Annie Duke’s NHUPC Win Reasserts Her as Top Lady in Poker

Duke’s Win Steals Attention From Rousso’s Rise

At least for now, Annie Duke is arguably a hotter lady player than Vanessa Rousso.

The former Celebrity Apprentice runner-up Annie Duke was out to redeem herself after her prior NHUPC 1-5 record.  Winning the NHUPC title, Duke takes home $500,000.  She becomes the first female winner in NHUPC history, while also reasserting herself as poker’s most prominent woman a year after GoDaddy poker babe Vanessa Rousso seemed poised to start staking such a claim with her second-place finish in the NHUPC. Duke demonstrated her respect of Rousso with some strong words of praise for despite Rousso’s early elimination this year.

“I got to play with Vanessa on Day 2 of the LAPC and boy, that girl can play poker,” said Duke. “She does some amazing things. She did some things I wish I could do. I learned a lot from playing with her during much of Day 2. Vanessa had one of the best years in poker last year and there’s not many players that can be on the same level as her.”