Stu Ungar is thought to be by most to the greatest NL Hold’em Poker gambler ever.
The three time World Poker Champion was born in New York in 1953 and began wagering poker before becomming a teenager.
The young bettor began betting gin and at the age of 10 had won his very first gin rummy tournament, while on holiday with his parents. By the time he turned 14 the little poker maestro had turned professional and dropped out of school.
In ‘54 Stu Ungar entered the record books by succeeding 10,000 dollars in a gin rummy tournament without dropping a single hand, a record which still stands in New York these days.
The quick talking wiz kid has been likened, in poker terms, to sporting greats like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Stu had a real talent for wagering poker but in spite of his achievements in Holdem poker, he preferred playing gin.
Stu once said that there may several day be a improved No Limit Holdem gambler than him but he could not see how anyone could ever be a better gin gambler.
In 1980 Stu Ungar was put on the world map as one of the finest Texas hold’em Poker players in the earth when he was crowned World Poker Champ for the very first time. Extraordinarily it was the very first time he had entered the tournament.
The subsequent year he put aside any thoughts that it had been a fluke, by successfully defending his title. And in ‘97 Stu set the record by winning his 3rd World poker championship.
But this poker master also struggled with substance abuse and a year following winning his third title Stu died in his hotel room. According to doctors, he had passed away from a cardiac event which was caused by his lifestyle.
Stu had started out with absolutely nothing except his ability and natural talent for the game which made this poker wonderful a millionaire many times over.
