Annie Duke Takes 2010 Heads-Up Poker championship

Poker News - March 9th, 2010 - Written By Glen

Annie Duke, one of the biggest female names in poker, recently took down the 2010 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

Duke, also known as the sister of the Poker Professor, Howard Lederer, battled through some major names to make her way to the top. Andy Bloch was her first victim. Darvin Moon, the 2010 WSOP Main Event prodigy and runner up, had also fallen victim to Duke's onslaught. Paul Wasicka would also take a fall to Annie Duke.

On the third day, Duke had been seated against Erik Seidel. In the final bracket of the tournament, her battle with Seidel was a back and forth war. Two of three is all one player would have to win, and this event came down to the last battle. Duke won their first match, but Seidel managed to deliver a win of his own. In the third match, Seidel lost in an upset, giving Duke the win.

Annie Duke's victory at the 2010 National Heads-Up Poker Championship was the first that had gone to a female. The award not only included the glory of the win, but also a solid $500,000 dollars.

The National heads-Up Poker Championship is an invitation only tournament which requires a $20,000 dollar buy in. Produced by NBC, this is the first major tournament to be produced by a television network.

Some of the largest players of USA online poker who have earned their keep from WSOP satellites, and subsequently won a position in the Series, have received invitations to this event. Chris Moneymaker, the man dubbed partially responsible for the explosion of popularity for online poker, had found himself invited to the 2010 National Heads-Up Poker Championship.