For anyone playing tournament poker in the last seven years on the East Coast, it’s highly likely that they’ve got a Howard Feingold story. The 56-year-old New York native isn’t hard to miss at events – he’s loud, he’s funny and he cut his teeth playing cards in New York City’s famed clubs.
Feingold is among the Day 2 field at the $3,500 World Poker Tour Playground Championship and fighting his way back from a rough start to the day. He’s got some momentum as he finished 184th in the WPT Prime Playground Championship earlier this week.
Growing up on the streets of New York
“I played poker every day from 1985 to 1990,” Feingold said. “I played in a Gotti room – Seven Card Stud with three bets per street, capped. They used to call me ‘Howard the Kid.’”
“But back then I was a degenerate gambler,” he continued. “I could win $2-$3,000 playing poker in a night and I’d turn around and lose it immediately on dice.”
The education of a New York City poker player in the 80s was a perilous journey, filled with tough lessons and beats. But it also taught Feingold to watch out for cheats and anglers.
Howard Feingold cut his teeth in New York's underground clubs. “I stopped playing for a while after I caught Amarillo Slim trying to cheat me in a game,” he said. “I knew what he was doing and I called him out. There was another old school player there that everyone loves, but I won’t mention his name.”
Feingold exudes New York City in his mannerisms, down to how he brushes his fashionably unkempt hair from his face. His family goes back generations to New York’s Lower East Side, he spent most of his younger years in Queens and now he calls the Flatiron District home.
While he grew up a Mets fan, he’s invested in the Yankees this World Series. “If they lose one game in New York City it’s over for them. They can’t afford to lose at home.”
The comeback
Feingold took a long break from the game – he missed the Moneymaker Boom, and didn’t get caught up in online poker, but in 2017 he saw a tournament on TV. “I’m watching these guys thinking, ‘I can beat these guys.’ For my first tournament back, I played at Borgata in a field of over 4,500 and I think I made top 100. That cemented it for me.”
Feingold has plans to be at Wynn in December for all the WPT action. But between now and then, he’s going to go at his own pace. “Since poker came back on the East Coast, I really like going to play where I can take a train. I don’t like flying everywhere, plus it saves a few bucks.”
Since his return to the game, Feingold has earned over $400,000 in tournaments. At this point in his career, he isn’t looking for a decent cash. “There is no deep run for me, it’s about winning,” he said. “I’ve had deep runs before and I want the big money.”
All photos courtesy of World Poker Tour - Alicia Skillman
