Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2018 WPTDeepStacks Marrakech
Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2018 WPTDeepStacks Marrakech
Buy-in
13,200 MAD
Entries
431
Level
31
Blinds
75,000 / 125,000
Ante
125,000
Action Underway in WPTDeepStacks Marrakech Main Event, Sow Among Day 1a Leaders
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
For the fifth year in a row, Casino de Marrakech, part of the stunning Es Saadi Resort in the popular Moroccan city of Marrakech, sets the stage as host for a WPT event. It's the second year the 13,200 MAD WPTDeepStacks Marrakech Main Event graces the calendar, and the highlight of the nine-day festival plays out over the course of four days.
Today, the first of two starting days has wrapped up with 53 out of 161 surviving the first day. While the sun was shining early the day with temperatures surpassing 30 degrees Celcius, the weather suddenly turned overnight and a rare rainstorm overtook the African city by surprise.
It appeared the rainstorm raged inside Casino de Marrakech as well, as chips were flying everywhere right off the bat. Once the dust was settled, it was Yves Rolland who claimed the Day 1a chip lead with 212,500. Rolland was closely followed by Boubekeur Benhalima (200,000), Jim Azazgour (190,500) and Kalidou Sow (190,000). Sow, who gained notoriety after winning three large tournaments in a row in December and January, is the biggest name that popped up in the top of the counts.
Sow was on a tear today and nearly claimed the chip lead start to finish on Day 1a. However, a late slump set the French giant back a bit, and he had to relinquish his lead after being close to 300k not long before. Other notables that made it through include Jeremy Saderne (105,000), 2017 WPTDeepStacks Europe champion Tobias Peters (86,000), Jimmy de Barros (85,000), and Said El Yousfi (56,000).
On Friday, September 28, Day 1b will kick off at 1 p.m. local time, sporting the same recipe as 1a. It means twelve levels of 40 minutes await the players, and reentries can be made up until the start of level 10 before the total playing field will be finalized. PokerNews will be right back in Casino de Marrakech to cover the action until a new WPTDeepStacks winner is crowned on Sunday, September 30.
End of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
212,000
2,000
|
2,000 |
|
200,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
190,500
-9,500
|
-9,500 |
|
190,000
-80,000
|
-80,000 |
|
|
178,000
-4,000
|
-4,000 |
|
174,500
94,500
|
94,500 |
|
|
168,500
168,500
|
168,500 |
|
|
148,000
148,000
|
148,000 |
|
146,000
51,000
|
51,000 |
|
142,500
-2,500
|
-2,500 |
|
134,500
134,500
|
134,500 |
|
131,500
31,500
|
31,500 |
|
130,500
130,500
|
130,500 |
|
118,000
8,000
|
8,000 |
|
115,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
|
|
107,500
107,500
|
107,500 |
|
|
107,000
107,000
|
107,000 |
|
105,000
-15,000
|
-15,000 |
|
102,500
42,500
|
42,500 |
|
|
99,000
99,000
|
99,000 |
|
97,500
50,500
|
50,500 |
|
|
93,500
93,500
|
93,500 |
|
92,000
92,000
|
92,000 |
|
|
89,000
89,000
|
89,000 |
|
86,000
-59,000
|
-59,000 |
Day 1a is Done
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
The three hands are over and chips are bagged for the night. The clock showed 53 survivors. All chip counts and an end of day recap will follow.
Clock Stopped; Three More Hands
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
The clock has been paused and three more hands will be played until Day 1a is done.
Aces Versus Kings Launches Azazgour
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Fortune favored Jim Azazgour in the dying stages of the day, as he got dealt the classic setup with 
against Dmitrii Sukhorukov's 
. The 
remained safe to end Sukhorukov's attempt on Day 1a.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
200,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
Busted |
"Cruel" Takes From "arce"
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Players can opt to play under a nickname in Casino de Marrakech, keeping their identities sealed. As such, a clash between 'Cruel' and a player only known as 'arce' resulted in the former getting three streets of value from the latter.
It was 'Cruel' who had raised in early position, 'arce' who called on the button, and [Removed:445] who called from the small blind. 'Cruel' bet 5,000, enough to shake Haho, and barrelled on with 13,500 and 22,500 on the 
turn and 
river. 'arce' stuck around each street.
'Cruel' showed 
for top-top and "arce" mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
182,000
182,000
|
182,000 |
|
|
80,000
-30,000
|
-30,000 |
|
|
45,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
Level: 12
Blinds: 800/1,600
Ante: 1,600
Day 1a Photos
Photos by Tomas Stacha/WPT.
Benhalima Stacks Jilali With Aces, Resetschnig Also Busts
Level 11
: 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Like Icarus, Sadate Jilali soared upwards during most of the day, but the Frenchman burned his wings in level 11 to tumble down to Earth. It was a poorly timed four-bet shove from Jilali that did him in, as he ran into Boubekir's Benhalima's .
With 
, Jilali flopped two pair on 
to take the lead, but the river was another 
to improve Benhalima to aces and sevens.
Jilali wasn't the only one to bow out of this table, as Arthur Resetschnig followed him to the rail shortly after. It was another four-bet pot, and this time it was Resetschnig who tank-called with the lesser hand.
Arthur Resetschnig: 
'Cruel': 
The board ran out 
and Resetschnig was out of chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
165,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
|
110,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |