Wing Po Liu and Arash Ghaneian Claim Latest Bracelet Victories at the 2024 WSOP

As the 99 live bracelets are narrowing down, action is becoming more intense at the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas. Several WSOP veterans were able to add one or more bracelets to their name, such as Poker players: Wing Po Liu and Arash Ghaneian, who secured their second bracelet. Here is a recap of how they scored their second bracelet at the 55th Annual World Series of Poker.

Event 74 – $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship Recap and Standings 

Arash Ghaneian, who won his first bracelet in 2015, has now returned to the winners’ circle. He won the 2015 $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.. He outlasted a field of 772 entries to win the top prize of $239,750 and his first gold bracelet. 

Back to the present, Ghaneian triumphed over a field of 167 entries in the 2024 WSOP $10k Stud Eight-or-Better Championship, earning $367,467 and his second gold bracelet. With this victory, his tournament earnings now exceed $1.3 million.  

The substantial entries generated a prize pool of $1,553,100, which was paid to the top 26 players. It attracted numerous big names, who were able to reach the final table, including bracelet winner Andrey Zhigalov (7th – $49,715), bracelet winner Dario Alioto (6th – $65,620), Eric Wasserson (5th – $88,685), and bracelet winner Todd Brunson (4th – $122,663).

Thomas Taylor, who recently finished as the runner-up in a $1,000 pot-limit Omaha event, was eliminated in 3rd place for $173,533, setting up the heads-up battle. The heads-up battle was intense and long, as they couldn’t find the winner by the end of final day 3, so they had to add another day. 

Day 4 began with two-time bracelet winner Richard Sklar holding a small chip lead against Ghaneian. The heads-up battle went close to 9 hours until one of them emerged victorious. 

After an intense forth and back, Ghaneian eventually took the chip lead and extended it to the final hand. In the final hand, Ghaneian made a low straight, beating Sklar’s pair of sixes and his 8-6-3-2-A low hand, silencing the pro-Sklar crowd. Sklar earned a career-best tournament score of $250,984.

Event 77 – $2,500 Mixed Big Bet Event Six-Handed Recap and Standings 

Wing Po Liu Flies Captures His Second Bracelet, Winning Event #77: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet for $209,942

Hong Kong’s Wing Po Liu wins the $2,500 mixed game event, taking the six-figure top prize of $209,942 and his second gold bracelet. He defeated American player Hye Park, in an amazing final hand, boosting his career earnings close to $900k. 

Event #77: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet Event drew a field of 468 entries, thus creating a staggering prize pool of $1,041,300. It was split among the top 71 finishers, with the top 2 players taking a six-figure prize money. 

468 entries were narrowed down to only 19 players by the end of Day 2. The final day 3 began with only 19 players, but eventually narrowed down to only 1 player. The event attracted numerous poker veterans, who made it into the money, including 17-time bracelet winner Phill Hellmuth (21st), two-time bracelet winner Lawrence Brandt (17th), Chris Klodnicki (15th), Denis Strebkov (10th), Allen Le (7th), Alex Foxen (6th), Andres Korn (5th), and Xixiang Luo (3rd). 

Liu began heads-up play with a 2:1 chip lead, which quickly expanded to 3:1 and Hye Park became short-stacked. The final hand occurred in PLO. Surprisingly, Liu won his first bracelet in the same game. In the final hand of the tournament, Liu raised the button with A-Q-Q-10, and Park called it with A-Q-J-J.

The flop came out 10-8-10, giving Liu trips of tens. The turn card was revealed to be 10, and the river card was 3. Liu checked on the river, which prompted Park to go all-in, ending his deep run as the runner-up. Hye Park walked away with the top prize of $136,574. 

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Image Credit: WSOP