GPI300: Schemion’s Sweet 16

Big news for Ole in what is an otherwise slow-moving week at the top…

VIEW FROM THE TOP

It’s Ole’s Sweet 16! Star German pro Ole Schemion (GPI#1, =) begins his 16th straight week ranked atop the GPI World Poker Rankings. Only two players have held longer streaks – Jason Mercier (GPI#6, =) and Dan Smith (GPI#23, =), who each spent 17 straight weeks atop the World Rankings at one point in their careers. Schemion is one week away from joining them.

Speaking of Schemion and Smith, the pair are the last two players to hold the top spot since June … that’s right, June! Vanessa Selbst (GPI#81, +9) was the last player not named Ole or Dan to hold the #1 rank; the next 40 weeks have been dominated by the duo. Schemion has spent the following 21 weeks on top while Smith was #1 for 19 total weeks.

That’s about all the action from the top this week. Looking further down to the Top 25, there were barely any movements other than Thomas Muehloecker (GPI#16, -3) moving down a few spots while Olivier Busquet (GPI#13, +1), Mike Leah (GPI#14, +1) and Benjamin Pollak (GPI#15 CB, +1) each gain one spot thanks to the Austrian Player of the Year’s drop.

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SWIMMING UPSTREAM

In case you haven’t noticed yet, there is a rising star in Argentina as Ivan Luca (GPI#229 CB, +45) continues his rise inside the GPI300. Currently ranked #4 in the 2015 GPI Player of the Year race, Luca has scored points in 11 events already this season. His biggest score was his most recent one, finishing second to David Peters (GPI#23, =) in the High Roller event late last month at EPT Malta.

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DOWN THE LADDER

Daniel Colman (GPI#121, -54) takes a big tumble this week, falling over 50 spots to #121 in the World, his lowest ranking in almost eight months. Colman’s last score came back in November and he could see himself fall further in the standings later this month when his scores from the 2014 EPT Grand Final will fall to a third aging period.

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IN-N-OUT

WPT Champions Club member Giacomo Fundaro (GPI#242) returns to the GPI300 this week. The former 300 mainstay has only spent two weeks inside the GPI300 so far this season. Three-time GPI National Ireland Player of the Year Dermot Blain (GPI#294) is another player to make a return to the GPI300 this week.

2014 American Poker Awards Breakout Player of the Year Brandon Shack-Harris (GPI#380) is one of seven players to drop out of the 300 this week. Shack-Harris doesn’t spend much time on the live tournament circuit, therefore, a drop was expected. Good news for the Chicago man is that the WSOP is right around the corner!

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