PokerStars Red Dragon (65,000 PHP)

Day of the PokerStars Red Dragon event wrapped up with the final 9 players established and Justin Ong as the overwhelming chip leader. During the final two tables, Ong bulldozed the competition, eliminating four players, to amass over 40% of the chips in play.

The featured PokerStars Red Dragon kicked off on July 28 attracting 433 entries across two starting days for a prize pool of ₱24,570,585 (~$429,550). Only 81 players survived the fifteen rounds of Day 1 play and returned on Day 2 where 63 players were guaranteed to get paid.

Entering the second hour of play, Kohei Takami bubbled when his top two pair was burned by Wilson Chan's flush on the river. With the cash now flowing, short stacks dropped in rapid succession. By the sixth hour of play, overnight chip leader Sergei Korzhenko was eliminated in 17th place to form the final two tables.

At this point, Justin Ong had already built a big stack that was bested only by Yohei Katsuragawa. A key moment came against Liao Po Hsun, then third-in-chips, who moved all in after misreading the board. Ong, holding the nuts, asked "why did you push so big? I have the nuts, I call." In that one hand, Ong catapulted and proceeded to knock out three more players to propel him far ahead of the field. Day 2 wrapped up after Sukhum Kiwanont was eliminated in 10th place by Xiaohua Fu.

Scroll down to read up on some of the day's captured moments.

The final 9 will return on July 31, 2025 for the last dash to the title and the ₱4,680,585 (~$81,600) top prize.

Junho Hyeon limped in from the small blind and big blind Abhijeet Shetty checked. No action followed until the board completed 3♥ 6♦ 3♠ 6♥ Q♣ . Shetty bet 65,000, Hyeon paid to see then mucked to 6♣ 2♦ full house.

Justin Ong raised from under the gun then Junho Hyeon tanked using up his last time bank before going all in for 280,000. Ong called and it was a flip.

Ong had Q♥ T♠ , Hyeon with 4♠ 4♦ . Hyeon turned away throughout the runout 9♠ 2♠ 7♣ 9♦ 4♥ and only looked back when informed he won the hand.

Fumimasa Horisawa went all in for 345,000 with A♣ 9♥ in the hole. Justin Ong checked his hand and called showing K♥ J♥ . Though Horisawa was ahead, Ong was live. Ong called for cards as the dealer spread 7♠ 2♠ 7♣ Q♦ 3♦ . Horisawa was relived at having survived with Ong saying, "finally! You win!"

Yao Liu took command of the hand with a raise preflop that was called by big blind Santo Tripodi. At the flop and turn 6♦ 3♥ A♠ J♠ , Liu fires 50,000 and 175,000, both check-called by Tripodi. On the river 2♣ , Tripodi jumped out with a bet of 275,000, Liu snap-called.

Tripodi showd A♣ K♣ top pair, Liu had better with A♦ J♣ top two to scoop up the pot.

Down to 5 bb, Byungwok Ahn raised 160,000 leaving 5,000 behind. Big blind Xiaohua Fu forced him to Ahn to commit it by shoving.

Ahn: 2♠ 2♦

Fu: A♥ 7♠

With the board running 4♣ T♥ Q♠ T♠ 9♣ , Ahn survived for a double up.

Sukhum Kiwanont kicks off the hand a with button raise of 60,000 and gets action from the big blind Byungwook Ahn. No slowing down for Kiwanont with a 50,000 c-bet on the flop 3♦ K♦ A♠ then jammed on the turn 4♥ . Ahn used up his last time bank then folded.

No escape from Justin Ong as he sends another player to the exit. Getting the boot was short stacked Mac Manoto who three-bet shoved 320,000 on top of button Ong's 55,000 raise. Ong made the easy call.

Ong: 8♣ 7♠

Mantos: A♦ 9♠

Ong quickly improved on the flop 8♠ 6♠ Q♠ and with the turn 3♥ and river J♣ , out went Mantos and Ong continued to head north.

And yet another one takedown by Justin Ong as he continues to steamroll Table 1. His latest victim was Leonardo Drago who opened 65,000 from cutoff and Ong called on the big blind.

What followed was an action packed flop 7♠ T♠ 9♣ that saw Drago bet 65,000, Ong check-raised to 150,000, Drago snap-shoved, and Ong tanked using up his last time bank before calling and saying, "I have top pair, I cannot fold."

Drago: K♠ 6♠

Ong: T♥ 4♥

When the turn came T♦ , it was looking bleak for Drago and with the river Q♦ , he missed completely to fall in 12th place.

After losing a showdown, Sukhum Kiwanont recovered and more off Xiaohua Fu. The hand opened with a raise from Fu, Kiwanont three-bet 150,000, Fu called. On the flop 7♣ K♦ , Kiwanont shoved and took down the pot uncontested.

Calling a raise with 5♠ 5♦ , Abhijeet Shetty improved on a flop K♠ 5♣ T♥ and called Sukhum Kiwanont's continuation bet of 40,000. On the turn 8♣ , Kiwanont opted not to count and just shoved, Shetty snap-called and was assured the pot with Kiwanont drawing dead with A♥ K♥ .

From under the gun Moses Saquing was dealt J♣ 9♣ and liked it enough to min-raise. He nearly stole the blinds and ante when big blind Santo Tripodi woke up with Q♠ Q♥ . Tripodi three-bet 150,000 and Saquing called.

At the flop 2♦ 7♦ Q♣ , Tripodi set the trap by checking his set and Saquing betting 100,000. Tripodi called. The turn 6♣ was checked again by Tripodi, Saquing shoved, Tripodi snap-called.

Seeing the bad news, all Saquing could hope for was a flush however it did not pan out on the river K♠ to fall in 13th place.

Byungwook Ahn defended his big blind then check-called Sukhum Kiwanont's 30,000 bet on a flop A♣ 3♠ 7♥ . On the turn 4♣ , Ahn faced a 90,000 bet and this time he check-raised to 205,000, Kiwanont tanked then folded.

One orbit later, both players met again. Kiwanont won this round, taking 75,000 from Ahn on a board 4♠ 9♣ 6♠ A♠ 3♣ .

Justin Ong has been railroading the table with nonstop raises and not letting hands go by without a look at the flop. Taking on Liao Po Hsun who raised 40,000 preflop, Ong called from the button along with small blind Junho Hyeon.

At the flop A♠ T♠ Q♦ , Liao continued for 30,000 and only Ong bought the turn 7♦ . Liao fired another 105,000 and still didn't shake off Ong to complete the board with 9♦ . First to act Liao then shoved, and Ong was stunned saying "Why? I have the nuts." Then showed his A♦ 5♦ nut flush.

Liao could not believe it as he showed his K♣ J♥ straight. Liao said, "Oh my mistake, I did not see the flush." And watched his massive 60 bb stack get sent to Ong.

Facing a raise from mid-position Yohei Katsuragawa, big blind Mac Mantos defended and then continued to defend at the flop Q♦ T♣ 4♠ by calling a 40,000 c-bet. After they both checked the turn J♣ , Mantos led out 70,000 on the river 9♥ . Katsuragawa tanked then folded.

After cleaning out Namju Kim, Yohei Katsuragawa picked up more chips. Opening from cutoff, he was joined by Justin Ong and Mac Mantos to the flop 8♦ 3♣ J♠ . Acting first, small blind Ong bet 45,000 which was enough to get Mantos to fold while Katsuragawa raised to 100,000. Ong called then they both checked the turn 3♦ and river 5♣ .

Ong showed Q♦ T♣ missed draw, Katsuragawa dragged in the pot with Q♣ J♥ top pair.

Facing a raise of 35,000 from under the gun Yohei Katsuragawa, button player Mac Mantos three-bet a huge 160,000 however it still didn't shake off Katsuragawa to take the battle to the flop.

On a board, 6♠ J♥ 7♠ , Mantos fired another 65,000 and was check-called. On the turn 8♥ , Mantos continued for 125,000 and this time Katsuragawa opted to lay it down.

Rollercoaster day for Minku Kim who watched his stack swing all day until it finally emptied out at the hands of Xiaohua Fu. The hand opened with Santo Tripodi raising 35,000, Kim three-bet all in for 230,000, Fu four-bet all in and isolated.

Kim: J♥ J♦

Fu: K♠ K♣

Board: 6♠ 3♥ K♥ Q♣ 5♥

At a separate table, Justin Ong eliminated Masataka Setoguchi.

Yuanning Wu avoided the rail when his K♠ J♠ landed the nuts on the flop 9♦ Q♥ T♥ and after it completed 4♣ 3♠ , he doubled up off Sukhum Kiwanont who had A♥ T♦ .

Field is now down to 24 players, three tables.

Shortly after raking in a massive pot that sent Chris Song out on a failed bluff, Leonardo Drago scooped up another pot. Calling Ke Yan's raise, it was a three-way to the flop with big blind Junho Yeon also in the hand.

At the flop 4♥ 9♥ 3♥ , two checks to Drago who slid out 30,000 that only Yan matched. On the turn 7♦ , another 60,000 from Drago was called then both players checked the river 4♣ .

Yan flipped over A♥ Q♥ , Drago won it with A♦ 9♦ two pair.

Gary Thompson min-raised from cutoff and big blind Namju Kim defended to bring a flop 7♦ 6♠ 5♣ that both players checked. On the turn 4♥ , Kim led out 50,000 and Thompson called to complete the board A♥ . Wasting no time counting, Kim jammed for 422,000 sending Thompson tanking. After using up a time-bank, Thompson gave up his stake in the pot.

Next hand, Thompson resumed the aggressing and recovered the lost chips and more off Yuanning Wu.