PokerStars Red Dragon (70,000 PHP)

It will be France's Aladin Reskallah versus Malaysia's Joshua Tjan for the championship of the Pokerstars Red Dragon event. Both are now guaranteed PhP2,980,000 (~US$51,557) but the winner takes home PhP4,750,000 (~US$82,180).

From UTG, Aladin Reskallah opens for 200,000 and the action is folded to the SB of Filipino Alfonso Baja who 3-bets to 600,000. The Frenchman contemplates his next move and in the process uses up three Time Bank cards. His next move is a 4-bet shove against Baja who folds.

The pot now brings Reskallah close to the four million mark. Needless to say, he has also claimed the chip lead.

For the third time, the stars align to find Alfonso Baja of the Philippines raising from UTG for 200,000 and the action gets folded to the BB of fellow Filipino Czardy Rivera who again chooses to defend.

The flop is A♠ 3♣ 4♥ but it's Rivera who donks in for 100,000. Baja makes the call. The turn is the 2♣ completing what appears to be a one card straight. Apparently unfazed with his, Rivera bets again, this time for 200,000. Baja still calls. The Rivera is the 3♦ . Rivera puts in 350,000 and is quickly called.

Rivera tables Q♥ J♠ for a botched bluff while Baja shows 4♣ 4♦ for a set on the flop and a full house on the river.

Baja now officially captures the chip lead and decimates Rivera's stack to a mere seven and a half BBs.

In hat was shaping up to be Filipinos Clash III, Alfonso Baja opens anew from UTG for 160,000. However, chip leader Joshua Tjan of Malaysia chooses to call from the SB. Rivera joins in from his BB.

The flop is Q♥ Q♦ 7♠ as the blinds check. Baja CBets to 85,000 and gets a call from the Malaysian. Rivera exits the hand. The turn card is the 6♥ . Tjan checks again as Baja continues his assault with a bet of 225,000. Tjan chooses to fold.

Baja flips over 7♣ 7♥, showing that he filled up on the flop. The win now ties the Filipino for the chip lead with the Malaysian.

Exactly one orbit after their first encounter, Alfonso Baja finds hmself pening anew from UTG to 160,000 and once again Czardy Rivera defends his BB.

The flop is 6♦ 5♦ A♠ as Rivera checks. This time, Baja CBets to 125,000. Rivera makes the call. The turn is the J♠ and Rivera checks again. Unperturbed, Baja fires 300,000 as Rivera still calls. The river is the T♠ . Now both opt to check.

Rivera turns over J♦ 9♦ for a missed flush draw but a hit on the turn. Baja shows 6♣ 5♣ for two pairs on the flop and collects the pot.

Alfonso Baja opens from UTG for160,000 and gets a call all the way in the BB by Czardy Rivera.

The flop is 3♠ Q♦ 9♦ as both players check. The turn is the 3♦ as Rivera checks again. Baja now leads out for 100,000. Rivera calls. The river is the 7♥. Rivera then bets 100,000 but Baja come back with a raise to 315,000. Rivera goes into the tank and consumes one Time Bank card in the process before folding.

This now guarantees that the seven players left are guaranteed PhP750,000 (~US$12,976).

The player eliminated will be pocketing PhP510,000 (~US$8,824).

The next bust out will be receiving PhP425,000 (~US$7,353).

Everyone still in is guaranteed PhP350,000 (~US$6,055).

Here are the top ten so far:

Alfonso Baja of the Philippines engages in a preflop raising war with Japan's Kyosuke Nagami ending up with all of Nagami's 470,000 going into the pot.

Outflopping and busting his Japanese opponent, Baja's monster stack continues to grow.

Here's a look at the current top ten in chips:

Hong Kong's Alex Chong opens the action from UTG for 25,000 and gets called in the CO Alfonso Baja of the Philippines.

The flop goes T♦ J♣ J♦ as Chong CBets to 20,000. Baja raises it to 70,000. Then Chong 3-bets to 170,000 and Baja 4-bets all-in for 500,000. Chong snap calls.

Chong tables A♣ A♠ while Baja reveals that he's n the lead now with K♦ J♠.

The turn is the Q♦ which now has the Hong Kong player drawing dead and the river is the 9♣ to make the rockets cracking official.

With the win, Baja becomes the first to hot seven digits in the chip and is the new chip leader while Chong is left with 3 BBs.