POKER INFO - PROILE - Stu Ungar

Just as there are better chess players now than in the past, eventually there will be a better tournament hold 'em player than Stu. Someone who reads Daniel Negreanu or Doyle Brunson like they're drunken Las Vegas tourists. Someone who can even tell what other players are folding before the flop, and calculate the probabilities instantaneously. Someone as brilliant as Stu, but still under control. I firmly believe this, just as Kasparov is considered by many to be superior to Bobby Fischer, someone will come along who's better than Stu.But we certainly haven't seen Stu's tournament equal yet, not even a remote rival. Yes, the fields are tremendously larger than they were even a few years ago, but consider that Stu sat down to 5 final WSOP tables and won all five bracelets, in a game that involves a tremendous amount of luck in the short run.

Very True Words Mike GG

Regarding Kasparov being superior to Bobby Fischer, that is conjecture that will never be settled.One thing that's for sure is that Bobby Fischer (who himself is half Jewish) is a rabid anti semite and severely mentally ill (not just because he is an anti Semite, but because he is genuinely insane).By virtue of Fischers words, many people try and detract from what he was in the world of chess because they don't like whatever it is that he has become.It's an arguable point whether Kasparov could have ever beaten Fischer, but it is very, very far from a slam dunk answer if I were to be betting on a match of either one in their prime.As this relates to Stu Ungar, it's true that an Ungar'esque player will one day emerge, but any way you look at it, he will never be Stu Ungar.It's doubtful that an individual that played at the level Mr. Ungar played at will ever be bested by much of a margin.There may be a more sober player who is more consistent than Stu Ungar or maybe a more diverse player who can dominate cash games in the same way he dominates tournamentplay, but I do believe Stu reached the apex of tournament play and reading into people that just can't get any better.It's an old philosophical debate that applies to lots of different things.For example, look at sprinters. Is there a ceiling where the human animal just can't run any faster, or 500 years from now will sprinters be running sub 2 minute miles?The fact is, I believe that Mr. Ungar was one of those rare cases where he had achieved 'absolute best'. While one day the historical dustbin may produce a player that is his peer, I seriously doubt that anyone will ever be a measurably 'better' tournament player than he was by sole virtue of his skill level being pretty much without flaw.Flawed as a man, yes. We all are.Flawed as a gambler, for damn sure. As far as tournament play, there were no flaws to speak of.

Maybe I'm just hoping to see a player of Stu's caliber emerge someday. I try to wrap my mind around the idea that one player won all five times that he sat down to a final table in the WSOP, and I just want to see it for myself. We've seen Tiger Woods play golf, and Michael Jordan play basketball, and I want to see another Stu.

with all the online poker sites today would stu be the type of player with 7 different computer monitors running at the same time playing the highest no limit cash games possible? or would he be one of the players in the big game against andy beale?

Very true Vegas Mike.

Stu was the best, the man won 3 World Championships, would have been 4, but he was out cold for awhile. Moss was voted 1 Championship out of his 3. So he truly never won 3 at the tables like Stu did. Stefanie your dad is an inspiration to me, to play harder, and to stay away from drugs. Thank You

There are a number of different factors that go into making a great poker player.Ungar had two of these factors to the highest degree.First, he was a horribly compulsive gambler. Cannot respect money and play at that level. You need to be able to push what amounts to a years wages for a PhD on a total bluff and not think twice about it.Secondly, he had the geniuses mind for numbers.Lastly, his striking ability to recognize patterns was applied to reading people.Miniscule little nuanced things that you did that last time you bluffed or that last time you had a monster hand- things that 99.9% of the population wouldn't notice, well, Stuey did, and he logged into that computer mind of his for future use.

a bonafide f'n legend

hey Stef how old are u and are we guna see u at the tables in the WSOP at all?

they should have have let stephanie ungar get a freeroll to the womens event this past wsop if not let her have a free roll entry to the 2006 wsop event or the womens only event

Stef and Madeline Unger do not gamble.

STu Ungar is undoubtedly the luckiest poker player in history

...he was a crack-head! died broke; what a man!fucking junkie! got no props/ no respect 4 this man. srry!

stu is the man! watched him in the 81 and 97 world series the other day. twas great viewing. pity he is dead though. hopefully he is in heaven. RIP stu

if stu were alive, he would spit on the face of these new champions like moneymaker,raymer, or hachem they are a bunch of loosers with no talent, stu would kick their butts....

Just saw the movie 'High Roller' not sure it did any justice to the man - pretty much portrayed Stu as a weak individual with a knack for cards. You got the feeling that no one really knew him - at least from the movie's stand point.I hope the family can forgive him his weakness and remember the good times - probably something that we all can relate to in today's complicated and troubled times.Take care.

Stu takin money from god right now.

Hi Stefanie. I am a big fan of your father. You are rigth, the few I know of him. I recently ordered the book and I can´t wait more to get it. Let me tell you and all people in this web site why I am a big fan of Stuey, if I never met him. I am just because a great person like him never die. He is still here in our memories through the people who really met him, through his best friends, through his wonderful daughter. I just wanted to say thank you for remembering all his greats things, and I am pretty sure Stuey is very happy, watching how much you love him and support and defende him. Stefanie, I am pretty sure you will not accept, but I am very interested in performing an interview with you (could be through a chat or email), to be translated into spanish for all spanish speakers. If you would like to, write me to [email]frands1@latinmail.com[/email]. I will apreciate that. I am sorry for my language misstakes, not english speaker (spanish).And just keep doing what you are doing. The simple fact of being here answering all facts, trues and myths about your father tells everybody you are a great person. You are as big as your father. Just dont even read disgusting and annoying people, and keep walking. Thanks for everything and thanks for being here.My best regards Stefanie. Fran

in repsonse to owen - the best at whatever he would try???- How about life. real winner there - one of millions of dead junkies - REAL HERO - your right he really conquered life

Simply put, best ever. Monsterous gambler, brilliant mind- totally impossible to contend with. As a cash game player his aggression got him trapped a lot, but in tourneys where your pile is limited and everyone is terrified of 'going home', the man was unstoppable.

Best ever, such a genius. People that are just learning the game should look at what he did

There is a great book out about the life of Stu Ungar called *One Of A Kind* The life story of Stuey *The Kid* Ungar. I saw them for sale on Major League Poker's website. The copies they have are signed by Stueys daughter Stephanie, and wife Madeline. A great read. Stu Ungar is the greatest gin player who ever lived and the best that ever will live. He took up poker seriously after beating all the greatest gin players in the world. He was so good no one would play him.

Stu was the greatest NLH player. Of that there is no question. He had his problems - who doesn't? He was feared beyond belief at the table. A photographic memory? Counting down Blackjack decks? Winning 10 of the 30 $5000 or more entry tournies he played in? Sure that fact alone puts him at the top of the pile. I don't know if the Stefanie Ungar on here is the real Stefanie or not but she seems genuine enough and conducts herself with impeccable grace regardless of whether she is the genuine article or not. I never met your Dad Steff but I followed his career from 1979 when I was 15. I finally made it to Vegas in 1994 and tried to meet him but couldn't manage to do so to my everlasting sorrow as it's not often you get to meet legends with a heart of gold. Good luck to you and you Mam Steff. God rest Stuey.

i'm not gonna sit here and recite stu's accomplishments. anyone who knows anything about cards at all know the name and what stu did. i just wanted to tell a little story that will be appriciated here. my parents both gambled a lot, but not problematically, ever since i could remember. when i was 15 they took me to las vegas for the first time on vacation. we were more frequent atlantic city patrons. but i'll never forget seeing the man who made me wanna be a poker player playing at a razz table most high rollers couldn't even dream of buying into. stu embarrassed player after player. i watched him for at least 2 hours before my dad pulled me away to go to our room. saying that stu was the best card player of all time isn't enough. it's almost insulting to his ability to even compare him to any other player. the best player sets the bar for other players. stu ungar did not do this. he broke the bar and set what isn't a standard for a true legend, but an unattainable greatness that no man could ever come close to repeating. -thanks for being my hero stu. vinnieknish

Stephanie,good to see you here. Don't listen to all these evil little punks saying nasty things. I wish I had met your father. I bought the book and for the most part he seems like a great guy. Too bad he got involved in drugs, but I know how it is as I used to drink a lot of booze. Good luck to you and your mother.

Does anyone know where to find or buy any Stu tournament videos? For all you guys talking trash on Stu, everyone has skeletons in their closets and the question isnt if he made mistakes in life. The point is that Stu was one of the greatest players and his lifestyle had nothing to do with playing cards. He wanted that book published because he wanted new players not to make his same mistake. If I was Stu, I dont think I would want anyone to know the way I lived but he saw it diffrent. I think if a new player learns from him, he accomplished his goal. God bless Stu, You are the man....

Kent, are you still on here?

Steph....what happened? I Can't believe things went down the way they did when you were in town... I took 3 days time off from work (pediatric nurse you know) and everything...guess you didn't read my postings after your last one...thought I would have heard from you by now. Hope all is well... I am still scratching my head over everyhting and I really wanted to meet you and your Mom as I mentioned many times... was weird to see how fast I was fotgotten. I am getting used to it, God or no God. Funny how the little things get put aside for the fast track. Take care...God bless. Kent

Stefanie, I am sorry if my response seemed harsh I was just dissappointed and hurt. I didn't see your question about if I was still on here. I have given you all my personal contact info if you wanted to find me. I know God is working in your life and you must be very busy. Take care and keep up the good work. Kent