Sandro Carucci rallied from one of the shortest stacks at the final eight to win the 2026 World Series of Poker Circuit Marrakech main event, earning the ring and $330,000 at Es Saadi Marrakech Resort in Morocco.
The €1,500 no-limit hold’em tournament drew 1,694 entries and produced a prize pool of more than $2.5 million, according to the event details provided in the raw report.
Short Stack at Eight, then a Timed Surge
Carucci entered the dinner break with seven opponents still in the field and little room to maneuver. After play resumed, he waited for spots, climbed the payout ladder, and won a key all-in race that sparked his run to the title.
The late stages featured Malcolm Franchi as the most active eliminator, building a lead while several critical pots reshaped the top of the counts.
Franchi’s Run of Knockouts Sets the Table
The field moved from 10 players down to eight when Malcolm Franchi scored a double knockout. When play returned, Franchi held the lead, with a Spanish player identified only as Raul in second.
Salim Sefiat eliminated Luc Ramos in eighth place for $42,350, with pocket kings holding against Ramos’ A♠K♣.
With seven players left, Carucci was all in and at risk. His pocket eights held against A♥K♦ to keep him alive.
Franchi then sent Alexandre Bermon out in seventh for $56,650 after his pocket nines improved into a queen-high straight. Franchi followed with another knockout when 9♠6♠ made a rivered ten-high straight to beat Aitor Cruz’s pocket kings, eliminating Cruz in sixth for $77,000.
Mchugh Takes Over, Carucci Stays Patient
Turlough Mchugh surged to the chip lead during five-handed play, at one stage building a stack described in the raw report as roughly twice the size of any other remaining player.
Mchugh continued his run when A♣8♠ hit an ace to crack Salim Sefiat’s pocket jacks, ending Sefiat’s tournament in fifth place for $103,400.
Carucci then regained momentum. His pocket eights held again, this time against Mchugh’s J♥6♣, and the comeback gained speed.
Deal Talk Ends, Then the Big Pots Begin
A brief discussion of a deal did not result in an agreement. Franchi doubled through Mchugh to move back into the lead, but Carucci responded by winning a key all-in.
Carucci called a button jam holding A♥10♥ and held against Franchi’s Q♦9♦ to take a significant chunk of Franchi’s stack.
Raul was eliminated in fourth place for $141,350 when Mchugh’s K♦6♦ flopped a pair of sixes to beat Raul’s A♣J♠.
Carucci closed the gap further by doubling through Franchi when his K♠10♥ paired a 10♦ on the flop against Franchi’s A♠2♠.
The Turning Point: Tank-Call on a Paired Board
The most pivotal hand described in the raw report came in a pot between Carucci and Mchugh.
Board and action, as provided:
| Street | Board | Carucci | Mchugh | Action in raw report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flop | J♥ J♣ 2♠ | 7♠4♠ | not stated | Carucci floated |
| Turn | K♠ | 7♠4♠ (flush draw) | not stated | Carucci bet 3,000,000, Mchugh called |
| River | 10♠ | 7♠4♠ (flush) | A♠7♥ (bluff) | Carucci bet 10,000,000, Mchugh shoved for 26,100,000, Carucci tank-called |
Carucci’s call was correct. Mchugh’s A♠7♥ was a bluff, leaving him with just over one big blind.
Mchugh doubled multiple times, but he was eventually eliminated in third place for $187,000. Franchi scored the knockout when an “untimely” 5♠ on the turn improved Franchi’s J♠5♥ beyond Mchugh’s J♦8♠, per the raw report.
Final Hand: Carucci Flops Two Pair to Close It Out
Carucci recorded his only final-table elimination against Franchi in the deciding hand.
The raw report states that Carucci was behind preflop with A♣6♥ against Franchi’s A♠9♠, but the A♥J♦6♣ flop delivered two pair for Carucci. The hand held through turn and river, sealing Carucci’s comeback victory and the WSOP Circuit ring.
Final Table Schedule and Results
The raw report provides the final table placement order, payouts, and points as follows.
| Place | Player | Payout | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sandro Carucci | $330,000 | 1,080 |
| 2 | Malcolm Franchi | $253,000 | 900 |
| 3 | Turlough Mchugh | $187,000 | 720 |
| 4 | Raul | $141,350 | – |
| 5 | Salim Sefiat | $103,400 | 450 |
| 6 | Aitor Cruz | $77,000 | 360 |
| 7 | Alexandre Bermon | $56,650 | 270 |
| 8 | Luc Ramos | $42,350 | 180 |
| 9 | Mehdi Chaoui | $33,000 | 90 |
