Howard Lederer

Lederer was born in 1964 in Concord, New Hampshire{{Cite web |title=Howard Lederer |url=http://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/howard-lederer/ |access-date=May 7, 2013 |website=PokerNews.com}} and was introduced to card games at a young age by his family. As a child, Lederer's father also taught him to play chess. As a teenager, Lederer developed an interest in playing the game competitively.{{Cite news |date=January 2006 |title=Howard Lederer:The Professor of Poker |url=http://www.bluff.com/magazine/howard-lederer-the-professor-of-poker-10556/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131122035402/http://www.bluff.com/magazine/howard-lederer-the-professor-of-poker-10556 |archive-date=November 22, 2013 |access-date=May 8, 2013 |work=Bluff}} Lederer's sister, Annie Duke, is also a professional poker player. His father, Richard Lederer, is an author, linguist and a former educator at St. Paul's School. His other sister, Katy Lederer, is also an author.{{Cite news |last=Cheney |first=Dina |title=Flouting Convention, Part II: Annie Duke Finds her Place at the Poker Table |url=http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/jul04/features4.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624102149/http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/jul04/features4.php |archive-date=June 24, 2016 |access-date=May 9, 2013 |work=Columbia College Today}}{{Cite news |last=Moe |first=Al |date=January 10, 2006 |title=Legends of Poker: Howard Lederer |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2006/01/legends-poker-howard-lederer.htm |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Poker News}}{{Cite web |title=About Howard Lederer |url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_howard-lederer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419061235/http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_howard-lederer |archive-date=April 19, 2016 |access-date=April 30, 2013 |website=PokerListings.com}} His father is Jewish,{{Cite book |last=Lederer |first=Katy |date=February 24, 2010 |title=Poker Face: A Girlhood Among Gamblers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Px1Ruu-62jIC&pg=PA88 |access-date=April 4, 2024 |publisher=Crown |isbn=978-0-307-56608-9 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Pearlman |first=Karen |date=May 30, 2010 |title=Hungry for Words |url=https://www.sdjewishjournal.com/sdjj/june-2010/hungry-for-words/ |access-date=April 4, 2024 |website=San Diego Jewish Journal |language=en-US}} while his mother was a gentile. He was not raised Jewish.

After graduating from high school, Lederer began playing chess in New York City before discovering and developing an interest in live poker games and becoming a member of the Mayfair Club.{{Cite web |last=Del Mar |first=Maria |date=June 27, 2008 |title=Howard Lederer - Poker Player Profile |url=https://www.pokernewsdaily.com/howard-lederer-77/ |access-date=April 4, 2024 |website=Poker News Daily |language=en-US}}{{Cite book |last=Holden |first=Anthony |url=https://archive.org/details/biggerdealyearon0000hold |title=Bigger Deal: A Year Inside the Poker Boom |publisher=Simon and Schuster |year=2007 |isbn=9781416539292 |page=[https://archive.org/details/biggerdealyearon0000hold/page/175 175] |quote=howard lederer gastric bypass. |access-date=May 7, 2013|via=Archive.org |url-access=registration}} Though he briefly attended Columbia University, Lederer ultimately decided to pursue a career in poker. It was during his time in New York City that Lederer began to mentor his sister, Annie Duke, who was playing poker in Billings, Montana at the time.

Lederer attempted to qualify for a World Series of Poker (WSOP) event in 1986, but was unsuccessful. The next year, he made the final table and finished fifth in the $10,000 no limit Hold 'em Main Event.{{Cite web |title=18th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1987, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8035 |access-date=March 29, 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}} In 1993, Lederer moved to Las Vegas to focus on his poker career.

Between 1993 and 1999, Lederer made eight final tables at WSOP events, before winning his first WSOP bracelet in 2000, in a $5,000 limit Omaha Hi/Lo tournament.{{Cite web |title=31st World Series of Poker - WSOP 2000, Limit Omaha Hi/Lo |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=2003 |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}} Lederer won his second WSOP bracelet in 2001 in a $5,000 no limit Deuce to Seven tournament.{{Cite web |title=32nd World Series of Poker - WSOP 2001, No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=3053 |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}} Some of Lederer's other notable live poker wins in the early 2000s include World Poker Tour (WPT) titles in 2002 and 2003,{{Cite web |title=Howard Lederer |url=https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/howard-lederer/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610034912/http://www.worldpokertour.com/Shared/Players/Bios/H/Howard_Lederer.aspx |archive-date=June 10, 2013 |access-date=April 4, 2024 |website=World Poker Tour |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=2002 World Poker Finals, No Limit Hold'em - Main Event - WPT |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=12104 |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2003 Party Poker Million II, Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=6188 |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}} in addition to two first-place finishes at WPT events in 2004.{{Cite web |title=Howard Lederer's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=147 |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}

In 2008, Lederer won more than $1 million Australian dollars at the Aussie Millions High-Roller event.{{Cite news |last=Cypra |first=Dan |date=June 27, 2010 |title=Aussie Millions on GSN: Howard Lederer, Tony G Exit High-Roller Event |url=http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/aussie-millions-on-gsn-howard-lederer-tony-g-exit-high-roller-event-12921/ |access-date=May 8, 2013 |work=Poker News Daily}} Two years later, he won $250,000 and placed second in the WSOP's Tournament of Champions.{{Cite news |last=Schult |first=Steve |date=July 5, 2010 |title=World Series of Poker -- Huck Seed Wins Tournament of Champions |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/9375-world-series-of-poker-xxx-wins-tournament-of-champions |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Card Player}}

As of 2022, Lederer's total live tournament winnings exceeded $6,500,000, with his last cash being in January 2011. His 44 cashes at the WSOP account for $1,587,702 of those winnings.{{cite web |url=http://www.wsop.com/players/playerprofile.asp?playerID=269 |title=Howard Lederer |work=wsop.com |publisher=Caesars Interactive Entertainment |access-date=April 17, 2013}}

Lederer is also known as "The Professor", a nickname given to him by poker player and commentator Jesse May. According to Lederer, the nickname came "out of nowhere". More recently, this nickname has been attributed to Lederer's strategic approach to poker as well as his instructional style.

In addition to live poker tournaments, Lederer has been involved in a number of other poker related activities. As of 2011, Lederer had appeared on NBC's Poker After Dark, a late-night poker program, fourteen times.{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Michael |date=February 7, 2011 |title=New Poker After Dark Cash Game Underway |url=http://www.parttimepoker.com/new-poker-after-dark-cash-game-set-to-premiere-542 |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Part Time Poker}} He provided commentary for poker programming, including the Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament, Learn from the Pros, as well as other Fox Sports Network poker programs. He has also released instructional videos on poker, contributed to several books on poker strategy, including The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide,{{Cite web |title=The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide: Tournament Edition |url=http://www.pokernews.com/books/the-full-tilt-poker-strategy-guide-tournament-edition.htm |access-date=May 9, 2013 |website=PokerNews.com}} and hosted several poker fantasy camps in the mid-2000s.{{Cite news |last=Ordine |first=Bill |date=January 29, 2005 |title=Deal me a hand |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HJEyAAAAIBAJ&pg=6724,7531811&dq=howard-lederer+poker+fantasy+camp&hl=en |access-date=April 30, 2013 |work=The Free Lance-Star}}{{Cite news |last=Feldman |first=Andrew |date=August 16, 2005 |title=It's time to go to camp |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/poker/columns/story?columnist=feldman_andrew&id=2111268 |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=ESPN.com}}{{Cite news |last=James |first=Murphy |date=December 6, 2005 |title=Howard and Annie's Fantasy Poker Camp |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2005/12/howard-annie-fantasy-poker-camp.htm |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Poker News}} Additionally, from June 2006 to May 2011, Lederer was a member of the Poker Players Alliance's board of directors.{{Cite news |last=Burton |first=Earl |date=June 13, 2006 |title=Howard Lederer Joins Poker Players Alliance Board |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2006/06/howard-lederer-poker-players-alliance.htm |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Poker News}}{{cite news |title=Poker Players Alliance Organize D.C. Fly-In |url=http://www.anteupmagazine.com/news/poker-players-alliance-organize-d-c-fly-in.htm |work=Ante Up |date=May 20, 2011 |access-date=May 1, 2013}}

Lederer was a founding member and onetime president of Tiltware LLC, the company that handled marketing and software development for Full Tilt Poker.{{Cite news |last=Caldwell |first=John |date=July 28, 2005 |title=The Poker Professor: Interview with Howard Lederer |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2005/07/poker-professor-interview-howard-lederer.htm |access-date=April 30, 2013 |work=Poker News}} Tiltware LLC launched Full Tilt Poker in 2004. Lederer served on the company's board of directors along with co-founders Rafe Furst, Chris Ferguson, and Ray Bitar. Full Tilt Poker hosted online poker games and was a former sponsor of poker programming on ESPN and Poker After Dark, both in the United States and abroad.{{Cite news |last= LaClair |first=Hillary |date=January 22, 2009 |title=PokerStars to Leave Poker After Dark |url=http://www.pokerintensity.com/news_dtls.php?news_id=469 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224022851/http://www.pokerintensity.com/news_dtls.php?news_id=469 |archive-date=February 24, 2012 |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Poker Intensity}}{{Cite news |last=Holloway |first=Chad |date=February 28, 2012 |title=Poker PROductions' Mori Eskandani Talks Poker After Dark Relaunch |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/02/poker-productions-mori-eskandani-talks-poker-after-dark-12126.htm |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Poker News}}

Following a United States Department of Justice-led investigation, based on suspicion of money laundering and gambling violations, Full Tilt Poker's website was closed to players in the United States on April 15, 2011.{{Cite news |last=Mathers |first=Kevin |date=April 5, 2010 |title=Federal grand jury investigating Full Tilt Poker |url=http://pokerati.com/2010/04/federal-grand-jury-investigating-full-tilt-poker-indictments-for-jesus-howard-and-others/ |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Pokerati}}{{Cite news |last=Morrissey |first=Janet |date=October 8, 2011 |title=Poker Inc. to Uncle Sam: Shut Up and Deal |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/technology/internet/in-online-poker-a-push-to-legalize-and-regulate-the-game.html?_r=0 |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=The New York Times}} The company's license was suspended on June 30, 2011, and Full Tilt Poker stopped accepting international play.

In September 2011, Lederer was named, along with two other members of the Full Tilt Poker board of directors, in an amended civil complaint filed by the Department of Justice, in which Full Tilt Poker was accused of defrauding poker players.{{Cite news |last=Berzon |first=Alexandra |date=September 21, 2011 |title=U.S. Alleges Poker Site Stacked Deck |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111904106704576582741398633386 |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}{{Cite news |last=Feldman |first=Andrew |date=September 23, 2011 |title=U.S. Attorney: FTP 'massive scheme' |url=https://www.espn.com/poker/story/_/id/6996703/howard-lederer-chris-ferguson-rafe-furst-named-manhattan-us-attorney-amended-black-friday-civil-complaint |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=ESPN.com}} Ultimately, the company's owners were accused of receiving around $443 million in player funds between 2007 and 2011. According to the Department of Justice, Lederer received about $42 million in payments from Full Tilt Poker during that time period. In a statement issued by the Department of Justice, Full Tilt Poker was referred to as a Ponzi scheme for paying out funds to Full Tilt Poker owners despite having insufficient funds to cover money owed to players. Full Tilt Poker denied the allegation that they operated a Ponzi scheme.{{Cite news |last=Berezon |first=Alexandra |date=September 22, 2011 |title=Poker Site Fires Back at U.S. |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903791504576585390448785426#ixzz1Yh0uUWHg |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}

In 2012, a three-way settlement was reached between Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars, and the Department of Justice. Full Tilt Poker agreed to forfeit their assets to the Department of Justice and on the same day, PokerStars agreed to acquire those assets from the Department of Justice.{{cite news |title=PokerStars Closes Deal With DOJ; Full Tilt Poker Relaunch Expected by Nov. 6, 2012 |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/08/pokerstars-closes-deal-with-doj-full-tilt-poker-relaunch-13201.htm |work=Poker News |date=August 9, 2012 |access-date=May 1, 2013}}{{Cite news |last=Berzon |first=Alexandra |date=August 2, 2012 |title=Poker Site Settles for $731 Million |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444405804577561081504242636 |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}{{cite press release |title=Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces $731 Million Settlement of Money Laundering and Forfeiture Complaint with PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/July12/pokersettlement.html |publisher=United States Department of Justice |date=July 31, 2012 |access-date=June 12, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805200217/http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/july12/pokersettlement.html |archive-date=August 5, 2012 }} As part of the agreement, PokerStars paid $547 million to the Department of Justice in addition to $184 million to poker players outside the United States who were owed money by Full Tilt Poker. Additionally, $150 million from the settlement money was intended to be used to refund U.S.-based customers.

Lederer personally settled with the Department of Justice in December 2012. He admitted no wrongdoing and agreed to forfeit assets totaling more than $2.5 million.{{Cite news |last=Rodriguez |first=Julio |date=December 19, 2012 |title=Howard Lederer Forfeits Millions As Part Of DOJ Civil Complaint Settlement |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/14656-howard-lederer-forfeits-millions-as-part-of-doj-civil-complaint-settlement |access-date=April 30, 2013 |work=Card Player}}{{Cite news |last=Stutz |first=Howard |date=December 20, 2012 |title=Lederer Settles with DOJ |url=http://pokerati.com/2012/12/lederer-settles-with-doj/ |access-date=April 30, 2013 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal}}{{Cite news |last=Pempus |first=Brian |date=March 13, 2013 |title=DOJ Hires Group To Help Compensate American Victims Of Full Tilt Poker |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/15184-breaking-doj-hires-group-to-help-compensate-u-s-victims-of-full-tilt-poker |access-date=April 30, 2013 |work=Card Player}}

Lederer and his wife Suzie have previously hosted charity poker events including their April Fools fundraiser in 2009 to support the Las Vegas Springs Preserve.{{Cite news |last=Murphy |first=Stephen A. |date=March 30, 2009 |title=Howard Lederer Hosts April Fools Charity Poker Tournament |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/6438-howard-lederer-hosts-april-fools-charity-poker-tournament |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Card Player}} The Lederers have also hosted the Suzie and Howard Lederer Celebrity Charity Tourney, in 2009 and 2010, as part of their annual World Series of Barbecue event in Las Vegas. The charity poker event was a benefit for the Boys and Girls Club of Las Vegas.{{Cite news |last=Hintze |first=Haley |date=June 29, 2009 |title=Inaugural Suzie and Howard Lederer Celebrity Charity Tourney Slated for July 1st |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/06/inaugural-suzie-howard-lederer-celebrity-tourney-july-1st-6862.htm |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Poker News}}{{Cite news |last=Thorburn |first=Judy |date=July 9, 2010 |title=World Series of Barbeque |url=http://www.lasvegasroundtheclock.com/index.php/columnists-2/judy-thorburns-vegas-happenings/606-world-series-of-poker-barbeque |access-date=May 7, 2013 |work=Vegas Happenings}} Lederer has also participated in other charity poker events including Put a Bad Beat on Cancer in 2009.{{Cite news |last=Michalski |first=Dan |date=May 1, 2009 |title=DC Charity Poker |url=http://pokerati.com/2009/05/dc-charity-poker/ |access-date=May 1, 2013 |work=Pokerati}}

Though previously overweight, Lederer was able to lose weight as a result of gastric bypass surgery. In an interview in 2006, Lederer stated that he is a vegetarian.{{cite magazine |title=Poker Pro: Howard Lederer |first=Bradford R. |last=Pilcher |url=http://www.ajlmagazine.com/content/052006/poker/howardlederer.html |magazine=American Jewish Life Magazine |publisher=GENCO Media |location=Atlanta |date=May–June 2006 |access-date=May 7, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140130113138/http://www.ajlmagazine.com/content/052006/poker/howardlederer.html |archive-date=January 30, 2014 }} Lederer moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1993, where he lives with his wife, Suzie, and his son, Mattias.

{{reflist|33em}}

• [https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/1291-howard-lederer Card Player profile]
• [https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=s&n=147 Global Poker Index]
• [https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=147 Hendon Mob profile]
• [https://www.pokerlistings.com/howard-lederer PokerListings profile]
• [https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/howard-lederer/ WPT profile]
• [https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=269 WSOP profile]

{{2000s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}

{{World Poker Tour Player of the Year Award Winners}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lederer, Howard}}

Category:1964 births

Category:Living people

Category:American gambling writers

Category:American male non-fiction writers

Category:American poker players

Category:Poker commentators

Category:World Poker Tour winners

Category:World Series of Poker bracelet winners

Category:Poker After Dark tournament winners

Category:People from Concord, New Hampshire

Category:Columbia University alumni

Category:St. Paul's School (New Hampshire) alumni

Category:American people of German-Jewish descent

Category:American people of Polish-Jewish descent