"Who are they" was the question of the day this past Tuesday when the nine final table participants were announced at the 2007 WSOP $10,000 buy-in main event .

As was the norm for all of the 2000’s most of the players at the main event final tale were unknown to the poker world, but world was the definitive word, as this year’s future millionaires (all final table gladiators were guaranteed at least a million dollars US!) were from all over the globe, Two were from the UK, a player from Russia made the finals, one from Canada by way of Vietnam and a final table 1^st; the continent of

Africa was represented. The US were most of the 6,358 entrants hailed from could only claim four wannabe bracelet winners, one of which was born in Laos. The last time there was more foreign born players at the last table was, I believe, in 1973 when six or seven of the finalists were from “Texas”….For that matter no one at this Year’s final table sat under a cowboy hat, none smoked – at least not at the table (unless you counted a couple that had smoke coming out of their ears after enduring a bad beat….) and are you ready for this? Not one wore a suit and tie, check out this photo from the '70s.

The closest any Vegas resident got to the final table was well known pro and 1998 final event WSOP winner Scotty “Never at a loss for words, baby!” Nguyen. Scotty, for his near miss pocketed $476,926. Not bad, hell, I remember the day when all 11^th place got you was “Better luck next year”, of course you did not have to go through thousands and thousands of players either!

Heads up action began shortly after 2:00am Thursday morning between Tuan Lam and Jerry Yang and lasted longer than the play between Greg Raymer and David Williams in 2004 or between Joe Hachiem and Steve Dannenman in 2005 or between Jamie Gold and Paul Wasicka last year. After some cautious play by Lam, Yang, who always had the chip lead during heads up play (in fact at one time he had over $100,000,000 dollars, the 1^st ever to do so.) At about 3:50am Jerry Yang emerged victorious. The 1^st thing an excited yet classy Yang did, after shaking Tuan Lam’s hand was hug Laurie the dealer!

Yang who pocketed $8,250,000 is a 39 year old psychologist and social worker from southern Cal by way of his birth place, Laos. He has been playing poker for only two years and won his seat into the main event via a $225 satellite (shades of Chris Moneymaker) at the Pechanga Casino in Temecula CA. The socially conscious Yang had pledged 10% of his winnings to three different children’s charities. Over $800,000 to “Make a Wish,” “Feed the Children” and the “Ronald McDonald House,” over a million dollars to Uncle Sam and over six million to Jerry Yang. Not bad for a week’s effort! Oh yea, don’t forget the bracelet that Jerry will chose not to share with anyone.

Congrats Jerry Yang, see you next year.

I’d rather be lucky then good, Jerry was both lucky AND good!

The WSOP $10,000 Main event winners