Stu Ungar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stu Ungar
Ungar at the 1981 World Series of Poker
Nickname(s)	Stuey The Kid The Comeback Kid
Residence	New York City
Born	Stuart Errol Ungar (1953-09-08)September 8, 1953 Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Died	November 22, 1998(1998-11-22) (aged 45) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
World Series of Poker
Bracelet(s)	5
Money finish(es)	16
Highest ITM Main Event finish	Winner, 1980, 1981, 1997

Stuart Errol Ungar (September 8, 1953 – November 22, 1998) was an amazing American player of poker, blackjack, and gin rummy. Many people believe he was the best gin rummy player ever. He was also one of the top Texas hold 'em poker players.

Stu Ungar is one of only two people in poker history to win the World Series of Poker Main Event three times. He is the only person to win Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker three times. This was the second most important poker title back then. Ungar is also one of only four players to win the WSOP Main Event two years in a row. The others were Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, and Johnny Chan.

Early Life and Amazing Skills

Stu Ungar was born in Manhattan, New York. His father ran a club that was also a gambling place. This meant Stu saw gambling from a very young age. Even though his father tried to keep him away from it, Stu started playing gin rummy. He quickly became very good.

Stu was smart in school and even skipped a grade. But he left school in tenth grade. His father passed away when Stu was 13. After that, Stu spent his time in the New York gambling world. When he was 18, he became friends with Victor Romano. Romano was known as a great card player. He and Stu became very close friends. Romano helped protect Stu from other gamblers.

Stu was known for being very confident. He often told other players when he thought they made a bad move. One of his famous sayings was: "I never want to be called a 'good loser.' Show me a good loser and I'll just show you a loser."

From Gin Rummy to Poker

Ungar won a local gin rummy tournament when he was only 10 years old. He left school to play gin rummy full-time. He did this to help his mother and sister after his father died. He started winning tournaments regularly, earning $10,000 or more. By 1976, he was seen as one of the best players in New York City.

Eventually, Stu had to leave New York because of gambling debts. He moved to Miami, Florida, and then to Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1977. In Las Vegas, he met Madeline Wheeler again, who later became his wife in 1982.

Stu became so good at gin rummy that people stopped wanting to play against him. He beat everyone, including Harry "Yonkie" Stein, who was thought to be the best gin player of his time. Stu beat Stein 86 games to none in a high-stakes game. After this, Stein stopped playing professionally. Because no one wanted to play him, Stu started offering handicaps to make games fairer. He would let opponents see the last card or always play as the dealer.

When Stu first came to Las Vegas, gin tournaments were popular. But Stu won so many that casinos asked him not to play. Other players would not join if they knew he was playing. Stu once said he loved seeing his opponents realize they could not win.

Soon after arriving in Las Vegas, Stu played against professional gambler Billy Baxter. Stu won $40,000. Baxter said he was surprised by how young Stu looked. He even needed a box to sit on to reach the table!

Even though he is famous for poker, Stu thought he was a better gin rummy player. He once said, "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."

Winning the World Series of Poker

In 1980, Stu Ungar entered the World Series of Poker (WSOP). He was looking for more high-stakes games. He told ESPN that the 1980 WSOP was his first Texas hold'em tournament. Poker legend Doyle Brunson said Stu was the only player he saw get better as the tournament went on.

Ungar won the main event, beating Brunson. He became the youngest champion in history at that time. Because he looked so young, people called him "The Kid."

Stu successfully defended his title at the 1981 WSOP. He beat Perry Green to win again. Stu almost wasn't allowed to play that year. He had been banned from Binion's Horseshoe casino. But Jack Binion, the owner's son, convinced his father to let Stu play. He knew the defending champion would bring a lot of attention.

More WSOP Wins

As the world champion, Ungar won his second WSOP bracelet in 1981. This was in the $10,000 Deuce to Seven Draw event. He beat 1978 world champion Bobby Baldwin and won $95,000.

In the 1983 World Series of Poker, Ungar won his fourth bracelet. He beat professional poker player Dewey Tomko in the $5,000 Seven Card Stud event. He won $110,000 for this victory.

Blackjack Skills

Stu Ungar was incredibly smart and had an amazing memory. This helped him become very good at blackjack card counting. He was so good that casinos often banned him from playing. Eventually, he could not play blackjack in Las Vegas or anywhere else.

In 1977, a casino owner named Bob Stupak bet Stu $100,000. He challenged Stu to count down half of a six-deck shoe of cards. Stu had to say what the last three decks (156 cards) would be. Stu won the bet!

In 1982, Stu was accused of cheating while playing blackjack in Atlantic City. The casino said he added chips to a winning hand after it was over. Stu strongly denied this. The fine was $500, but paying it would mean admitting he cheated. Stu believed his memory and card counting were natural skills. He felt he did not need to cheat. He fought the case in court and won, avoiding the fine. However, the court battle cost him about $50,000 in legal fees.

In 1997, Stu was almost broke. He convinced the Lady Luck Hotel & Casino to let him play single-deck blackjack. The casino knew he counted cards. So, they set limits on his bets. They thought this would stop his card counting from working. But in single-deck blackjack, knowing how to play each hand is more important than how much you bet. Stu played blackjack at the Lady Luck for six months. He built his money up to $300,000 but eventually lost it all.

The Comeback Kid

In 1997, Stu Ungar was in a lot of debt. But his friend and fellow poker player Billy Baxter gave him the $10,000 needed to enter the WSOP Main Event. Stu was the very last person to sign up, just seconds before it closed.

On the first day of the tournament, Stu was very tired. He had been up for over 24 hours trying to find money to play. At one point, he started falling asleep at the table. He told another player, Mike Sexton, that he did not think he could continue. After some encouragement from Sexton and a stern talk from Baxter, Stu kept playing.

During the tournament, Stu carried a picture of his daughter, Stefanie. He called her regularly to tell her how he was doing. After a tough first day, Stu came back well-rested and focused. He built up a big lead and kept it until the final table. People were so sure he would win that local bookies made him the favorite over everyone else. This was very rare.

Ungar went on to win the Main Event. He joined Johnny Moss as the only three-time winners. After his victory, Stu showed the picture of his daughter to the camera. He dedicated his win to her. He and Billy Baxter split the $1 million first prize. The Las Vegas media called Stu "The Comeback Kid." This was because it had been 16 years since his last main event win.

Later Years

Stu Ungar spent all of his 1997 WSOP prize money in just a few months. He mostly spent it on sports betting.

When the 1998 WSOP came around, Billy Baxter offered to pay his entry fee again. But ten minutes before the game started, Stu told Baxter he was tired and did not feel like playing.

In November 1998, Stu Ungar was trying to improve his life. His friend Bob Stupak made a plan to help him with money for a fresh start. Billy Baxter also said he helped Stu with money for a high-stakes game around this time.

On November 22, 1998, Stu Ungar was found dead in a motel room in Las Vegas. He had only $800 with him. Even though he won an estimated $30 million during his poker career, Stu Ungar died with no money. Bob Stupak collected money at Stu's funeral to help pay for the services.

Stu Ungar is buried at Palm Valley View Memorial Park in East Las Vegas.

How Stu Played

Stu Ungar was known for his very aggressive playing style. He also made well-timed bluffs. Mike Sexton said that Stu's chips were always moving. Another poker player said Stu had a "clairvoyant" ability. This meant he seemed to know what cards his opponents had.

Some of Stu's friends said he could have made much more money. They thought he should have pretended to be less skilled. This would make opponents think they could beat him and risk more money. But Stu wanted to beat his opponents as completely as possible. He often insulted those he thought were not as good as him. In his biography, Stu said some opponents offered to pay him to lose a gin match on purpose. They wanted to win a big side bet. But Stu said his pride would not let him do this. He could not stand the idea of someone winning against him, even if it was fake.

During the 1992 World Series of Poker, Stu Ungar played against 1990 World Champion Mansour Matloubi. They played a series of high-stakes heads-up games. In one final hand, Matloubi tried to bluff Stu with a board of 3-3-7-K-Q. Stu, who had 10-9, thought for a moment. He then told Matloubi, "You have 4-5 or 5-6 so I'm gonna call you with this." Stu showed his 10-high cards and won the pot. Matloubi actually had 4-5 offsuit, just as Stu had guessed!

Stu's Personality

Stu Ungar was once at an airport trying to fly to Europe for a poker tournament. His friends had passports, but he did not. He did not even have a Social Security number until after his 1980 WSOP win. He only got one to collect his prize money. He told the airport agent he needed a passport right away. The agent said for a small fee, they could speed up the process. Stu thought this was a request for a bribe. He was used to this from his time in New York. He gave the agent a $100 bill. But the agent was talking about a normal "expedite fee" for all passport applications. The agent was about to call the police. Luckily, Stu's friends stepped in and explained the misunderstanding.

Even though he owned several expensive cars, Stu rarely drove. He once bought a brand new Mercedes sports car. He drove it until it ran out of oil and broke down. When the mechanic told him it had no oil, Stu asked, "Why the hell didn't you tell me you had to put oil in the car?" He preferred to take a taxicab almost everywhere, even for short distances. Stu was known for giving very large tips to taxi drivers and casino workers. This was true whether he was winning or losing. Mike Sexton once said that "Stuey spent what most people make in a year on cab fares."

Stu's friends also said he "ate like a wild animal." Stu saw eating as something to get over quickly so he could go back to gambling. He would often call restaurants ahead of time. He would order food for himself and everyone in his group. This way, the food would be ready when they arrived. Sexton noted that Stu would pay for everyone, no matter how expensive the meal was. Stu would rush into the restaurant, eat his food very fast, and leave money for the meal and a big tip. He would be ready to leave even if his friends had just started their drinks.

However, these same friends also said that when Stu had money, he was one of the most generous people they knew. He was always willing to help a friend. When he was winning a lot, he sent his friend Michael "Baseball Mike" Salem enough money to pay his mortgage for several months. Salem had not asked for money. He had only mentioned to Stu that he was having a bad losing streak. Stu's lawyer once said Stu asked him how he was doing. The lawyer said he was okay but struggling a little with money. Stu immediately took $10,000 cash from his pocket and gave it to him. He said, "Take it. It's yours. Pay me back when you can. And if you don't pay me back, that's OK too." One time, he was walking in Las Vegas with Doyle Brunson. A man asked him for some money. Stu pulled out a $100 bill and gave it to the man. When Brunson asked who the man was, Stu said, "If I had known his name, I would have given him $200."

Mike Sexton and Stu became friends when Sexton was losing money and was almost broke. Stu was playing in a high-stakes game and needed to use the restroom. He told Sexton to play the next hand for him. This was usually not allowed, but rules were more relaxed for top players like Stu. Sexton got a straight on his first five cards. He played carefully at first, not wanting to risk another person's money. Stu came back during the hand. He was thrilled that his money was in such a big pot. His attitude made Sexton feel more comfortable playing aggressively. Sexton ended up winning a lot of money. Stu saw another game across the room and gave Sexton $1,500 to play in it. Sexton played and won an extra $4,000. He gave Stu half, and this helped Sexton rebuild his own money.

Stu also once won a lot of money, over $1.5 million, on a series of horse races.

Stu Ungar never had a bank account in his own name. He preferred to keep his money in safe deposit boxes in hotels. He did not understand banks. "You mean I can't go there at midnight and get my money out?" he asked. "That's ridiculous." His wife, Madeline, said Stu had no idea how a bank account worked. He paid for everything with cash. She said he thought if you had a bank account and wrote a check, the check would always be paid. He did not understand you needed to put money into the bank first.

Stu Ungar's Legacy

Many poker experts say Stu Ungar was one of the most naturally talented players ever. But his long-time friend Mike Sexton said, "In the game of life, Stu Ungar was a loser."

During his poker career, Stu won five WSOP bracelets. He won over $3.6 million in tournament prizes. More than $2 million of that came from the WSOP. He won 10 major no-limit Texas hold 'em events out of 30 major tournaments he entered. This is a record for the highest winning percentage.

Ungar also won the Main Event at Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker in 1984, 1988, and 1989. This was considered the world's second most important poker title at the time. Amarillo Slim himself said, "Stu musta won a million dollars in my tournaments."

A movie based loosely on his life, High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (also called Stuey), was made in 2003. Michael Imperioli played Stu in the movie.

Stu Ungar was added to the Poker Hall of Fame in 2001 after he passed away.

His biography, One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey 'the Kid' Ungar, the World's Greatest Poker Player by Nolan Dalla and Peter Alson, was published in 2005. The Emmy-winning ESPN documentary One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stu Ungar was shown in 2006. It included interviews with his wife and daughter. It also had parts from tapes Stu recorded in his last year for a book he never finished.

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