Stu Ungar is considered by most to the very best No Limit Holdem Poker player ever.
The 3 time World Poker Champion was born in New York in ‘53 and began betting poker before reaching his teens.
The young bettor started out playing gin and at the age of 10 had won his 1st gin tournament, while on vacation with his mother and father. By the time he turned 14 the small poker genius had turned pro and dropped out of school.
In ‘54 Stu entered the history books by winning 10,000 dollars in a gin tournament without sacrificing a single hand, a record which still remains in New York these days.
The quick speaking wiz kid has been likened, in poker terms, to sporting greats such as Joe Namath and Kobe Bryant. Stu had a real talent for playing poker except in spite of his achievements in Texas hold’em poker, he preferred playing gin.
Stu once said that there might a few day be a better NL Texas hold em gambler than him but he couldn’t see how anyone could ever be a better gin player.
In 1980 Stu was put on the world map as one of the greatest Hold’em Poker players in the entire world when he was crowned World Poker Champion for the 1st time. Astonishingly it was the first time he had entered the tournament.
The following year he put aside any thoughts that it had been a fluke, by successfully protecting his title. And in 1997 Stu set the record by succeeding his 3rd 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 nothing except his skill and expertise for the casino game which made this poker great a millionaire numerous times over.