Max Deveson wins long heads-up duel for WSOPC Marrakech Main Event title

It took over two hours of heads-up play, but the UK’s Max Deveson has triumphed in the World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Marrakech Main Event. The €200,000 victory is the biggest of his career so far.

UK-born Deveson’s tournament results over the past few years have all come in his newly adopted home of South Africa, largely on the Sunbet Poker Tour. The promise of a first six-figure score, not to mention a first WSOPC ring, encouraged Deveson to make the trip north to Morocco, and he’ll be heading home with both.

Runner-runner flush gives Deveson the edge

1,163 entrants ponied up the €1,500 buy-in for the Main Event, including 2019 WSOP Main Event champ Hossein Ensan who made the money in 100th place.

By the time the three-day tournament reached its final table, Italy’s Nicola Pezzullo had built a commanding chip lead. Ultimately he couldn’t see it through to victory, however, eventually falling in 4th to Sandro Jose Alves when his K-9 ran into A-K.

With three players remaining, Deveson needed a little luck to overcome the pocket queens of Alves. And his lucky break would come when he needed it after the players got it all-in pre-flop.

Alves: Q♠Q♦️️

Deveson: A♣4♣

Board: K❤️5♠7♣2♣3♣

Deveson’s runner-runner flush sent Alves to the rail in 3rd, for €101,000, and left Deveson with the lion’s share of the chips in play versus France’s Antoine Delorme.

Deveson’s big stack almost undone heads-up

With a chip advantage that soon grew to around 4:1, it seemed that heads-up play might all be over before it really started, but in the end the opposite was true. A couple of quick double-ups saw Delorme re-take the lead and almost win the whole thing, but for Deveson to spike a three-outer to claw his way back.

As Deveson told reporters, “When I had a big chip lead it felt like I was winning every hand. Then I lost the all-ins and, as soon as he won those, he built confidence…it felt like it was his tournament.”

The heads-up duel ran to over two hours, before a crucial river card sent the last of the chips in Deveson’s direction.

Delorme, with just 9 big blinds, called Deveson’s pre-flop shove and came within a whisker of holding on.

Delorme: Q♣9♣

Deveson: K❤️T♠

Board: 4❤️5♠5❤️9❤️7❤️

And with that, Deveson was crowned the 2024 WSOPC Marrakech champion - as well as the unofficial king of the runner-runner flush.

WSOP Circuit Marrakech ME Final Table Results