I knew Ungar a bit in the 1970's, saw him play. He played in a club on 70th street in New York. Was a good guy, but a soft touch, was always helping out deadbeats. He had a lot of hangers on even then. He did lose sometimes, I don't think he really got great till he was in Vegas a few years. He had a few real friends, but mostly people looking for money when he won. His best friends were mostly old men, one guy was Victor who owned club he usually played in---and who made him a better card player. He also had a bunch of old men from downtown New York he would go out with to gamble. It is shame he did drugs, he was great, and wining world series of poker 3 times over 17 year period is great acomplishment, not something luck brings.