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Stu UngarProfessional card player
Date of Birth: 08.09.1953
Country: ![]() |
Biography of Stuart Anger
Stuart Errol 'Stu' Ungar was a legendary American professional poker and gin rummy player, widely recognized as the "best player in history" during his time. Unfortunately, his bright card-playing career was cut short when he passed away at the age of 45 due to drug problems.

Early Life and Talent for Cards
Stuart Ungar was born in 1953 in Manhattan's Lower East Side, into a Jewish family. His father was a loan shark, and it was in his father's bar that Stuart first became acquainted with cards, as local mobsters transformed it into a gambling den. Showing an early talent for the game, young Anger excelled in gin rummy. Many people wanted to play against the bold young boy, but few were able to defeat the young card genius.
Becoming a Professional Gambler
In 1966, Stuart's father passed away from a heart attack, forcing him to become the breadwinner for his mother and sister. With his only means of earning money being through gambling, Stuart delved deeper into the world of gambling. By the time he was 18, Stuart had formed a friendship with the criminal authority Victor Romano, who was considered one of the strongest card players at the time. With Romano as his influential patron, Anger began playing high-stakes games. Soon, he gained a reputation for being extremely arrogant, audacious, and disrespectful towards his opponents. However, Stuart was more concerned with his insatiable love for money, earning astronomical sums through his games, while also developing drug problems. In addition to card games, he also had a passion for horse racing and frequently squandered his card winnings at the racetrack.
Career Highlights and Personal Struggles
In 1977, Anger made his first appearance in Las Vegas with his girlfriend, Madeline Wheeler, who later became his wife in 1982. In Las Vegas, Stuart shifted his focus from gin rummy to poker and soon became a sensation at the poker table. He even managed to defeat the renowned poker player Billy Baxter, who was considered one of the strongest players of that time. Baxter, who initially found Stuart's appearance laughable, quickly realized that he was a formidable and aggressive opponent.
In 1980, Anger participated in his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) tournament, where he faced off against the poker legend Doyle Brunson. Despite the competition, Stuart became the youngest WSOP winner. He went on to win another bracelet the following year. Despite his enormous winnings, Stuart never knew how to handle his money. His addiction to horse racing, bookmakers, and drugs ultimately led to the dissolution of his marriage, with his wife leaving him and taking their daughter. Meanwhile, Stuart continued to spiral downward.
Final Years and Legacy
Stuart Ungar was known for his generosity towards friends and even strangers. He freely paid for meals at restaurants, threw money around, and hosted lavish parties. Those who knew him closely recounted that he could wake up a millionaire and end the day in debt. He was utterly unpredictable, and his talent in the game was equally incomprehensible. Whether his success was due to incredible luck or his exceptional intelligence and understanding of human psychology remains a mystery.
Despite his immense winnings, Stuart was constantly gambling and losing enormous amounts of money. He disappeared for weeks or even months at a time and, tragically, remained firmly in the grip of drug addiction. On November 22, 1998, Stuart Anger was found dead in a cheap motel room called the "Oasis" in Las Vegas. Autopsy results revealed the presence of drugs in his system, but they were not the direct cause of his death. The forensic pathologists concluded that Anger died from heart disease, which had been exacerbated by years of drug abuse.
It is noteworthy that Anger, who won millions during his lifetime, left behind nothing. His friend, Bob Stupak, paid for his funeral expenses. Stuart was laid to rest in the Palm Valley View Memorial Park in East Las Vegas.
Even today, Stuart Anger is considered one of the greatest card players, and his name holds great esteem in the world of poker. Legends still circulate about his super-aggressive playing style, extraordinary luck, and the ease with which he lost. However, his self-destructive personal life is usually glossed over.