Main Event
Day 3 Started
2019 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech
Main Event
Day: 3
Robert Leads Quest to Crown Winner in Marrakech
The final day of the 2019 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event is here. Only 22 players are left after Day 2 and they will battle it out today in Casino de Marrakech in the Es Saadi Resort - Palace to figure out who will take home the first-place prize of 1,500,000 MAD (approx. €138,000).
Julien Robert sits on top of the leaderboard. He collected 1,575,000 chips on Day 2 and has the best position to win the coveted gold WSOP Circuit ring. Robert obtained some chips and started applying pressure on the players at his table. It was Robert who eventually busted Alamo Lopez on the bubble. Isabel Baltazar is chasing him in second place. She won a big three-way all-in on Day and never looked back. She starts the day with 1,541,000.
Other players that will take their seats today include Pierre Antoine Quignard (742,000), Nicolas Pacifico (633,000), Sonny Franco (589,000), and Jimmy Kebe (314,000). They all still have a shot to take home the grand prize and the gold WSOP Circuit ring.
Seat Draw
| Table 1 | Name | Table 2 | Name | Table 3 | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Removed:335] | 1 | Nicolas Pacifico | 1 | Cheva |
| 2 | Kamel Atoui | 2 | Edoardo Mortera | 2 | Ramon Sol |
| 3 | Abdelhamid El Khayati | 3 | Alexis Ibbarola | 3 | Jimmy Kebe |
| 4 | Julien Robert | 4 | Mouloud | 4 | Steve Berdah |
| 5 | Isabel Baltazar | 5 | Hassan Fares | 5 | Najib Bennis |
| 6 | Pierre Antoine Quignard | 6 | --- | 6 | --- |
| 7 | [Removed:69] | 7 | Ibrahim Kiriakus | 7 | Eric Rabut |
| 8 | VPA | 8 | Sonny Franco | 8 | Olivier Paris |
They will start in level 23 (blinds 10,000/20,000 - ante 3,000) and they will play down to a winner. PokerNews will provide coverage until a winner is crowned in Marrakech.
Level: 23
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 3,000
Shuffle Up and Deal
Level 23
: 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
The floor staff just announced that they will play two more 60-minute levels before going to 75-minute levels for the remainder of the tournament.
The ''shuffle up and deal'' was announced and cards are in the air for the final day of the 2019 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event.
Great Start for Franco
Level 23
: 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
It folded all the way around to Ibrahim Kiriakus in the small blind on one of the outer tables and he raised to 57,000. Big blind Sonny Franco defended and they went heads-up to the flop.
The flop fell 
and Kiriakus continued with a bet of 38,000. Franco called again and the dealer opened the 
turn card. Kiriakus checked to Franco this time and he took over the betting initiative with a bet of 85,000. Kiriakus called and the last card was dealt.
The river was the 
and Kiriakus checked again to Franco, only to see him fire a bet of 139,000 this time. Kiriakus counted out the bet and ended up calling.
Franco opened up 
for rivered two pair and Kiriakus mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
950,000 | 361,000 |
|
244,000 | -356,000 |
Kiriakus Eliminated by Franco; Rabut Also Eliminated
Level 23
: 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Ibrahim Kiriakus moved his last 296,000 to the middle from early position and Sonny Franco pushed all in as well for a little less than a million. The other players all got out of the way and they opened up.
Ibrahim Kiriakus: 
Sonny Franco: 
The 
flop gave Kiriakus a lot more outs, but neither the turn or 
river saved him from elimination.
Eric Rabut was involved in a big hand on the other outer table and was eliminated in the process. Both Rabut and Kiriakus take home 46,000 MAD (approx. €4,230).
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,250,000 | 300,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
El Abdallaoui Doubles Through VPA
Level 23
: 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
[Removed:69] raised from the small blind to 60,000 and big blind VPA three-bet all in for a total of 666,000. The bet was effectively 504,000 as he had El Abdallaoui covered. The call was made and the cards went on their backs.
[Removed:69]:
VPA: 
The board ran out 
and VPA was left with just eight big blinds while El Abdallaoui doubles up to more than fifty.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,100,000 | 555,000 |
|
162,000 | -500,000 |
VPA is Staying Alive
Level 23
: 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
VPA was left with just eight big blinds and he moved all in when it folded to him in the small blind. He moved his last chips to the middle with 
and he was called by [Removed:335] from the big blind with 
.
VPA immediately hit the and [Removed:336] wasn't able to catch up on the 
turn and 
river.
VPA survives an all in to double up and he's still in it to win it.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
850,000 | -164,000 |
|
|
350,000 | 188,000 |
Fares Eliminates Quignard
Level 23
: 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Pierre Antoine Quignard already lost half of his stack and was getting fairly short. He got his last chips in the middle with and his opponent was Hassan Fares with 
.
The flop fell 
and Fares hit an ace to take the lead, but Quignard gained a flush draw.
The turn was the 
and the river was the 
and Quignard didn't hit a ten or a diamond to take the lead and the hand and avoid elimination. He does pick up the first pay jump of the day as he cashes for 53,000 MAD (approx. €4,880).
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,800,000 | 504,000 |
|
Busted |
[Removed:336] Versus VPA Round II
Level 23
: 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
[Removed:335] just doubled up VPA, but they battled it out once more when VPA got his last 300,000 preflop in the middle from the button. [Removed:336] sat in the small blind and he was the challenger.
VPA was playing 
and was in very bad shape against he of [Removed:336]. The 
board didn't bring any help for VPA either and he was sent to the rail in 19th place, cashing for 53,000 MAD (approx. €4,880).
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,200,000 | 350,000 |
|
|
Busted |