World Series of Poker Champ

Jerry Yang won the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event. Yang started off the final table in fine fashion, making aggressive bets (opening pots for much more than the standard raise) and getting three knockouts really quickly (in all he knocked out 7 of 8 at the final table). At one point Yang had more than half the chips in play. He took a couple of big beats but rebounded to take a 4 to 1 chip lead into heads up against Tuan Lam.

Lam folded almost everything until he moved all in with 4-3 against Yang's A-9. Lam caught a 4 and some momentum. On the very last hand Lam moved all in with A-Q and was called by Yang with 8-8. A queen came on the flop, but the other four cards on the board were 9-5 (flop), 7 (turn) and a 6 on the river gave Yang a runner-runner straight, $8.25 million, the bracelet and fame and notoreity in the poker world.

Yang is already being criticized by poker players for his loose calls, overaggressive play and lucky card catching. The thing that separates Yang from Jamie Gold is that even on Yang's bad plays calling Lee Watkinson's all-in with A-9, came when Watkinson only had A-7, he did get all in with the best of it.

Yang is a very religious man and at one point he promised that if he won he would use the money to "glorify your name Lord."



He also seems like a nice man, he has 6 kids and promises to give 10% of his winnings to charity including the Ronald McDonald House and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He says he won't become a full time poker pro, but who knows.

Even though I followed almost every hand on the internet I still look forward to seeing it on TV in another 6 weeks or so. I have the feeling it's going to make Yang look like a card rack who doesn't know how to play, but his aggressive style won him this tournament.

A few side notes:
The final table last about 16 hours (including breaks).

The heads up match between Yang and Tuan Lam lasted 36 hands.

The 2004 WSOP heads up battle between Greg Raymer and David Williams lasted three hands.

The 2005 WSOP heads up match between Joe Hachem and Steve Dannenmann lasted six hands.

The 2006 WSOP heads up match between Jamie Gold and Paul Wasicka lasted seven hands.

In total the tournament lasted 36 levels, two hours each, over 7 days of play (there were 4 Day 1s and 2 Day 2s.

I can't wait to see Scotty Nguyen. He finished 11th but had made a huge move, but I think he got drunk and made two bad calls in a row very late Sunday night. He never would have let Yang run over the table like he did.

The first five players were out within the first 60 hands. Then they played 107 hands four handed. On the second hand of three handed play was another knockout. After each KO there was a short break, so they played two hands in about 45 minutes at one point.

This is the 6th straight year an unknown has won the title.

Will Yang become a decent and respected player like Varkonyi, Raymer and Hachem (good but not great) or will he become a joke luckbox like Moneymaker and Gold?