I decided to honor America’s new pastime with a quick conversation with one of the games best players – Annie Duke.

Duke is a rockin’, yet tired interviewee. And, she’s hot. And a mom!

Anyway, I am cheering for Duke to take the crown and the cash this year as she battles to best poker players in the world in Vegas. And perhaps her words of wisdom will have taught me when to hold ‘em and fold ‘em the next time I play this great game.

What’s up Annie? How’s life?

(Laughs) Good question. Life’s good, but I warn you, I have been doing press for two straight days, so I'm kind of tired. My brain is fried in fact. And, be prepared, I'm not feeling very creative because I'm running on no sleep for the last two days because I keep getting up at 6 a.m. to do morning shows.

Ouch. So, doing press can be tough?

Sometimes. It’s all sort of new to me. I have been doing a lot more press now, especially since the game has gotten so huge.

OK, I am just going to cave and be a boring journalist for just one minute (laughs). So, when did you first start playing cards?

(Laughs) Everyone has to ask that question.

So, I’m not that boring.

(Laughs) No.

Good, so now you can answer the question and I won’t feel bad for asking such a boring question.

(Laughs) I was playing cards from the second I was old enough to hold a card, so this game came pretty naturally to me once I learned the basics. I have always been good at playing cards because my Dad would never let us win. That made me very competitive from a very young age.

For me, I have been lucky enough to have my Dad as my coach, given, he isn’t as good as your brother (Howard Lederer). How valuable of a mentor has Howard been to you?

?There was no one better that I could have learned the game from. After my first week of playing I won $2,800. The minute I sat down at a poker table, I was like, man this is the life. This is great.

Wow. I wish I had that much skill. Think you can help me get on the tour (laughs)?

(Laughs) I’ll get right on that (laughs). No, but, I was making money at it, so I just kept chugging along. I wasn't really thinking I would be a poker player, but then I found myself playing in the World Series in 1994. I would have never become a poker player if my brother wasn't already doing it. I wouldn't have been aware that you could do this as a profession 'cause it wasn't on TV. There was no publicity. I just kind of fell into it.

And now, the game is huge. And, I bet you are quite happy to be making a living at it.

I would have never expected it to happen like this.

I must give you props for taking what seemed to be a man’s game and breaking the sex barrier.

Thanks.

In poker it is a little easier than breaking into baseball and football, right?

Oh yeah. In some sports, it's tough to break in because of physical differences, but what's beautiful about poker is that there are no physical differences needed to play. And women are just as smart, if not smarter than men, so it gives us room to break into the game.

You are a true warrior, Annie Duke.

(Laughs) It’s fun though. Women come up to me and tell me how inspirational I am to the. And not as just a poker player, but as a woman, too. What's so great about that for me is that I have spent most of the early part of my poker career taking a lot of abuse.

Like?

?I was playing in smoky bars with all these old men. In the large sense I wasn't particularly welcomed there. And a lot of nasty sexual-driven charges were made to me on top of the fact that poker is very stressful and these guys are losing a lot of money.

That really sucks. But you have fought through it and have made a difference.

?It did suck. And still does at times. I took a lot of abuse and was the brunt of a lot of anger. It was sexual harassment, but I love the game so much, and am such a competitive person, and I happen to have very thick skin that in order to play the game that I love, I was willing to endure it.

So, do you like playing with men more than women because you can kick their butts?

(Laughs) There are just a lot more competitive men in the game. But, if you offer me a free roll to play with the girls, (bleep), I'll take a free roll. I'll put on a chicken suit for a free roll (laughs).

(Laughs) I would put one on, too. I would do pretty much anything for five dollars. (laughs). But, it is great to be given approval from women all over the world – even those who aren’t into poker, right?

Oh yeah, of course it is. It's gratifying. Truly gratifying.

And guys are even showing you some respect, especially since you proved that you can beat Phil Hellmuth (laugh).

(Laughs) Exactly. But, I still have a long ways to go.

Things are changing though. Things are getting better.

That’s for sure. (Laughs) The PTA board used to hate that I was a gambler. They would be like, 'Oh, a gambler.' And now the PTA moms are asking me to do fund-raisers for the school (laughs). Why weren’t they asking me before the game got big. It's really a 180-degree turnaround.

• Nick Powills can be reached at SayWhatPOWILLS@aol.com

Write Comment
Name:	Guest
Title:
Comment:
Code:*

Powered by AkoComment 2.0!