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Stuart Errol Ungar, famously known as “The Kid,” is widely regarded as the greatest tournament poker and gin rummy player in history. He is one of only two players to win the WSOP Main Event three times and is a 2001 Poker Hall of Fame inductee.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
With total live tournament earnings of $3,677,961 (according to The Hendon Mob), Ungar’s results are staggering given the smaller prize pools of his era. His career-best live score of $1,000,000 came from his historic 1997 WSOP Main Event victory. A five-time WSOP bracelet winner, he won the Main Event in 1980, 1981, and 1997. He is also the only player to win Amarillo Slim’s Super Bowl of Poker three times. Despite winning an estimated $30 million across all games, his volatile lifestyle left his poker net worth at near zero at the time of his death.
Be sure to watch this Video about Stu
Biography & Poker Background
Born in Manhattan, New York, Ungar was a child prodigy who dominated underground gin rummy games before moving to Las Vegas in 1977. He famously won the 1980 WSOP Main Event in his first-ever No Limit Hold’em tournament. Known as “The Comeback Kid” after his 1997 victory following years of addiction, Ungar’s life was marked by unparalleled genius and tragic personal demons.
Play Style & Strategy
- Hyper-Aggressive Approach: Long before the modern era, Ungar pioneered a relentless, high-pressure style that forced opponents into costly mistakes.
- Exceptional Card Counting & Memory: Possessed a near-photographic memory and elite mathematical intuition, allowing him to track cards with supernatural precision.
- Unrivaled “Reads”: Famous for his “laser-beam” focus, he could accurately call out an opponent’s exact hand based on the smallest physical or betting cues.
- Fearlessness: Played every hand with absolute confidence, famously stating that he didn’t just want to win—he wanted to eliminate the competition.
I never want to be called a ‘good loser.’ Show me a good loser and I’ll just show you a loser.
