€1,300 MPO Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2022 Marrakech Poker Open
€1,300 MPO Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2022 Marrakech Poker Open
Buy-in
€1,300
Prize Pool
€4,892,000
Entries
426
Level
29
Blinds
75,000 / 150,000
Ante
120,000
Entries
143
Players Left
29
Diego Sarmiento Bags Huge Chip Lead After Marrakech Poker Open Main Event Day 1a
Level 11
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
After a long wait, the Marrakech Poker Open returned to the Es Saadi Resort in Marrakech in grand fashion with 143 players entering on Day 1a of the Main Event.
After 11 levels of play here at the Casino de Marrakech, just 29 players advanced and there was a clear chip leader. Diego Sarmiento has established itself the counts with a hefty 538,500, more than double from the second in chips Bachir Moutki with 254,000.
Other big stacks and notable players advancing include WSOP Champion Jean-Luc Adam (225,000), Steve Savio (218,000), who took his seat at the end of the late registration and Daniel Rodriguez Carballal (217,000).
Anas Tadini, Isabel Baltazar, Sonny Franco and Jerome Zerbib were part of several regulars here in Marrakech who played on Day 1a, and while they were unfortunate to bust, reality TV star Moundir Zoughari (188,500), esport champion Kamel El Morabet (143,500), Luigi Macaluso (133,500) and Australian Hanna Azimai (35,000) all bagged up stacks for Day 2.
On the other side of the poker room, the High Roller is heading to another day with five players remaining in contention for the trophy and DH 700,000 (€70,000), including pro players Gaelle Baumann and Paul Tedeschi.
Join us on Friday, September 9th, right here on PokerNews at 1 p.m. local time for Day 1b to see who else can make it through to Day 2!
Full Chip Counts From Day 1 (full)
Level 11
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
538,500 | -6,500 |
|
264,000 | -55,000 |
|
225,000 | 98,000 |
|
218,000 | 218,000 |
|
217,000 | 217,000 |
|
216,000 | 19,000 |
|
202,500 | 69,500 |
|
188,500 | 31,500 |
|
188,000 | 165,000 |
|
184,500 | 13,500 |
|
|
171,000 | 79,000 |
|
|
144,500 | -13,500 |
|
|
143,500 | -27,500 |
|
|
134,500 | 134,500 |
|
133,500 | 70,500 |
|
|
128,500 | 128,500 |
|
123,000 | 123,000 |
|
|
113,500 | -73,500 |
|
|
112,500 | 112,500 |
|
|
109,500 | 109,500 |
|
103,500 | 50,500 |
|
83,000 | 83,000 |
|
|
61,500 | -156,500 |
|
|
57,000 | -40,000 |
|
|
53,000 | -68,000 |
Meignan Busts Before the Day Ends
Level 11
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Thomas Meignan pushed his last 6,500 in the middle and Badr Imejjane called in the small blind before Fernando Sancez raised it to 20,000 in the big blind. Imejjane opted to fold and they tabled their cards:
Thomas Meignan: 
Fernando Sancez: 
Meignan had some hopes for a double up but the board gave 
, giving a pair of jacks on the turn to Sancez to eliminate Meignan right before the end of the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
197,000 | 183,000 |
|
|
158,000 | 158,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Three More Hands
Level 11
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
The tournament clock has been paused and the tournament director has announced that they need to play three more hands before the remaining players can bag and tag their chips for Day 2.
Nice Double Up for Zoughari
Level 11
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
According to the table, a first player opened to 4,500 and Kamel El Morabet three-bet to 12,000. Moundir Zoughari decied to shove for a stack around 72,000 with 
in his hands and it folded back to El Morabet. The latter went deep into the tank before eventually calling after the clock has been called.
El Morabet revealed 
for a flip situation, but didn't hit throughout a board 
, giving the winning hand and the double up to Zoughari.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
171,000 | 104,000 |
|
|
157,000 | 39,000 |
Big Stacks Starting to Emerge
Level 11
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
340,000 | 155,000 |
|
|
319,000 | 274,000 |
|
|
218,000 | -14,000 |
|
|
187,000 | 67,000 |
Level: 11
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 2,000
Sarmiento Sends Aguilera Out
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Rachid El Yaacoubi opened to 3,000 and it was called by the player next to him before Diego Sarmiento three-bet to 15,000. On the button, Jose Aguilera decided to shove for 45,000 and it folded back to Sarmiento who called to create the following showdown:
Jose Aguilera: 
Diego Sarmiento: 
Aguilera was in desperate shape for the double up and didn't find any miracle throughout the board 
to make his way to the exit.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
240,000 | 185,000 |
|
|
185,000 | 93,000 |
|
Busted |
Senhaji Takes One to Bouzerktoune
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
The flop read 
in a raised pot when Abdellatif Bouzerktoune check-called Mehdi Senhaji for 8,500.
The turn revealed a 
and Bouzerktoune checked again. Senhaji continued to bet for 16,500 and after some thinking, Bouzerktoune let it go. Senhaji showed a 
to the table before grabbing the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
89,000 | -14,000 |
|
|
53,000 | -11,000 |