Duke Emerges As Poker’s Reigning Queen

Forget the World Series of Poker standings. Annie Duke is inarguably the most important figure in professional poker today.

For starters, she’s a top-shelf pro. She also has a handle on the importance of celebrity in her profession. Her appearance on “The Apprentice” placed her head and shoulders above the rest of the pack.

And she’s showing signs her interests are, thankfully, greater than the intellectually gifted but typically obsessive characters who inhabit professional poker. One example: Ante Up for Africa is a Duke charity that’s already making a difference in lives that will be lucky to see a flush toilet, much less one of the royal variety.

Another poker charity: Bad Beat on Cancer. Learn more at www.preventcancer.org