GPI300: Fifth straight week at #1 for Dan Smith, ElkY drops out of Top 100 for first time

Dan Smith continues to roll this week …

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Dan Smith (GPI#1, -) is spending his fifth straight week at the top of the GPI World Poker Rankings. Smith continues to reign atop the GPI Player of the Year race and this despite taking a break since returning from Barcelona. Smith’s break will continue as he travels to Austin, Texas to enjoy a little R&R with friends.

Stephen Chidwick (GPI#7, +1) and Davidi Kitai (GPI#8, -1) switched spots in the rankings this week returns to his career best #7 ranking for only the second time of his career. Given all the success that Chidwick had in the second half of the 2013 poker season, he will need to keep up with those results to end the season in order to avoid dropping in the standings. His results from the 44th WSOP and the EPT Prague Festival, for example, will each enter new aging periods around the same time.

After a two week absence, Alex Bilokur (GPI#9, +3) is back amongst the world’s elite, moving three spots to #9, the same position he held to start the month. His return to the Top 10 means that Olivier Busquet (GPI#11, -1), who made his Top 10 debut last week, sits on the bubble this week at #11.

[table id=1292 /]

SWIMMING UPSTREAM

The WPT Borgata Poker Open helped a few players gain significant ground inside the 300 this week including Darren Elias (GPI#50, +55), who entered the WPT Champions Club following his win in Atlantic City last Friday. Daniel Weinman, Ray Qartomy, Zohair Karim and Justin Zaki were just a few of the other Borgata participants to move up the ranks this week.

Other notables moving up this week include Anatoly Filatov and UK superstar Sam Trickett.

[table id=1293 /]

DOWN THE LADDER

Former World #1 Bertrand Grospellier (GPI#122, -48), better known to most as ElkY, continues to drop in the standings this week. ElkY, who had the worst season of his career in 2013, hasn’t done much better this year unfortunately. Shockingly, the French star is ranked outside the Top 100 for the very first time of his career.

The news also isn’t good for Marko Neumann (GPI#285, -73) and Joni Jouhkimainen (GPI#192, -55) who each fall farthest inside the 300 this week.

[table id=1294 /]

IN-N-OUT

Live and online player Ankush Mandavia (GPI#257 CB) returns to the GPI300 this week. Not only is Mandavia back, he has actually surpassed his previous career best ranking. Mandavia is now ranked #257. Bobby Oboodi, Matt Affleck and Vladimir Schemelev all return to the 300 this week.

On the flip side, a bunch of big names are on their way out as Brandon Cantu, Jose “Nacho” Barbero, Zimnan Ziyard, Marcel Luske and Philippe Ktorza are just a few of the name players falling this week.

[table id=1295 /]

ON THE BUBBLE

Despite cashing at the WPT Borgata Poker Open Alexander Queen was unable to return to the 300 this week. Queen, who held a spot inside the Top 300 for three months prior to dropping out last week, will hope to return to the lead group once next week’s rankings are released.