Stu is thought to be by most to the greatest NL Hold’em Poker gambler ever.
The three time World Poker Champ was born in New York in ‘53 and began wagering poker prior to becomming a teenager.
The young gambler started out wagering gin and at the age of ten had won his very first gin tournament, while on vacation with his mother and father. By the time he turned fourteen the little poker genius had become a professional and stopped going to school.
In ‘54 Stu entered the record books by succeeding $10,000 in a gin rummy tournament without sacrificing a single hand, a record which still appears in New York today.
The fast talking wiz kid has been compared, in poker terms, to sporting superstars such as Joe Namath and Tiger Woods. Stu had a actual talent for wagering poker except regardless of his successes in Hold em poker, he preferred wagering gin.
Stu once said that there may a few day be a much better No Limit Texas hold’em gambler than him except he couldn’t see how anyone could ever be a better gin player.
In ‘80 Stu Ungar was put on the world map as one of the greatest Hold’em Poker players in the earth when he was crowned World Poker Champ for the first time. Amazingly it was the 1st time he had entered the tournament.
The following year he dismissed any suggestions that it had been luck, by successfully defending his crown. And in ‘97 Stu set the record by winning his 3rd World poker championship.
Except this poker legend also struggled with substance abuse and a year after winning his third title Stu died in his hotel room. According to medical professionals, he had died from cardiac arrest which was caused by his lifestyle.
Stu Ungar had began with nothing but his ability and talent for the game which made this poker wonderful a millionaire numerous times over.