Stu Ungar

Stu Ungar is an enigma in the world of cards after becoming a champion in both poker and gin rummy. His skill would often bankrupt other players and force them out of the game for good; however, despite millions of dollars of winnings over his career, he had no assets and nothing but the $800 found on his body when he died in 1998.

His downfall, however, came through his excessive drug use. Ungar originally began dabbling in cocaine to get an energy boost to see him through some of the longer poker games but this soon turned into a full blown addiction that would take over his life and lead to his death at the age of 45.

However, he is still seen as one of the world’s top players and his activities away from the table should not cloud his achievement at it. To quote Ungar, “Some day, 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.”

Ungar was born in September 1953 and raised in Manhattan, New York. His father was a loan shark who ran a social club with a heavy gambling culture; because of seeing people lose on such a regular basis, Ungar’s father tried to keep his son away from this pastime.

Ungar had different ideas. At the age of just 10, he won his first tournament playing in a local gin contest. Five years later, Ungar’s father died of a heart attack and he took it upon himself to finance his family. He dropped out of school and began playing cards to cover costs and by 1976, aged 23, Ungar was considered to be one of the best players in New York.

Unfortunately, his gambling prowess was restricted to cards and he had to leave New York because of the huge debts he had racked up at the race course. In 1977, he was living in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it was there that he met his wife. Together they had a girl, Stefanie, who would become Ungar’s world as she grew up.

He switched to focus entirely on poker because the gin market had dried up with people too scared to play in the same tournament as him. His card counting skills meant he had a brief flurry in the world of blackjack but he was soon banned from several casinos because he won so much money. One casino accused him of cheating and ordered him to pay a $500 fine; Ungar refused and paid an extra $50,000 in legal fees to clear his name.

He won the main event at the World Series of Poker a record three times – in 1980, 1981 and 1997 – as well as two other bracelets in the 1981 Deuce to Seven Draw and the 1983 Seven Card Stud events.