Robert Claraz open-raised from the cutoff and Stephane Merigard moved all in from the big blind for 65,000. Claraz called with the covering stack and players flipped their cards.
Stephane Merigard: A♣J♣
Robert Claraz: A♦Q♥
The board ran out 4♥10♥5♦6♣7♣ and Claraz held with his ace-queen high to win the pot, sending Merigard to the rail and chipping up to around 350,000.
Aurelien Guiglini raised to 8,000 from under the gun and picked up two calls before Pierrick Martin three-bet to 40,000 from the big blind. Only Guiglini made the call.
The flop came 4♥8♣3♠ and Martin checked. Guiglini bet 30,000, then Pierrick check-raised all in for around 160,000. Guiglini folded and Martin scooped in the pot.
Said El Yousfi open-raised to 15,000 from the hijack and Ludovic Marchal moved all in for 96,500. El Yousfi got the count and then made the call with a slightly bigger stack. Players revealed their hands.
Ludovic Marchal: 10♣10♦
Said El Yousfi: A♠K♣
The flop ran out 2♥A♣6♠ and El Yousfi paired his ace. The K♦ turn further improved El Yousfi's hand and left Marchal drawing to a ten. The river was a blank, the 6♦ and El Yousfi held to win the pot, eliminating Marchal from the tournament.
Moments later, El Yousfi was seen leaving the tournament area. "I lost with a full house against a better full house," he explained.
Marc Bougaret open-shoved all in from the hijack for 48,000 and was looked up by Mathieu Regent on the button. Bougaret was at risk as players flipped their cards.
Marc Bougaret: 10♦10♣
Mathieu Regent: A♠J♣
Bougaret was flipping for his tournament life. The board ran out 8♦K♠7♦A♦9♠ to give Regent a pair of aces on the turn. He won the pot and Bougaret was sent to the exit.
Players in the SISMIX Main Event are heading for a 25-minute break. There are now just 153 players remaining with 112 set to make it through to the money and bag for Day 2.
Last year in Marrakech, the Winamax SISMIX Main Event solidified itself in the history books as the largest six-max event ever! After 50 levels of play, it was Anthony Dasbourg who bested the record-breaking field of 2,736 entrants to take home the trophy, title and 1,500,000 MAD.
Over a total of four starting flights, a considerable sum of 453 players were lucky enough to return to the tournament floor for Day 2. After an additional 19 levels of play, just 24 remained to battle it out on the felt on the final day.
Dasbourg came in with the chip lead and put on a clinical performance, eliminating four of his six competitors, to cruise to a win that looked like it was going to be his from the very start of proceedings.
“I don’t realize it, I’m still a bit euphoric and savoring the moment right now,” Dasbourg said moments after lifting the trophy. “It's a feeling of fulfillment. I've been playing poker for years to experience moments like this, and now I've made it to the end. It makes a huge difference to be first out of 2,736 players. It's exceptional.”
On a board of 7♦2♠A♣3♣5♥ with roughly 120,000 in the pot, Christophe Colantoni checked, Mehdi Senhaji bet 100,000 and Colantoni raised all-in for 105,000.
Senhaji immediately send his cards into the muck, but a floor was called as he only had 5,000 to add to call. His fold was confirmed by the tournament director. Colantoni, who already flipped over A♥Q♦, scooped this pot and almost doubled up.
Arnjao Wandoren was all in preflop with a short stack and was looked up by Sion Madar, who had his opponent well covered as players flipped their cards.
Arnjao Wandoren: A♥9♠
Sion Madar: 10♣10♥
The board ran out Q♣4♥7♦4♠J♣ and Madar held with his pocket tens to win the pot, sending Wandoren to the exit.
