Howard Lederer lived in a family of five in which he loved taking part in various card games at a young age. He discovered himself getting really aggressive in these card games as he was competing against his dad. After finishing high school, Howard made a decision to put college on hold for a bit and moved away to New York City to play some big-time chess. While participating in chess, he was introduced to a poker game taking place in the rear of the room. Howard’s first two years were tough as he would play extensive hours and lost most times. He made some additional money by becoming an assistant for the poker enthusiasts. He believed he could better his game by adjusting his life outside of poker. He made an attempt to get more rest and concentrate even more on poker.
The definite improvement in his skills began when he began betting at the Mayfair Club in New York City. The Mayfair was a bridge and backgammon association where the the most favorable gamblers would regularly play against each other. Howard was able to access some of the greatest players in chess. With their help, he would sharpen his strategic thinking skills. He applied these strategic concepts to the game of NL texas hold’em.
Howard also assisted his sister Annie Duke learn poker. Annie Duke was an excellent student of the game as she constantly asked questions about the right way to make the correct choice. Howard told Annie to move out to Vegas and play in the World Series of Poker competition. Annie is one of the strongest female players the poker world has ever seen. He relocated to Vegas in 1993 and played cash games for the subsequent decade. When the WPT gained popularity, he made the decision to compete in more tournaments.