The World Series of Poker Academy Ladies Only Event will be held at Caesars Palace for the third straight year, and this time, the event is hosted by Celebrity Apprentice star and WSOP bracelet winner, Annie Duke. On June 5 & 6, Duke will play drill sergeant to a group of lady poker players. The event is scheduled to come before the World Series of Poker $1,000 Ladies No Limit Hold'em World Championship.

In the previous years, the timing of the event had worked out quite well for few women. In 2007, Sally Anne Boyer finished the academy, and went on to win the bracelet in the WSOP Ladies Event. The third place finisher last year, Patty Till, was also a graduate from the academy. Last but not the least, Mary Jo Belcore-Zogman, who was named the 2008 Heartland Poker Tour Player of the Year after she had won at one of the HPT events, and reached two other HPT final tables, is also a WSOP Ladies Only Academy product.

Commenting on the academy, Brandon Rosen of Post Oak Productions, the company that runs the WSOP Academy, said “The success of our grads is testament to the level of instruction Annie Duke and all of our instructors offer our participants.” She added that “We’re expecting to see more WSOP Academy grads at final tables in 2009.”

Soon Duke will have LUFF Magazine contributor and tells expert Joe Navarro and Alex “The Insider” Outhred as its instructors. To the students, they will provide a total immersion crash course emphasizing on a wide range of no-limit strategies, including calculating odds, playing position, aggression, and changing gears. Navarro will also host a special seminar on female-specific nonverbal behavior.

Full tuition fee for a course at WSOP Academy Ladies Only Event is $1,699. But, in order to lock down a spot (with the rest billed later), only $425 is required. Since the number of seats available is limited, candidates are requested to register at the earliest.