Martin Scorsese would have made the life of Stu Ungar (1953-1998) a perfect film script. They went ahead. Consecrated in the 80s as one of the best poker players in history, 'The Kid' ended his life dramatically, the way in which geniuses usually die.
Las Vegas offered Ungar his happiness and misery. He arrived in the city fleeing the New York mafia and in it he succumbed to an overdose. In his pockets he was carrying $ 800, part of the money he had been advanced after being hired as a dealer in the casino of a friend who had done him a favor.
Ungar grew up in the bar that his father ran serving some of the guys with the worst reputation in Lower Manhattan. From them he learned the art of playing cards. He was only 10 years old and already had sufficient liquidity to participate in a gin-rummy timba.
The existence became a chaos at 13 years. Anarchy guided his steps since then. His father died and, shortly after, his mother suffered a stroke. He had to find the money in the easiest way he knew to meet the needs of his family.
That kid with few possibilities became one of the most feared gin-rummy players in all of New York. His boyish appearance confused the rivals, who despised him at first and ended up surprised by the ease with which Ungar played and won.
His fame grew and the lenders began to entrust money to a young man who had a magnet for dollars. He also tried the blackjack successfully. Poker devoted him.
History of the World Series of Poker
But he also had bad times. At the age of 25, the mafia put a price on its head for a millionaire debt. It was getting harder and harder to ask for money. It became increasingly difficult for other players to accept him at a gaming table. He had already won two World Series of Poker (WSOP).
Ungar no logró su tercer brazalete de campeón del mundo hasta 1997. Fueron años de despropósitos y despilfarros. Cuentan que jugó partidas de tenis de mesa contra campeones chinos por 5.000 dólares; que dejaba propinas de 100 dólares por facturas de 50; que perdió 80.000 dólares la primera vez que jugó al golf; que destrozó cinco Jaguars y un Mercedes como pretexto para comprarse otro coche.
A su última gran aparición pública acudió por un golpe de suerte. Fue en las WSOP del 97. Una persona anónima le pagó la entrada de 10.000 dólares. Su participación hizo historia. Nadie esperaba su concurso, que jugará al nivel que lo hizo o que ganara. Sólo Johny Moss iguala su palmarés. "Realmente no sé si hay vida sin apuestas. Si la hay, no creo poder disfrutarla", resumió Ungar en una frase que más que un epitafio pudo ser su último exceso.
