It’s Level 43 of the 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event. The blinds are at a healthy 1,200,000-2,400,000 with an ante of 300,000 and about 85 total big blinds are in play. Reigning Main Event championJonathan Duhamel told ESPN’s Kara Scott during a recent break, “This is just crazy right now. This is their big moment, for sure. You don’t want to make any mistakes. You just want to play your game. You want to play well. You want to know what your opponent is thinking. You just have to handle the pressure.”

Here were the chip stacks as they stood entering Level 43:

1. Martin Staszko – 124,750,000 (54 big blinds)
2. Pius Heinz (pictured above) – 81,150,000 (33 big blinds)

On a flop of 10-7-K with two clubs, Heinz made a continuation bet of 8.2 million (half-pot) and Staszko(pictured) pushed it to 17.5 million. Heinz responded by re-raising all-in for 72.95 million and, for the first time in heads-up play, an all-in was called. Heinz showed A-Q for a gutshot, while Staszko showed Q-9 of clubs for a flush draw and the two were flipping.

The three of hearts and six of spades completed the board, giving Heinz the much-needed double up. When the chips were counted down, the stacks were as follows:

1. Pius Heinz – 162,300,000 (67 big blinds)
2. Martin Staszko – 43,600,000 (18 big blinds)

The action since Ben Lamb’s elimination in Hand #4has been pretty deliberate, with the chip lead changing hands eight times. At one point, Esfandiari wanted to know what the record for the number of lead changes was, but the question was meant with crickets from Lon McEachernand Norman Chad.

In one hand, Stasko hit a gutshot straight draw with K-9. Heinz called a bet of 10 million on the river, or 14% of his stack, with a pair of queens for top pair. As a result, Heinz was down to 30 big blinds before a pair of uncalled all-ins helped him get back in the game.

Staszko started playing poker at age 30 and, despite showing some gray hair, is only 35 years of age right now. ESPN’s Andrew Feldman gave his take on Staszko’s heads-up game via Twitter: “I said yesterday if Martin got heads-up, this would take forever. At least I made one prediction correctly.”

In another hand, Staszko raised the minimum with two pair against Heinz’ queen-high. On the German’s hand, Chad told viewers at home, “Squadoosh is as squadoosh does.” In between scoops of cookies and cream ice cream, this author laughed.

Giving up on the prospects of heads-up play in the Main Event ending anytime soon was PokerStarspro Daniel Negreanu, who Tweeted, “Sorry guys. I’m going to bail on the Tweeting and head over to the Ben Lamb party. It was fun. Good luck to both.” Heads-up play has lasted over 110 hands and there has not yet been an all-in and a call.

Chat with fellow PocketFivers in our official November Nine discussion thread in the Live Poker forum.