Poker has churned out iconic players who have pulled remarkable stunts at the game’s table. One such sensational player is Howard Lederer, commonly tagged “The Professor.” He is renowned for his analytical approach and strategic brilliance at table games of poker, earning numerous World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets.
However, his poker journey has not been without its share of pitfalls. In this casino news, we will discuss all there’s to know about Howard Lederer’s career. We will cover the triumphs and downtimes that have shaped his enduring presence in the poker world.
Howard Lederer: Early Life
Howard Lederer was born in Concord, New Hampshire, on October 30th, 1964, to a Jewish father and a Gentile mother. His involvement in poker started early, even as a kid, thanks to his father, Richard Lederer, who loved poker and chess due to their complexity and competitiveness. Howard Lederer has two sisters — Annie Duke and Katy Lederer, who all took several aspects of their father’s traits. Richard Lederer was a linguist, educator, and author, so while Howard and Annie followed their father’s love for poker, Katy became an author.
Initially, Howard’s ambition was to become a professional chess player, and at the time, he took a year out of Columbia College to pursue his dream. In that pursuit, he found a passion for poker at Mayfair Club in New York City, where he started playing live poker games and eventually became a member of an elite group in the Club. In the late 1980s, Howard Lederer began playing at high-stakes casino hold em games (Hold’em). This eventually led him to Las Vegas, where he began actively competing in the World Series of Poker (WSOP). At the same time, he mentored his sister, Annie Duke, who was already playing at Billings, Montana. Today, she also has a rank in the female poker category.
Howard Lederer and His Poker Career
Lederer’s first attempt at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) event came in 1986, which was very unsuccessful. By 1987, Howard Lederer doubled his game and started putting together his poker chips to earn 5th place in the $10,000 buy-in no-limit Hold’em. His move to Las Vegas in 1993 saw his poker career get an emphatic start. At about this time, he became a feared table opponent, hence his nickname, “The Professor.” This nickname was derived from his endearing personality in poker math and strategy, influenced by his success in chess and backgammon.
Throughout his career, he got to the final tables of the WSOP eight times. He won two bracelets in 2000 and 2001 for participating in the $5,000 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo and $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw events, respectively. In 2002, he shifted to an even bigger poker tournament, the WPT, where he won the $10,000 World Poker Finals at Foxwoods Resort in Connecticut. The following year, he also won at the Party Poker Million.
Poker Earnings and Scandals
Howard Lederer earned around $6.6 million from poker tournaments. One of his major notable victories included winning over $1 million at the 2008 Aussie Millions Poker Championship. Lederer’s successes, from a 1994 win to his first WSOP bracelet in 2000, resulted in a whopping $615,000. Also, he achieved multiple feats in the World Poker Tour, and his winnings from events in 2002 and 2003 secured him yet another $610,000.
However, after 2008, he didn’t secure major tournament victories. Lederer faced problems with Full Tilt Poker. He co-founded and was a board member of the platform, but it got involved in a scandal during Black Friday. People criticized Lederer for mishandling player funds, causing significant financial losses. This led to a damaged reputation. In 2016, he publicly apologized for his role in the Full Tilt Poker issues.
Final Thoughts
Howard Lederer might not be a prominent figure in playing Keno online, but he’s indeed a sensation when it comes to poker. His scandals may have soiled his reputation, but there’s no denying that Lederer is still “The Professor” when the poker game is mentioned. If you want to be the new poker professor, you can start today by mastering poker hand names and paying at the best online casino.
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