Profile: Annie Duke

While she has not had a major victory since 2004, Annie Duke remains one of the most recognizable poker pros on the circuit. She puts her image and influence to good use, such as when she and Ocean's 11 star Don Cheadle founded and ran a charity tournament to raise money for the African region of Darfur during the 2007 World Series of Poker.

In a world of characters, Annie Duke stands out. A mother of three, an author, a celebrity spokeswoman, an advisor to movie stars and, lest we forget, a professional poker player, Duke is one of the most well known faces in the tournament circuit.

Like many who have chose to sit around the felt and joust with cards and chips to pay the rent, Duke came from a family where card play was a common way to communicate with each other.

Born in 1965 Concord, New Hampshire, Duke had two teachers for parents and a liberal lean to her outlook and upbringing. The combination worked on her as she grew, eventually causing her to stand out from the conservative environment of the St. Paul prep school. Wanted to follow in her parents footsteps, she pursed her education with a determination many poker players now see facing them across the table.

After getting married and playing local poker games to pay the mortgage on her first home, her brother suggested she try her hand at the big time. In 1994 none other than poker star Howard Lederer helped his sister Annie get into the World Series of Poker, where she finished 13th, even knocking Lederer out of the running.

Annie Duke has gone on to make a name for herself after her excellent debut into the big leagues. When the "Poker Brat" pays a compliment, people take note; while it didn't take Phil Hellmuth's calling her the best all around woman poker player of today to rocket Annie Duke into the pantheon of poker gods, it didn't hurt, either.

In 2004 Duke has laid aside any lingering doubt about her ability as a pro player. After winning, among other things, $2 million in the No-Limit Texas Hold'em winner-take-all invitational WSOP Tournament of Champions, there could be no question of her credintials. Currently endorsing the ESPN Poker Club, Duke's autobiography has just hit the stands, where she shares her struggles in balancing a life of poker and a family, as well as being a woman in a typically-male dominated world.

Duke's winning smile and relaxed but stylish attire soften the edges of a veteran player, driven to win. Her personality as well as her skill lead her to be invited to become a Team UB Member, working with other poker notables as advisor to UltimateBet.com. To keep track of the comings and goings of this poker superstar, as well as read up on her own views and strategies on poker, visit her website at www.annieduke.com.