Psychologist Wins Poker WS

Laotian-American defeats Vietnamese-Canadian, wins $8M
By Jesse Andrews,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 19, 2007 4:54 AM CDT
Psychologist Wins Poker WS
Poker player Jerry Yang, of Temecula, Calif., poses with his prize money after winning the main event of the World Series of Poker at the Rio hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Wednesday, July 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)   (Associated Press)

A psychologist from California with less than two years of poker experience won the World Series of Poker, thanks to a combination of canny, aggressive play and timely hands. Jerry Yang entered the last hand with $107 million, a WSOP record, and personally eliminated seven of his final eight rivals to take home the $8.25-million prize.

A Hmong immigrant from Laos who grew up in rural poverty and came to the US at age 13, Yang defeated Vietnamese-born runner-up Tuan Lam, an Ontario native. Yang entered the final round of nine with the second-smallest stack of chips, which inspired his aggressive tactics. He will donate 10% to charity. (More Jerry Yang stories.)

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