The Legendary 1980 WSOP Main Event
The popularity of the WSOP continued to grow, and the 1980 Main Event, now in its 11th year, saw 73 players register. But among the local legends, there was a new name in the game - Stu Ungar. The 26-year-old was considered the best gin rummy player in the world, but since no one wanted to play the game with him anymore, he moved to the poker tables. Before the 1980 WSOP, Stu had only played hold'em once in his life, and he had never played a tournament before. But this card genius was learning as he went along, and gradually sailed through all the playing days, right up to heads-up play, where he faced Doyle.
"It was clear that Stu was a tremendous talent, but I was confident that I could beat him because of my experience. He went into heads-up play with a slight advantage, but I made up for it pretty quickly. It was all decided by the hand I opened with for 17,000 and Stu called. The flop was , and I opted for a low bet instead of a strong bet to tie Stu up in the game. Stu called, and it came , to which he already bet 30,000. I moved all in for 275,000 and watched in surprise as he called and turned . The river made no difference and the champion was decided. I felt the worst in the world and I couldn't believe it, but on the other hand I was witnessing one of the most incredible moments of the WSOP in the front row. Stu was an extraordinary player and this was just the beginning of his legend."
A loss that can't be dealt with
At the time, Doyle was enjoying a golden time - he was a legend in poker that even the best were afraid to play, he spent his spare time golfing, where he regularly won all sorts of bets, and he had a wife and three children waiting for him at home. Everything was looking very good. "All of us Brunsons had a tendency to be overweight in our DNA. Doyle's daughter fell into bulimia because of it, a widespread disorder at the time, from which, for example, Paula Abdul and Princess Diana suffered. We took her to many specialists and psychologists, but at that time the disease was still unknown and no one could do anything to help us."
In addition to bulimia, Doyle also suffered from a valve problem, which was not life-threatening in itself, and for which she had to take potassium regularly. In 1981, she enrolled at the University of Las Vegas to become a Christian psychologist. She was full of energy, enjoyed helping others, and enjoyed life. Until one day two gentlemen rang the Brunson's doorbell and told the unsuspecting parents that their daughter had died in the night.
"I couldn't understand what was happening. I just stood there and felt like someone had hit me over the head with a stick. Just a few hours ago she was on the phone with her mom, everything was fine, and all of a sudden this?" According to official reports, Doyle died in her sleep on March 16, 1982, of a heart attack; she was only 18 at the time. "I was broken, confused and didn't know what to do. Doyle's death sucked the soul out of me. My biggest support was Louise, who coped with it, mainly because of her strong faith in God."
Doyle's world came crashing down, he fell into apathy and didn't know how to get his life back. "I tried to go play the WSOP, hoping it would help clear my head. But in the middle of the tournament I stood up and went home, I couldn't sit there anymore. I didn't even know if I ever wanted to play poker again." The suffering was so great that Doyle even contemplated suicide. "I didn't have a gun at the time. If I had, I think I would have shot myself." Desperate, Doyle finally relented and opened himself up to Christianity and God.
"I never understood what Louise saw in religion, but when I had tried everything, I started reading the Bible. When I read it, I didn't feel pain. And so I read. Hours, weeks, months. I read it front to back a few times, marking the parts that caught my eye. I had some great people around me, and we started doing regular seminars with them, where we read the Bible and talked about God. It lasted 18 months, during which time faith helped many alcoholics, drug addicts, and even us suffering parents."
Unsuccessful Helping Stu
Once Doyle was able to stand on his own two feet, he decided to help Stu, who was already struggling with alcohol and drugs. "Louise and I feared for his life, so we took him in for 3 weeks, gave him home-cooked meals, showered him with love and mental help, but it all came to nothing - he quickly slipped back into his old ways when he returned to Vegas."
Stu was a unique player who managed to win the Main Event 3 times (something only Johnny Moss managed in the early days of the WSOP), but he was also an articulate and brash man. "He was probably the only one I ever wanted to punch at the table. He would often berate the dealers, spit on them and throw cards at them. Outside the tables though, everyone loved Stu, he was a genius with a great sense of humour. He had all the innate qualities to become a great player. Except one - discipline. "Drugs became Stu's undoing, and on November 22, 1998 (the 35th anniversary of JFK's death) he was found dead in the Oasis Motel in Las Vegas. Although, according to unofficial records, he had made over $30 million during his career, he was completely broke the day he died and we had to pack up for his funeral..."
Source - Wikipedia, The Godfather of Poker autobiography, PokerTube, PokerNews
