2019 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech

Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2019 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech

Final Results
Winner
Sonny Franco
Winning Hand
55
Prize
1,500,000 MAD
Event Info
Buy-in
15,000 MAD
Entries
544
Level Info
Level
34
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
50,000

Sonny Franco Wins WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event After Grueling Day 3 (1,500,000 MAD)

Level 34 : 125,000/250,000, 50,000 ante
Sonny Franco
Sonny Franco

Sonny Franco has won the 2019 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event and took home the gold WSOP Circuit ring and the Grand Prize of 1,500,000 MAD (approx. €138,000). Franco beat Jimmy Kebe heads-up after a grueling 17-hour long day in Casino de Marrakech in the Es Saadi Marrakech Resort - Palace. Kebe had to settle for second place and 950,000 MAD (approx. €87,400). The bronze medal went to Day 2 chip leader Julien Robert. Robert took the third place prize money of 650,000 MAD (approx. €59,800) home. Franco won his fourth World Series of Poker International Circuit ring and his second Main Event ring after he took down the WSOP Circuit Main Event in Cannes in March 2018.

PlaceNameNationalityPrize (MAD)Prize (EUR)Prize (USD)
1Sonny FrancoFrance1,500,000 MAD138,000 EUR$156,862
2Jimmy KebeFrance950,000 MAD87,400 EUR$99,340
3Robert JulienFrance650,000 MAD59,800 EUR$67,970
4Edoardo MorteraItaly480,000 MAD44,200 EUR$50,193
5Najib BennisMorocco365,000 MAD33,580 EUR$38,166
6Hassan FaresFrance283,000 MAD26,000 EUR$29,591
7Isabel BaltazarFrance222,000 MAD20,500 EUR$23,213
8[Removed:335]United Kingdom183,000 MAD16,800 EUR$19,134
9Abdelhamid El KhayatiFrance156,000 MAD14,400 EUR$16,311

The day started with a lot of eliminations and the tournament was down to 17 players after the first one-hour level was done. Ibrahim Kiriakus (22nd - 46,000 MAD/€4,230), Eric Rabut (21st - 46,000 MAD/€4,230), Pierre Antoine Quignard (20th - 53,000 MAD/€4,880), 'VPA' (19th - 53,000 MAD/€4,880), and Steve Berdah (18th - 53,000 MAD/€4,880) all got eliminated in the first level of the day. Quickly after that the eliminations of Olivier Paris (17th - 61,000 MAD/€5,600), Kamel Atoui (16th - 61,000 MAD/€5,600), 'Mouloud' (15th - 70,000 MAD/€6,400), and Ramon Sol (14th - 70,000 MAD/€6,400) followed.

The other players that didn't make the final table were Jose Marie (13th - 83,000 MAD/€7,600), Kamel El Abdallaoui (12th - 98,000 MAD/€9,000), and Alexis Ibarolla (11th - 115,000 MAD/€10,600). The final table bubble boy was Nicolas Pacifico. The poker dealer lost a three-way pot and shoved his last five big blinds to the middle with king-nine. He was called by Abdelhamid El Khayati his ace-queen and the board ran out in El Khayati his favor. Pacifico received 135,000 MAD/€12,600 for his tenth place finish.

Final Table

SeatNameNationalityChipsBig Blinds
1Robert JulienFrance2,000,00050
2Barhim [Removed:336]United Kingdom2,590,00065
3Edoardo MorteraItaly810,00020
4Hassan FaresFrance950,00024
5Sonny FrancoFrance2,980,00075
6Isabel BaltazarFrance670,00017
7Abdelhamid El KhayatiFrance1,685,00042
8Jimmy KebeFrance2,995,00075
9Najib BennisMorocco1,635,00041

It took about two hours for the first elimination to take place at the final table. El Khayati, the player who busted Pacifico on the final table bubble, was the first one out of the door. He got his pocket aces all in on a six-jack-ten board with two diamonds against the seven-six of diamonds of ex-premier league footballer Jimmy Kebe. Kebe immediately hit his flush when the nine of diamonds landed on the turn and the queen of clubs on the river was just a courtesy to complete the board. El Khayati came fresh of a runner-up finish in the WPT DeepStacks Main Event in Deauville back in December where he cashed for €68,000. He cashes for a little less in Marrakech as he got to collect 156,000 MAD at the cashier (approx. €14,400

It took another two hours of play for the next player to be sent to the rail. United Kingdom's [Removed:335] battled with a short stack and he got his last chips in the middle with pocket fives on a jack-seven-deuce flop with two spades on there. He needed to avoid a ton of outs as he was up against the nine-eight of spades from Hassan Fares. Fares hit, just like Kebe, his flush on the turn as the king of spades came down. The king of diamonds was dealt and the tournament was officially over for Kebe who gets to take 183,000 MAD (approx. €16,800) back home.

[Removed:335]
[Removed:335]

The speed of play didn't go up after the bust of [Removed:336] and it took another two hours for the third elimination of the final table. About 200 hands in at the final table Isabel Baltazar got her last eight big blind in the middle with pocket queens. She was called by start-of-day chip leader Julien Robert from the small blind with ace-queen and she was well ahead. The flop brought king-six-ace and she was left with one out or she could chop with runner-runner straight cards. The turn was the seven of clubs which left her with just one out and her dreams of winning the Main Event and the WSOP Circuit gold ring got crushed on the four of hearts river card. She won 222,000 MAD (approx. €20,500) for her deep run and seventh-place finish.

Only a couple hands later it was Fares who hit the rail. He got his last couple of big blinds in the middle with king-jack against the ace-queen of Edoardo Mortera. The flop immediately brought an ace and Fares needed to hit running cards to stay in the game. The king on the turn gave him some outs, but he didn't manage to hit on the river. Fares collected a nice paycheck of 283,000 MAD (approx. €26,000) for his sixth-place finish in the main event.

Stacks then got pretty close to each other during five-handed play and it was close between Robert and Kebe who the chip leader was. Robert then got bluffed by Najib Bennis and Kebe was the one and only chip leader of the tournament. Bennis fired a bet on the river twice the size of the pot and Robert folded his hand after he tanked for multiple minutes. Bennis showed his cards and he had third pair, which was clearly not good enough to win the hand outright as Robert punched the table. It was Bennis who then busted in fifth despite winning that pot. He moved his last 17 big blinds to the middle from the cutoff with ace-nine and Franco called him with ace-queen. Bennis was drawing to running cards once the ten-queen-ten flop came down and his hope was kept alive with the eight on the turn. The river was another eight to end Bennis his run in the tournament in fifth, cashing for 365,000 MAD (approx. €33,600).

Najib Bennis
Najib Bennis

Four-handed play took about two-and-a-half hours and nothing much happened. The chip lead changed hands a couple of times between Franco and Robert but that was about it. Out of nowhere Robert then raised to 300,000 (blinds 75,000/150,000 - ante 25,000) and Mortera moved all in for about 2,000,000. Franco isolated and Robert got out of the way. Franco had pocket kings and was well ahead of the ace-queen of Mortera. The board ran out nine high and Franco won the big pot to shoot to the chip lead.

Franco had quite the chip lead with three players left but he then lost a huge pot against Robert. Franco raised on the turn when he had a flush draw and continued his bluff on the river when he didn't get there. The board was ten-five-ten-queen-five with three spades out there. Robert called it off with pocket nines with the nine of spades. Franco showed seven-four. Robert had well over half the chips in play and Franco and Kebe had about the same stack in front of them.

Kebe then got down to 7,5 big blinds and he moved all in from the small blind. He was called by Robert from the big blind and Robert opened up king-ten. Kebe waited about twenty seconds and tabled king-ten himself. The flop brought ace-nine-seven with three diamonds and Kebe had the king of diamonds. The turn was a brick but the river brought a fourth diamond and Kebe doubled back up.

It took 16,5 hours of play for the tournament to arrive at the heads-up stage. Robert got short stacked after losing a pot against Franco and then doubling up Kebe. He lost the rest of chips when he ran queen-ten into the ace-four of Franco when he moved all in from the button and Franco went all in as well from the small blind. Kebe folded his big blind and Franco immediately hit two aces on the flop. The turn and river were bricks and Robert was eliminated in third place. The start-of-day chip leader cashed for 650,000 MAD and that is roughly €59,800.

Kebe started the heads-up with about ten big blinds but soon found himself with just five big blinds in front of him. He managed to double up through Franco with king-jack against queen-four. Kebe flopped a full house and instantly secured a double up. In the next hand he got it in with king-ten against the queen-seven of Franco and he doubled up once more after a clean runout. Kebe suddenly had 21 big blinds standing in front of him and the heads-up was far from being over, 17 hours into the day. Only a couple of hands later they got it in the middle for the third time in the heads-up match. Kebe was again ahead with pocket nines against the pocket fives of Franco. Franco managed to hit a five on the turn to claim the WSOP Circuit gold ring and the first-place prize of 1,500,000 MAD (approx. €138,000) while Kebe has to settle for 950,000 MAD (approx. €87,400).

Franco won another WSOP Circuit Main Event ring in a main event after taking down the WSOP Cicruit Main Event in Cannes in March 2018.

That wraps up the coverage of the 2019 World Series of Poker International Circuit Marrakech with Sonny Franco as the winner of the 15,000 MAD (€1,350) Main Event.

Sonny Franco
Sonny Franco

Tags: Abdelhamid El KhayatiEdoardo MorteraEric RabutHassan FaresIbrahim KiriakusIsabel BaltazarJimmy KebeJose MarieJulien RobertKamel AtouiNajib BennisNicolas PacificoOlivier ParisPierre Antoine QuignardRamon SolSteve Berdah

Jimmy Kebe Eliminated in 2nd Place (950,000 MAD)

Level 34 : 125,000/250,000, 50,000 ante
Jimmy Kebe
Jimmy Kebe

Jimmy Kebe and Sonny Franco got their chips in the middle for the third time this heads-up match and third time seemed the charm for Franco. Kebe was ahead with {9-Diamonds}{9-Clubs} while Franco had {5-Hearts}{5-Clubs}.

Franco's rail wasn't ready to give up easily and shouted so loud some people probably woke up in the Es Saadi Marrakech Resort - Palace.

The flop was {8-Clubs}{10-Hearts}{3-Hearts} and Kebe was still ahead. The crowd erupted when the {5-Spades} came down on the turn and the river was the {7-Spades} awarding the pot and the victory to Franco.

Kebe has to settle for second place and 950,000 MAD (approx. €87,400) while Franco walks away with the WSOP Circuit gold ring and the grand prize of 1,500,000 MAD (approx. €138,000)

Player Chips Progress
Sonny Franco fr
Sonny Franco
16,300,000 5,400,000
Jimmy Kebe fr
Jimmy Kebe
Busted

Tags: Jimmy KebeSonny Franco

Julien Robert Eliminated in 3rd Place (650,000 MAD)

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 25,000 ante
Julien Robert
Julien Robert

Julien Robert moved his last 1,600,000 to the middle from the button with {Q-Clubs}{10-Diamonds} and Sonny Franco rejammed all in with {A-Clubs}{4-Spades}. Jimmy Kebe got out of the way in the big blind and they went to a showdown.

The board ran out {A-Hearts}{A-Diamonds}{2-Spades}{K-Spades}{9-Spades} and start-of-day chip leader Robert got eliminated in the tournament in third place, cashing for an impressive 650,000 MAD (approx. €59,800).

A short break will follow until they start the heads-up match.

Player Chips Progress
Sonny Franco fr
Sonny Franco
13,325,000 1,825,000
Jimmy Kebe fr
Jimmy Kebe
3,000,000
Julien Robert fr
Julien Robert
Busted

Tags: Jimmy KebeJulien RobertSonny Franco

Edoardo Mortera Eliminated in 4th Place (480,000 MAD)

Level 32 : 75,000/150,000, 25,000 ante
Edoardo Mortera
Edoardo Mortera

Julien Robert raised to 300,000 under the gun and Edoardo Mortera moved all in for his last 2,000,000. Sonny Franco moved all in as well, covering everybody at the table. Big blind Jimmy Kebe folded from the big blind and Robert folded as well.

Franco opened {K-Hearts}{K-Clubs} and was ahead of Mortera's {A-Diamonds}{Q-Clubs}. Robert claimed he folded pocket jacks.

The board ran out {2-Hearts}{8-Clubs}{4-Hearts}{6-Clubs}{7-Spades} and Franco eliminated Mortera from the tournament in fourth place. Mortera cashed for 480,000 MAD (approx. €44,200).

Player Chips Progress
Sonny Franco fr
Sonny Franco
8,800,000 3,600,000
Julien Robert fr
Julien Robert
5,500,000 1,150,000
Jimmy Kebe fr
Jimmy Kebe
2,000,000 300,000
Edoardo Mortera it
Edoardo Mortera
Busted

Tags: Edoardo MorteraJimmy KebeJulien RobertSonny Franco

Najib Bennis Eliminated in 5th Place (365,000 MAD)

Level 31 : 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Najib Bennis
Najib Bennis

Najib Bennis moved all in for 2,250,000 from the cutoff and Sonny Franco sat in the big blind when it folded to him. He peeked at his first card and as soon as he peeked at the other he announced ''call''.

Bennis showed {A-Clubs}{9-Hearts} and Franco had him dominated with {A-Hearts}{Q-Clubs}.

The flop was {10-Hearts}{Q-Hearts}{10-Clubs} and Franco had an even bigger lead than he had preflop. The turn was an {8-Hearts} and Bennis needed a non-heart jack to win the pot, but the river was the {8-Spades} and Franco took down the pot.

Franco is now the chip leader of the tournament while Bennis is off to the cashier to collect 365,000 MAD (approx. €33,600).

Player Chips Progress
Sonny Franco fr
Sonny Franco
6,400,000 3,580,000
Najib Bennis ma
Najib Bennis
Busted

Tags: Najib BennisSonny Franco

Hassan Fares Eliminated in 6th Place (283,000 MAD)

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 15,000 ante
Hassan Fares
Hassan Fares

Hassan Fares got his money in the middle with {K-Spades}{J-Diamonds} and he was in need of help against the {A-Diamonds}{Q-Diamonds} of Edoardo Mortera.

The flop wasn't that good for Fares when the dealer spread out {5-Spades}{A-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}. The {K-Hearts} turn gave him some outs but he got eliminated when the {4-Spades} river came down.

Fares gets to collect 283,000 MAD (approx. €26,000) for his sixth place in the 2019 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event.

Player Chips Progress
Edoardo Mortera it
Edoardo Mortera
2,900,000
Hassan Fares fr
Hassan Fares
Busted

Tags: Edoardo MorteraHassan Fares

Isabel Baltazar Eliminated in 7th Place (222,000 MAD)

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 15,000 ante
Isabel Baltazar
Isabel Baltazar

Isabel Baltazar got her last 815,000 to the middle from late position and small blind Julien Robert called. Edoardo Mortera folded his big blind and they opened up.

Isabel Baltazar: {Q-Hearts}{Q-Clubs}
Julien Robert: {A-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}

The flop came down {K-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}{A-Clubs} and Baltazar was left with one out to win the hand or a runner-runner straight to chop the pot.

The turn was the {7-Clubs} and she had just the case queen as her out left but the river was the {4-Hearts} and she was eliminated from the tournament.

The last woman standing in the tournament takes home 222,000 MAD, which is roughly €20,500.

Player Chips Progress
Julien Robert fr
Julien Robert
3,900,000 825,000
Isabel Baltazar fr
Isabel Baltazar
Busted

Tags: Edoardo MorteraIsabel BaltazarJulien Robert

Franco Doubles After Favorable Runout

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 15,000 ante
Sonny Franco
Sonny Franco

Sonny Franco raised to 220,000 from the cutoff and he was called by Isabel Baltazar from the button and big blind Najib Bennis.

The flop came down {4-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts} and Bennis instantly moved all in. Franco called for his tournament life, being covered by Bennis, and Baltazar got out of the way.

Sonny Franco: {Q-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}
Najib Bennis: {K-Hearts}{Q-Clubs}

The turn was the {2-Hearts} which gave Franco a total of seven outs. He needed to hit a five or a six and he did exactly that when the {5-Spades} river was dealt.

Franco scored a double up and is now back over the average stack.

Player Chips Progress
Sonny Franco fr
Sonny Franco
2,745,000 1,530,000
Najib Bennis ma
Najib Bennis
2,600,000 -1,140,000
Isabel Baltazar fr
Isabel Baltazar
1,165,000 -235,000

Tags: Isabel BaltazarNajib BennisSonny Franco

Abdelhamid El Khayati Eliminated in 9th Place (156,000 MAD)

Level 27 : 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Abdelahim El Khayati
Abdelahim El Khayati

The flop was {6-Hearts}{J-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds} and Jimmy Kebe and Abdelhamid El Khayati got their chips in the middle. El Khayati was the at-risk player in the pretty sizeable 3,600,000 pot.

Kebe flopped a flush draw and bottom pair with {7-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} and El Khayati was playing {A-Hearts}{A-Clubs}.

The turn was the {9-Diamonds} and gave Kebe the flush raight away and El Khayati was drawing dead.

The {Q-Clubs} river was a courtesy and El Khayati was sent to the cashier to collect 156,000 MAD (approx. €14,400). El Khayati had a runner-up finish in the WPT DeepStacks last December in Dauville where he cashed for €68,000. He adds another final table to his resume but his run ends in ninth place.

Player Chips Progress
Jimmy Kebe fr
Jimmy Kebe
5,100,000 1,780,000
Abdelhamid El Khayati fr
Abdelhamid El Khayati
Busted

Tags: Abdelhamid El KhayatiJimmy Kebe

Nicolas Pacifico Eliminated in 10th Place (135,000 MAD)

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Nicolas Pacifico
Nicolas Pacifico

Nicolas Pacifico was left short after he lost the three-way pot where Alexis Ibarrola got eliminated. In the next hand, he was the player that got eliminated from the tournament.

He got his last 215,000 in the middle with {K-Hearts}{9-Clubs} and he was put at risk by Abdelhamid El Khayati with {A-Clubs}{Q-Clubs}.

The board ran out {10-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds} and the poker dealer was sent to the rail to collect 135,000 MAD, which is approximately €12,600.

A full final table redraw will follow soon after the players had a short break.

Player Chips Progress
Abdelhamid El Khayati fr
Abdelhamid El Khayati
1,600,000 265,000
Nicolas Pacifico fr
Nicolas Pacifico
Busted

Tags: Abdelhamid El KhayatiAlexis IbarrolaNicolas Pacifico