POKER STARS 4

7. STU UNGAR

This is the only player we have written about who unfortunately is not with us anymore. He died at the young age of 42 after becoming addicted to life-threatening drugs. However, before he passed away, Stu ‘The Kid’ Ungar made tremendous inroads into the world of poker with his customized poker chips. Ungar is generally regarded as the greatest No Limit Texas Holdem player of all time.

He won the World Series of Poker three times, in 1980, a year later and in 1997 (he died in 1998). He won the first of these titles with his customized poker chips when he was only 24. Although this is common now (e.g. young players like Phil Ivey and Negreanu), poker used to be dominated by older men, especially Texas Holdem. It is for this reason that he was given the nickname ‘The Kid’ even though many players arrive on the Holdem scene much earlier with their customized poker chips nowadays.

This guy was not just an expert at Texas Holdem and gambling customized poker chips, he used to be an expert at a gambling game called Gin Rummy. He was so good that nobody was willing to gamble their customized poker chips with him because he was so good. He was forced into the world of poker by default and managed to maximise winnings of customized poker chips in that gambling game too!

8. DEWEY TOMKO

This classic Holdem player will only play with his customized poker chips in the huge stakes tournaments like the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour. He is also a world class golfer (he used to own a huge golf club with Doyle Brunson!). He finished second in the World Series of Poker in 2001 and 1982 with his customized poker chips. You would never have guessed but this high stakes poker player used to be a kindergarten teacher! If only he could teach us how to play so well with our customized poker chips!

9. DAVID ULLIOTT

Nicknamed the ‘Devilfish’ after a famous Chinese delicacy which can kill you if it is not cooked properly, this poker player is probably the best known poker player from the UK. He is one of the most aggressive poker players with his customized poker chips and has won events at the World Series of Poker before. Watch out for this guy if he comes anywhere near you and your customized poker chips!