Christophe Savary Wins WPT Marrakech

The World Poker Tour’s (WPT) first ever trip to Marrakech ended with Christophe Savary defeating a field of 416 runners en route to a €377,000 payday. The French poker player bested Eoghan O’Dea heads-up in the non-televised event.

Savary was second in chips entering the nine-handed final table, holding a stack of 1.3 million, while Ludovic Lacay, who finished 16th in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, had the lead with 2.2 million. A short-stacked Ben Halima was the first player to depart from the final table. He open-shoved pre-flop with 9-7 of clubs, but ran into Benny Spindler’s A-9. The flop came Q-3-10 with two clubs, giving Halima a glimmer of hope, but running hearts ended his WPT Marrakech title hopes. Halima earned €27,000 for his efforts in the €4,500 buy-in tournament.

Balazs Botond was all-in after a flop of 8-4-A holding Q-7. Despite only having K-9, Adrian Marin was in the lead against Botond and the board ran out A-J to secure his win. Botond grabbed €34,000 for his eighth place showing. Patrick Meurisse was the next casualty of the final table. He pushed all-in pre-flop from early position with K-8 and O’Dea made the call with A-Q of clubs. A queen hit the flop and no help came for Meurisse on the turn or river, sending him out in seventh place for €42,000.

Spindler ultimately hit the rail in sixth place. He pushed before the flop with K-4 of diamonds and Lacay made the call with A-8. Fireworks happened after the board fell 2-Q-3-K, leaving Spindler in prime position to double up with top pair. However, Lacay hit a three-outer on the river to bounce his adversary in sixth place for €55,000. Then, Marin shoved over the top of a raise by Lacay pre-flop with A-5. Lacay folded, but Savary made the call with pocket sevens. The better hand held and Marin exited in fifth place from the inaugural WPT Marrakech for €72,000.

Julien Arneodo hit the skids in fourth place, padding his wallet by €105,000. Arneodo pushed pre-flop with A-6 and Lacay made the call with A-5. Lacay found himself well behind in the hand until he spiked a five on the turn. No six came on the river and Arneodo left the tournament area stunned at his luck. Lacay then pushed with K-J of diamonds pre-flop, but had the misfortune of running into Savary’s A-10 of diamonds. The flop brought two diamonds, giving both players flush draws, but Savary held the ace of the suit. The turn was another diamond, giving Savary the nut flush and leaving Lacay drawing dead to the river. He picked up €164,000 for his third place showing.

Entering heads-up play in Marrakech, Savary held a 5:3 chip lead over O’Dea. It didn’t take long for O’Dea to commit his chips with A-3 of clubs against Savary’s 7-8 of clubs after the flop came 9-A-6. With Savary rooting for a five or ten to fill his straight and claim the title of first ever WPT Marrakech Champion, the crowd watched in anticipation as, sure enough, a ten hit on the turn. O’Dea banked €262,000 for his runner-up showing.

Here were the final results of the WPT Marrakech:

1. Christophe Savary – €377,000
2. Eoghan O’Dea – €262,000
3. Ludovic Lacay – €164,000
4. Julien Arneodo – €105,000
5. Adrian Marin – €72,000
6. Benny Spindler – €55,000
7. Patrick Meurisse – €42,000
8. Balazs Botond – €34,000
9. Hichem Ben Halima – €27,000

Next up for the WPT is the annual Festa al Lago, a $15,000 buy-in contest that kicks off tomorrow from the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Last year, Team PokerStars Pro member Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier defeated Nam Le heads-up in the Festa al Lago Main Event, pocketing $1.4 million.

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Poker jargon:

FIFTH STREET - In stud poker, the fifth card to be dealt to each player. Sometimes used to refer to the last card dealt in Hold'em, although the more common term for this is RIVER (q.v.).
FIRE - To make the first bet in a betting round. Used to emphasize that the player bet when a check was possible, showing strength.
NICKEL - Five dollars, usually represented by a red casino check.
MISDEAL - A hand dealt incorrectly that must be re-dealt.
BURN - To discard the top card of the deck prior to dealing, usually done for every dealing round except the first. The theory being that if somehow the cards are marked (illegally) no one will know what card will next be dealt, only what card will be burned. This makes marked cards less of an advantage, hence tends to reduce cheating.
TURN - The fourth community card in Hold'em.

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