Stu Ungar is regarded by many to the finest NL Holdem Poker player ever.
The 3 time World Poker Champion was born in New York in ‘53 and started wagering poker prior to reaching his teens.
The young bettor began wagering gin and at the age of 10 had won his very first gin rummy tournament, while on holiday with his mother and father. By the time he turned 14 the small poker genius had become a professional and dropped out of school.
In 1954 Stu Ungar entered the history books by winning 10 grand in a gin tournament without losing a single hand, a record which still remains in New York these days.
The quick talking superstar has been likened, in poker terms, to athletic superstars such as Joe Namath and Tiger Woods. Stu Ungar had a genuine skill for betting poker except despite his achievements in Hold em poker, he favored playing gin.
Stu once said that there may some day be a improved No Limit Hold’em player than him but he couldn’t see how anyone could ever be a far better gin player.
In 1980 Stu was put on the world map as one of the very best Texas holdem Poker players in the entire world when he was crowned World Poker Champion for the 1st time. Amazingly it was the 1st time he had entered the tournament.
The following year he dismissed any thoughts that it had been a fluke, by successfully defending his crown. And in ‘97 Stu set the record by succeeding his third World poker championship.
Except this poker legend also fought with substance abuse and a year after winning his third title Stu died in his hotel room. According to doctors, he had died from a heart attack which was caused by his lifestyle.
Stu Ungar had started out with practically nothing except his skill and expertise for the casino game which made this poker wonderful a millionaire a lot of times over.