Howard Lederer lived in a family of 5 where he loved playing numerous card games at a young age. He discovered himself getting very aggressive in the above-mentioned card games as he was playing his dad. After finishing secondary school, Howard decided to put higher education on hold for a little bit and moved to New York to compete in some formidable chess. While playing chess, he was brought in to a poker game taking place in the back of the room. Howard’s initial 2 years were tough as he would play many hours and don’t win most times. He earned some additional cash by becoming an runner for the poker enthusiasts. He believed he possibly could better his game by analyzing his life outside of poker. He made an effort to get more sleep and focus even more on poker.

The definite advancement in his game happened when he began betting at the Mayfair Club in New York City. The Mayfair was a bridge and backgammon club where the best players would frequently play against one another. Howard was able to access a number of the best minds in chess. With their help, he would sharpen his logical thinking skills. He used these strategic ideas in the game of NL hold’em.

He also helped his sibling Annie Duke master the game of poker. She was a superb student of the game as she constantly asked questions about the right way to make the proper decision. He told Annie Duke to head out to Las Vegas and compete in the WSOP competition. She is one of the best women players the poker world ever. Howard headed to Las Vegas in 1993 and competed in money games for the next decade. When the WPT gained popularity, he made the decision to play more tournaments.