The last player from the Czech Republic standing in the 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event, Martin Staszko entered the 2011 WSOP November Nineplay down day with the 14th largest stack out of 22 finalists at 6.38 million in chips. He was one of 11 non-Americans to make Day 8 of the $10,000 buy-in poker tournament and, at 35 years of age, was one of the oldest players in the field. He was the chip leader entering the November Nine at 40.18 million and lost heads-up to Pius Heinz.

No player from the Czech Republic had ever made the final table of the WSOP Main Event. Therefore, his friends and family back home in Trinec were ecstatic that he had driven deep in the most prestigious poker gathering on the face of the Earth.

Staszko scooped a major pot off poker pro Lars Bonding on Day 7. Staszko fired out a bet of 330,000 on a flop of A-K-4, all clubs and Bonding called to bring a red ace on the turn. Staszko pushed out another bet, this time 580,000, and Bonding once again made the call. The river was a red nine and Staszko refused to slow down, moving 1.16 million in chips into the center of the table. Bonding called quickly, only to see Staszko table pocket fours for a boat.

Earlier in the day, Staszko doubled up the last woman standing in the 2011 WSOP Main Event, Erika Moutinho. She 3bet all-in before the flop with pocket jacks and received a call from Staszko, who showed pocket sevens. Moutinho’s hand held and she doubled up. However, the girlfriend of David Doc Sands Sands did not survive to see Day 8.

According to the Hendon Mob, Jan Skampa was the all-time tournament money leader from the Czech Republic as of July 2011 at nearly $1.5 million in earnings. Staszko sat in 19th on that leaderboard at $83,000, over half of which came after he finished 11th in the EPT Deauville Main Event in 2010. The Main Event in Las Vegas marked his fifth in the money finish of the 2011 WSOP.