The primary reason why Stu switched from gin to poker was that he was a little too good at it. So skilled was he, that no one could stand up to him. Even the commonly called professionals who were supposed to be the best at gin were crushed when they faced Mr. Ungar. One such gin player was Harry Stein, nicknamed, "Yonkie". Mr. Stein was handed such a debilitating blow at the hands of Stu Ungar that he allegedly quit competing in it as a pro and never resurfaced at a gin tournament.
Of course, with a reputation like that it wasn’t too long before people became weary of betting against Stu Ungar. He could find no matches and in his desperation he started doing something no one had attempted before. He offered beginning handicaps to potential opposing players in the wish that they may play opposed to him if they thought they held an advantage. He deliberately played from a disadvantageous position and one tale has it that he even played with a constant bad egg. During the game, he received advice that the absconder was at it once again but mr. ungar stated that he knew of the fraudulent activity and he would still actually win, which of course, he did.
The same trend followed Stu Ungar to Las Vegas. He won so frequently that the casinos began requesting that he not to compete on their rooms anymore. The basis for it was that other poker room visitors would not sit at the table if Stu was playing.
Stu Ungar is remembered better for his achievements in hold’em poker but he himself always said that he was far more accomplished at gin rummy.
He defeated Doyle Brunson in the World Series of Poker in Nineteen Eighty and became the youngest world camp. Because of his features that made him appear far younger than he actually was, he was nicknamed, "The Kid".
