Howard Lederer's father was a professor of linguistics. So it is one of the ironies of poker that the man named "the Professor" never attended college. But Howard "the Professor" Lederer is one of the most analytical of players, drawing on his history as a championship level chess and backgammon player.

It is no surprise that Howard came out of the prestigious New York gaming society, the Mayfair Club, which has produced some of the best poker players over the last twenty years.

A Competitive Family

Howard credits his father, Richard, with his competitive streak. Growing up in Concord, New Hampshire, the kids of the family early on learned to play cards competitively.

Still, it was assumed that Howard would attend a prestigious college. Howard was supposed to attend Columbia in New York City, but he took a year away from school to pursue his dream of being a chess master. With this goal in mind, Howard sought out the Mayfair Club.

The Mayfair Club became a breeding ground for poker players, naming among its alumni famed gamblers like Dan Harrington and Erik Seidel. The group began experimenting with Texas Holdem in Howard's early years in New York. These men formed the nucleus of a poker think tank which would play all evening, then retire to a bar to discuss the night's games. By the late-eighties, Howard was playing in higher stakes games.

It was in these years that Howard would instruct his sister, Annie Duke, on her poker game. The two would become the first brother-sister pair to sit at the final table of a WSOP event in 1994. It was in this year that Howard moved to Las Vegas to seek out higher stakes game. Annie Duke and her husband, Ben, moved to Vegas in the same year.

Howard Becomes the Professor

Over the course of the 1990's, Howard would become one of the most feared and respected poker players in the world. His analytical style and calm demeanor have won him notice among his peers.

From 1994 to 2002, Lederer focused on cash games, meaning his World Series of Poker totals are not the same as other players of his stature. Still, he has won 2 WSOP events over the years.

Since his refocus on tournament play in 2002, Howard Lederer has become one of the most recognized figures in the sport. During that time, Howard has 2 wins on the World Poker Tour, at the 2003 Party Poker Million Limit Hold 'Em event and the Bellagio's World Poker Classic No Limit Hold 'Em event. Howard also had a 3rd place showing at the Bellagio Omaha HiLo event.

Lederer's work away from the table has also brought him much respect. Howard put out a highly successful instructional video called Secrets of No Limit Hold 'Em. He and his sister also hold a Poker Fantasy Camp.

Howard appears as a commentator on FoxSports's poker coverage. And Lederer is closely associated with Full Tilt Poker, where he plays and also writes online advice to aspiring poker champs.

More About Howard Lederer

Howard Lederer is more than just a stodgy professor of poker. He defended his sister when Daniel Negreanu made unflattering remarks about her in an online article. In fact, Lederer has had a couple of controversies with poker rivals over the years.

And Howard has successfully battled weight problems. Now, Howard is a vegetarian and a gym rat, though his dietary habits were not so stringent that he couldn't win a bet for $10,000 over a cheeseburger meal.

This page was last updated on January 12, 2006.