Ben Bensimhon Wins WSOP Circuit Main Event Rotterdam for €94,349

(Photo: Hollandcasino.nl)

Nine days of non-stop action at the WSOP Circuit stop in Rotterdam saw Switzerland’s Ben Bensimhon take down the Dutch cities first-ever Main Event circuit ring and €94,349 at the Holland Casino, all the while toting his lucky fluffy pink bunny hood!

"It's not about the money, actually, it's about the title," the 33-year old country manager for 888poker said afterwards, despite far exceeding his previous biggest cash and doubling his lifetime tournament earnings in one fell swoop after seeing off a pan-European challenge at the final table.

Germany, Belgium, England and a quartet of Dutch players on home soil had fought their way through the 273 player field with their eyes set on the lion’s share of the €393,120 ($469,621) prizefund, but it was the Swiss flag flying at the end of the day after Bensimhon went on the rampage, taking out 6 of his 8 fellow contenders for the title.

First to fall was Govert Metaal, the well-known Dutchman having already finished third in the €3500 High Roller earlier in the week and a rapid-fire succession of all-ins saw one player after another hit the rails at the hands of Bensimhon, eventually leaving him heads-up against Germany’s Jakob Miegel.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic when the pair faced off for the top prize, Miegel fighting back from a 5:1 chip deficit and Bensimhon managing to dodge a deadly bullet, pretty much thanks to the bullet which hit the flop when he held jacks versus kings.

"I got very lucky there," Bensimhon told reporters afterwards, explaining, "I was very lucky he didn't shove. I would've snap-called with pocket jacks."

But luck is part of the game, and when he finally saw off the German’s challenge it was a typical nail-biter, the money all in pre-flop and Miegel tabling A♠ 7h against Bensimhon’s Q♣ J♣ with an intriguing flop of K♥ 10♣ 4♦ hitting the felt.

The turn J♥ left Miegel drawing dead, the river A♣ merely completing Bensimhon’s straight and securing the big payday and coveted Circuit ring.

"Three to four years ago, I started playing professionally a bit more,” said Bensimhon afterwards, “but this is something I've never even dreamed of. It's an amazing thing," revealing that his fluffy pink bunny headgear “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."

Final table payouts