{"id":7751,"date":"2020-08-19T23:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-19T23:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.coinpoker.com\/?p=7751"},"modified":"2024-09-26T11:42:03","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T11:42:03","slug":"poker-hall-of-famers-stu-the-kid-ungar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/poker-hall-of-famers-stu-the-kid-ungar\/","title":{"rendered":"Poker Hall of Famers: Stu &#8216;The Kid&#8217; Ungar"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>It\u2019s hard work. Gambling. Playing poker. Don\u2019t let anyone tell you different. Think about what it\u2019s like sitting at a poker table with people whose only goal is to cut your throat, take your money, and leave you out back talking to yourself about what went wrong inside.&#8217;<\/p><cite>Stu &#8216;The Kid&#8217; Ungar<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Stu &#8216;The Kid&#8217; Ungar was thought to possess a genius IQ and a photographic memory. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>He won back-to-back World Series of Poker Main Event Championships in 1980 and 1981, then again sixteen years later in 1997.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Physically he was small, his youth and success earned him the nickname Stu &#8220;The Kid&#8221; Ungar.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Mentally he was a giant &#8211; well known for being exceptionally fearless and aggressive.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/91a23df51835e05e241864d344e5c189.jpg\" alt=\"Stu Ungar sitting at poker table\" class=\"wp-image-7761\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Path to Poker<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Stuart Errol Ungar was born in lower Manhattan on September 8, 1953.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His father, Ido, was a bookmaker, so it&#8217;s not surprising that Stu was fond of gambling, too. Ido also ran an illegal casino out of his bar in New York. Long before his legal age Stu knew what true gambling was.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ungar&#8217;s career began as Gin Rummy &#8216;s player. He was so good at it, that by the late 1970\u2019s no one wanted to play him. No one wanted to risk it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the field of opponents dried up, he needed another career path and that\u2019s how poker came into the picture.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By 1980&#8217;s Stu &#8216;The Kid&#8217; Ungar was already among the top poker players in the world. He won his first WSOP when he was 26, making him the youngest world champion at the time winning it fair and square.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All in all, Ungar won the 1980, 1981, and 1997 WSOP Main Events, along with two additional World Series of Poker tournaments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was the first player in WSOP history to win three Main Event freezeout championships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Kid was a true legend in the gambling world. He craved action and bet on everything. Whatever he gambled on he was the highest of high rollers, that is if he was allowed to gamble &#8211; as he was banned from just about every casino on the planet. He was just too good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bad habits<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately Stu developed a drug habit, and it led him to borrowing money to buy drugs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was so heavily involved in the substances that his poker game had slipped, and he was struggling financially. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Entering the 1997 world championship event, he hadn\u2019t won anything meaningful in the previous five years. He\u2019d earned his last bracelet in 1983, although he did have numerous wins in other events throughout the 1980\u2019s and early 1990\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Actually Ungar didn\u2019t even have the money to compete in the Main Event in 1997. Billy Baxter, a seven-time bracelet winner, staked him the buy-in for a satellite, which he won, and earned his seat in the tournament.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A <strong>surprising come back<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite being drained from an unhealthy lifestyle in 1997 he gathered himself together for a couple of days and defeated 312 of the best players in the world and won the Main Event for $1 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most memorable Stu Ungar\u2019s WSOP 1997 moments was a bluff on Ron Stanley.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Excerpt from the book \u201952 Greatest Moments World Series of Poker\u2019:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-medium-font-size has-very-dark-gray-color\"><strong><em>The Moment<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\"><em>The crowd favorite, Ron Stanley, dared come close to the rolling Stu Ungar. He came within $200K and some thought that his momentum might overtake Stu. Those hopes were dashed on the following hand.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\"><em>Stanley would limp into the pot from the small blind. Stu limped in from the big. The flop came A\u2660, 9\u2665, 6\u2660. Ron Stanley had a 9\u2666, 7\u2666, good for middle pair. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\"><em>Stu held a Q\u2660, 10\u2663. Stanley decided to check the bet and Stu followed. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\"><em>The turn produced the 8\u2663. Fourth street gave Stu a gut shot straight draw. So when Stanley bet <em>$<\/em>25K, he was met by a <em>$<\/em>60K raise. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\"><em>Stanley took his time to call given the fact Stu had slow played high pairs earlier in the tournament. But the <em>$<\/em>60K was just enough for Stanley to stick around. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\"><em>The river was a K\u2666. Stu Ungar had completely missed anything he might be shooting for. On the other hand, Ron Stanley just needed to stay in the hand to win it. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\"><em>Only a bluff could change everything and that is just what Stu pulled. He bet out <em>$<\/em>220K. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\"><em>Stanley just did not believe his pair of 9ines was good. He must have thought Stu was slow playing the Ace once again. Stanley folded. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\"><em>To please the crowd and tilt Stanley (and the rest of the table for the matter), Stu Ungar showed his Q\u2660, and 10\u2663 bluff. Chuckles came from the gallery when Ron Stanley displayed what would have been the winning hand.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Stu-Ungar-death-poker-1200x800.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7760\" width=\"580\" height=\"386\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">Jack Binion (L) and Stu Ungar celebrate the poker legend\u2019s third and final WSOP Main Event title in 1997. (Image: New York Post)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8216;The only one that ever beat me was myself.&#8217;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When Stu became a millionaire after winning a WSOP 1997, a journalist asked him:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStuey, let me ask you a question, I think I know you well enough to ask this question. In 1980 and 1981, you won the championship but you weren\u2019t smart after that. Your life didn\u2019t go 100-percent on the right course. Now you\u2019re older, you\u2019re wiser, you\u2019re 43-years old. Do you think you\u2019re going to do things differently now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Well, I hope so, Gabe,\u201d Ungar said, \u201cI\u2019ve neglected my kid and I\u2019ve done a lot of stupid things. But I want to tell you something for a fact. There\u2019s nobody that ever beat me playing cards. The only one that ever beat me was myself.&#8217;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end, unfortunately, bad habits beat Stu Ungar. The three-time WSOP Main Event champion died in Las Vegas on Nov. 22, 1998.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019ll always be remembered as one of the greatest poker players and a legend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=X3FbfBevHBs\n<\/div><figcaption>High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Have a question? Feel free to ask us anything in the comment section below or join our growing community<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/officialcoinpoker\"><em>&nbsp;on Telegram<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>For all the latest news, follow us on social media, through&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CoinPoker_OFF\"><em>Twitter<\/em><\/a><em>,&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/coinpoker\/\"><em>Instagram<\/em><\/a><em>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CoinPokerOfficial\/\"><em>Facebook<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Join&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/what-is-coinpoker\/\">CoinPoker<\/a>&nbsp;tables for the ultimate poker experience!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s hard work. Gambling. Playing poker. Don\u2019t let anyone tell you different. Think about what it\u2019s like sitting at a poker table with people whose only goal is to cut your throat, take your money, and leave you out back talking to yourself about what went wrong inside.&#8217; Stu &#8216;The Kid&#8217; Ungar Stu &#8216;The Kid&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/poker-hall-of-famers-stu-the-kid-ungar\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Poker Hall of Famers: Stu &#8216;The Kid&#8217; Ungar<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3397,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[187],"tags":[114,120,151,165],"class_list":["post-7751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-poker-bluff","tag-poker-hall-of-famers","tag-stu-ungar","tag-wsop"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7751"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7751"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7751\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93219,"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7751\/revisions\/93219"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coinpoker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}