportunities that have since become the norm for pro poker players.

Annie Duke: How I raised, folded, bluffed, flirted, cursed, and won millions at the World Series of Poker is Duke's first foray into the world of autobiographical literature, and a good one at that. Any reader interested in gaining insight into the life of one of poker's most respected players and her journey to poker superstardom will find this book a fascinating read.

With the help of author David Diamond, Annie traces her life story from an isolated childhood at a New Hampshire prep school to her $2 million Tournament of Champions win in August, 2004, with the expertise and wit of someone who has analyzed her life choices and has come to terms with them.

Full of clever quips, self-deprecating anecdotes, and warm recollections, Annie Duke intimates the author's personal struggle with anxiety and depression, recounts the factors that lead to the collapse of her marriage, traces the up and down swings of her bankroll and playing career, reveals the love she feels for her children, and illuminates the close friendship and mutual respect she shares with older brother Howard, or "Bub" as she calls him.

At times laugh-out-loud funny, Annie describes herself as the "first Lamaze baby" born in her homogenous hometown of Concord, New Hampshire, and discusses her experiences growing up in the highly competitive Lederer household. She relates how, as a child, her father thought she "might be mentally challenged" because of her lack of interest in toys and games, and how her house unintentionally served as "a breeding ground for two world champion poker players," illustrating that point to the extreme by declaring: "Cards were the glue that held my family together."

The book shifts between Annie's life story and the $2,000 Omaha Hi-Lo event at the 2004 WSOP. Annie explains the structure of the book as follows: "I've always thought that poker is a game that reveals itself as you play it. So that's how I've structured this book. I include tips that relate to what's happening in my tournament action - the strategy behind those moves and the theory behind the strategy."

Annie Duke is introduced with a brief foreword entitled "So Here's the Deal on Poker" and ends with a "People to Watch" section on players mentioned throughout the book. It begins with a brief summary of how and why Annie dumped her dissertation for a Ph.D. in psycholinguistics to eventually become a pro poker player, and continues on to describe the opening hands of the $2,000 Omaha Hi-Lo event.

Also included are a chapter on the history of poker and the WSOP; a poker "primer" for somewhat knowledgeable poker enthusiasts; a basic poker guide for rookies featuring the ranking of hands, betting fundamentals, and "poker speak"; the rules for Texas Hold'em and Omaha Hi-Lo Split; and an acknowledgements section.

In total, it reads 260 pages.

Details:

  • Hardcover $24.95
    Hudson Street Press