He Qualified for $200…Then DESTROYED the Pros for Millions!

My cousins, they died right in front of my eyes. You know, I've been through a lot of emotional torture in the camp. In 2007, an Asian refugee who escaped death camps walked into the toughest poker tournament on the planet, used hyperaggression to outplay everyone, and walked away with millions.

This is the incredible true underdog story of Gary Yang, a psychologist and social worker by trade, Yang had only been playing poker for a year. In fact, this was the only tournament he entered at the 2007 World Series of Poker, winning his seat through a $225 satellite at his local casino. With only four live tournament cashes totaling less than $10,000, he was the definition of an amateur.

But what's even crazier is that Yang wasn't even supposed to be here. I escaped from Laos as a refugee at the age of seven, ended up in Thailand in a refugee camp. You know, I've been through a lot of emotional torture in the camp.

malnutrition, unclean water, unclean food. I have a brother that passed away. My cousins, they died right in front of my eyes.

So, how did this refugee survivor go from underdog to WSOP champion? Let's find out. Coming into the final table, Yang was eight out of nine in chips.

He faced an enormous uphill battle against more experienced players with much larger stacks. But what everyone failed to realize was that Yang's psychology background would become his secret weapon in reading his opponents. From the very first hands, Yang established his presence, but quickly found himself in one of the most critical spots with his entire tournament life on the line.

Lee Childs with pocket queens. Raise 720. He says raise it up to 720,000.

The blinds are at 120,000 240,000. 30,000 from each player for the ante. Pocket jacks for Jerry Yang.

the pot 2. 5 million and he's going to push it up to 2 and a2 million. Two big pocket pair going bumping the night early.

Lee Watson with the six tray and they go into the muck. Everyone's dressed in black here who died. Yeah, Twan Lamb in that green shirt really stands out.

And so everyone folds and they're re-ra. Somebody's usually all in pre flop with these type of hands. Not this time.

The queens of childs leading the jacks of yang in the flop. 74 deuced. Queen's still good for Lee Childs.

3 million. And he bets 3 million with those three baby cards out there. Yeah, he's got to like it.

I'm all in. And Yang comes over the top. Wow.

My goodness. On Lee Childs wasn't even done shoving his 3 million in yet. And Jerry Yang goes all in.

What a tough spot so early for Lee. That's his dad, Bill Childs. Make the right decision.

I don't know if I can lay it down. You'll know. Just play like you've been playing.

But father and son stretching the one player per hand rule. The other day we saw Childs lay down pocket kings post flop to Yang who raised with an inferior hand. The stakes are even higher here.

Yeah, this would be for almost all of Lee Child's chips. Big hand on Jerry. And a big decision for Lee.

Obviously, he doesn't want to be crippled so early at this final table. That's Jerry Yang's parents and wife there on the right. If Childs makes this call, Yang has all but been out of here.

I'm sorry, fellas. No problem. It's a big call.

Huge decision for Lee Childs. I'm going to show you some respect, Jerry. I think I I think you're Gosh, I don't know.

I I'm I'm going to fold this. And he folds the queens. I don't like the lay down.

I don't like him showing the cards. She didn't have a be will. Lee wants to see those cards.

I think I made a bad lay down, but I don't know. Bad lay down. Wow.

This was a bad lay down. It was a bad lay down. Fortunately for Yang, he avoids possible elimination after Childs makes what might be one of the worst folds in WSOP history.

Later, you'll see why this costly mistake will be one that Childs regrets for the rest of his life. That crucial hand created a huge momentum shift for Yang who was now four out of nine in chips. But his biggest challenge was still ahead.

A direct confrontation with another big stack player that would completely transform the tournament. Jerry and I don't know why his chin was even out there. Hill no longer the chip leader.

That goes to Jerry Yang right now. And with Ace King 1 million. You know, it wasn't too long ago he was giggling at saying 1 million when he bet.

And he seems to have the hang of it now. Normally, well, you know you're on a roll when you haven't finished stacking your chips up from another hand, and you're able to raise the next hand. And he's immediately starting to play big stack poker with that big raise.

85 of diamonds for Helm in the small blind. If I were Helm, I might lick my wounds a little longer and wait for a better spot. Philip is not waiting.

He makes the call. He's come to play and he's come to play with Jerry Yang again. Big blind.

John Kmar folds. And so once again, Hillm and Yang go to the flop. Yang with the advantage with ace king.

The flop is Jack King. Five. Yang pairs is king.

Hillm also got a pair of fives and a flush draw. Jerry Yang keeps getting hands and he keeps hitting flops. And Philip Hill got a piece of that flop and he checks.

2 million. And Jerry's going to crank it a little harder. 2 million.

The new chip leader keeps the pressure on the old chip leader. I know Hillm likes his swashbuckling image, but there's a time to swash and there's a time to buckle. Right now, he's just kind of treading water.

Now, he does make the call of the 2 million very calmly staring back at Jerry Yang with a turn card to come and it is a deuce of hearts. No help to Philip Helm. He checks it again.

Yang always very deliberate. 4 million. Wow.

Jerry is a betting machine. 4 million is the bet. How deep does Philip Helm want to get in?

I'm only all the way. Wow. Well, he has just swashbuckled with his flush draw and a baby pair.

And if Yang calls here, Hill might wash ashore. Hill must not believe Jerry has the goods. I call.

Yang makes the call to put Hill at risk. This seems improbable. Hill was chip leader like 15 seconds ago.

And this would be for most of Jerry's chips also if he gets unlucky here. Philip Helm had everything going for him. Oh, I forgot we have the bearded lady concession here at the Rio.

Khan trying to break some of the tension, but it cannot detract from Philip Helm's predicament. Helm now needs an eight, a five, or a diamond or his day is over. And now the river card.

It's a six of clubs. Yes. Just like that, the player who started the final table first in chips was now eliminated in ninth place.

While Yang catapulted into the chip lead in just two hands, this refugee with minimal poker experience had completely flipped the script. But he was just getting warmed up. In the very next hand, Yang raises from the small blind.

And after his opponent shockingly three bet shves for 37 big blinds, he makes one of the gutsiest calls of all time. The board ran out and Watkinson was eliminated in eighth place, becoming Yang's second victim. With his newfound chip advantage, Yang adopted an ultraaggressive strategy that confused his opponents.

He started playing almost every hand, raising to four to five times the big blind and putting maximum pressure on the shorter stacks. One of those short stacks being Lee Childs. Remember his bad fold from earlier?

Well, you're about to see why that decision will end up haunting him for the rest of his life. Child's now king jack. Poor Lee having Jerry Yang to his left this entire time.

And Lee still hasn't recovered from laying down those pocket queens against Yang. He's going to raise it. 720.

going to make it 720,000. Lee never considered himself superstitious, but he and his dad been eating the same breakfast, snack, and dinner every day at the buffet. So, Child's from the small blind with the raise over to Jerry Yang in the big blind.

Jerry with Jack eight of spades. I would hate to be behind Jerry Yang in an ATM line. Uhoh.

Uhoh. Yeah. And if it seems like he's playing every hand, it's because he is and he's got Lee squirming.

All in. And he moves all in. Does it again.

A massive raise. And this time Lee Child's got to ask himself. Do I want to risk all my chips?

He laid it down last time. My hand's not that great, but he can't possibly have all these hands. Just make the right decision.

You know who it is. Are you really catching that many cards? We actually saw Greg Rmmer and Jamie Gold do this with the big stack.

You just keep blasting away and sometimes you might even win pots without the best hand. I'm going to call. And Lee Childs will call.

Here we go again. First Hill, then Watkinson. Now Child's at risk, but the difference is Yang is the underdog.

Yeah, Child's made the right read. Now he's looking for the right result. So Lee Giles has Jerry dominated with a shot at doubling up.

Come on, King. King King. King.

Father and son have been sewn together at the hip during this main event. All right, so here's the flop. Couple of fours and a six.

Nothing in there to worry. Child. Let's go club close again.

Let's go close again. Child strengthens his hold on this hand and Yang is looking at about losing 6 million of his chips here. Darn card.

Oh, an eight for Jerry. Yes. Yes.

But Child did pick up a flush draw. Father, I will glorify your name. Father, is this really happening, Norman?

Well, Lee with that flush draw now. So, Child's needs a king or club to stay alive. Let people see your miracles.

I believe in you. And now the river card. Believe in me.

Yang does it again. Child's decided to make a stand against Yang's relentless aggression and paid the price as the refugee eliminates his third opponent in a row. With six players remaining, Yang now held a massive chip lead over everyone and continued to show off his fearless aggression right now to win it all with a huge chip lead with almost 59 million tournament chips.

and John Kmar so far the only one to be able to make any inroads against Jerry. We started this tournament with 6,358. We are down to six.

And one of them is Twan Lamb in that lucky green shirt who's managed to hang on to second place though he's been very quiet so far at this table. A surprising final table so far. We've lost the chip leader in Philip Hill.

We've lost the most accomplished player in Lee Watinson and that man Jerry Yang holding almost half of the chips in play right now. Ace, six of hearts. He's quiet.

We know what he's gonna do. Raise the man's shade. 1.

2 million. 1. 2 million from Yang.

And Lamb goes away. John Kmar with ace 10. He wakes up with a better ace from the big blind.

And he makes the call. And you know, even though Yang has a mountain of chips, if Calmar right now was to double up through Yang, they'd be virtually even. Got to love no limit.

King, deuce, Jack. Calmar's bigger ace still leads. Jack of club and he checks it first.

He checks to 2 million. 2 million. Jerry taking a shot at the pot.

Cool. And a very confident call from KMA. You know, but for an inexperienced player, Jerry is executing an interesting strategy.

He opens the pots big, keeps banging away, and lets the smaller stacks decide if they want to risk their tournament. All right, so these two now to the turn. KMAR way ahead.

Seven on the turn changes nothing. Kar checks. 5 million.

Wow, that might change something. It's a lot of pressure. KMAR Red Yang good just a little while ago but Jerry literally keeps raising the stakes trying to read Jerry Yang and Kar folds his better hand.

Yeah this time CMar can't withstand the pressure. A few hands later he gets involved in another huge pot where his opponent makes a move that shocked everyone. into the muck.

Jerry Yang now. Pocket jacks. After a brief intermission, the Jerry Yang show is back.

Raise. There you go. Same channel, same program.

1. 5 million this time. This time he raises five times the big blind.

Who wants to mess with him? Douche tray for Lamb. No thanks, he says.

KMAR folds over to Havadon. Ace queen suited with the prettiest card in the deck. Havad raise in the small blind says I'm gonna re raise it and Havad needs both fists to make it 6 million,000.

And Ramy in the big blind. There's such a thing as defending your blind and with pocket fives though. Well, it's an okay hand, but two big raises in front of them.

One of them from the big stack. You know, why stick a toe into these uh rabid waters? Seven to me.

It's ahead of the wager. He's itching to play, but Raymond gives it up. He hasn't shown a lot of gamble in him today.

Prudent move. Raise back to Jerry. How much more you have behind?

I got about three and a half to four million, Jerry. Boy, I don't think I can lay this hand down. on.

I have a big hand. Not a lot of people would lay down pocket jacks here and I don't think Jerry Yang will. All right, I call.

Jerry does make the call and his wife Sue looking on nervously. It's a huge pot already. Jerry, I'm all in in the dark.

That's an avantgard move. Wow. All in the dark.

Dark. Okay. It's your call.

No, no, no. Not yet. Not yet.

I I haven't said anything yet. Jerry's not committing anything. And I guess decided he's pot committed already, but he has completely eliminated his post flop options against a guy who can bust him.

And the flop. Well, no spades. Yang still leads.

Yang's getting almost five to one on his money. He's got a call. I call.

He does. And there you go. Havat all in.

Jerry Yang has knocked off all three players so far and with a good shot at making it four in a row. Khan's like, "What am I going to do if I try to chip up against this runaway train? " [Applause] Jerry's parents forbade him from playing cards when he was a child.

I think they're okay with it now. Turn card is a tray and Khan does pick up a straight draw, but the 22-year-old is on the brink. Khan could survive with an ace, a queen, or a five for a straight.

Can Jerry Yang knock off another player? The river card. Now he does it again.

After a brief intermission, the Jerry Yang show is back big time. Yang's fourth straight knockout at this final table. We didn't see much of Khan's dance at this final table, but he proved in this main event he's more than just bluster.

I want you to know you have a friend for life. Okay. All right.

You played it very well, man. Thank you. Yang had eliminated four players in a row and seemed unstoppable.

But poker is a game of swings, and Yang's seemingly unstoppable momentum was about to face serious resistance from Russian player Alex Krabchenko. Krebchenko now a little koi again with his cards, but they're good enough to move all in, I guess. Well, he does not part with these chips lightly.

Trust me, he has a hand. Action on Jerry Yang now. Jack 10 offuit, please.

As we know, Jerry meticulous, deliberate. Frankly, he's slow. Doesn't matter.

And why would Jerry be thinking about this with Jack 10? Well, he'll call with any two cards. Plus, he'd love to knock out probably the most dangerous player left.

If you fold, I will show you. I don't want you to call me cuz you are so like all the showdowns. I call.

Wow. There's the call. Jerry with Jack 10, but he's dominated by the ace 10 of Kchenko.

Krachenko wants to double up, of course, but I believe him. He didn't want Yang to call no matter what Jerry had. So, Alex Krebchenko putting his tournament life on the line against the chip leader.

If Jerry were to lose this, he'll only have about 68 69 million chips left. Good. Destitute.

The flop. All right. Now, the flop.

Kchenko at risk. 58 Trey. Kchenko still good.

The 58 Trey line is good news for Alex Kravchenko. Not many dents in the armor of Jerry Yang so far. Turn card.

Another eight. No help to Yang. Yang needs a jack and a jack only to knock out Krabchenko.

It's a deuce and Krabchenko does double up through Jerry Yang. For the first time, Yang's aggression had backfired. But instead of adjusting his strategy, he doubled down for a shot at redemption, calling another allin from Kravchenko in the very next hand.

1974. All right, Jerry Yang is first to act and he's got king queens. Jerry originally had his mind set on being a medical doctor.

Went on a mission, worked with kids, and felt that was his calling. He's going to raise it to 1. 5 million.

As close to a standard three times the big blind bet as we've seen from him. Well, his MMO has been if I enter a pot, I enter it big and apply pressure. Lambfolded as does Raymond Ramy now on Kchenko.

Tighten his cards again. I'm tired of that. And he's standing up again and pushing all in again.

Oh, he's actually tired of that because he's short stacked. Kchenko has just had one move down. All in.

Jerry. So now another big decision for our chip leader Jerry Yang. Well, Jerry would have to commit twice as many chips for this call as he did for the last Crabchenko all-in.

I call. And Jerry calls again. And Krebchenko is pinning his tournament hopes on pocket trays.

A coin flip for Alex Krabchenko's main event future. Alex hit Jerry for over 4 million last time. Jerry's supporters have had no time to sit down.

All right, here we go. Kchenko all in his pocket trays against the king queen of Yang. And there's a tray in there.

Krabchenko with the check mark. Jerry's drawing dead. Yang doubles up Kravchenko for the second time and for the first time appeared vulnerable.

The whispers began around the table. Was the amateur's luck finally running out? High raise.

Ah, that's the Jerry we've come to love. Well, Lamb just got busy against the man who keeps busting people. And he makes it 4.

5 million total. 3 million for Lamb to call. I'm going to go all in.

And Lamb fires back at Jerry. It's the move I hate. Line all in on a draw.

Now Yang has uh doubled up Alex Crafchenko twice. I'm sure he does not want to extend Twan Lamb the same courtesy. Lamb has been very quiet at this championship table.

All right, I call. And Jerry will make the call. is like saying, "Welcome to the party, Twan.

Now go home. Come on. " Well, it could be worse for for Twan Lamb.

He's a virtual coin flipper. I still hate committing all your chips when you don't have a hand. Twan Lamb at risk against the chip leader and juggernaut Jerry.

All right. Now, the turn card. Four of hearts.

That's not what Lamb was looking for. Juan Lamb. One card away from going out in fourth place.

Lamb needs an ace, king, queen or nine or he is rampled. River card is a queen. The momentum had shifted dramatically and Yang's dream seemed to be slipping away.

With four consecutive losses and three against the same player, Yang's chip lead was evaporating and the commentators began questioning his judgment. D Crabchenko. Now, I'm telling you, this is going to be his last World Series if he doesn't start showing us his whole cards.

He does raise it up to 1. 4 million. Yang now in the small blind with ace 10 off suit.

Jerry has position on Crabchenko. He's got the bigger stack, but he hasn't been able to get the better of Kravchenko of late. He wants to re raise it.

3. 5 million more. He's going to raise it up to 4.

9 million total. Another massive raise from our massive chip leader. It's hyperaggressive to the point of being unorthodox, but it's worked for Jerry.

Not against Krabchenko, though. Lamb folds. Back to Alex now.

I don't know Alex's whole cards, but this is probably pump it or dump it. He's standing and it's time to pump it all in. Yang knows these double- ups are getting more serious and threatening to his chip lead.

Well, Alex, I think this is the end. This has been Alex's MO in the late stages of the main event as the short stack leading up to this championship table. He was forced to move all in five times.

It worked and here he is. Well, if Yang calls here and Crabchenko doubles up here, he'll actually be able to see Yang not that far off in the distance. And Yang is going to tangle again with Alex.

And pocket kings for Krypchenko. [Music] is holding the goods. He's a favorite to stay alive again.

Boy, Jerry's wife, Sue, has been put through the ringer here tonight. At risk, but ahead. And now the flop.

866. No help to Jerry Yang. What's the old expression?

W up once, shame on you. W up three times, shame on me. All right, turn card now is a tray.

That's a blank. Jerry needs some help to get rid of another player. Yang can only send Krachenko home here with a river ace.

It's a deuce. Krachenko does it again. What separates champions from everyone else isn't avoiding mistakes.

It's how they respond to them. Despite these setbacks, Yang didn't tighten up. Instead, he maintained his aggressive approach, waiting for the right moment to strike back.

Jenko at all costs. You cannot beat him. I'm all in.

All in for Jerry Yang. I can't blame him with pocket eights, but can he shake or outduel? Alex Krachenko.

We'll soon find out. Krabchenko is all in. And Alex turns over.

Ace King going up against the pocket eights of Jerry Yang. Alex's ace king versus the pocket eights. And here's the flop.

And there's an eight for Jerry. Yeah, boy. That eight had it feel awfully good to Jerry Yang.

Turn card now is a four of clubs and Krabchenko's run is over. Yang finally shakes off Alex Krabchenko. With his nemesis gone, Yang refocused on his mission.

Then came a hand against the South African Raymond Ram that would become one of the most dramatic moments of the tournament. Rammy checks his kings. Now he might be worried about that ace 10 million and Jerry Yang with 10 million.

Yeah, a big exhale from Raymond Ramy. A big decision and he moves the rest of his chips into the pot. Raymond Rammy is going to risk his tournament on his belief that Jerry Yang does not have an ace.

And this one Jerry should think about. He'd be pretty much dead if Rammy has a better ace. He'd be dead if Rammy hit a set.

All right, I call him. And Jerry Yang will put Ramy at risk. His read was true here.

Good call. And now the turn card. King, baby.

It's a useless tray. King, baby. King.

River card is a deuce. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Raymond Robbie is gone. The impossible had happened again.

Yang had eliminated another opponent with ace5, this time against pocket kings, a hand that was an 80% favorite before the flop. This set up the heads up battle against Tuan Lom, another refugee with an incredible story that mirrored Yang's own journey. Lamb left Vietnam at age 17, ended up in an Indonesian refugee camp for 2 years where he learned English before making his way to Canada.

Jerry Yang, 39, born in Laos, spent four years in a Thai refugee camp. Tuan Lamb, 41, born in Vietnam, spent two years in an Indonesian refugee camp. Two refugees, both defying impossible odds, now faced each other for poker's most prestigious title and $8 million.

The final hand would become one of the most epic hands in WSOP history. Here at the final table, ace queen of diamonds. I'm all in.

And he moves all in. High call. Jerry makes the call.

And here we go. Both players. Norman seem pleased with their whole card.

Come on. Jerry should be happier. I'm going to do it for Canada, man.

Lamb just looking to get lucky. All right. And now the flop.

And he does get lucky. Lamb pairs his queen. Juan Lamb has come from behind again and again.

Yang looking for help on the turn. Turn card is a seven. Lamb's still way ahead, but Jerry picks up a straight drive.

Kids in his hands to knock Lamb out and end this thing. Yang will need an eight or a six for a straight. The river card is a six.

He hit it. Jerry Yang is the 2007 world champion. And there's one unhappy multi-millionaire.

[Applause] An American dream come true. In a game dominated by professionals, Jerry Yang had just rewritten the script of what's possible. Eliminating seven of his eight final table opponents and going from refugee camp survivor to world champion.