12,500 MAD Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2025 Marrakech Poker Open
12,500 MAD Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2025 Marrakech Poker Open
Buy-in
12,500 MAD
Prize Pool
2,434,000 MAD
Entries
229
Level
28
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
80,000
Entries
9
Players Left
1
Level 28
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
The Es Saadi Marrakech Resort has become almost a second home for Tristan Forge. It’s where the Frenchman has posted his most results. It’s where he had his shot at glory. And, today at the final table of the 2025 Marrakech Poker Open Main Event, it’s where he became a champion.
Forge defeated Javier Tsunamy in a short heads-up duel to stand atop the 229-player field and take home the title and 500,000 MAD (€47,645) first prize. It’s the biggest score of a poker career that spans nearly 15 years, including several cashes here where he feels most comfortable.
“I’m very happy,” he said through a translator after securing the trophy. “I come very often, and I’m very happy to play here.”
2025 Marrakech Poker Open Main Event Final Table results
| Place | Player | Country | Earnings (MAD) | Earnings (Euros) |
| 1 | Tristan Forge | France | 500,000 | €47,645 |
| 2 | Javier Tsunamy | Spain | 365,000 | €34,781 |
| 3 | Alejandro Ganivet | Spain | 265,000 | €25,252 |
| 4 | Bogdan Vulcan | Romania | 185,000 | €17,628 |
| 5 | Eric Rabut | France | 135,000 | €12,864 |
| 6 | Pablo Redrado | Spain | 105,000 | €10,005 |
| 7 | Luigi Macaluso | France | 83,000 | €7,909 |
| 8 | Valentin Havasy | Switzerland | 67,000 | €6,384 |
| 9 | Mounir Tajiou | Sweden | 55,000 | €5,240 |
Two years ago, Forge came close to a title in this same room. He and Alexandre Le Vaillant were heads-up and virtually even in the Unibet DeepStack Open Marrakech in October 2023. A massive pot then brewed where Forge was looking to complete a straight draw against two pair, but he couldn’t improve and had to settle for second place and 420,000 MAD (€38,9260) prize, which had been his highest score until today.
He did one better today. He and Tsunmay were again nearly level until tangling in a massive pot where Tsunamy showed two fours, but Forge had pocket fives. He had to settle for being runner-up last time; today, he was on the right side of poker’s wheel of fortune.
The victory pushes Forge’s live earnings past $400,000. In addition to his run in 2023, he also made the final table of the High Roller during the WSOP Circuit stop here in January. While a large portion of his results have come in Marrakech, he does have nine career World Series of Poker cashes and a deep run in the 2022 EPT Prague Main Event on his resume.
Final Table Action
The final nine players took their seats under the spotlight of the main feature stage at 1:30 p.m. to start the journey to crowning a champion. It took some time before the first player departed the final table. Eric Rabut was the first at-risk against Tsunamy’s queens, but he found a king on the turn to double up. Pablo Redrado then made quads to double off Mounir Tajiou.
The next hand, Tajiou moved all in for 360,000 on the river and Alejandro Ganivet tanked for nearly five minutes before calling. Tajiou could only show a pair of sixes, while Ganivet slammed down two queens to win the pot and send Tajiou to the rail in ninth place.
Valentin Havasy ran into Bogdan Vulcan’s pocket tens to finish in eighth place. Forge was then all in for 410,000 with two eights and won a coin flip against Redrado to double up. Redrado was left with just two big blinds but managed to double up several times. He would not be the next to go, as Luigi Macaluso attempted a bold move and went all in from the small blind for 635,000 with seven-three only for Vulcan to wake up with two jacks in the big blind to bust Macaluso in seventh.
Ganivet, the Day 1 chip leader, retook the lead from Tsunamy after hitting a straight on the river against Tsunamy’s jacks. Redrado finally fell in sixth when he lost a race with two threes against Rabut’s ace-jack. Ganivet began using his big stack to his advantage, constantly applying max pressure to his opponents. He finally shoved on the button and Rabut called for 1,050,000 with ace-king, while Ganivet had ten-nine. The flop gave Rabut top pair, but Ganivet spiked a straight on the turn to leave Rabut drawing dead and heading off to collect his fifth-place payout.
Forge survived another flip to dent Ganivet’s stack, flopping a set of sevens then improving to a full house to earn a double up. On the last hand before the final four players went on break, Forge and Ganivet went heads-up to the river of an ace-high board. Forge led out for 275,000 and Ganivet raised to 575,000. Forge snap-called with two pair, while Ganivet could only show a ten-high bluff as Forge catapulted into the chip lead. It was the pivotal moment of the final table for Forge as his plan worked to perfection.
“I wanted to make some pressure. I had a plan to bet small and call,” he said.
Ganivet rebounded when he won a race with two fours against Vulcan’s ace-eight to bust Vulcan in fourth. Ganivet then paid off Forge’s big river bet as Forge showed a rivered straight, dropping Ganivet down to a virtual tie with Tsunamy while Forge began to pull far ahead. Ganivet then moved all in on the turn and Tsunamy snap-called with a flopped nut straight. Ganivet was on a flush draw and missed the river as the stacks were counted down. Ganivet had 1,245,000 remaining, while Tsunamy had him covered by just 100,000 and Ganivet’s dominating run through the tournament ended in third place.
Forge led 5,015,000 to 2,955,000 at the start of heads-up, but Tsunamy took down most early pots to pull nearly even. Tsunamy then raised on the button, Forge shoved all in, and Tsunamy called for 3,840,000 with two fours. Forge, though, showed a pair of fives and held on to win the pot and secure the trophy.
From runner-up two years ago to the championship today, Forge feels right at home here in Marrakech. Among the desert sun, palm grove trees, luxurious pools, and vibrant nightlife of Morocco’s ancient city, Forge blazed the brightest this week.
That concludes PokerNews' coverage of the 2025 Marrakech Poker Open Main Event. Stay tuned for more coverage of poker tournaments from around the world.
Level 28
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Javier Tsunamy raised to 165,000 on the button and Tristan Forge moved all in. Tsunamy quickly called for 3,840,000.
Javier Tsunamy: 4♦4♣ 
Tristan Forge: 5♥5♣
Tsunamy found his two fours dominated by Forge's pocket fives. The flop came 7♦6♣3♦, while the 9♠ turn left Tsunamy with just two outs to stay alive in the tournament.
The river was the 8♦ and Forge took the pot and the title.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
8,015,000
3,840,000
|
3,840,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 28
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Tristan Forge raised to 165,000 on the button, Javier Tsunamy three-bet to 380,000 with A♣8♠, and Forge folded Q♠9♣.
Forge then opened again to 165,000, Tsunamy three-bet to 500,000 with A♣9♦, and Forge called this time.
Tsunamy hit top pair on the 9♣6♠3♦ flop and continued for 345,000. Forge quickly folded K♦Q♣ and Tsunamy took down another pot to nearly pull even with Forge.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,175,000
465,000
|
465,000 |
|
|
3,840,000
465,000
|
465,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 28
Blinds: 40,000/80,000
Ante: 80,000
Level 27
: Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
On the first hand of heads-up play, Javier Tsunamy raised to 180,000 on the button with A♥8♦ and Tristan Forge called.
Tsunamy continued for 125,000 on the K♦7♠3♥ flop and Forge folded J♠8♥.
The next hand, Forge opened to 160,000 on the button with A♥3♥ and Tsunamy defended 10♥7♦.
Both players checked to the river on a board of J♠8♣8♦7♣5♣ where Tsunamy led out for 120,000. Forge again surrendered the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,640,000
375,000
|
375,000 |
|
|
3,375,000
420,000
|
420,000 |
|
|
||
Level 27
: Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
The players are back in their seats and the heads-up match is underway.
Level 27
: Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Alejandro Ganivet limped in from the small blind and Javier Tsunamy checked.
Ganivet led out for 90,000 on the Q♦J♣9♣ flop and Tsunamy called. The turn was the 4♠ and Ganivet checked over to Tsunamy, who bet 125,000.
Ganivet came back with an all-in shove and Tsunamy snap-called with K♦10♣ for the flopped straight. Ganivet was chasing a flush draw with K♣3♣, but he missed the 6♠ river and Tsunamy secured the pot.
The stacks were counted down and Ganivet had 1,245,000 remaining. Tsunamy barely had him covered by just 100,000 and Ganivet, who held the chip lead for a large portion of the last three days, had his run end in third place.
Tsunamy and Tristan Forge are taking a break before starting their heads-up duel.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,015,000 | |
|
|
2,955,000
1,515,000
|
1,515,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 27
: Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Alejandro Ganivet limped in from the small blind with J♠3♦ and Javier Tsunamy checked back Q♠8♠.
The flop came K♥10♦7♠ and Ganivet led out for 60,000. Tsunamy called with his queen-high and they saw the 6♣ fall on the turn.
Ganivet slowed down and checked over to Tsunamy, who won the pot with a bet of 140,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,515,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,440,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
|
||
Level 27
: Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Heads-up in a limped pot between the blinds, Tristan Forge led out for 100,000 on the A♠7♥4♦ flop and Alejandro Ganivet called.
The turn was the 9♥ and Forge bet another 185,000. Ganivet again called to the 3♥ river, where Forge bet 475,000.
Ganivet tanked for a few minutes but eventually called with 5♣4♥ for a pair of fours, but Forge showed 6♥5♠ for a rivered straight to win the big pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,015,000
910,000
|
910,000 |
|
|
1,635,000
910,000
|
910,000 |
|
|
||
