The final day of the Marrakech Poker Open Main Event has arrived, and the final 11 players are taking their seats. Despite the clocks going forward here in Marrakech last night, they all look well rested and all arrive with the same goal: be the last man left standing, and scoop the 300,000 Dirham first prize.
Leading the way is Moroccan Tahiri Hassani who bagged up 816,000, closely followed by Francisco Vargas (768,000) and Jens Erik Ostergaard (702,000). It will be an interesting battle between these three to see who will be the first player up over 1,000,000 in chips, but they will be closely followed by the chasing pack.
The blinds to start the day are 8,000/16,000 with a 2,000 ante. The levels are 45-minutes long and the plan is simple - play until we have a winner!
A short while ago Tsunamy moved all in from the small blind, telling big blind Jerome Zerbib that he had seen just one card.
Zerbib looked down at one card. "This is a king," he said, looking at the other, "And this is a two." Eventually Zerbib folded face up, and Tsunamy showed the card he had yet looked at: the .
A few minutes later Tsunamy moved all in for his remaining 115,000 from the cutoff. Abdellah El Ghrari called in the small blind. Valeryi Chupin folded the big blind.
Tsunamy:
El Ghrari:
The flop was which meant Day 1 chipleader El Ghrari took the lead. The turn was the and the river the meaning Tsunamy was our first elimination of the day.
Andrei-Salustin Luncan never really got going today and he got his remaining 100,000 or so chips into the middle holding from the button. Idir Haiche called in the big blind with .
The board came and Luncan was eliminated, meaning our final table was confirmed. The players are taking a short break as they move to the final table, and play will resume at in around twenty minutes.
Idir Haiche raised to 60,000 from the button. Tahiri Hassani moved all in for 215,000 from the small blind. Moises folded in the big blind and Haiche made the call.
Haiche:
Hassani:
The board ran out and despite being the chipleader at the start of the day, Hassani was eliminated in 9th Place.
[Removed:432] raised to 105,000 from middle position and was shoved on by Abdellah El Ghrari in the next position. The remaining players folded and [Removed:433] called for the extra chips.
El Ghrari:
[Removed:433]:
The Day 1 chipleader was behind, but flipping, but unfortunately for him it worse when the flop came . The turn was the and the river the meaning El Ghrari hit the rail in 8th.
On the very next hand Francisco Vargas moved all in for his remaining 340,000 and [Removed:432] called.
Vargas:
[Removed:433]:
For the second time in two hands [Removed:432] held pocket eights, and for the second time in succession he flopped a set as it came . The turn was the , and the river the meaning [Removed:433] eliminated another player.
It folded to Valeryi Chupin in the small blind and he raised and [Removed:432] called in the big blind.
The flop came and Chupin moved all in for his remaining 210,000. [Removed:433] called.
Chupin showed for king-high and was ahead, but [Removed:433] held a monster draw with meaning he had flush, straight and pair draws.
The turn was the . Benoit Grobocopatel, who finished in 13th, was on [Removed:433]'s rail and yelled out "Five!" in French. The river was the and [Removed:433] took a moment, and then pointed dramatically at the river, realising he had won by rivering a single five.
Valeryi Chupin was eliminated in 6th Place for €8,633.
[Removed:432] raised to 100,000 under the gun. It folded to Erik Ostergaard in the small blind who moved all in for his remaining 50,000 chips after being crippled by Jerome Zerbib.
[Removed:433] held and was dominatingly ahead of Ostergaard's . There was a nine in the window of a flop, giving Ostergaard a gutshot straight draw as well as a pair. The turn was the and the river the meaning the Danish player exited in 5th Place.
Idir Haiche moved all in for 700,000 on the button. Moises called in the small blind and Jerome Zerbib folded in the big blind.
Haiche:
Moises:
Things were looking good for Haiche to get back into contention as the flop came . The turn was a but the river was the giving Moises a pair. Haiche banged the table in frustration and exited in 4th place for €12,531
face up, and Tsunamy showed the card he had yet looked at: the 
.
which meant Day 1 chipleader El Ghrari took the lead. The turn was the 
and the river the 
meaning Tsunamy was our first elimination of the day.
from the button. Idir Haiche called in the big blind with 
and Luncan was eliminated, meaning our final table was confirmed. The players are taking a short break as they move to the final table, and play will resume at in around twenty minutes.
completing the flush draw, and both players checked.
and Ostergaard bet 205,000. Vargas called.
for a straight, and Vargas mucked.
. The turn was the 
and the river the 
. The turn was the 
meaning [Removed:433] eliminated another player.
meaning he had flush, straight and pair draws.
. Benoit Grobocopatel, who finished in 13th, was on [Removed:433]'s rail and yelled out "Five!" in French. The river was the 
and [Removed:433] took a moment, and then pointed dramatically at the river, realising he had won by rivering a single five.
meaning the Danish player exited in 5th Place.
. The turn was a