partypoker US Network Online Series (July 26-August 2)

Mike “MistaMenza” Menzer can call himself the most recent champion of the partypoker US Network Online PKO Series, outlasting a field of 72 in Event #7: $10,000 GTD PKO Bounty Boost for an overall prize of $3,100 ($2,608 in Prizes + $492 in Bounties).

Menzer was seen in his virtual seat during the first level of the tournament, but found his first bullet in the event run dry shortly before the two-hour registration period ended. He wasted no time getting back in on the action, and his second shot proved to be worthwhile.

When registration closed, Menzer had run 30,000 up to over 120,000 with 22 players remaining and found himself in the top 10 in chips. Thirty minutes later, nine remained, all of whom had made the money, and Menzer found himself second-to-last in chips with a stack of 73,000, less than 30% of an average stack at the time the bubble burst.

"spinach_kale" was the one to take a huge chip lead into the final table, entering with over 1.1 million. "Luckyduck" was next in the counts, bringing 362,000 to the final table as the only other player with an above-average stack. They knocked out "phillychzsteak1" in ninth place to surpass 500,000, and moments later "Djp120388" was eliminated in eighth by still-chip leader "spinach_kale" to bring the tournament down to seven.

Eventual runner-up "Lanfeust" then found two doubles on consecutive hands, the first of which left seventh-place finisher "pay4medschool" on fumes. The next double came through "spinach_kale," who on the following hand also doubled eventual third-place finisher "Luckyduck" to relinquish the chip lead.

"spinach_kale" then found their day come to an end in sixth after running pocket queens into "Luckyduck's" pocket aces, and two short stacks in "jaxksonjoe" and "goods21" fell shortly thereafter, leaving Menzer as the short stack with three remaining.

Despite being short, it was all Menzer from there. He found a double through "Luckyduck," and proceeded to bring stacks within even after a couple of minutes. He never looked back from there, winning several small pots to amass over 80% of the chips in play. "Luckyduck" was then eliminated by "Lanfeust" in third place, bringing about a heads-up match that would last for less than five minutes before Menzer claimed victory.

In Level 22 with blinds of 8,000/16,000 and an ante of 2,000, all of the chips went into the middle preflop with "Lanfeust" at risk on the button against Mike “MistaMenza” Menzer.

"Lanfeust":
Mike “MistaMenza” Menzer:

"Lanfeust" looked to be in great shape for the double as the flop and turn came on board. Unfortunately for them, the river spoiled their chances, giving Menzer a pair of deuces to win the pot and put an end to the tournament, knocking out "Lanfeust" in second place.

A recap of the tournament's action will be posted shortly. Be sure to stick around.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike “MistaMenza” Menzer	2,370,000 301,727	301,727
Lanfeust	Busted

In Level 21 with blinds of 7,000/14,000 and an ante of 1,750, all of the chips got in the middle in a blind-on-blind situation with "Lanfeust" in the small blind being the one to put "Luckyduck" at risk for their tournament life in the big blind.

"Luckyduck":
"Lanfeust":

"Luckyduck" was dominated and their situation got worse on the flop . The turn left them drawing dead and the river completed the runout, resulting in them finishing the tournament in third place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike “MistaMenza” Menzer	1,881,223 24,500	24,500
Lanfeust	488,777 215,793	215,793
Luckyduck	Busted

In Level 20 with blinds of 6,000/12,000 and an ante of 1,500, "Luckyduck" opened to 42,000 in the small blind and Mike “MistaMenza” Menzer three-bet jammed for 263,000 in the big blind. "Luckyduck" made the call.

Mike “MistaMenza” Menzer:
"Luckyduck":

Menzer picked up eight more outs on the flop , and despite missing the turn , had too many overall outs to miss as the river followed to give him a pair of jacks and keep him alive in the tournament, bringing all three players' stacks the closest they've been in the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lanfeust	991,930 -221,009	-221,009
Luckyduck	846,534 -142,768	-142,768
Mike “MistaMenza” Menzer	531,536 363,777	363,777