Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/21/2015 -- Through the years, Annie Duke has worked her way to becoming one of the top poker players in the world. After winning over $4 million on poker's biggest stage and using her academics to help her make the appropriate decisions, Duke is featuring informational videos on Big Think. Through a series of interviews, the former World Series of Poker Champion discusses what she has seen at the poker table. She goes into detail about how she processes decisions, and how after almost two decades in the game she hasn't seen any player become a master of the game.

Duke talks about the uncertainty that is faced in every hand. Recalling advice she's received throughout her career, one of the videos, entitled "Never Take Poker Tips from Strangers," talks about the best and worst advice she received throughout her career, including a "mentor" who advised to play small suited connecting cards in any hand.

Through her experiences at the table, Duke discusses the classifications she has given men at the table and their attitude toward the women. When listening to the videos, interested individuals will learn her thought process and how controlling emotions is what sets others apart from the competition.

Duke is currently involved in charitable organizations that include After-School All-Stars and the Boston Children's Hospital. Through her academic studies and experience at the poker table, Duke speaks to various groups, boardrooms, and business professionals about strategic decision making and cognitive psychology.

To listen to the videos, visit her page on Big Think, or visit her website to learn more about Annie Duke.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/21/2015 -- When interested in learning about the journey of a successful poker player, Annie Duke has authored three books about her experience at the poker table and how she used her background in cognitive psychology to make favorable choices. Now, her autobiography, "Annie Duke: How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker," is available for bargain prices on Amazon.com.

As the only woman to win two major tournaments in the same year, the story takes readers through the beginning of her life, how she was introduced to poker, and how she climbed her way to the top. Customers can select from new and used products available from Amazon, and whether they would prefer a hardcover or audio CD version of the story. Used copies of the audio version are available at prices as low as 47 cents, and new copies are $2.85. The hardcover can be purchased for $1.59 when choosing used, and new from $3.34. Add an additional $3.99 for shipping charges.

The book provides readers with a winning strategy and is beneficial for any poker lover to achieve more success at the table. Due to its bargain price category, there are limited quantities available and readers are encouraged to act quickly in order to take advantage of the steep discounts.

Annie Duke is currently involved in numerous charitable organizations and speaks to groups of professionals and individuals about making the proper decisions. Topics of her speaking engagements include poker, avoiding emotional decisions, how to become a better negotiator, and a variety of other topics to hone decision making skills. For more information about Duke, browse her website. To purchase the autobiography at a bargain price, check out her profile on Amazon.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/16/2015 -- Annie Duke, the former World Series of Poker champion and author of three highly successful books on the game, is announcing her podcasts are now available on The Moth. The Moth is a non-profit organization that dedicates itself to providing listeners with exceptional storytelling. There are two separate podcasts available on the site, "A House Divided" and "The Big Things You Don't Do."

Her stories have to deal with perseverance and how the various obstacles she faced in her life led to her success at the poker table. In "A House Divided," listeners learn valuable lessons about what motivated Duke to become the card player she grew up to be. While her father showed no mercy in friendly games of cards as a child, Duke would throw a tantrum but would always beg for more. After maturing, these childhood card games prepared her for the professional poker table.

At her first even poker event, Duke says in the podcast, "When I sat down and I started playing, it was the first time that I actually felt peace. It was the first time in a long time that I wasn't afraid."

The newest Annie Duke podcast, "The Big Things You Don't Do," takes listeners through her journey of high stakes poker and focuses on her most terrifying experience at the table. Faced with an All-In moment, seconds ticked by as she tried to use her knowledge and studies in cognitive psychology to come to the correct decision. She takes the audience through the situation and the steps she took to build on her mistakes.

The stories speak to much more than the poker table, as they offer valuable lessons on life. Both podcasts can be downloaded on iTunes for interested listeners. If wanting to learn more about the life of Annie Duke and her journey to becoming the female pioneer of poker, visit her profile on PokerNewsDaily or browse her website today.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/09/2015 -- Annie Duke has appeared in two separate documentaries that detail the game of high stakes poker. Since winning the 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP), Duke has been a regular on the speaking circuit and has authored multiple books on the subject of poker.

The two documentaries, No Limit: A Search for the American Dream on the Poker Tournament Trail (2006) and All In: The Poker Movie (2009) examine the journeys taken by professional poker players and how they have used poker as a means to live the American dream.

No Limit: A Search for the American Dream on the Poker Tournament Trail takes viewers on a journey with a bi-coastal couple who use poker as a way to save their company. Playing in six tournaments, the couple introduces some of the most popular poker names in the world, including Duke, to the audience. Duke describes how she used her academics studies in psychology to gain success at the poker table. All In: The Poker Movie discusses the history of poker and the rises and falls that define the game. Those interested in hearing Duke discuss her successes and failures can read a synopsis of both films, which appear on her IMDB profile.

Her books explain everything from how she made decisions to call or fold to how others can achieve success at the poker table. She conveys her message of how she weighed risk and reward to turn her decisions at the high stakes poker tables into a successful career. Follow Annie Duke on social media and keep up with the latest news and endeavors in which Duke is involved.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Former World Series of Poker Champion’s Books on Poker Available on Amazon’s Audible Audio Edition

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/12/2014 -- Annie Duke has authored several books to help readers learn the concepts and strategies that can lead to a successful poker game. With the holiday season arriving, these books are informative and feature first-hand knowledge for the novice or the pro looking to brush up on their poker skills. The books can be found on Amazon just in time for the holiday season.

Duke's books are available in multiple formats, including via download as an Audible Audio book, or for Kindle users. Learn how to make the right decisions in any poker game, and reap the rewards that follow with "Decide to Play Great Poker: A Strategy Guide to No-limit Texas Hold Em." Written in 2011, the Audible audio edition is available at no charge through a free trial. Listen to the book while traveling this holiday season, and learn how to analyze each hand and make the right decisions.

Also available for immediate download with the free Audible app is Duke's 2012 book, "The Middle Zone: Mastering the Most Difficult Hands in Hold'em Poker." Students of the game will learn best practices on what to do when they think have a good hand, but aren't sure how it will stand up against the competition.

There are four books by Duke available on Amazon, reasonably priced for holiday shopping. Whether a traditional paperback book, an Audible audiobook, or a download to your Kindle, choose the right title – and the right format – for the poker player in your family.

To learn more about Duke, read through her blog or keep up with her activities and charitable organizations on social media.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/01/2014 -- In a recent article in The Philadelphia Lawyer, Attorney Dennis Suplee recounted what he had learned from a presentation given by Annie Duke. He attended the talk after receiving an email from a client saying that he'll, "learn in 40 minutes what I've been trying to teach you the last three years." Suplee used four separate parts of Annie Duke's presentation, and took her assessments of how poker players learn from feedback, incorporating those assessments and relating them to the experience of trial lawyers.

With a background in cognitive psychology, Duke has extensive insight into the thought process of others at the poker table. In her public speaking career, she uses her poker experience to help audiences better understand decision science and how it might practically apply to their lives and careers. Suplee looks at Duke's explanation of skill versus luck, feedback learned from folds, evaluating juniors, and using risks and experience to learn and get better. Similar to trial lawyers, Duke pointed out in her presentation that, "Playing poker is an intensely personal experience. You sit at the same table with your adversary and can look him directly in the eye. At the end of each hand, and at the end of the night, you won or you lost." The lesson is that in order to achieve success one must avoid falling into the practice of doing the same things over and over.

Duke has seen her share of success at the poker table, and has shared her experiences through a series of published books and regular speaking engagements. Her notoriety as the first female World Series of Poker champion earned her national recognition and she is regularly sought out for her commentary on how to apply lessons learned at the poker table for success in business and life. Her entire filmography can be seen on her IMDB profile.

The entire Philadelphia Lawyer article has been shared on Annie Duke's blog. If interested in reading about her professional experiences, or to see how Suplee compares her presentation to trial lawyers, please visit the website and check out her blog today.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/13/2014 -- Annie Duke spent two decades traveling the world and playing professional poker, becoming one of the top players in the world. Duke developed a strong strategy of decision-making through her success at the poker table and her academic training in cognitive psychology. For the last decade, she has been sharing her strategy through a series of theory and instruction books to inform others about the game. Now, Annie Duke's books are available for download and purchase on the Amazon Kindle.

Two books in the series of three are available in a Kindle edition, and Amazon also features an unabridged version of an audio book entitled The Middle Zone that has a Kindle edition. For those with a Kindle, learn how Duke analyzed her chances and assessed her strategies in heads-up poker by purchasing her 2013 book, "Heads-Up Tournament Poker: Hand-by-Hand" for $9.99 on the Kindle. Her 2011 strategy guide to no-limit Texas Hold'em, "Decide to Play Great Poker," is also available for $9.99 and will leave readers feeling confident and comfortable in any poker situation.

Duke's books are also available through Amazon in hard copy or audiobooks, and have discounted pricing models through Amazon Prime. These informative accounts of successful strategies and how to make correct decisions under pressure will make great gifts for the holiday season, educating others on how to make the most of their experience at the poker table.

If interested in hearing more stories about Annie Duke and her successes in poker and how she teaches others to apply those skills to business, the blog on her website covers a wide range of topics. From hindsight bias to cognitive psychology to availability bias, Duke provides unique interpretations and easy to follow stories about how these psychological effects connect with real-world activities, similar to how she brought her strategies to real-world poker tables. Visit her Amazon page to purchase one of her books for the Kindle, or visit her website today.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/21/2014 -- The Moth, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling, has released a podcast of Annie Duke's story of perseverance in her childhood. The story, which Duke titles "A House Divided," describes the relationship she shared with her parents during childhood, and how those experiences and journeys have unconventionally shaped the person she has become today.

As a World Series of Poker champion and prominent public speaker, Duke uses her story to motivate and encourage others that they can achieve success no matter the obstacles life hands them. Transporting the audience from her childhood living room floor to the smoke-filled poker table with men twice her age, her story comes full circle as she realizes that the parenting from both her mother and her father would eventually lead her to achieve success in all her endeavors, especially at the poker table.

Duke describes childhood card games in the presence of her father. "You don't lose, and you certainly aren't allowed to quit," says Duke. "So while every night I would throw a tantrum and throw the cards against the wall and storm out of the room in tears, five minutes later I would always come back begging for more."

Ultimately, it was Annie's brother who suggested she try her hand professionally at the poker table, at the Crystal Lounge & Casino in downtown Billings, Montana. It was here where Annie Duke found her calling. "When I sat down and I started playing, it was the first time that I actually felt peace," recalls Duke. "It was the first time in a long time that I wasn't afraid. And I realized I had spent all of this time trying to make sure that I wasn't like my mother and I was just like my dad, but when I sat down at the poker table, that's when I made my way back to both of them."

To hear the whole story, please visit Annie's page on The Moth website. To stay up to date on the latest projects and appearances from Annie, or to read her thoughts on current events, please visit her website today.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/08/2014 -- Annie Duke, a prominent public speaker, and student of cognitive psychology has recently written about the ability of jurors to self-assess bias. In a Detroit courtroom, the grandmother of Aiyana Stanley-Jones, a 7-year-old girl who was shot in the head, took the stand and started sobbing, screaming at the defendant. Escorted out of the courtroom, this story has become national news due to defense attorney, Steve Fishman, demanding a mistrial, claiming the outburst biased the jurors.

Due to Michigan law, the judge in these instances is required to speak with each juror, one by one, to determine if they can still be fair and impartial after hearing the facts of the case and reaching a verdict. All jurors said they remained unbiased despite the outburst. Duke reflects, "This brings up the question of whether asking jurors if they are biased is a reasonable test given that we know that bias is generally not a conscious process."

With the many facets of bias, individuals are unaware when and if they are thinking irrationally. Annie Duke discusses a study conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona about the issue of simply asking jurors if they can be unbiased in their decision. After extensive testing, it was found that jurors did not have the ability to self-assess whether or not they were biased.

"We generally intuitively think we are much better able to access our own biases on a conscious level and control our irrational thinking than we actually are," Duke writes. "It seems like it might be time to reassess the standard for determining bias in jurors."

Annie Duke routinely speaks to business leaders and other groups on a wide range of issues from bias to decision making, combining her study of cognitive psychology with her real world experience gained at the poker table to create an impactful and memorable presentation. Follow this link to read what Duke wrote on the topic of jury bias, or visit her website to follow her blog as she frequently discusses various subjects of life.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/09/2014 -- The Moth, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling, recently released a new podcast, featuring Annie Duke, and her story called The Big Things You Don't Do, which she told live in Las Vegas at the 2012 Public Radio Program Director's Conference. The podcast is available to download on iTunes, and Annie Duke takes the audience through her most terrifying experience in the high stakes world of gambling.

While sitting at the table for the 2004 Tournament of Champions $2 million winner-take-all tournament, with the ESPN World Series of Poker cameras in her face, and her cards exposed to the entire world, Duke contemplated throwing her remaining chips into the pot with a pair of 10s in her hand. The podcast takes the audience through the mind of a poker player when dealing with difficult decisions and building on mistakes to achieve success.

Before ESPN made its way to the casino floor, and before the cameras were showing players' hands to the viewers, cards held by poker players were anonymous. "All I saw while I was playing was my own mistakes," says Duke in the story.

Faced with an all-in situation, Duke explains how precious seconds started ticking while she contemplated her pocket 10s. She wanted to prove to the world she belonged at the table of the Tournament of Champions, and made a decision that no poker player should ever make: she played not to lose, not to get knocked out.
"The great thing in poker is that sometimes the cards save you from yourself, save you from your self-doubt," Duke says.

It's a story of regaining confidence, how to play to win and it deals with issues far bigger than poker--it deals with life. Annie's story is a life lesson that will help those who listen to it build on mistakes to triumph and achieve success as an entrepreneur. The story can be summed up with Duke's closing remarks. "Sometimes it's not the really big things you do that get you the win, it's the really big things that you don't do."

Listen to the podcast here, and visit Annie Duke's website to stay current with her projects and upcoming events.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/03/2014 -- Using her studies in cognitive psychology to achieve success in various fields, such as professional poker and public speaking, Annie Duke is often thinking about how individuals perceive different events and occurrences. As Shark Week is always a family favorite in the Duke household, the former professional poker player and prominent public speaker has recently weighed in on the Discovery Channel's popular program, comparing the effects of Availability Bias to the common perception of sharks.

After watching a recent video on Availability Bias, Annie Duke let her fans know that thinking rationally will help to understand the reality about sharks. In a recent blog post, Duke writes that a horse causes about 20 times more deaths per year than sharks, and she answers the question as to why a large percentage of people think sharks are one of the most dangerous species on earth. "The root cause of the mistake is that events we hear about more in the news, that are more vivid and emotional in their descriptions, are easier to recall from memory than things that are boring and dry in their detail," explains Duke.

This theory stems from the concept of Availability Bias - the more examples that a person remembers the more common it is. When something is easier to recall based on the coverage of certain events or occurrences, individuals determine through bias that those specific events occur more frequently in the real world. "The Availability Bias has deep effects," writes Duke. "Not just on our own thoughts and actions and assessments of what is dangerous or not but also on public policy and fear."

It's a concept that causes systematic errors in an individual's thought process. The best way to avoid Availability Bias is to make decisions based on statistics and not media headlines.

For more information about decision science, the concept of Availability Bias, and cognitive psychology in the real world, visit Annie Duke's website to watch videos or read more from her blog

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/19/2014 -- As a student of cognitive psychology and someone who focuses on how people think, remember, and perceive events, prominent public speaker and former professional poker player Annie Duke has weighed in on the recent news that former New York Supreme Court Judge Frank Barbaro has decided to overturn his 1999 murder conviction. Barbaro found Donald Kagan guilty of second-degree murder, and now believes he made a mistake in the conviction due to bias.

After being convinced Kagan (a white male) was a racist, killing 23-year-old Wavell Wint (a black male) out of hatred, Barbaro has claimed he ignored the evidence of self-defense and went with a guilty verdict. He claims his racial bias didn't allow Kagan to receive a fair trial, and has since become a witness for Kagan's defense. Annie Duke writes, "(Barbaro) believes his sensitivity to racial issues and inequalities is likely what led him to the bias decision. He has always had a reputation for fairness when it comes to race, but in this case he believes that very sensitivity to race biased his decision."

In a recent interview with CNN, the 86-year-old former judge claimed the defendant (Kagan) on the stand in 1999, and the look on the defense attorney's face when the verdict was read, still haunts him. Duke claims that seeing a retrospective bias is extremely rare, and had some thoughts on the decision-making process, looking at the case through cognitive psychology.

"Cognitive dissonance tells us that our actions often inform our beliefs, not the other way around," writes Duke. "When our actions don't coincide with our beliefs, we get distressed and often change our beliefs to conform to our actions." Duke finds the events that have transpired surprising. The nature of cognitive dissonance says that because Kagan was convicted, Barbaro's belief should be reinforced that he was, indeed, guilty of second-degree murder.

The ultimate decision for a new verdict has been postponed until September 22. Will Barbaro's admission of bias convince New York City Criminal Court Judge, ShawnDya L. Simpson, to overturn the original verdict? Simpson has delayed the ruling twice so far in 2014. Stay tuned for more information about this rare case, and in the meantime visit Annie Duke's website to read her blog, and see what else she has weighed in on.

About Annie Duke
Annie Duke has a strong track record of success in the world of poker. She first burst onto the scene at the 1994 World Series of Poker, where she cashed in three events including making the final three tables of the Main Event. A decade later, she won her first WSOP bracelet and in 2010 became the NBC National Heads-Up Champion when she bested runner-up, Erik Seidel. Duke has appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and tutored Hollywood A-listers including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the finer points of the game of poker. She is also the author of three books on poker: Decide to Play Great Poker; Heads-Up Tournament Poker; and The Middle Zone. She also authored an autobiography, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker.

Connect with Annie on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

For more information, please visit http://annieduke.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm