Howard “Howie the Kid” Feingold, New York Poker Original, Dies

Poker table with cards and chips overlooking the New York City skyline at night.

Howard “Howie the Kid” Feingold, a longtime fixture in New York’s poker scene, has died, according to poker pro and former coach Kenna James.

Howard “Howie the Kid” Feingold has died following heart complications.
Feingold played in New York’s underground poker scene before stepping away for decades.
He returned to poker and recorded $507,078 in live tournament earnings.
Feingold was an organ donor, with his funeral set for September 17 in Great Neck, New York.

New York poker veteran Howard “Howie the Kid” Feingold has died following heart complications. Poker pro Kenna James, who served as Feingold’s poker coach, shared the news with PokerNews on September 15, 2026. Feingold spent years in New York’s poker scene, starting in underground clubs in the 1980s. He later returned to tournament poker and amassed more than $500,000 in earnings. James said Feingold donated his organs to those in need. His funeral will be held Thursday, September 17, at 11:30 a.m. at Riverside-Nassau North Chapel, 55 N. Station Plaza, Great Neck, New York.

From New York’s Underground Clubs

Feingold learned the game in New York’s underground poker rooms. In a 2024 interview with poker journalist Paul Oresteen, Feingold recalled playing every day from 1985 to 1990. His games included Seven Card Stud in what he described as a “Gotti room.” It was during those years that he became known as “Howard the Kid.”

Feingold was candid about his gambling during that period. He told Oresteen he could win $2,000 or $3,000 playing poker in one night, only to lose it playing dice afterward.

Feingold also said a run-in with Amarillo Slim contributed to his decision to leave poker for a time. Feingold alleged that Slim tried to cheat him during a game. He said he confronted the 1972 WSOP Main Event champion over it. Feingold said another prominent old-school player was present but declined to identify him. Slim, whose real name was Thomas Preston, later joined the Poker Hall of Fame.

A Return to the Felt

Feingold stepped away from poker for decades. He was gone long enough to miss the Moneymaker Boom entirely, the surge in poker’s popularity that followed Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 WSOP Main Event win as an online qualifier. That boom pulled millions of new players toward tournament poker and gave the WSOP Main Event a momentum it had never seen. Feingold simply wasn’t at the table for it.

What brought him back was television. After catching a tournament on TV, Feingold returned to competitive poker and started posting results. According to The Hendon Mob, which tracks live tournament earnings, he built $507,078 in lifetime tournament winnings dating back to 2018.

His career-high score came in the 2022 World Poker Tour (WPT) Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship, where he finished 21st for $33,440.

Remembering “Howie the Kid”

James remembered Feingold as someone with an unmistakable presence. He said Feingold balanced faith, family and friendship alongside business, gambling and poker, embracing the contradictions that came with them.

A major tournament title ultimately remained outside Feingold’s list of accomplishments. For James, however, Feingold’s personality and their friendship mattered far more than anything missing from his poker résumé.

I want to let the #poker community know of the passing of Howard "Howie the Kid" Feingold. He passed away yesterday morning after suffering a severe stroke while awaiting heart surgery. Funeral services are being planned for tomorrow in New York and I will post more information… pic.twitter.com/hs2KH5RmZR
— Kenna James (@Kenna_James) September 15, 2026

A Poker Life in Two Acts

For US poker players, Feingold’s story is a reminder that the game keeps room for late starts and second acts. He walked away as a young man, missed poker’s biggest boom, and still returned decades later to build more than $500,000 in recorded tournament earnings. James also said Feingold donated his organs to those in need. Feingold’s funeral will be held Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Riverside-Nassau North Chapel, 55 N. Station Plaza, Great Neck, New York. Rest easy, Howie the Kid.

The LUSPS Team covers the latest online and live poker news for US players. Read more on the Legal US Poker Sites news page.

Sandra is a content writer and digital creative with 10+ years of experience across Web3, crypto, NFTs, iGaming, wellness, and media. She creates blog content, email campaigns, and brand copy for companies ranging from early-stage ventures to established platforms. She currently writes for Legal US Poker Sites, continuing to grow her presence in the digital content space.