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.
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:
Romain Lewis:
Lewis was in fantastic shape to claim the chip lead, but the flop was devastating: . 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 on the turn and 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.
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:
Arron Fletcher:
The flop brought more outs for Hadj, who picked up a flush draw to go with his eights. However, the turn and river were blanks, ending Hadj's run in 15th place.
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:
Teresio Ciancanelli:
Bakkouri got there on to knock Ciancanelli out in 14th place.
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.
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:
Fernandez:
No sweat after the first four cards , but the 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.
Vincent Mansour open-shoved his last eight big blinds from the button and Mika Kakkonen called in the big blind.
Vinecnt Mansour:
Mika Kakkonen:
Mansour snuck through the tournament with his short stack, but this showdown proved to be too much for the Frenchman. After a board, Mansour said his goodbyes to collect 115,000 MAD (€10,741).
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 flop. On the turn, Kakkonen bet 300,000, Jimenez shoved around 900,000, and Kakkonen called.
Mika Kakkonen:
Pedro Jimenez:
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 , 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.
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:
Arron Fletcher:
Manquant had decent equity to score the triple-up, but it wasn't meant to be. After a 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).
. 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.
on the turn and 
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.
flop brought more outs for Hadj, who picked up a flush draw to go with his eights. However, the turn 
and river 
were blanks, ending Hadj's run in 15th place.
to knock Ciancanelli out in 14th place.
, but the 
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.
turn, Kakkonen bet 300,000, Jimenez shoved around 900,000, and Kakkonen called.
