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The main basis for why Stu Ungar changed from gin to poker was that Stu was a bit too good at it. So skilled in fact, that no one was able stand up to him. Even the so-called experts who were supposed to be the greatest at gin were beat when they faced Stu Ungar. One such gin rummy masters was Harry Stein, nicknamed, "Yonkie". Mr. Stein was handed such a humiliating blow at the hands of stu that he allegedly stopped competing in it as a pro and never resurfaced at a gin rummy tournament.

Of course, with a reputation like that it was not too long before players became weary of gambling against stu. He couldn’t find any matches and in his bleakness he started doing something no one had attempted prior. Stu presented beginning handicaps to potential opponents with the wish that they might just compete with him if they believed they held an edge. He at will began from a bad arrangement and one story has it that stu even competed with a consistent cheater. During the game, he get a few words of wisdom that the cheater was at it again but Stu Ungar assured that he knew of the fraudulent activity and he would still actually win, which of course, he did.

The same problem followed Stu Ungar to sin city. He won so often that the casinos began requesting that he not to bet on their rooms anymore. The reason was that other casino visitors would not sit at the poker table if he were seated.

Stu Ungar is recollected more for his accomplishments in holdem poker but he himself always insisted that he was considerably better at gin rummy.

He defeated Doyle Brunson in the World Series of Poker in 1980 and became the youngest world champion. Because of his looks that made him seem far younger than he actually was, he got the nickname, "The Kid".