Event #74: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship

It took an extra day and countless hours trading back-and-forth pots, but Arash Ghaneian won his second World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet and $376,476 in Event #74: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship after a heads-up battle for the ages against golf betting mogul Richard Sklar.

Ghaneian, a Las Vegas finance broker whose first bracelet dates back to 2015 in $1,500 H.O.R.S.E., came out on top after navigating a formidable final table featuring the likes of high-stakes pro Michael Rocco, Poker Hall of Famer Todd Brunson and Eric Wasserson, who spent the unscheduled Day 4 on the rail coaching and cheering on Sklar.

"We came in today, we battled," Ghaneian told PokerNews in a winner's interview. "When the limits went that high, you know, I talked to him right after dinner and said, 'Hey, this could go either way.' And the cards fell my way at the end, and I'm grateful to win the second one."

Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship Final Table Results

Getting to Enjoy the Moment

Ghaneian won his second bracelet under better circumstances than the first time around. When he fought for his first bracelet in 2015, his wife, Liz, faced serious health complications while pregnant with two of their children.

"She was carrying twins, and she almost lost the twins," said Ghaneian. "Right after we won it, we went to the hospital. That was really, we didn't get to enjoy it. Right now, we literally get to enjoy this moment because these stresses [aren't] there."

"We thought we were going to lose them and we had like 12 hours. So it was play the final table and drive right to the hospital. That was insane. So this one is just amazing to not have that stress of stuff. We get to go eat with them and hang out with the kids, take them to dinner, celebrate the Fourth of July tomorrow, great to be an American. F***in' love it. I'm grateful, man, I'm very grateful."

Nine years later, Liz was on the rail throughout the final table in a custom "AG is the OG" t-shirt and cheered as her husband dragged pots over seven hours of heads-up play on Day 4.

"I had a really, really nice rail just rooting me on. It was wonderful. I'm grateful for all of them."

Ghaneian Takes on "The Best Rail in the F***ing History of the World"

Sklar, a notorious golf bettor who has won millions betting with the likes of Phil Ivey, had his own rail cheering him on and it included some of the game's biggest crushers like Wasserson, six-time bracelet winner Jason Mercier and WSOP Player of the Year frontrunner Scott Seiver.

"You've got the real bracelet winners over there!" Ghaneian told Sklar as he laughed that he was playing against "the best rail in the f***ing history of the world."

Ghaneian and Sklar traded pots and leads back and forth for several hours before Ghaneian gained momentum as he scooped with a full house and picked up a few decent pots to chip away at his heads-up nemesis.

Sklar got down to two bets before managing a small double with a straight on seventh street, but he couldn't overcome Ghaneian. Sklar got his final chips in with a pair and eight-six low as he ran into a wheel, and Ghaneian stood in triumph.

Ghaneian, who noted that he is "not a tournament player by any means," acknowledged Sklar as a great player and tough opponent.

"I've never considered myself a tournament player, but I enjoy the competition," he said. "It's nice to compete with these guys. The best in the world play this, and it's nice to come out on top. It feels great."

And even though he isn't a tournament player, make no mistake that he wanted the WSOP hardware.

"The money is great. I love the money, but I definitely wanted the bracelet ... I would almost want to get second-place money and get the bracelet as well because it's just that important."

That wraps up PokerNews' coverage of the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship, but be sure to check out the 2024 WSOP live reporting portal for coverage of other events.

Richard Sklar received a crucial double as he made a straight on seventh street and Arash Ghaneian missed his low.

A few hands later, Ghaneian completed and Sklar called. Sklar checked on fourth street and Ghaneian bet. Sklar called. Sklar checked on fifth street and opted to fold when faced with another bet. Ghaneian was kind enough to show he had it with   .

Arash Ghaneian	8,800,000	-200,000
Richard Sklar	1,200,000	200,000

Richard Sklar:   /[    - folded fifth street
Arash Ghaneian:   /   

Arash Ghaneian completed and Richard Sklar called. Ghaneian bet on fourth street and Sklar called. Ghaneian bet again on fifth street and Sklar opted to fold.

Arash Ghaneian	7,700,000	2,950,000
Richard Sklar	2,300,000	-2,950,000

Richard Sklar:   /    / 
Arash Ghaneian:   /    / 

Richard Sklar bet on fourth street and Arash Ghaneian called. Sklar bet again on fifth street and Ghaneian again called. Sklar then checked on sixth street and called a bet from Ghaneian.

Sklar checked again on seventh street and called a final bet from Ghaneian, who showed     for jacks and threes to beat out the sixes and threes of his opponent who showed    .

Arash Ghaneian	7,300,000	2,500,000
Richard Sklar	2,700,000	-2,520,000

The two players have agreed to take a 60-minute dinner break. Action will pick back up at approximately 8:30 p.m. local time.

Richard Sklar:   /    / 
Arash Ghaneian:   /    / 

Arash Ghaneian brought in and called when Richard Sklar completed. Sklar check-called bets on fourth and fifth street before sixth street checked through to seventh street. Sklar check-called once more.

Ghaeian announced his seven-four low and ace-king high as he tabled    . Sklar said he had a worse low and couldn't beat ace-king for the high so the pot was pushed to his opponent.

Arash Ghaneian	6,400,000	1,400,000
Richard Sklar	3,600,000	-1,400,000

Watch the Full Interview w/ Kevin Martin!

Richard Sklar:   /    - folded fifth street
Arash Ghaneian:   /   

Arash Ghaneian did the bring-in and called when Richard Sklar completed. Sklar called a bet on fourth street before folding to a bet on fifth street.

Richard Sklar:   /   - folded fourth street
Arash Ghaneian:   /  

Like the hand before, Ghaneian did the bring-in and called when Sklar completed. Sklar check-folded to a bet on fourth street.

Richard Sklar:   /   
Arash Ghaneian:   /    - folded fifth street

Sklar brought in and called when Ghaneian raised. Skalr check-called on fourth street before betting on fifth street. Ghaneian folded.

Arash Ghaneian	6,300,000	300,000
Richard Sklar	3,700,000	-300,000

Richard Sklar:   /    - folded fifth street
Arash Ghaneian:   /   

Richard Sklar brought in and called when Arash Ghaneian completed . Sklar called a bet on fourth street and then folded to a bet on fifth.

Richard Sklar:   /   
Arash Ghaneian:   /    - folded fifth street

Like the hand before, Sklar called when Ghaneian completed. Sklar paired up on fourth street and bet. Ghaneian called. Sklar fired out a second bet on fifth street and folded out his opponent.

Arash Ghaneian	5,100,000	600,000
Richard Sklar	4,900,000	-600,000