Who is the greatest poker player of all time It's a question many enthusiasts ponder, and nearly everyone struggles to come up with a definitive answer.
Determining who truly deserves the title of greatest in this game is no easy feat, and numerous lists often mention the same renowned players. Among them is a figure who left us too soon, primarily due to his turbulent lifestyle.
Despite passing away at just 45 years old, this player carved a name for himself in poker history and became a celebrated figure in the game. World Series of Poker (WSOP) .
Of course, we're referring to Stu Ungar . We'll delve into his life story and uncover the reasons behind his unique significance as a player.
Join us as we take a detailed look into the life of one of the most remarkable poker players to ever grace the game. poker history .
The Early Days
Born on September 8, 1953, in New York, Stu Ungar was the son of Jewish immigrants. His father, Isidore Ungar, often called Ido, worked as a bookmaker and operated a bar known as Foxes Corner.
This bar was notorious for hosting games of chance and gambling activities.
Growing up in this environment, Stu was introduced to the world of gambling at an early age. Despite his father's attempts to shield him from these activities, he began playing gin rummy clandestinely and quickly gained popularity in that scene.
Following his father's death, his mother, Faye Ungar, became incapacitated after having a heart attack. Consequently, Ungar ventured out into the city's underground gambling venues.
This trend continued until he reached adulthood at 18, when he crossed paths with Victor Romano, a well-known mob figure from the 1960s. Romano was not only a formidable card player but also someone who developed a close bond with Ungar, becoming both his mentor and protector. calculate odds From a young age, it was clear that Stu Ungar possessed exceptional talent. His brilliance shone through when he aced his way through school, skipping the 7th grade entirely based on his achievements. Sadly, he eventually left school after the 10th grade.
From Gin Rummy to Poker
Ungar's brilliance extended beyond academics. By the age of 10, he had already secured victory in a local gin rummy tournament. This was the game that became his foundation as he opted to leave traditional schooling.
Throughout his adolescence, gin rummy became a source of financial support for him, his ailing mother, and his sister after their father's passing. He frequently found himself at the top of tournaments, earning around $10,000.
However, due to rising debts from wagering on horse races, loan sharks eventually compelled Stu to leave his hometown at the peak of his gin rummy success. He first moved to Miami and then, in 1977, settled in Las Vegas. poker tournaments Ungar sought new opportunities, as gin rummy games began to dwindle due to his dominance in the sport. Contenders facing him were often left defeated.
A notable incident involved Harry 'Yonkie' Stein, considered the best gin rummy player of the era, whom Ungar astonishingly defeated with a staggering 86 to 0 score in a match, rendering Stein virtually absent from the competitive scene.
Following this unprecedented defeat, many players were hesitant to compete against Ungar. Some even requested that he be excluded from tournaments, claiming they wouldn't participate if he was involved. poker Though Stu Ungar is best remembered for his poker prowess today, he always regarded himself as a superior gin rummy player over his poker skills.
“Someday, I suppose it’s possible for someone to be a better no-limit Hold’em player than me. I doubt it, but it could happen. But I swear to you, I don’t see how anyone could ever play gin better than me.”
Consequently, feeling unchallenged in his favored game, Ungar opted to pivot towards poker. high-stakes match Poker became his new arena, where he experienced remarkable success.
Stu Ungar became widely known as 'The Kid' because of his youthful looks. He made his debut at the World Series of Poker in 1980, instantly making an impression. casinos Before WSOP, he had only participated in one other major tournament—the Super Bowl of Poker . In this event, he triumphed against the late poker great in a heads-up match to claim the champion's bracelet.
At just 27, he became the youngest player in history to win a Main Event. Legendary player Doyle Brunson remarked that it was the first instance he had witnessed a player improve significantly throughout a tournament. poker career In 1981, The Kid returned to Binion's Horseshoe to defend his title and successfully brought home another bracelet. His final opponent that year was Perry Green.
He wrote in his autobiography:
With this, he became the third player ever to win the WSOP Main Event in consecutive years, joining the ranks of Johnny Moss and Doyle Brunson.
Yet, Ungar's collection of victories included more than just Main Events:
In 1981, the former gin rummy star grabbed the title in the $10,000 Deuce to Seven Draw event.
Ungar at the World Series of Poker
In 1983, he added another bracelet to his collection with a win in the $5,000 Seven Card Stud event.
We acknowledge that the competition was less fierce back then, but it’s still impressive that Ungar managed to secure four bracelets in three years, with two being from Main Events. Doyle Brunson Tragically, fame and fortune had a detrimental effect on Ungar. For years, he struggled with cocaine addiction. In 1990, he collapsed during the third day of the WSOP Main Event, where he was leading, following an overdose.
Despite this setback, he fought through and finished the event in ninth place.
However, Ungar continued to struggle with addiction. Friends noted that his strong desire to see his daughter, Stefanie, grow up was the main thing keeping him alive. They offered to fund his treatment, but he always declined.
As the late 1990s went on, particularly in 1997, Ungar found himself drowning in debts and showing clear signs of the physical toll of drug use. Yet, he convinced Billy Baxter to pay for his entry into the $10,000 Main Event.
The first day didn’t go well for him; he was so worn out that he dozed off at his table. His friends urged him to rest and regain his focus.
- Remarkably, he rallied to become the chip leader and ultimately won the tournament for the third time, joining Johnny Moss as the only players to have triumphed in the Main Event three times.
- During his final interview, Ungar shared a photograph of his daughter with Gabe Kaplan, dedicating his victory and earning the title of ' The Comeback Kid. '
A leopard can’t change its spots. Unfortunately, this adage fits Stu Ungar perfectly.
The Comeback
After sharing his winnings of one million dollars from the 1997 victory with Baxter, his life fell back into disarray. He squandered his $500,000 in mere months, primarily on drugs and gambling. Despite numerous attempts to quit, encouraged by his daughter, he was never successful.
In 1998, he turned down yet another offer from Baxter to help with his Main Event buy-in. The Comeback Kid was no longer seen in familiar circles. He drifted between inexpensive hotels and motels in Las Vegas, rarely leaving his cramped quarters, and facing persistent financial struggles.
He resorted to begging for money just to return to the poker tables, but unfortunately, he often squandered it on crack instead. His intense drug usage had damaged his nasal passages, forcing him to turn to this alternative.
Sadly, on November 22nd of that year, Stu Ungar was discovered dead on the floor of room number 6 at the Oasis Motel. It is suspected he suffered a heart attack as a result of his challenging lifestyle. Nevertheless, no substantial drug traces were found in his system at that time.
Although estimates suggest that throughout his career he amassed around $30 million, Ungar passed away in poverty, having nothing to his name.
Despite his tumultuous life filled with excess, Ungar was deeply cherished by his closest friends and remained respectful to those he encountered at the poker tables. His daughter was a significant source of motivation for him over many years, and her encouragement played a crucial role in his 1997 title win.
After his interview with Gabe Kaplan, it was apparent that Stefanie was the focal point of his life.
The Fall
In late 2020, coinciding with the anniversary of her father’s passing, Stefanie Ungar provided poker fans with further insights into her father's life.
Below are some questions and answers from an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session she conducted on Reddit.
Q: Did your father teach you how to play poker?
Q: Who was the opponent your father respected the most at the poker tables?
Q: Who do you think plays a similar game to your father’s?
Considering I don’t play, I’ll answer with Mike Sexton’s opinion: Phil Ivey.
Remembering Stu Ungar
No, but if I ever had to play, it would probably be Blackjack. Many are surprised to hear I don’t play. I didn’t inherit his mathematical skills. Nonetheless, I do love Las Vegas, as I was born and raised here!
Q: Did your father ever secretly jot down his strategies?
No, he never did. He [Stu] often said he understood what he knew, but couldn’t quite articulate how he arrived at that knowledge. He had a brilliant and gifted mind.
Q: What three words would you use to describe your father?
Choosing just three is difficult. I would say [he was] charismatic, sharp, witty, discerning, and loyal.
A: No, he never taught me how to play poker.
Q: Beyond gambling, poker, and his struggles, what unique hobbies or interests did your father have that might intrigue the poker community?
A: Chip Reese.
My father had a great passion for studying history. He adored classic black-and-white films. He mentioned that if poker hadn’t been his calling, he might have pursued a career in law. Cooking certainly wasn’t his forte—he often shied away from accomplishing ordinary tasks, too. For instance, he frequently paid a friend’s son $20 just to take out the trash. I find that quite amusing!
A: Q: As a child, did you perceive your father as a celebrity?
Q: Do you play poker?
A: Who do you think holds the title of the best poker player in history? According to 888poker, the iconic Stu Ungar, a three-time WSOP champion, is often regarded as a contender for that honor!
Exploring the life of the remarkable poker figure and three-time champion of the WSOP, Stu Ungar!
A: A glimpse into the extraordinary journey of the famed poker player, Stu Ungar.
It's a thought-provoking question that many of us have pondered, and nearly everyone struggles to come up with an answer.
A: Identifying the unequivocal champion of this game is certainly no easy feat, and multiple lists tend to feature the same few names. One prominent name is linked to a player who tragically departed this world too soon, largely due to the choices he made.
This player, who left us at the age of 45, made an indelible mark on the realm of poker and became a symbol of the game.
A: Of course, we're referring to Stu Ungar . Let's delve into his life story and uncover what made him such a standout player.
Come along as we navigate the life journey of one of poker's all-time greats.
A: Born on September 8, 1953, in New York, Stuart Errol Ungar was the child of Jewish immigrants. His father, Isidore Ungar, known as Ido, worked as a bookmaker and operated a bar called Foxes Corner.
This establishment was a hub for gambling and games of chance.
A: This environment introduced Stu to gambling activities during his formative years. Even though his father attempted to shield him from these temptations, young Stu began playing gin rummy on the sly, quickly becoming well-known in that community.
Q: What's your fondest memory?
A: Following his father's death, his mother, Faye, suffered a heart attack that left her incapacitated. Consequently, Ungar ventured out to explore various underground gambling venues throughout the city.
In Conclusion
He continued this lifestyle until he reached the age of 18, at which point he crossed paths with Victor Romano, a notorious mob figure from the 1960s. Romano was an exceptional card player who shared Ungar’s passion.
Their mutual interests forged a close bond, with Romano acting as both a mentor and protector for Ungar.
- Stu Ungar was incredibly intelligent, a fact that revealed itself early in his life. He skipped the 7th grade in school purely based on his academic capabilities. However, he eventually decided to leave school altogether after struggling through the 10th grade.
- He won three WSOP Main Events
- Ungar's exceptional talent wasn't confined to academics. By the age of 10, he had already claimed victory in a local gin rummy tournament. This success provided him with a way out when he chose to drop out of school.
Gin rummy became a source of income that supported him, his sick mother, and his sister following their father's passing. He often found himself winning, accumulating around $10,000 in earnings.
Eventually, due to mounting debts from sports betting and pressure from loan sharks, Stu was compelled to leave his hometown at the peak of his gin rummy success, first heading to Miami and later to Las Vegas in 1977.
One contributing factor to Ungar's move was that the demand for gin rummy games diminished as players hesitated to challenge him. His reputation had grown to the point where opponents were nearly guaranteed to lose when going up against him.