Stu Ungar is thought to be by many to the finest NL Holdem Poker player ever.

The three time World Poker Champ was born in New York in ‘53 and started betting poker prior to reaching his teens.

The young gambler began playing gin and at the age of ten had won his very first gin rummy tournament, while on vacation with his parents. By the time he turned 14 the small poker maestro had become a pro and dropped out of school.

In ‘54 Stu entered the record books by succeeding $10,000 in a gin rummy tournament without dropping a single hand, a record which still appears in New York these days.

The quick talking wiz kid has been compared, in poker terms, to sporting greats such as Joe Namath and Tiger Woods. Stu had a actual skill for betting poker except despite his achievements in Holdem poker, he preferred betting gin.

Stu once said that there might a few day be a greater NL Holdem player than him except he could not see how anyone could ever be a much better gin gambler.

In 1980 Stu was put on the world map as one of the ideal Holdem Poker gamblers in the planet when he was crowned World Poker Champion for the 1st time. Extraordinarily it was the very first time he had entered the tournament.

The subsequent year he put aside any thoughts that it had been luck, by successfully protecting his crown. And in 1997 Stu set the record by succeeding his third World poker championship.

But this poker master also struggled with drug abuse and a year following winning his third title Stu Ungar died in his hotel room. According to medical professionals, he had died from a cardiac event which was triggered by his lifestyle.

Stu had started with absolutely nothing except his ability and talent for the casino game which made this poker excellent a millionaire many times over.