Jerry Yang Wins 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event

Californian Jerry Yang has something in common with Jake and Elwood Blues.  He was on mission from God.  Frequently invoking the Lord’s name in prayer during all-in confrontations, Yang quickly built his small chip stack into a dominant one, cruised over a few bumps in the road, and decimated the competition en route to victory in the Main Event of the 2007 WSOP and an $8.25 million payday. 

If you had never seen any of the players prior to the final table, Yang, a psychologist and social worker with six children, was an easy choice for a rooting interest.  He had pledged to donate ten percent of his winnings to three charities: the Ronald McDonald House, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Feed the Children.  From the beginning of the day, however, it didn’t look like he would last long, as he was the second shortest stack at the table with 8.45 million chips. 

Immediately, however, the player that some had characterized as “weak” took control of the table, raising almost every pot.  His raises were so bizarre, some as high as ten times the big blind, that television commentator and poker pro Phil Gordon was absolutely befuddled.  He tried to make conjectures as to Yang’s hole cards, but he readily admitted that he had no idea.  Was Yang getting hit in the face with the deck or was he bluffing?  The strategy worked, however, as he won five of the first nine hands, including a massive 11.63 million chip pot against Lee Childs, who Yang had completely confused.  All told, Yang added around 12 million chips to his stack in the first orbit, soaring to third place. 

In the next orbit, Yang abused the chip leader, Philip Hilm, and set the stage for the rest of the night.  On hand 14, Yang raised to 2.5 million (the big blind was only 240,000) and Hilm called after extensive thought.  On the A-T-8 flop, Yang led out for 3 million and was called.  When a 3 landed on the turn, Hilm checked to Yang, who moved all-in, forcing a fold from Hilm.  That 11.39 million chip pot put Yang in the chip lead with over 25 million chips.  He went from the second short stack to the chip leader without a showdown in 14 hands. 

On the very next hand, Yang made a more standard raise of 1 million and once again, Hilm thought for a minute or so and called.  The flop came out Kd-Jd-5c, Yang bet 2 million, and Hilm called.  At this point, the commentators and fans on the internet figured Hilm must be trapping Yang, since he knows that Yang is going to put him to the test on the turn.  The turn was the 2h.  Hilm checked, Yang bet 4 million, and this time, Hilm moved all-in.  Yang took a short pause to think, and then called with A-K.  Hilm flipped over 8d-5d for a pair and flush draw, surprising pretty much everyone watching.  The river bricked, the chip leader to start the day was the first one out, and the loudest sound in the Amazon Room was Jerry Yang yelling, “YEEEEESSSSS! YEEEEESSSSS! YEEEEESSSSS!” 

And like that, Yang was up to 44.5 million, almost a third of the chips on the table. 

Yang was quiet for a few hands until hand 21, when the action folded to him in the small blind and he raised to 1 million.  Lee Watkinson, the only known pro at the table, seemed to decide that, even though Yang showed A-K earlier, he couldn’t possibly have a great hand every time he raises.  Thus, he pushed all-in for almost 10 million.  Yang asked for a count, which took several tense minutes, and then called once the count was complete.  Watkinson held A-7, but Yang held A-9 and had the pro dominated.   

As the the room waited for the community cards, Yang began quite audibly praying, saying things like, “Lord, I know you have a purpose for me today.  I will glorify your name Lord.  With the money I make, I will glorify your name.” 

After Yang’s hand held up and he and Watkinson exchanged handshakes (and a hug initiated by Yang), Yang asked Watkinson to pray for him to win because he will do great things with the money.  There was nothing inappropriate about Yang’s antics, but it was all very odd to hear at a poker tournament.   

Yang was up to 55 million after 21 hands.  This run has already become legendary.  Yang’s relentless aggression has paid dividends early. 

Hand 28, Yang was at it again.  Childs, sitting directly to Yang’s right, and still reeling from the earlier beat, raised from the small blind.  Yang then put him all-in on a pure bluff, with only J-8.  Childs thought for a while and called.  It turned out to be a great call, as his K-J had Yang dominated.  Unfortunately for Childs, Yang’s continued prayer worked again, as he nailed an 8 on the turn, sending Childs to the rail in 7^th place. 

With six players left, Jerry Yang had 62.49 million.  The next closest competitor, Tuan Lam, had only 20 million.  

The litany of bizarre pre-flop raises and all-ins with marginal hands to this point had the television commentators wondering what was going on.  Phil Hellmuth, who joined the booth for a little while, said that this final table was “amateur hour.” 

Play slowed for a while before the next bust-out on hand 56.  Yang raised pre-flop to 1.5 million and Hevad “Rain” Khan, who was running low on chips, re-raised from the small blind to 6 million, leaving himself only about 3.5 million chips.  Raymond Rahme, who had been playing tight, thought about a call for a minute or two, but folded.  Yang asked for a count, which took a while, and finally called.  He actually forgot for a moment that Khan wasn’t all-in and almost flipped over his cards.  Khan then announced his was all-in on the flop in the dark.  Yang called the all-in on a King high flop, showing J-J, besting Khan’s A-Q.  Khan got no more help and was gone in 6^th.  Yet another victim for Yang. 

Yang’s domination was reminiscent of Jamie Gold’s run through the final table last year.  The two, however, did it in different ways.  Gold had the huge stack from the beginning and played many smaller pots pre-flop, putting the pressure on his opponents with larger bets after the flop and playing with their minds through his chatter.  Yang, on the other hand, made massive pre-flop bets, followed by more relentless pounding after the flop.  Unlike Gold, Yang was silent at the table until an all-in situation.   

And now, with five players remaining, Yang had 73 million chips, more than the rest of the players combined. 

It only took four more hands for another elimination, and it shockingly wasn’t handed down by Yang.  Rahme raised to 2.7 million pre-flop and Jon Kalmar, who hadn’t done much of anything yet, moved all-in for over 13 million.  Rahme called, showing J-J, while Kalmar had A-K.  Neither hand improved and Kalmar was eliminated in 5^th place.  That got Rahme back in the game, although still way behind Yang, with almost 30 million chips. 

It is interesting to note that the remaining players hail from four different countries and three continents.  Jerry Yang is from California (although a native of Laos), Tuan Lam is from Canada (originally from Vietnam), Raymond Rahme is from South Africa, and Alex Kravchenko is from Russia. 

Four-handed play lasted a long time.  By dinner (30 more hands) nobody was knocked out and Yang still held a significant lead.  Alex Kravchenko, who was the short stack going into the final table, had done essentially nothing all day and was guaranteed at least fourth place.  At the break, he had moved up a little in chips, having doubled through Yang.   

Yang took another hit just after dinner, doubling up Lam, who he had been beating up on a regular basis.  Yang fell to 60 million chips, Lam was up to almost 23 million. 

After 100 hands, Yang had won 39 percent of the pots and, while his lead wasn’t as big as it once was, still had almost half the chips in play. 

On hand 108, it looked like Yang’s aggressive style was going to potentially be his undoing.  Kravchenko, who very much looked the part of a stereotypical stoic Russian, raised pre-flop, only to be re-raised by Yang.  Kravchenko moved all-in for around 13 million total and Yang thought about for a minute before calling with A-10.  Kravchenko had him almost dead to rights with K-K.  The Kings held up and all of a sudden, Yang looked mortal.  He was down to less than 48 million, while Rahme was within striking distance with 30.45 million and Kravchenko was up to 27.6 million.  Many watching felt Kravchenko now had a legitimate shot, as he was known as a very strong player (and had already won a bracelet this year).   

31 hands later, Yang lost more chips (after having gained some back), doubling up Rahme.  Rahme caught a three outer on Yang, as his A-Q caught an Ace against Yang’s Q-Q.  Rahme, at 36 million, was now only 5 million behind Yang. 

In the meantime, Kravchenko was slipping back when he found A-K in the small blind.  He raised, Yang pushed with 8-8, and Kravchenko called instantly, putting his remaining 20 million chips on the line.  Yang flopped a set, exploded in joy, and knocked out Kravchenko in 4^th place.   

This was just the boost Yang needed.  He was now back up over 67 million, while Rahme had 36 million, and Lam had 24 million.  After seeing the first five players exit within the first 60 hands, it took another 107 hands before Kravchenko was eliminated. 

Yang took off again from that point. 

Two hands later, he eliminated Rahme.  Yang raised to 2.6 million pre-flop, Rahme re-raised to 8.6 million, and Yang called.  On a flop of A-J-8, Rahme check-raised Yang’s 10 million chip bet all-in for 17.35 million more.  Yang went into the tank for several minutes, finally deciding to make the call with A-5.  Upon seeing Rahme’s K-K, Yang went into the “YEEEEESSSSS! YEEEEESSSSS! YEEEEESSSSS!” routine again, and understandably so.  Rahme couldn’t re-suckout and was eliminated in 3^rd. 

Going into heads-up play, Yang was looking down from the top of the mountain on Tuan Lam, 104.45 million chips to 23.025 million. 

And he had little trouble with Lam the rest of the way.  Lam had been having trouble with Yang all day, frequently seeing his bets get re-raised by the aggressive Californian.  Yang’s domination continued heads-up.  He won almost every pot and just pounded on Lam, not giving him a chance to breathe.  Lam had a string of three pots in a row, but he never got passed his original heads-up starting stack. 

Finally, on hand 205, Yang raised pre-flop, Lam went all-in, and Yang called.  Yang showed 8-8 and Lam had A-Q.  The race was on. 

The flop went to Lam, as it came Q-9-5.  The turn was a 7, giving Yang a gut-shot straight draw and a few extra outs.  That draw came true on the river, as the 6 landed, completing the straight and crowning Jerry Yang the new World Champion. 

At first glance, it appears that Jerry Yang will be a great ambassador for the poker community.  He is extremely humble and appreciative of the moment.  His post-game interview was moving, as he recounted how his family fled an oppressive communist regime in Laos, finally making it to Thailand on their second try.  He said that the greatest day of his life was when his family was granted entry into the country by the United States.   

Having already pledged ten percent of his winnings to the Ronald McDonald House, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Feed the Children, he also pledged to help his family, in particular his wife.  She will be getting a new car and an early retirement. 

Yang promised to do whatever he could to assist in the fight for poker in the U.S., and with God on his side, maybe there’s some hope!