Howard ‘The Professor’ Lederer was one of the first poker superstars thanks to two wins in the first series of the WPT and an impressive back-story.

The maths graduate learned the game in the underground clubs of New York before making a World Series of Poker main event final table appearance in 1987 at the tender age of 23. From there he went on to garner two WSOP bracelets and a fearsome reputation at the biggest cash games in Las Vegas.

And it was Lederer’s cash game play that made him truly iconic thanks to an encounter with Texan billionaire Andy Beal.