Samiyel Duzgun Wins 2020 WSOP Circuit Marrakech Main Event (~$166,747)

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Jan 20, 2020 4 min read

Switzerland's Samiyel Duzgun bested a field of 625 entrants to win the 2020 World Series of Poker Circuit 15,000 MAD (€1,400) Main Event at the luxurious Casino de Marrakech, located in the heart of the Es Saadi Resort.

In addition to winning a massive 1,600,000 MAD (€150,400/$166,747) top prize, Duzgun also claimed his first WSOP Circuit gold ring and won a free seat to the 2020 WSOP Global Championship in North Carolina in August.

Duzgun typically plays cash games but has found some recent success in the last two events he has played. In December, Duzgun finished in seventh place in the Golden Poker Million Cyprus Main Event for €19,900 ($22,031). Coincidentally, Golden Poker will be visiting the Casino de Marrakech for another fantastic series on March 13-22.

As one can imagine, Duzgun was on top of the world after the victory.

"I am very tired, but I am very happy," Duzgun shared with PokerNews after his win. "I enjoyed myself so much. Not just the tournament but the people and staff are so nice. I would return to Marrakech even if I didn't win this event."

2020 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event Final Table Results

Final Day Recap

This was the seventh time the WSOP Circuit has visited the Casino de Marrakech. This time around, a new attendance record was established for the Main Event with the 625 entrants crushing the previous record of 544 in January 2019 when Sonny Franco claimed the top prize.

The final day began with all 16 returning players each guaranteed to go home with at least 68,000 MAD (€6,392/$7,087). A Spanish player with the nickname 'Igna Poker' began the day in the chip lead.

"The people and staff are so nice. I would return to Marrakech even if I didn't win this event."

Ivaylo Panev, Frederic Ayadi, Andrew Hills, Christophe Panetti, Laurent Benhayoun, Ugo Faggioli, Mohamed Bouzgarrou, Gael Dirig, and a Spanish player playing under the illustrious 'Willy Wonka' moniker all advanced to the final day but missed the cut to make the final table.

'Igna Poker' still had the lead when the final table began but Duzgun was only one big blind behind.

A Swiss player with the nickname 'Grolo Grolovic' entered the final table with the lowest stack of just three big blinds and was ousted in the first hand at the final by Imad Derwiche. Despite the elimination, Derwiche got short on chips and ran his king-four suited into the pocket fours held by 'Igna Poker' to finish in eighth place for 200,000 MAD (€18,800/$20,843).

'Igna Poker' was able to regain the lead before Israel's Ayman Jarrar eliminated Portugal's Rui Bouquet in seventh place when his pair of ladies held strong against his opponent's pocket nines. Shortly after, Duzgun jammed from the small blind with ten-five suited and France's Marc Poustis called off his short stack from the big blind with ace-five. Poustis was eliminated in sixth place after two tens hit the board and Duzgun once again regained the chip lead. Both Bouquet and Poustis received 300,000 MAD (€28,200/$31,265) for their efforts.

'Igna Poker' hit the rail in fifth place for 380,000 MAD (€35,720/$39,602) the very first hand after the dinner break. He committed his stack after he flopped top pair with ten-nine and ran into a straight held by Edouard Piquet holding seven-six on a nine-eight-five flop. Another Spanish player playing under an alias, 'TMV', hit the showers in fourth place for 500,000 MAD (€47,000/$52,109) after his ace-four didn't hold against Duzgun's queen-ten.

Jarrar regained the chip lead shortly after three-handed play began and amassed more than half the chips in play before the next elimination took place. Edouard Piquet got his chips in the middle with tens on a jack-nine-seven flop, only to run into a set held by Duzgun with sevens. Piquet was awarded a healthy sum of 700,000 MAD (€65,800.$72,952) with his third-place finish.

Jarrar started the heads-up with a small chip advantage against Duzgun, which didn't last long as Duzgun quickly took the lead again. Jarrar was down to crumbs when he called off with seven-three suited and didn't get there against Duzgun's jack-eight. The tournament director awarded Jarrar a runners-up trophy which came with a massive second-place prize of 1,060,000 MAD (€99,640/$110,470).

WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event History

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