Silly Question: Gus Hansen vs. Stu Ungar

So this is going to sound unworth discussing to many of you. I am interested,though, and I am sure there are others that would be also.
I never was able to watch Stu Ungar play, do to my young age (I was interested in poker though, just didnt think of players as celebrities). From what I have read and heard about Ungar, and from what I have seen in the movie, it seems to me that the starting cards Stu played were utterly irrelevant. This being true becuse he played so well post flop, and almost see right through his opponents. As if he were a super human poker player that there should be no way in hell that you'd want to play for money against.

When I watched the first World Poker Tour when Gus Hansen beat out Freddy Deeb. Deeb made some comments in the post tournament interview to the effect (I know this must not be EXACTLY word for word accurate, but the essence is accurate), that he had had never played with a bigger fish than Gus Hansen, and that he wished he could play in the same game as him everyday for the rest of his life. (Sounds like going to poker hell, if you ask me).

So my question is this: I'd like to ask people to draw comparisons between the two players. Is Hansen a modern day Ungar? Or would it be blasphemous to draw such a comparison?

I know one thing, they could both take their poker books and throw them out the window. I know they both relied hevily on mathematics and odds, but beyond that their games were largely psychological.

Okay, and the last question, who was the better player Hansen or Ungar (I'm speaking strictly of NLHE)?

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I know they both relied hevily on mathematics and odds, but beyond that their games were largely psychological.


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Gee, ya think? Math, and odds, and beyond that...psychology? Shock of the decamillennium.

Look, I know its a silly thread, and I can feel the hate in you tone. If you feel like part in a silly discussion, like I do time to time, feel free. Otherwise spend your time on your more worthwhile ventures.

I haven't logged over 5K hands with either of them, so I'm not at liberty to offer an opinion.

I'm sure you can find a 2+2er that has logged over 5K hands with each. Ask them.

[4_2_it]

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I haven't logged over 5K hands with either of them, so I'm not at liberty to offer an opinion.

I'm sure you can find a 2+2er that has logged over 5K hands with each. Ask them.

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5k is too small a sample size. I will entertain a hypothesis from someone with 100K hands and a theory from someone with 500K.

[Quicksilvre]

I havre trouble drawing a comparison between Ungar and Hansen, since so much of Ungar's adult life was centered around his various drug abuse problems, and Hansen's does not. So, it seems as though Gus at least as more control over himself than Stu.

[bernie]

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I haven't logged over 5K hands with either of them, so I'm not at liberty to offer an opinion.

I'm sure you can find a 2+2er that has logged over 5K hands with each. Ask them.

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5k is too small a sample size. I will entertain a hypothesis from someone with 100K hands and a theory from someone with 500K.

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You don't need to play 5k hands against someone to decipher if one is a good player.

Sometimes just in talking with them you can find out where they are thought process-wise.

Hansen a modern day Ungar? Doubt it.

Deeb looked like a big friggin' baby when he made those comments.

b

Having watched Stuey from afar and from comments I've read by other players, Ungar could be lethal in tournaments, but either amassed chips or was out early, because he was so aggressive. Similar to Hansen, more aggressive than Ivey. His reads were said to be amazing. Cash games I've heard/read were another story, where Stuey would try to steamroll the table and take some huge swings.

Hansen's a top pro, so obviously he has talent. Some similarities in the two players, but Hansen has far more self control. They play a similar game, but Ungar's was an exaggerated version of Hansen's IMO.

If you want a better comparison, take a look at Mike Matusow. IMO he doesn't have anywhere near Ungar's game, but their lives strike me as similar. Matusow doesn't have Ungar's substance abuse issues (as far as I know), but he's got a huge gambling problem along with his talent. Reminds me a lot of Stuey a couple of years before he passed.

Barry Greenstein has an interesting profile of both Ungar an Hansen on his Web site, it gives a pretty good look at both of these men.

[benkahuna]

From what I've heard, Flack is much closer to being a modern day Ungar. His style of play is apparently pretty close to Gus's, but he has known substance abuse issues as well. Both players are similar to Ungar. Very aggressive, impressive reads, willingness to play more garbage than most, and a highly mathematically based game.

I've been told that Flack is closer to how Ungar was, but not a lot closer than Gus.

[ggbman]

Both Gus and Stu played in games they shouldnt have and lost back way more money than they should have.

Gus Hansen's closer to Greg Raymer than to Stu Ungar. They're good mathematical callers. Stu Ungar was primarily a mind reader.

[thejameser]

The greatness of what Stu Ungar was will never be fully understood by today's players and comparing him to Gus Hansen is an insult to Ungar IMO.

[Sincere]

Ungar and its not even close

[4_2_it]

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I haven't logged over 5K hands with either of them, so I'm not at liberty to offer an opinion.

I'm sure you can find a 2+2er that has logged over 5K hands with each. Ask them.

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5k is too small a sample size. I will entertain a hypothesis from someone with 100K hands and a theory from someone with 500K.

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You don't need to play 5k hands against someone to decipher if one is a good player.

Sometimes just in talking with them you can find out where they are thought process-wise.

Hansen a modern day Ungar? Doubt it.

Deeb looked like a big friggin' baby when he made those comments.

b

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Sorry you missed my apparently not-so-obvious sarcasm (I thought the 500k hands comment gave it way). Next time I'll use one of these: /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Personally I hope that we never see another Stu Unger. I am not speaking in terms of poker ability, but in terms of final outcome in life.

I read somwhere on onlineshark.com
that hansen is not doing so good in the big game.
there were rumors he is going broke.

[Dan Mezick]

I'd like to have seen Rain Man play Stu Ungar, that would be cool.

Definitely. definitely.

[4_2_it]

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I'd like to have seen Rain Man play Stu Ungar, that would be cool.

Definitely. definitely.

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But what happens when it's "10 minutes till Wapner"?