Farid Yachou Takes WPT Amsterdam

Farid Yachou Takes WPT Amsterdam

Monday, 18 May 2015

Farid Yachou gave hope to tournament novices the world over this weekend after winning the WPT Amsterdam Main Event.

Prior to sitting down in the Holland Casino, the cafe owner had never even played a tournament before! More used to playing cash games with friends, the Moroccan-born amateur told the World Poker Tour Blog that he “wanted to compete against the best players in the world.”

He did that and then some, eventually pocketing $239,559 after topping a stellar field of 341 runners that included the likes of Michael Mizrachi, Sorel Mizzi and Anthony Zinno.

Yachou started the six-man final table as one of the short stacks but got a big leg up after eliminating High Roller winner Jason Wheeler early on. Yachou's flopped set proved far too good for the American's two pair.

Dutchman Joep van den Bijgaart followed soon after, losing a flip against Briton Steve Warburton. Long-time chip leader Fredrik Andersson was next to hit the rail, in front until the river with AK against Kees van Brugge's K10.

Van Brugge's stack was gradually whittled down after a string of confrontations with Yachou. It would be Warburton who'd deliver the killer blow though, picking off the Dutchman's A8 shove with AQ. Two queens on the flop and it was heads up.

A flopped set against a turned two-pair got against Jason Wheeler got Yachou's final table going and exactly the same combination put him on top heads up, this time a set of nines against Warburton's K5.

The poker gods continued to smile on the novice who was soon celebrating a fairytale triumph. Warburton got it in with As8c and was looked up by Yachou who held pocket sixes. The nine-high board helped neither player to give the hometown favourite one of the unlikeliest wins of this or any season.

WPT Amsterdam Final Table Results

1st. Farid Yachou - $239,559
2nd. Steve Warburton - $167,134
3rd. Kees van Brugge - $100,281
4th. Fredrik Andersson - $75,768
5th. Joep van den Bijgaart - $56,826
6th. Jason Wheeler - $45,973



Tags: WPT Amsterdam, Farid Yachou, Steve Warburton