Thursday, July 19, 2007
Yang powers his way to pokers biggest prize

2007 World Series of Poker – Event 55: $10,000 No Limit Hold’em World Championship (entrants 6358, prize money $59,784,954)

A 39-year-old psychologist and social worker from Temecula, California, was last night crowned poker’s new world champion after a dominating final table performance in which he eliminated seven of his final eight opponents.

Jerry Yang was awarded the WSOP World Championship bracelet and $8.25 million for his historic victory, while runner-up Tuan Lam of Toronto, Canada, collected $4,840,981 for his second place finish.

Yang outlasted a field of 6357 other competitors, the second largest live poker tournament in history, to claim the title of world champion. The final table lasted 205 hands and just short of 16 hours.

Although Yang dominated the final table, the last hand was one of the most dramatic of the tournament. Yang raised pre-flop from the button and called after Tuan Lam re-raised all-in from the big blind. Yang held pocket eights, while Lam held A Q.

A flop of Q 9 5 put Lam firmly into the lead, and it looked as though he would double up and extend the heads-up match. Then a 7 on the turn gave Yang four more outs, as he needed an eight to make three-of-a-kind or a 6 to make a nine-high straight. As the crowd of hundreds held their breath, the dealer placed the 6h on the river, giving Yang the straight and the winning hand.

“I've seen the miracles of God with my own eyes,” Yang said after the win. “I also did a lot of bluffing.”

Yang, who had no notable tournament finishes before the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event, was born in Laos. The father of six started playing poker only two years ago. He won a seat into the main event via a satellite held at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California. His total investment to enter the WSOP main event was $225.

Before the final table commenced, he said he would that he will donate 10 per cent of his winnings to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Feed the Children and Ronald McDonald House.

Underlining the global popularity of poker, the final table had started with players from Denmark, Russia, Canada, England, South Africa and the United States.

The last nine players were Philip Hilm (22,070,000), Tuan Lam (21,315,000), Jon Kalmar (20,320,000), Raymond Rahme (16,320,000), Lee Childs (13,240,000), Lee Watkinson (9,925,000), Hevad Khan (9,205,000), Jerry Yang (8,459,000) and Alex Kravchenko (6,570,000).

Yang signalled his intentions from the first few hands by attacking the blinds. Yang raised from late position, and Hilm called from the small blind. On a flop of Kd Jd 5c 2h, Hilm check-raised all-in when Yang raised again. Yang called with Ad Ks, while Hilm showed a pair of fives. The river was a 6c, sending Philip Hilm from chip leader to the first player eliminated after just 15 hands.

On hand 24, Lee Watkinson (who was in line to win an extra $10 million from Full Tilt if he went all the way at the final table), pushed all-in from the big blind over the top of Yang's raise from the small blind. Yang's As 9d had Watkinson’s Ac 7h dominated. The flop of 6d 4h 2c Kd Js did nothing for either player, and ensured the only recognised pro at the final table was out in eighth place.

The button hadn’t even moved around the table when Lee Childs called Yang’s all-in from the big blind. He looked in good shape with Kh Jc against Yang’s Js 8s. The flop (6c 4c 4d) missed both players but an 8c on the turn gave Yang a pair and Childs a flush draw. The 9d on the river sent Childs to the rail in seventh spot as the Yang express gathered momentum.

Hevad Khan was restrained at the final table compared to his antics of previous days but he was back in the spotlight on hand 56 when he pushed all-in with As Qs. Yang called with pocket jacks as Khan watched his world title hopes evaporate on a board of Kc 4c 2d 3c 3s.

The only player not eliminated at the final table by Jerry Yang was Brit Jon Kalmar. When Raymond Rahme raised from late position, Kalmar pushed in the rest of his chips from the big blind. Rahme called with a pair of jacks, creating a classic coin-flip against Kalmar’s As Kh. The flop was 10c 9h 6h 3c 3h, missing Kalmar completely as he exited in fifth.

The last four players – Yang, Tuan Lam, Raymond Rahme and Alex Kravchenko – then tightened up considerably and more than 100 hands would be played until the Russian bowed out in fourth spot.

On hand 167, Kravchenko raised from the small and quickly called when Yang declared all-in from the big blind. Yang set up another race with his pocket eights against Kravchenko’s As Kd. The flop – Qd 9h 8s – made Yang a set. A 4c on the turn and 3s on the river did not help the Russian, who emerged as one of the stars of the 2007 WSOP.

Kravchenko had barely left the Amazon Ballroom when he turned around to see Raymond Rahme following him to the cashier’s cage. After Yang raised from the button, Rahme re-raised from the big blind. On a flop of Ad Jh 8h, Yang bet 10 million with Rahme then check-raising all-in for 27 million. Yang thought for several minutes before pushing in his additional 17.35 million.

The South African’s pocket kings were already behind Yang’s Ac 5s, and weren’t improved on the turn (3s) or river (2d). After wishing Nelson Mandela happy birthday, Rahme left the room to the cheers of the South African contingent in the room.

The heads-up contest between Jerry Yang and Tuan Lam lasted longer than the last three years combined. On the 35th hand, Yang hit an unlikely six to make his straight and secure the $8.25 million for his win, a Corum watch, and the most coveted prize in poker, the Main Event bracelet.

2007 WSOP main event final results

1 Jerry Yang (Temecula, California) $8,250,000
2 Tuan Lam (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) $4,840,981
3 Raymond Rahme (Johannesburg, South Africa) $3,048,025
4 Alex Kravchenko (Moscow, Russia) $1,852,721
5 Jon Kalmar (Chorley, UK) $1,255,069
6 Hevad Khan (Poughkeepsie, New York) $956,243
7 Lee Childs (Reston, Virginia) $705,229
8 Lee Watkinson (Cheney, Washington) $585,699
9 Philip Hilm (Cambridge, UK) $525,934