2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech

Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
1,400,000 MAD
Event Info
Buy-in
1,350 MAD
Prize Pool
6,668,500 MAD
Entries
511
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

Who Will Be Champion of the 2017 WSOP International Circuit Main Event in Marrakech?

Chipleader Julio Sanchez
Chipleader Julio Sanchez

Welcome to the final day of the 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event! After 22 levels of play, a field of 511 entries has been reduced to the last 23 hopefuls. All remaining players are guaranteed at least 46,000 MAD (€4,296), but each of them has their eyes set on the massive 1,400,000 MAD (€130,755) first-place payout and the coveted gold WSOP Circuit Ring that awaits the winner at the end of the night.

It's packed on top of the leaderboard, with a difference of less than one big blind between chipleader Julio Sanchez and Romain Lewis. While not much is known about Sanchez, Lewis is one of the hot young prospects that burst on the tournament scene in the past years. A fixture on the European circuit, Lewis already amassed over $350,000 in winnings in his short career and is looking to add a lot more today.

The most eye-catching name sits slightly behind the leaders in third place: Ricardo Manquant. Manquant won the inaugural Main Event of the WSOP International Circuit in Marrakech two years ago, where he collected an astonishing 1,300,000 MAD (€122,330). The Frenchman will be trying to cement his legacy by collecting a second WSOP Circuit ring here in Marrakech.

At 1 p.m. local time, play will resume with blinds at 10,000/20,000 and a running ante of 3,000. Levels will be 75 minutes for the remainder of the tournament and play will continue until the winner is known. PokerNews will be on the floor as it happens and provide start-to-finish coverage of what's sure to be a very long day. Don't miss any of the action as we crown a new champion in this exciting WSOP International Circuit Main Event.

WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event

YearEntriesBuy-InChampionCountryPrize
2017511€1,350--€130,755
2016446€1,350Mathieu SelidesFrance€95,479
2015484€1,350Ricardo ManquantFrance€122,330

Day 3 Seat Draw

TableSeatPlayerCountryChip Count
11Hamza NBabaMorocco822,000
12Arron FletcherUK878,000
13TsunamySpain440,000
15Romain LewisFrance1,456,000
16Mohamed El BakkouriFrance300,000
17Thierry GogniatFrance302,000
18Thomas CristobalSpain685,000
     
21Jaouad BerradaMorocco1,004,000
22Mika KakkonenFinland783,000
23[Removed:16]France266,000
24Roland RozelFrance394,000
25Julio SanchezSpain1,460,000
26Pablo RoderoSpain303,000
27Thibault SaillardFrance274,000
28Hakim HadjFrance834,000
     
31Teresio CiancanelliItaly1,110,000
32Vincent MansourFrance550,000
33Selim OulmekkiFrance837,000
34FernandezSpain205,000
35Ricardo ManquantFrance1,230,000
36Pedro JimenezSpain535,000
37Matthias WidmannGermany355,000
38Cheng LiChina284,000

Tags: Julio SanchezRicardo ManquantRomain Lewis

Romain Lewis Eliminated in 17th Place (61,000 MAD)

Level 24 : 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Romain Lewis
Romain Lewis

Wow.

In two hands, Romain Lewis went from hero to zero, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. After doubled Mohamed El Bakkouri in the previous hand, he got involved in the biggest pot of the tournament so far.

Arron Fletcher opened to 60,000 on the button. Romain Lewis three-bet from the big blind to 140,000. Fletcher moved all in, which was effectively for Lewis' total stack of 860,000. The French pro snap-called the shove, creating a pot of over 1,5 million in chips.

Arron Fletcher: {10-Hearts}{10-Clubs}
Romain Lewis: {A-Hearts}{A-Spades}

Lewis was in fantastic shape to claim the chip lead, but the flop was devastating: {3-Clubs}{7-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}. Fletcher took a commanding lead with a set of tens. Suddenly, Lewis found himself on the brink of elimination, needing one of the remaining aces to survive.

The {K-Hearts} on the turn and {J-Hearts} on the river proved of no avail for Lewis, who saw his dreams of winning the WSOP Circuit ring come to a shocking end. Lewis received a consolation price of 61,000 MAD, Fletcher now sits behind a towering stack of 2,7 million.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Arron Fletcher gb
Arron Fletcher
2,700,000
1,200,000
1,200,000
Profile photo of Romain Lewis fr
Romain Lewis
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner
Winamax

Tags: Arron FletcherRomain Lewis

Hakim Hadj Eliminated in 15th Place (70,000 MAD)

Level 24 : 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Hakim Hadj
Hakim Hadj

In the last hand before the break, Hakim Hadj opened with a raise to 52,000 in early position. With the redraw, Arron Fletcher now had direct position on Hadj and three-bet to 145,000. Hadj moved all in for 830,000, but when Fletcher snap-called he knew he was in a world of hurt.

Hakim Hadj: {K-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds}
Arron Fletcher: {A-Hearts}{K-Hearts}

The {J-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds}{2-} flop brought more outs for Hadj, who picked up a flush draw to go with his eights. However, the turn {A-} and river {10-} were blanks, ending Hadj's run in 15th place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Arron Fletcher gb
Arron Fletcher
3,500,000
Profile photo of Hakim Hadj fr
Hakim Hadj
Busted

Tags: Arron FletcherHakim Hadj

Teresio Ciancanelli Eliminated in 14th Place (70,000 MAD)

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
Teresio Ciancanelli
Teresio Ciancanelli

After Mohamed El Bakkouri opened, Teresio Ciancanelli went all in with a stack of around 600,000. El Bakkouri made the call to put Ciancanelli at risk.

Mohamed El Bakkouri: {K-Clubs}{Q-Clubs}
Teresio Ciancanelli: {A-}{5-}

Bakkouri got there on {Q-Hearts}{8-Diamonds}{2-Clubs}{3-Clubs}{10-Spades} to knock Ciancanelli out in 14th place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mohamed El Bakkouri fr
Mohamed El Bakkouri
2,100,000
1,400,000
1,400,000
Profile photo of Teresio Ciancanelli it
Teresio Ciancanelli
Busted

Tags: Mohamed El BakkouriTeresio Ciancanelli

Jaouad Berrada Eliminated in 13th Place (83,000 MAD)

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
Casino De Marrakech
Casino De Marrakech

Julio Sanchez eliminated Jaouad Berrada, but the exact details were unknown. Berrada didn't want his photograph taken, so instead here's an overview shot of the beautiful Casino de Marrakech that's brimming with action.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Julio Sanchez es
Julio Sanchez
1,850,000
850,000
850,000
Profile photo of Jaouad Berrada ma
Jaouad Berrada
Busted

Tags: Jaouad Berrada

Tsunamy Eliminated in 12th Place (98,000 MAD)

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
Tsunamy
Tsunamy

Spanish player "Tsunamy", a regular fixture here in Casino de Marrekech, has stopped making waves in this tournament. Tsunamy shoved around 400,000 from late position and another single named player, Fernandez, made the call to put Tsunamy at risk.

Tsunamy: {J-}{J-}
Fernandez: {4-Spades}{4-Clubs}

No sweat after the first four cards {K-Hearts}{Q-Clubs}{2-Hearts}{3-Hearts}, but the {4-Hearts} was the two-outer Fernandez was looking for. Tsunamy added 98,000 MAD to his bankroll and will no doubt hop into another tournament right away.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Fernandez es
Fernandez
1,800,000
500,000
500,000
Profile photo of Tsunamy es
Tsunamy
Busted

Tags: FernandezTsunamy

Vincent Mansour Eliminated in 11th Place (115,000 MAD)

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
Vincent Mansour
Vincent Mansour

Vincent Mansour open-shoved his last eight big blinds from the button and Mika Kakkonen called in the big blind.

Vinecnt Mansour: {A-Diamonds}{7-Spades}
Mika Kakkonen: {A-Spades}{K-Hearts}

Mansour snuck through the tournament with his short stack, but this showdown proved to be too much for the Frenchman. After a {J-Clubs}{9-Hearts}{3-Spades}{2-Hearts}{Q-Hearts} board, Mansour said his goodbyes to collect 115,000 MAD (€10,741).

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mika Kakkonen fi
Mika Kakkonen
1,900,000
Profile photo of Vincent Mansour fr
Vincent Mansour
Busted

Tags: Vincent MansourMika Kakkonen

Pedro Jimenez Eliminated in 10th Place (133,000 MAD)

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
Pedro Jimenez (right)
Pedro Jimenez (right)

Pedro Jimenez raised to 65,000 from under the gun. Mika Kakkonen three-bet to 260,000 from the big blind and Jimenez called. Both players checked the {Q-Spades}{J-Spades}{J-Hearts} flop. On the {5-Diamonds} turn, Kakkonen bet 300,000, Jimenez shoved around 900,000, and Kakkonen called.

Mika Kakkonen: {A-Spades}{K-Spades}
Pedro Jimenez: {10-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}

Kakkonen was massively ahead with his Royal Flush draw, as Jimenez couldn't muster up more than a straight draw.

Slowly, the dealer flipped over the river card. It was the {10-Spades}, completing Kakkonen's Royal Flush! Everyone at and around the table gasped upon seeing the elusive hand show up, while Jimenez had an incredible story to tell on the way out.

With Jimenez' bustout, the final table is now set.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mika Kakkonen fi
Mika Kakkonen
3,150,000
1,250,000
1,250,000
Profile photo of Pedro Jimenez es
Pedro Jimenez
Busted

Tags: Mika KakkonenPedro Jimenez

Ricardo Manquant Eliminated in 9th Place (153,000 MAD)

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Ricardo Manquant
Ricardo Manquant

Ricardo Manquant shoved his stack of 240,000, just six big blinds, in the middle and Julio Sanchez called. Behind Sanchez, Arron Fletcher three-bet to 850,000 and Sanchez instantly let it go.

Ricardo Manquant: {Q-Clubs}{10-Clubs}
Arron Fletcher: {J-Hearts}{J-Spades}

Manquant had decent equity to score the triple-up, but it wasn't meant to be. After a {J-Diamonds}{6-Clubs}{3-Spades}{8-Spades}{K-Diamonds} board, the winner of the inaugural WSOP Circuit Main Event in Marrakech two years ago saw his bid at a second ring come to an end.

Receiving a thundrous ovation from the rail, the Frenchman headed to the payout desk to collect his winnings of 153,000 MAD (€14,290).

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Arron Fletcher gb
Arron Fletcher
4,300,000
500,000
500,000
Profile photo of Ricardo Manquant fr
Ricardo Manquant
Busted

Tags: Arron FletcherRicardo Manquant