Annie Duke

This month, poker pro and “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke breaks down the PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT) Venetian $25,000 High Roller Bounty Shootout, the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, and her appearance on the television game show “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?”

Poker News Daily: The poker world has mourned the loss of Amir Vahedi in recent weeks. Can you share your memories of him with us?
Annie Duke: It was really sudden and I was really sad about it.

Poker News Daily: We heard that you’ll be launching a new trail mix company, MyMixedNuts.com, just in time for the holidays. Can you tell us about it?
Duke: It’s a custom mixed nuts and trail mix company that I started with my boyfriend, Joe, and Ryan Sympkins.

Fresh off watching the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final table pan out, Ultimate Bet pro Annie Duke discusses the wild action that unfolded from the Rio in Las Vegas and aired on ESPN.

Ultimate Bet’s Annie Duke, fresh off her trip to the annual Aruba Poker Classic, comments on the tournament, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final table, and the latest cast list for “Celebrity Apprentice.”

In an exclusive interview with Poker News Daily, “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up and Ultimate Bet pro Annie Duke discusses the findings of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, the Aruba Poker Classic, and Tiffany Michelle’s appearance on the CBS reality program “Amazing Race.”

Poker News Daily: The 2009 WSOP will begin airing this week on ESPN. You’ve had a lot of success in the $10,000 buy-in tournament. What are some of your favorite moments?
Duke: I have probably three favorite WSOP Main Event moments. The first one was the very first Main Event I played in, where I got down to three tables.

Annie Duke reached the final table of the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Omaha High-Low Eight or Better at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). It was one of her first appearances in the spotlight since finishing as the runner-up in NBC’s hit reality series Celebrity Apprentice. Duke sat down with Poker News Daily to discuss the reaction at the Rio.

I am having so much fun… playing for 10 cents on UltimateBet.com. So UB just launched its STEPs program. They have ten steps to the World Series of Poker starting at 10 cents. If you are one of the first eight people to make it all the way to a $12,000 package from Step 1, you also win an $8,500 Aruba package.

Well, the Celebrity Apprentice cat is out of the bag now. The cast is announced and, yes, I am part of it. Okay, so what would make me do this show? I mean I have tried to avoid reality TV. I really value my private life and protecting the privacy of my kids. So then why on Earth would I agree to do this show?

I have been thinking lately about a particular paradox in my life and trying to figure out how to handle it. The paradox is that as I have become more well-known for playing poker, it has become harder and harder for me to find time to play poker at all.

I had a very interesting month of October where I had cameras on me for most of the day, every day. I learned something from the experience that might seem really trivial, but is actually really important to me. I learned that I am the same whether or not a camera is on me.

I think the world would be surprised if they knew the truth about the generosity of the poker community. The image of the “gambler” – visored, smoking a cigar, not caring about anyone but themselves – has been so indelibly burned into the national consciousness. Think Edward G. Robinson in The Cincinnati Kid.