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Tuesday night, November 8th, brought the remaining three contestants to the world's biggest poker stage to settle the challenge of who would reign as World Champion for a year. Those three were Pius Heinz, Ben Lamb, and Martin Staszko. The cards were in the air at 5:50 PM PT to finish what started months ago with 6,865 runners all vying for the glory, the gold bracelet, the glory, first place prize of $8,715,638, and the glory, presented by the World Series of Poker!

The very first hand played found Lamb and Staszko fighting it out. Heinz folded the button and Lamb raised to three million from the small blind - blind level 600,000/1,200,000/200,000. It went to a three-bet to 7.5 million from Staszko in the big blind and Lamb shoved all-in covering Staszko. Staszko called and everyone in the Penn & Teller Theater was on their feet.

Staszko had to Lambs' . The board ran out and Lamb was down to 12.7 million while Staszko jumped up to 85.6 million.

Staszko took the chip lead from Heinz in the next hand while Lamb folded on the button. Staszko raised to three million total from the small blind and Heinz called from the big blind. Staszko bet three million when the board came . Heinz made the call after a pause. The turn brought the and Staszko checked. Heinz checked. The was the last card on the board and Staszko bet out with 4.5 million, Heinz went into think mode. It took some time but he grabbed chips and raised to 14.2 million total.

Think mode was now in Staszko's court. He made the call with the to Heinz's . This pot moved him into the lead with 106.2 million in chips.

Staszko busted Lamb when he moved all-in for 10.9 million out of the small blind after Heinz folded the button. Staszko called with the from the big blind. Lamb turned up the and the board put the end to the fabulous WSOP run he had this year when it came down . Ben Lamb was gone in third place for $4,021,138.

The duel began with Staszko holding 117.3 million in chips to Heinz's 88.6 million and ran back and forth over the next 119 hands. Heinz was aggressive and chipped away at Staszko by keeping the pressure on but he found ways to give Staszko back the chips he worked at collecting.

On Hand #293 Staszko limped from the button with Heinz raising to 7.9 million out of the big blind. Staszko called without much hesitation. The flop came which brought a bet of 8.2 million from Heinz. Staszko raised to 17.5 million total. Heinz thought about it, and thought about it, and thought about it, and then announced he was raising all-in for about 70 million total.

It didn't take Staszko long to make the call; Heinz: vs. Staszko: .

Heinz's fans had a moment (or more), "He's ahead!" And he stayed ahead through the 3h turn and the 6s river. Heinz and his rail celebrated. Heinz jumped into a strong lead with 161.5 million to Staszko's 44.4 million.

It wasn't but a few hands later that all the money went in before the flop after Staszko shoved on the button 39.5 million holding the . Heinz tabled the .

The flop was the and Staszko needed life support. The on the turn gave him a jumpstart draw to a straight to stay alive. The river found the stage exploding in a burst of noise, Heinz racing to the rail for fan mobbing and celebrating, and a new World Poker Champion. Martin Staszko finished in second place for more than $5.4 Million.

This was the longest heads-up battle in over 10 years. Pius Heinz took it down to claim the title of champion, the most coveted piece of jewelry in poker, and the first place prize of $8,715, 638. Pius Heinz became the first German WSOP Main Event champion! Congratulations Pius!

2011 November Nine Results

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*Photo courtesy of PokerNews.com