Psychologist Wins Poker WS Laotian-American defeats Vietnamese-Canadian, wins $8M By Jesse Andrews Posted Jul 19, 2007 4:54 AM CDT Copied 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. Read These Next Police chief releases details in Annunciation Church shooting. Minneapolis shooter had a plan—and grievances. Disturbing details are emerging about the Minneapolis shooter. Jay Cutler can't avoid jail in DUI case. Report an error