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The poker community is mourning the loss of Howard Feingold, a well-known New York grinder nicknamed “Howie the Kid.” Feingold passed away due to complications from a heart condition, poker pro Kenna James, who coached him, confirmed to PokerNews.
James described Feingold as a bold and unforgettable personality who embraced contradictions rather than hiding from them, balancing faith, family, gambling, and business all at once. James also revealed that Feingold chose to donate his organs before passing.
Feingold had deep roots in New York’s underground poker scene dating back to the 1980s. In a 2024 interview with journalist Paul Oresteen, he recalled playing daily Seven Card Stud games in a room tied to the Gotti family and admitted to being a “degenerate gambler” who often lost his poker winnings shooting dice.
He also shared a story about stepping away from the game after accusing Amarillo Slim of cheating him during a match, an incident that led him to quit poker for decades, missing the entire Moneymaker Boom era.
Feingold eventually returned to the felt after watching a televised tournament, quickly building a respectable tournament résumé. Per The Hendon Mob, he earned $507,078 in lifetime tournament cashes since 2018, highlighted by a $33,440 score for a 21st-place finish in the 2022 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship.
James noted that only time kept Feingold from capturing a major title, calling him a singular and deeply missed friend. Feingold’s funeral is scheduled for Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Riverside-Nassau North Chapel in Great Neck, New York.
