Jerry Yang (poker player)
| Jerry Yang | |
|---|---|
 Yang at the 2008 World Series of Poker | |
| Nickname(s) | The Shadow[1] |
| Residence | Temecula, California, U.S. |
| Born |
Xao Yang 1967 (age 48–49) Laos |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | 1 |
| Money finish(es) | 6 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish | Winner, 2007 |
Xao "Jerry" Yang (simplified Chinese: 杨係; traditional Chinese: 楊係; pinyin: Yáng Xì; born 1967) is an ethnic Hmong poker player from Temecula, California and the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event champion.
Yang started playing poker in 2005.[2] An amateur player at the time, Yang entered the 2007 World Series of Poker after winning a $225 satellite at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula.[3] Prior to the World Series, he had four cashes in local California events.[4] At the final table, Yang went from starting eighth in chips to holding a big chip lead that he never relinquished. The process of accumulating this chip lead involved Yang knocking out seven of the eight other players at the final table.
Heads-up against Tuan Lam, he won the title with against Lam's when he hit a nine-high straight on the river after Lam had caught a queen on the flop on a board of . After a 12-hour final table, Yang won $8,250,000 for the victory. As he did with other players at the final table, he proceeded to inform Lam that he had a "friend for life". As of 2014, the majority of his live tournament winnings, $8,437,435, resulted from his win at the 2007 main event.[5]
Yang summarized his tournament strategy: "I study my opponents very carefully, and when I sensed something, when I sensed some weakness, I took a chance. Even if I had nothing, I decided to raise, reraise, push all-in or make a call....The only way that I could win this tournament was by being aggressive from the very beginning and that’s exactly what I did. And thank God I was also able to pick up some good cards at the same time."[2] Once Yang was guaranteed a share of the prize money, he pledged to donate 10% of his winnings to three charities (the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Feed The Children, and the Ronald McDonald House),[2] as well as his alma mater, Loma Linda University.[6]
Personal life
Yang, an ethnic Hmong, was born in Laos. When the communists took over in the 1970s, his family escaped to Thailand where they spent four years in a refugee camp. While living in the camp, a brother and sister of his died.
Yang currently lives in Madera, California. Yang holds a master's degree in health psychology from Loma Linda University and worked as a psychotherapist and social worker.[7][8]
He is married and has six children.[3]
References
- ↑ USA Today: Who's who at the World Series of Poker's main event final table
- 1 2 3 Yang wins $8.25 million World Series of Poker, an Associated Press article via MSNBC
- 1 2 Pokerpages.com Jerry Yang profile
- ↑ Cardplayer.com: Jerry Yang
- ↑ "Jerry Yang – Stats". TheHendonMob.com. Retrieved 2014-08-28.
- ↑ Sole survivor: Yang takes World Series of Poker, $8.25M from CBS SportsLine.com
- ↑ PE News
- ↑ "Jerry Yang's Player Info". World Series of Poker official website. Retrieved 26 October 2011.