Stu is thought to be by most to the finest NL Texas holdem Poker player ever.
The 3 time World Poker Champion was born in New York in 1953 and started betting poker prior to reaching his teens.
The young gambler began betting gin and at the age of ten had won his 1st gin tournament, while on holiday with his parents. By the time he turned fourteen the little poker genius had turned pro and dropped out of school.
In ‘54 Stu Ungar entered the record books by succeeding 10,000 dollars in a gin tournament without losing 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 athletic superstars like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Stu Ungar had a real talent for playing poker except despite his successes in Texas hold em poker, he preferred betting gin.
Stu once said that there may several day be a greater No Limit Texas hold’em player than him but he couldn’t see how anyone could ever be a improved gin player.
In 1980 Stu was put on the world map as one of the best Hold’em Poker gamblers in the globe when he was crowned World Poker Champion for the 1st time. Amazingly it was the 1st time he had played in the tournament.
The following year he put aside any suggestions that it had been a fluke, by effectively protecting his title. And in 1997 Stu set the record by succeeding his 3rd World poker championship.
But this poker legend also fought with drug abuse and a year following succeeding 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 ability and talent for the game which made this poker great a millionaire several times over.