2007 WSOP Main Event Winner

Jul 18, 2007

Author: Catrina Rudd

The Main Event of the World Series of Poker 2007 started with 6 358 players. The phenomenal event stretched out eleven days, with 5 millionaires, but only one bracelet holder.

The final table began with Philip Hilm, a Danish Poker Professional, as chip leader with 22,070,000 chips. Oddly enough, he was the first to be eliminated. As the ninth place winner, he still won over 525 thousand dollars. Not to shabby for 11 days of work. Following Hilm in 8th and 7th place was Lee Watkinson and Lee Childs. Both having played impressively through out the tournament, finished well in a field of over 6 thousand to start.
Down to 6 players Hevad "Rain" Kahn was the last to miss the 1 million pay out mark. Taking 6th place he won 956, 243, bringing him a significant pay out as a previously poorly known professional poker player.

Jerry Yang was the sole survivor of the field of 6,358 players in this year's World Series of Poker Main Event, a poker phenomenon that stretched eleven days and made five people millionaires. 39-year-old psychologist and father of six Yang was one of nine players that started the final table, filmed for later broadcast and also simulcast on Pay Per View by ESPN. There were plenty of low profile players at the table, but most of them take poker very seriously and consider themselves professional players in their respective countries.

Alex Kravchenko, from Russia, finished 4th giving him more than 1.8million dollars for the tournament. Raymond Rahme finished with over 3 million for 3rd place leaving Tuan Lam to play heads up against Jerry Yang.

Jerry Yang got a chip lead early in the game - roughly an hour after the final table began play. When it came to a heads-up match between him and Canadian pro Tuan Lam, Jerry had an almost 5 to 1 advantage over Tuan. Even with that deficit, Tuan still played well, and hard before he took 2nd place. The heads up play impressively went more than 200 hands, but in the end Tuan Lam won more than 4.8 million and Jerry Yang took home the top prize of 8.25 million and the WSOP Main Event Gold Bracelet. This is Jerry Yang's first bracelet in the WSOP Main Event. The Californian has been playing professional poker for many years now seeking this coveted prize, and it has at last been realized.

Congradulations Jerry Yang, the new 2007 World Series of Poker Champion!