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In his latest blog entry at DoylesRoom.com, Doyle Brunson makes some interesting notions about two of the greatest poker players that ever lived, namely Stu Ungar and Phil Ivey. It has often been debated which of these two was the better player. Doyle knows them both well from personal experience and says that if they played heads up for cash, Phil is a huge favourite. But if it's a heads up freezeout, Doyle's money is on Stu.
"When all you can lose is your buy-in, Stu had so much imagination, I think he would win," Doyle says (though he admits that a freezeout between two good players is largely a coinflip).
Doyle explains further that in his opinion Stu was the best winning player ever, but when he was losing, he was one of the worst. "Stu isn't in my top 20 all-time best players while Phil definitely is," he says.
Doyle explains this by saying that it takes much more than just talent and imagination to be a great poker player. You have to be able to take losses, handle the pitfalls of life, and have the ability to implement the things you do know. These are skills that Stu Ungar was lacking.
Three times World Champion Stu Ungar (pictured) died of a drug related heart failure in 1997 when Phil Ivey was still learning the ropes in poker, so we will never know how their heads up would have actually played out - but it's a fascinating thought.
"When all you can lose is your buy-in, Stu had so much imagination, I think he would win," Doyle says (though he admits that a freezeout between two good players is largely a coinflip).
Doyle explains further that in his opinion Stu was the best winning player ever, but when he was losing, he was one of the worst. "Stu isn't in my top 20 all-time best players while Phil definitely is," he says.
Doyle explains this by saying that it takes much more than just talent and imagination to be a great poker player. You have to be able to take losses, handle the pitfalls of life, and have the ability to implement the things you do know. These are skills that Stu Ungar was lacking.
Three times World Champion Stu Ungar (pictured) died of a drug related heart failure in 1997 when Phil Ivey was still learning the ropes in poker, so we will never know how their heads up would have actually played out - but it's a fascinating thought.
