Rampant Rabbit Bensimoun Claims Inaugural WSOP International Circuit Main Event Title

Ben Bensimoun
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  • PG News September 6, 2017
  • 2 Minutes Read

The first-ever World Series of Poker International Circuit Main Event hosted at Holland Casino Rotterdam attracted a strong 273-player field with 33-year-old Swiss poker player Ben Bensimoun (cover image) emerging as the champion. He wore his trusted bunny hood throughout the tournament and eventually sealed the title, pocketing the €94,349 winner’s purse.

I never ever dreamed of it. Three to four years ago, I started playing professionally a bit more, but this is something I’ve never even dreamed of. It’s an amazing thing. It’s not about the money, actually, it’s about the title,” an elated Bensimoun said post his win.

Questions were obviously raised regarding his choice of fluffy pink bunny hood, to which he explained, “It’s custom for me to wear something like this. This is my lucky hat. I like having fun on the table, people are much more happy. And also, when people like you, it’s to your advantage. But mostly, I like just bringing fun.”

Bensimoun held a commanding chip lead throughout the day and was even responsible for six out of the eight eliminations on the final table.

 

Final Table Recap

Bensimoun immediately went for his first kill showing Govert Metaal the door in ninth place. Paul Gresel was Bensimoun’s next victim and went out at eighth place.

Short-stacked Dwayne Sluis exited in seventh place while Lawrence Bayley finished sixth.

It was an all Bensimoun show thereafter as he first knocked out Micha Hoedemaker in fifth place followed by Teun Mulder.

Bart Lybaert busted in third place to set up the swingy heads-up battle.

Bensimoun started with a five-to-one chip lead over his rival Jakob Miegel but the German fought back to even the stacks and even took the lead at one point. Bensimoun at one point came down to just 30 big blinds but he turned it around in two big hands. In the first hand, Bensimoun won with ace-jack against pocket sixes when he clipped an ace on the board. The next hand, both players moved allin with Bensimoun’s queen-jack against Miegel’s ace-seven. Bensimoun hit a broadway straight on the river to seal the deal.

Ben Bensimoun
Ben Bensimoun

Final Table Results (Euro)

1. Ben Bensimoun – €94,349

2. Jakob Miegel – €58,308

3. Bart Lybaert – €42,308

4. Teun Mulder – €31,214

5. Micha Hoedemaker – €23,410

6. Lawrence Bayley – €17,840

7. Dwayne Sluis – €13,806

8. Paul Gresel – €10,850

9. Govert Metaal – €8,657

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