Main Event
Day 3 Completed
Main Event
Day 3 Completed
In the end, lightning didn't strike twice. After an arduous and at time attritional final day in the WPTDeepStacks Marrakech Main Event, Alejandro Roman did just enough to deny Silma Macalou a second WPTDS title in the space of two weeks by clinching the title on the gorgeous feature stage of Casino de Marrakech in the Es Saadi Resort.
The Spaniard takes home 1,100,000 MAD (€103,184) after defeating the record 545-player field here in Marrakech, topping a final table that not only included Macalou, but defending champion Francois Tosques and Bruno Fitoussi.
Macalou was aiming to become the second player after Ioannis Konstas 18 months ago to become a two-time WPTDS Europe champion, but would have to settle for second place adding the 774,000 MAD (€72,604) to the €91,655 he took home for winning in Vilamoura earlier this month.
The 14-hour final day involved almost five hours of three-handed play between Roman, Macalou and third-place finisher and start-of-day chip leader Pedro Ingles.
Place | Name | Country | Payout (MAD) | Payout (EUR) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alejandro Roman | Spain | MAD 1,100,000 | € 103,184 |
2 | Silma Macalou | France | MAD 774,000 | € 72,604 |
3 | Pedro Ingles | Spain | MAD 560,000 | € 52,530 |
4 | Daniel El Keslassy | Morocco | MAD 420,000 | € 39,398 |
5 | Francois Tosques | France | MAD 320,000 | € 30,017 |
6 | Bruno Fitoussi | France | MAD 245,000 | € 22,982 |
7 | Yohan Gonzales | France | MAD 190,000 | € 17,823 |
8 | Pierre Antoine Quignard | France | MAD 151,000 | € 14,164 |
9 | Jerome Zerbib | France | MAD 123,000 | € 11,538 |
A rivered full house and the elimination of Mohamed Mamouni was enough for Macalou to overtake start-of-day chip leader Ingles in the standings, and despite Ingles adding the scalps of Orey Canarinho and Manuel Lopez, it wasn't enough to overtake Macalou who led the final nine players.
Three shorter stacks Jerome Zerbib, Pierre Antoine Quignard and Yohan Gonzales would bust quickly at the final table, but none would have shaping on the chip leaders which continued to bounce between Macalou and Ingles.
Big-name Bruno Fitoussi had done well to ladder as the second-shortest stack coming into Day 3, and as the shortest player at the start of the final table, before his pocket tens were cracked by the sevens of Ingles to bust the Frenchman in sixth place.
He was soon followed by defending champion Francois Tosques, who hit a bad run of cards to fall in fifth with Ingles again the man responsible, picking up aces and sending Tosques on his way.
At this stage, Ingles was threatening to run away with things, and after knocking out Daniel El Keslassy in fourth place he held more than half the chips in play.
However, this sudden and dramatic ascent might have been all too sudden, as back came Macalou, winning a pot where Ingles called him down with jack-high and then forcing the Spaniard off of a set of aces with a jack-high of his own.
But no sooner had Macalou opened up a commanding lead, Ingles doubled and the trio set level in stacks. Alejandro Roman had been keeping out of trouble, but after he doubled into the chip lead to leave Ingles short, Ingles doubled twice in two hands and the status quo was resumed.
In total there were eight doubles during a three-handed battle that lasted for five hours.
Eventually, the blinds caught up to the trio and Ingles was eliminated in third place to bring the tournament to heads-up with Macalou holding a slight lead over Roman.
Macalou would extend the lead, but with the blinds increasing an all-in confrontation was inevitable. The first resulted in Roman doubling through Macalou, and the second saw Roman lift the title shortly before 5 a.m. local time.
This concludes PokerNews' coverage of the WPTDeepStacks here at theCasino de Marrakech in the breathtaking Es Saadi Resort. Stay tuned for more live updates coming to you from any number of poker tours worldwide.
Silma Macalou raised to 700,000 and Alejandro Roman called in the big blind.
Roman check-called 400,000 on the flop and the turn was the
Roman checked again and Macalou bet 800,000. Roman called.
The river completed a flush for Roman and after he checked for the third time, Macalou shoved and Roman snap-called to secure victory.
Macalou takes home MAD 774,000 (€72,604), narrowly missing out on winning back-to-back WPTDS titles.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Alejandro Roman |
16,350,000
5,750,000
|
5,750,000 |
Silma Macalou
|
Busted |
Silma Macalou opened to 900,000 with and Alejandro Roman called with
The pair checked the flop and the turn . The river was the and Macalou bet 1,000,000.
Roman raised all in for 4,250,000 and after a long tank, Macalou called and saw the bad news.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Alejandro Roman |
10,600,000
5,450,000
|
5,450,000 |
Silma Macalou
|
5,750,000
-5,450,000
|
-5,450,000 |
Silma Macalou raised to 700,000 from the button with , and Alejandro Roman called from the big blind with .
The flop came and Roman check-called a bet of 600,000 from Macalou.
The turn was the and Roman check-called another bet of 1,500,000.
Roman checked the river and Macalou bet 2,300,000. Roman thought for a few seconds before folding.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Silma Macalou
|
11,200,000
2,750,000
|
2,750,000 |
Alejandro Roman |
5,150,000
-2,750,000
|
-2,750,000 |
Level: 34
Blinds: 150,000/300,000
Ante: 300,000
Alejandro Roman moved all in from the button, and after Silma Macalou folded his small blind, Pedro Ingles called in the big blind.
Pedro Ingles:
Alejandro Roman:
The board ran out and Roman's turned two pair saw him send Ingles to the rail in third place.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Silma Macalou
|
8,450,000
-1,200,000
|
-1,200,000 |
Alejandro Roman |
7,900,000
4,425,000
|
4,425,000 |
Pedro Ingles
|
Busted | |
|
Alejandro Roman held and was all in for 2,050,000 this time against Silma Macalou with .
The board ran out and Roman's flopped set boosted him up over four million in chips.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Silma Macalou
|
9,650,000
-825,000
|
-825,000 |
Alejandro Roman |
3,475,000
1,925,000
|
1,925,000 |
Alejandro Roman was down below a million and was all in for 650,000 against Silma Macalou.
Alejandro Roman:
Silma Macalou:
The board came and Roman's jack-high doubled him up.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Silma Macalou
|
10,475,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
Pedro Ingles
|
4,325,000
-625,000
|
-625,000 |
|
||
Alejandro Roman |
1,550,000
275,000
|
275,000 |
Silma Macalou opened to 525,000 with and Alejandro Roman defended his big blind with
The flop came and Roman check-called 425,000 from Macalou.
The turn was the and Roman check-called 825,000.
The completed the board improving Macalou to a full house. Roman checked for the third time and Macalou shoved for 3,100,000.
Roman called and the Frenchman doubled up. Could that be the pivotal moment that breaks this three-handed deadlock?
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Silma Macalou
|
10,125,000
5,250,000
|
5,250,000 |
Pedro Ingles
|
4,950,000
-125,000
|
-125,000 |
|
||
Alejandro Roman |
1,275,000
-5,125,000
|
-5,125,000 |