Mohamed Ali Houssam Champ at WPT Marrakech; Mattern, Duhamel, Grospellier Come Up Short

Poker News / Short-Stacked Shamus / 28 November 2011 / Leave a Comment

Mohamed Ali Houssam shows off his winning hand at WPT Marrakech (Photo: World Poker Tour)

Houssam led after Day 1 and remained near the top of the counts until the final day of play during which he battled back several times from a short stack to claim the victory.

Four days of poker in Marrakech ended Sunday with Morocco's own Mohamed Ali Houssam besting a field of 274 to win a World Poker Tour title and the €199,825 that went along with it. For his victory, Houssam additionally earns himself a seat into the $25,000 WPT World Championship at the Bellagio in May 2012.

This year's WPT Marrakech Main Event featured a €3,000 buy-in. That was less than the €5,000 it cost to enter last year, which helped create a larger field than the 222 who came out in 2010.

Houssam got off to a fast start to lead the 149 players who made it through Day 1. By the end of the second day just 50 remained. Houssam was still near the top, hovering just below the top 10. Meanwhile, 2010 WSOP Main Event Champion Jonathan Duhamel and Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier had both positioned themselves in the top five behind leader Ian Marmion.

They played down to nine on Saturday, with Houssam ending the day back in front with 1.33 million, Duhamel next with 1.126 million, Hassan Fares third with 1.11 million, and Toufic Ourini next with 1.054 million. Also still alive were Grospellier and Arnaud Mattern with more than 900,000 each.

Mattern would push into the chip lead early on the final day of play as Sebastien Ta went out in ninth (€23,178), Grospellier fell in eighth (€25,400), and Duhamel in seventh (€27,975). That established the official six-handed final table, which began with Maxsims Martinovs having pushed into the chip lead ahead of Mattern.

Martinovs would soon take a decent-sized pot from Houssam to extend his lead, but Houssam would get some back in a hand versus Rodney Assous. After Houssam opened from the small blind, Assous shoved with Ah-Ks and Houssam called with Jh-Jd. The board came ten-high, and Assous was out in sixth.

Not long after it was Fares hitting the rail in fifth after his pocket fives failed to hold versus Ourini's Kd-Th when a ten fell on the turn.

Houssam then grabbed another big pot, doubling through Martinovs with As-Ad versus Martinovs' 9d-9c. Meanwhile, Mattern slipped down under 1 million, and soon was all in with As-8d against Martinovs' 7c-7s. The flop came Ks-Js-Ts, giving Mattern all sorts of hope, but the turn was the 5d and the river the Kd, and the Frenchman was out in fourth.

Houssam was on the short stack again with three left, but he'd double up twice -- once through each of his two opponents -- to push back into the lead.

Then came a wild hand in which Martinovs opened from the button and both Ourini (SB) and Houssam (BB) called. The flop came 6s-5c-3s and Ourini led with a bet of 300,000, just over two-thirds the pot. Houssam folded, then Martinovs pushed all in with the 950,000 he had left.

Ourini thought a while, then made the call, surprisingly tabling Jh-9c -- just a couple of overcards, and not-so-good ones at that! Meanwhile Martinovs had 6c-3c for two pair and appeared destined to earn a handsome pot.

The turn then brought the 5s, pairing the board, and when the 9h fell on the river, Ourini had improbably drawn a better two pair to knock out Martinovs in third.

Heads-up play began with the two remaining players nearly even, with Ourini at 4.167 million and Houssam at 4.053 million. Ourini would extend his lead, then Houssam would retake the advantage in a hand in which he rivered trip tens and got paid. That put Houssam up over 5.8 million, more than twice Ourini's 2.4 million.

Then came the final hand, which began quietly with Houssam limping from the small blind/button and Ourini checking his option. Things stayed relatively serene as both players checked the Kc-8d-3s flop. The turn then brought the Qd and some action. Ourini led with an oversized bet of 370,000, Houssam made it 800,000, Ourini pushed all in, and Houssam called.

Ourini had Ks-Jh for top pair, but no river card could save him as Houssam had 8c-8s for a flopped set of eights. The river was the 6h (for completeness' sake), and Houssam had all of the chips.

2011 WPT Marrakech final table payouts:

1st: Mohamed Ali Houssam (Morocco) -- €199,825
2nd: Toufik Ourini (Morocco) -- €137,657 

3rd: Maxsims Martinovs (Latvia) -- €88,811

4th: Arnaud Mattern (France) -- €57,727
5th: Hassan Fares (France) -- €42,185
6th: Rodney Assous (France) -- €34,192

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