Hoyt Corkins

Hoyt Bricken Corkins was born on December 20, 1959, in Glenwood, Alabama. He learned to play poker from his father at age 19. His first recorded tournament cash came in 1989 at the World Series of Poker, where he finished fourth in the $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event for $27,600. His first tournament victory followed shortly after in a $200 Pot-Limit Omaha Rebuy event at Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker.

Corkins won his first WSOP bracelet in 1992 in the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event, collecting $96,000. After an 11-year absence from the game, he returned to win his second bracelet in 2007, taking down the $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em six-handed event for $515,065, defeating Terrence Chan heads-up. He also finished second to Mike Matusow in the 2005 WSOP Tournament of Champions, earning $325,000. In the WSOP Main Event, his best finish was 35th in 1990, and he placed 162nd in the 2008 field of 6,844 players. As of 2026, he has 55 WSOP cashes totaling $1,675,430.

Corkins is one of the few players to win two World Poker Tour main events. His first title came in the 2003 WPT World Poker Finals at Foxwoods Resort Casino, where he won $1,089,200, at the time the largest prize in WPT history. His second title came in the 2010 WPT Southern Poker Championship at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, earning $739,486. He has made six WPT final tables and accumulated over $3.5 million in WPT earnings. Key runner-up finishes include: second to Gus Hansen in the 2004 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure ($290,065), second in the 2008 WPT World Poker Open ($458,267), third in the 2006 WPT Legends of Poker ($381,540), and sixth in the 2008 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic ($216,175). He also won the WPT Battle of Champions II in 2005-2006, a non-monetary event.

After his 1992 WSOP bracelet, Corkins stepped away from professional poker for 11 years due to personal issues, including a divorce. Encouraged by his ex-fiancée Natalie, he returned to the felt in 2003 and immediately won the WPT World Poker Finals, marking one of the most successful comebacks in poker history. During the 2004 PCA, he played while suffering from the flu but still managed a second-place finish behind Gus Hansen.

Known for his soft-spoken voice but hyper-aggressive play, Corkins earned the nickname "Mr. Move All-In" from Phil Hellmuth due to his tendency to make large raises and reraises. He applies relentless preflop pressure and is adept at post-flop bluffing and bet sizing. His signature look includes a cowboy hat, boots, and often earplugs to block out opponents' chatter. Other nicknames include "Cowboy," "Nightmare," and "The Westworld Cowboy."

Away from poker, Corkins runs a cattle ranch in Alabama with about sixty head of cattle. He also maintains a residence in Las Vegas. His total live tournament earnings stand at $6,092,620, with a best cash of $1,089,200. His most recent recorded cash dates to June 2023. He remains active in select high-profile tournaments and is a regular at WSOP and WPT events. As of 2026, he is ranked 322nd on the all-time money list. He posts on Twitter under @hcorkins.

With two WSOP bracelets, two WPT titles, and over $6 million in earnings, Hoyt Corkins is a respected figure from the poker boom era. His aggressive style and distinctive cowboy image made him a fan favorite and helped popularize the game. He continues to be an influence on aggressive playing strategies and is remembered as one of the most entertaining characters in professional poker.