Stu is thought to be by many to the finest No Limit Texas hold’em Poker gambler ever.
The 3 time World Poker Champion was born in New York in ‘53 and began betting poker before reaching his teens.
The young gambler started out wagering gin and at the age of 10 had won his very first gin rummy tournament, while on vacation with his mother and father. By the age of fourteen the small poker maestro had become a professional and dropped out of school.
In ‘54 Stu Ungar entered the history books by winning $10,000 in a gin rummy tournament without sacrificing a single hand, a record which still stands in New York today.
The quick speaking wiz kid has been likened, in poker terms, to sporting greats like Joe Namath and Kobe Bryant. Stu had a true talent for betting poker but despite his successes in Texas hold’em poker, he preferred playing gin.
Stu once said that there may several day be a better NL Hold’em player than him except he could not see how anyone could ever be a greater gin player.
In ‘80 Stu Ungar was put on the global map as one of the very best Texas hold’em Poker gamblers in the planet when he was crowned World Poker Champion for the very first time. Amazingly it was the very first time he had entered the tournament.
The subsequent year he put aside any suggestions that it had been a fluke, by successfully defending his title. 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 following winning his 3rd title Stu Ungar past away in his hotel room. According to doctors, he had passed away from a cardiac event which was caused by his lifestyle.
Stu Ungar had started with absolutely nothing except his ability and talent for the game which made this poker excellent a millionaire several times over.