Diego Sarmiento Bags Huge Chip Lead After Marrakech Poker Open Main Event Day 1a
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!
for a flip situation, but didn't hit throughout a board 
, giving the winning hand and the double up to Zoughari.
when it was checked to Jean-Luc Adam who bet 4,200 and only Raul Martinez made the call. 
turn and 
fell on the river. Martinez led out for 6,500 and faced a raise worth 23,400 from Adam. Martinez quickly made the call but only to muck his cards when Adam revealed 
for a straight.
, giving him the winning hand with a pair of kings.However, a 
hit the river to give the straight to El Yaacoubi who took the pot while Tadini made his way to the exit.
and Perez continued for 2,800. Zoughari thought about his move for a minute and decided to raise it to 8,500. Perez didn't take long to fold and the star of the French survivor-style reality TV show Koh Lanta grabbed the pot.
