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Jerry Yang (poker player)
Encyclopedia
Xao "Jerry" Yang 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. 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
. Prior to the World Series, he had four cashes in local California events. 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 had won $8,250,000 for the victory. As of 2009, the majority of his live tournament winnings, $8,263,393, have come from his win at the 2007 main event.
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." Once Yang was guaranteed a share of the prize money he pledged to donate 10% percent of his winnings to three charities (the Make-a-Wish Foundation
, Feed The Children
, and the Ronald McDonald House
), as well as his alma mater, Loma Linda University
.
, 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
.
He is married and has six children.
Hmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player from Temecula, California
Temecula, California
Temecula is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States with a population of 100,097 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it the lowest populated American city over 100,000 population. It was incorporated on December 1, 1989...
and the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event champion.
Yang started playing poker in 2005. An amateur player at the time, Yang entered the 2007 World Series of Poker
2007 World Series of Poker
The 2007 World Series of Poker began on June 1, 2007. The $10,000 no-limit Texas hold 'em Main Event began on July 6 and was completed on the morning of July 18...
after winning a $225 satellite at the Pechanga Resort and Casino
Pechanga Resort and Casino
Pechanga Resort and Casino is an Indian Casino on the Pechanga Indian Reservation in Temecula, California. Pechanga Resort and Casino is the largest casino in the state of California, with 3,400 slot machines and approximately of gaming space.-History:...
in Temecula
Temecula, California
Temecula is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States with a population of 100,097 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it the lowest populated American city over 100,000 population. It was incorporated on December 1, 1989...
. Prior to the World Series, he had four cashes in local California events. 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 had won $8,250,000 for the victory. As of 2009, the majority of his live tournament winnings, $8,263,393, have come from his win at the 2007 main event.
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." Once Yang was guaranteed a share of the prize money he pledged to donate 10% percent of his winnings to three charities (the Make-a-Wish Foundation
Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization founded in the United States that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.The president & CEO of this...
, Feed The Children
Feed The Children
Feed The Children founded in 1979 is an international, non-profit relief organization guided by Christian values, whose stated mission is "providing hope and resources for those without life's essentials". In FY 2010, Feed The Children distributed more than 133 million pounds of food and other...
, and the Ronald McDonald House
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities is an independent 501c3 organization whose mission is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children across the world...
), as well as his alma mater, Loma Linda University
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda University is a Seventh-day Adventist coeducational health sciences university located in Loma Linda, California, United States. The University comprises eight schools and the Faculty of Graduate Studies...
.
Personal life
Yang, an ethnic HmongHmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
, was born in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
. When the communists took over in the 1970s, his family escaped to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
where they spent four years in a refugee camp
Refugee camp
A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people may live in any one single camp. Usually they are built and run by a government, the United Nations, or international organizations, or NGOs.Refugee camps are generally set up in an impromptu...
. While living in the camp, a brother and sister of his died.
Yang currently lives in Madera, California
Madera, California
Madera is a city in and the county seat of Madera County, California, United States. It is a principal city of the Madera–Chowchilla Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Madera County, and Metropolitan Fresno. It is located in California's San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2010...
. Yang holds a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in health psychology
Health psychology
Health psychology is concerned with understanding how biological, psychological, environmental, and cultural factors are involved in physical health and illness. Health psychologists work alongside other medical professionals in clinical settings, work on behavior change in public health promotion,...
from Loma Linda University
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda University is a Seventh-day Adventist coeducational health sciences university located in Loma Linda, California, United States. The University comprises eight schools and the Faculty of Graduate Studies...
and worked as a psychotherapist
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
and social worker
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
.
He is married and has six children.