The basic reason why Stu changed from gin to poker was that he was a tiny bit too good at it. So good in fact, that no player possibly could stand up to him. Even the commonly called champions who were meant to be the most favorable at gin rummy were beat when they played against Mr. Ungar. One of these gin professionals was Harry Stein, called, "Yonkie". Harry was handed such a belittling defeat at the hands of Stu Ungar that he apparently quit playing it as a pro and never resurfaced at a gin rummy tournament.
Of course, with a reputation like that it was not long before players became shy of playing against Stu Ungar. He couldn’t find any games and in his agony he started doing something no one had attempted prior. He provided beginning handicaps to potential competitors with the high hopes that they might compete opposed to him if they believed they held an advantage. He at will started from a negative position and one account has it that stu even played with a constant bad egg. Amid the game, he get warnings that the cheater was at it once again but stu stated that he was aware of the fraudulent activity and he would still acquire a win, which of course, he did.
The same problem followed Stu Ungar to Las Vegas. He won so frequently that the casinos began requesting that he not to gamble in their casinos anymore. The reason was that other poker room clients would not be seated at the poker table if he were seated.
Stu Ungar is remembered better for his achievements in hold’em poker but he always insisted that he was a whole lot more accomplished at gin rummy.
He beat Doyle Brunson in the WSOP in 1980 and became the youngest world champion. Because of his looks that made him appear far younger than he actually was, he was nicknamed, "The Kid".