Felton "Corky" McCorquodale (August 23, 1904 – November 23, 1968)[1] was a professional
poker player, noted as the person who introduced
Texas hold 'em to
Las Vegas in 1963.
Poker had been legal in Las Vegas since 1931,[2] but Texas hold 'em was not played. In 1963, McCorquodale introduced Texas hold'em at the
California Club in Las Vegas.[3] The game became popular and quickly spread to the
Golden Nugget,
Stardust and
Dunes.[4]
He was a respected no-limit player in his career. Since McCorquodale's death in 1968, Texas hold ‘em has now become one of the most popular forms of the game in the world.