Hoyt Corkins: The Champion and the Gentleman
One of the most aggressive pros in the poker circuit is Hoyt Corkins. He is also quite popular for being a well-mannered and soft-spoken guy. He has been called with several nicknames that were given by his colleagues and friends in the industry. His popular nickname is "Nightmare". Phil Hellmuth called him "Mr. All-in". Corkins is also called cowboy because of his cowboy hat which is part of his wardrobe during tournaments and World Poker Tour commentator and actor Vince Van Patten gave him the trademark "The Westworld Cowboy"; Westworld is a 1973 sci-fi western movie.
Corkins won the 1992 Pot-limit Omaha event of the World Series of Poker Championship. He earned his first WSOP bracelet and take home prize of $ 96 grand. He took a long break after his very first WSOP bracelet, but come 2003, Corkins became champ again. At Foxwoods World Poker Tour he bagged a total prize of $ 1,089,200. In the 2004 PokerStars.com Caribbean Adventure of the World Poker Tour, Corkins finished second place next to Gus Hansen. He was ill at that time but was able to make it to the final table and even took home $ 290,065 prize money.
Corkins' nickname "Mr. All-in" wasn't really an accolade, especially coming from a defeated opponent. It was given to him by Phil Hellmuth after he (Hellmuth) finished third at the 2003 World Poker Tour. Corkins' cordial and humble nature doesn't seem to faze him even with an opponent's remark. He even told in an interview by one of Poker-babes.com's correspondent that Hellmuth deserved to win higher than third place.
Born in the rural parts of Glenwood, Alabama, Hoyt Corkins only started playing poker when he reached the age of nineteen. He learned poker from his father who used to host weekly money games in their home. By watching how his dad played and how his opponents counteract with his dad's moves, he learned the tactics of the game that soon turned him into champion.
Corkins is one influential persona in realm of pro poker. In the 2005 World Series of Poker's Tournament of Champions, Corkins won second place after Mike Matusow in the free roll event. He earned $ 325,000 in prize money. As of 2005, Corkins has an estimated $ 2.2 million in tournament earnings and has finished in the money for seven times.
When Hoyt Corkins is not participating in poker tournaments, he's busy taking care of his livestock in Alabama. He has sixty heads of cattle which he is in charge of. He is also one of the members of Poker Royalty, which is a poker consultancy company that handles tutorials and events planning. Corkins has two homes, one in Alabama and one in Las Vegas.