Holdem Poker Legends
Posted in Poker on 03/07/2013 12:21 am by Shelby
Stu Ungar is thought to be by many to the greatest NL Texas holdem Poker player ever.
The three time World Poker Champion was born in New York in ‘53 and started wagering poker before reaching his teens.
The young gambler started out playing gin and at the age of 10 had won his very first gin rummy tournament, while on holiday with his parents. By the time he turned 14 the small poker genius had become a professional and dropped out of school.
In 1954 Stu entered the record books by succeeding 10,000 dollars in a gin tournament without losing a single hand, a record which still appears in New York these days.
The quick talking superstar has been likened, in poker terms, to athletic superstars like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Stu had a true talent for wagering poker but in spite of his successes in Holdem poker, he preferred playing gin.
Stu once said that there may some day be a better NL Texas hold em gambler than him except he could not see how anyone could ever be a better gin player.
In ‘80 Stu Ungar was put on the world map as one of the best Hold’em Poker players in the entire world when he was crowned World Poker Champ for the 1st time. Amazingly it was the 1st time he had played in the tournament.
The subsequent year he put aside any suggestions that it had been a fluke, by effectively defending his crown. And in 1997 Stu set the record by succeeding his 3rd World poker championship.
But this poker master also fought with substance abuse and a year after winning his 3rd title Stu Ungar died in his hotel room. According to doctors, he had died from a heart attack which was triggered by his lifestyle.
Stu Ungar had started with nothing except his skill and expertise for the game which made this poker excellent a millionaire several times over.