Thankfully, for the rest of us, there is Gin Rummy Super! Some say the reason gin rummy is no longer played in Vegas casinos, and as such most casinos around the world, is because of Stu Ungar. His name as a participant alone had players running the other way, eventually leading to calls for his ban from professional matches. The obvious game of choice was Gin Rummy and quickly Stu destroyed all the competition. After a short refuge in Miami, Florida, Stu headed to a realm filled with the most elite and reputed card players in the world – Las Vegas. Stu had destroyed all the New York competition and he decided he need to seek new action. The young, talent card player had a major vice – the ponies! Stu would regularly blow all his monstrous card game winnings at the racetrack and by the late 70’s his debts were starting to catch up to him.

“Imagine if Stu was a rival on Gin Rummy Super ? Think you could best him!?” Vegas, Baby, Vegas By the mid 1970’s, Stu Ungar was regarded as the best gin player in New York. Stu was a renowned sore winner and loser, but under Romano’s protection, he could play absolutely anyone. Yes, that Victor Romano – the famed card player and Genovese crime family soldier. Of course, Stu was already a talented card player by this stage and he played his way to adulthood.īy the time he was 17, Stu was well on his way to legendary status in the underground world of New York gaming. He eventually fell in with the Victor Romano crew. Stu’s mother was poor of health and at the age of 13, Stu was the sole provider for the household. He skipped the 7th grade in school and was earning 10s of thousands of dollars in gin tournaments throughout his early teens. Before he could finish the 10th grade, Stu’s father, who ran illegal gaming parlours in Manhattan, died. The son of bookmaker and loan shark, Stu won his first Gin Rummy tournament at the age of 10 and dropped out of school to pursue gaming full-time.īorn in 1953, Stu Ungar was a talent child.

Widely considered to be a legend in both poker and rummy, Stu Ungar was far from your ordinary World Series of Poker champion.

Arguably the greatest gin rummy player to ever exist – and a handy poker player too – Stu Ungar gin skills were so revered Vegas wouldn’t let him play anymore.

Big gin card game