Stu Ungar
The primary basis for why Stu changed from gin rummy to poker was that Stu was a little too skilled at it. So good was he, that no player possibly could stand up to him. Even the apparently champions who were meant to be the greatest at gin rummy were decimated when they faced Mr. Ungar. One such gin professionals was Harry Stein, nicknamed, "Yonkie". Harry suffered such a crushing defeat at the hands of mr. ungar that he evidently stopped playing it professionally and never resurfaced at a gin tournament.
Accordingly, with a notoriety like that it was not very long before gamblers became weary of playing against Stu Ungar. He could find no games and in his boredom he began doing something no one had attempted before. Stu issued starting handicaps to likely opposing players in the hope that they might play against him if they believed they had an edge. He at will played from a disadvantageous position and one story has it that stu even played with a consistent absconder. Mid game, he received advice that the cheater was at it once more but mr. ungar guaranteed that he was aware of the dishonestly and he would still come away with a win, which he did, of course.
The same problem followed Stu Ungar to Las Vegas. He won so much that the casinos started requesting that he not to bet in their rooms anymore. The reasoning behind it was that other poker room clientele would not sit at the table if he were playing.
Stu Ungar is recollected more for his accomplishments in texas hold’em poker but he himself always maintained that he was a whole lot more accomplished at gin rummy.
He beat Doyle Brunson in the World Series of Poker in 1980 to become the youngest world camp. Due to his looks that made him appear far younger than he was, he was nicknamed, "The Kid".
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