http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-poker24jul24,1,5497329...

He learned how to take 'em at Hold'Em
The Temecula social worker who won $8.25 million playing poker had
been forbidden from playing as a child.
By Tiffany Hsu, Times Staff Writer
July 24, 2007

Some study, some prayer
click to enlargeWhen Temecula social worker Jerry Yang was a child,
his father forbade him to gamble, prohibiting even checkers and dice.

After Yang, 39, married, his wife disapproved of his burgeoning poker
habit.

But he was defiant, and it paid off - big time. Yang won the Texas
Hold'Em title and $8.25 million last week at the World Series of Poker
in Las Vegas. Now his wife, Sue, approves of his playing, a small
victory in itself, Yang said.

The ethnic Hmong immigrant from Laos, a relative rookie, is getting
used to being the world's poker king. He's already bought his wife a
new Cadillac Escalade, set aside college funds for their six children
and pledged 10%% of his windfall to children's charities.