In a record-breaking field of 1,523 entries, Justin Tsui emerged victorious at the World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Marrakech Main Event, capturing the title in less than a day’s play. He claimed his first WSOPC gold ring along with a record-setting prize of 2,700,000 MAD (approximately €1,877,955) — the largest payout of his poker career.
Spanish players Gandalf and Aitor Cruz finished second and third, respectively. Meanwhile, Paul Tedeschi and French content creator Mathieu Choffardet fell short of bringing the gold ring back to France, finishing fourth and fifth.
2025 WSOPC Marrakech Main Event Final Results
Place | Player | Country | Prize (MAD) | Prize (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
🥇 1 | Justin Tsui | Hong Kong | 2,700,000 MAD | €261,900 |
🥈 2 | Gandalf | Spain | 1,840,000 MAD | €178,480 |
🥉 3 | Aitor Cruz | Spain | 1,300,000 MAD | €126,100 |
4 | Paul Tedeschi | France | 965,000 MAD | €93,605 |
5 | Mathieu Choffardet | France | 720,000 MAD | €69,840 |
6 | Ina | Spain | 545,000 MAD | €52,865 |
7 | Dinesh Alt | Switzerland | 425,000 MAD | €41,225 |
8 | Mike Mcmanaman | Spain | 345,000 MAD | €33,465 |
9 | Volga Uyanik | France | 280,000 MAD | €27,160 |
Champion Profile: Justin Tsui’s Path to WSOPC Marrakech Glory
Tsui’s connection with Marrakech dates back ten years ago when he first visited the city as a tourist. Since then, he hadn’t returned to Morocco — until this week. “I have some friends who come to Marrakech every year,” Tsui said. “So this time I decided to join them. I decided to play the tournament on Tuesday, arrived Thursday morning, busted my first bullet right away, and re-entered on Friday.”
After enjoying “a very smooth Day 2,” Tsui advanced to Day 3 with a strategy strongly influenced by ICM (Independent Chip Model). “When we were down to 15 players, I was third in chips,” he explained. “A lot of players had short stacks, so I had to play tight and fold based on ICM. Then, when we were three-handed and heading into the final, I started playing more aggressively, really going for the win.”
That calculated approach paid off, earning him his first WSOPC gold ring — a crowning achievement in what has already been a standout year. “It’s been a crazy last six or seven months with a few big final tables,” he said after his victory. “Winning this ring and trophy feels amazing. I’ve been playing poker for over ten years, and winning a big event like this has always been my dream. There were so many great players here — I feel very lucky to win.”
Beyond the prize money, Tsui’s victory also secured him a spot in the upcoming WSOP Tournament of Champions. “I didn’t even know about that bonus,” he laughed. “But I was already planning to go to the U.S. anyway.” For now, his plans are to return to Hong Kong in March and “maybe go to the Irish Open in April” to see if he can replicate his Marrakech success there.
Final Table Recap
The final day began with 29 players remaining, led by Anthony Apicella. However, a series of tough hands — including a key A-Q vs A-K loss — ended his run in 13th place.
Alone Zagury became the final table bubble in 10th place (230,000 MAD). When the final table began, four players held fewer than ten big blinds. Volga Uyanik was the first to fall, eliminated in 9th place (280,000 MAD) when his hand couldn’t overcome Choffardet’s pocket kings. From there, Aitor Cruz took control, playing almost every pot. Though he doubled up several opponents, he also eliminated Mike McManaman (8th – 345,000 MAD), Dinesh Alt (7th – 425,000 MAD), and Ina (6th – 545,000 MAD) before the dinner break, maintaining a strong position.
Later, a pivotal A-K vs Q-Q confrontation between Mathieu Choffardet and Justin Tsui turned the tide — the coin flip went Tsui’s way, propelling him into the chip lead. Paul Tedeschi and Gandalf both attempted comebacks, but Tsui eliminated Tedeschi in 4th place (965,000 MAD) by calling his all-in with the better hand.
Aitor Cruz was next to fall in 3rd place (1,300,000 MAD), setting up a brief heads-up duel between Tsui and Gandalf. It didn’t take long — within just a few hands, Tsui sealed the victory, claiming the title of 2025 WSOPC Marrakech Main Event Champion.
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