Stu Unger
Stu Ungar is widely considered the most naturally gifted card player to ever live. Nicknamed "The Comeback Kid," he is one of only two players in poker history to win the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event three times. A hyper-aggressive genius with a reported near-photographic memory, Ungar mastered both gin rummy and Texas Hold'em, utterly dominating his opponents while battling a severe drug addiction that ultimately led to his tragic downfall.

Gin Rummy Prodigy
Before he ever played professional poker, Ungar was a legendary high-stakes gin rummy player. Growing up in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, his father was a bookmaker, exposing Stu to gambling at a young age. By his late teens, Ungar was so profoundly dominant at gin rummy that casinos and private clubs struggled to find anyone willing to play against him. He reportedly won so much money from opposing players that he effectively killed the high-stakes gin rummy action in New York and Las Vegas, forcing him to switch to Texas Hold'em full-time just to find action.

Mind-Boggling Mental Capabilities
Ungar’s brain processed numbers and probabilities faster than almost anyone of his era. He famously accepted a $100,000 bet from casino mogul Bob Stupak to correctly guess the final card of a six-deck blackjack shoe. Stupak dealt out 311 cards, leaving one card remaining. Ungar accurately named the final card (the 10 of diamonds) and won the bet effortlessly. His card-counting skills were so feared that he was legally banned from playing blackjack at nearly every major casino in Las Vegas.

World Series of Poker Dominance
Ungar transitioned into Texas Hold'em and instantly conquered the game using a relentless, hyper-aggressive betting style that traditional, tight old-school pros had no idea how to counter.

• 1980 Main Event: In his very first time playing the tournament, a 26-year-old Ungar won the WSOP Main Event, defeating legendary veteran Doyle Brunson heads-up. Because of his remarkably youthful appearance, he was dubbed "The Kid."
• 1980 Main Event: In his very first time playing the tournament, a 26-year-old Ungar won the WSOP Main Event, defeating legendary veteran Doyle Brunson heads-up. Because of his remarkably youthful appearance, he was dubbed "The Kid."
• 1997 Main Event ("The Comeback Kid") After years of destroying his body with a severe cocaine addiction, friends helped stake Ungar's $10,000 entry fee at the absolute last minute. Looking frail and wearing round, blue-tinted sunglasses to hide the damage to his nasal cavity, Ungar put on a masterclass. He cruised to victory, winning $1 million and dedicating the title to his daughter, Stefanie.

A Tragic Legacy
A Tragic Legacy Despite winning an estimated $30 million across his gambling career, Ungar died completely broke. He had a pathological inability to manage money, frequently losing millions on sports betting, golf wagers, and horse racing immediately after winning a poker tournament.

His escalating drug addiction took a massive physical and mental toll. Just one year after his historic 1997 comeback win, Ungar passed away in a cheap Las Vegas motel room at the age of 45. His heart had finally given out from years of substance abuse.

Catch the Movie
"High Roller: The Stu Unger Story," is a true story and stars Michael Imperioli of Sparanos fame as Stu Unger.