GPI300: Welcome Back, Sir! Watson Returns to Top 10

SirWatts makes his return to the GPI Top 10 in this week’s update …

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Three straight weeks atop the GPI300 for Daniel Negreanu’s (GPI#1, -) who earns the #1 spot for the 13th week of his career. Ole Schemion (GPI#2, -), who actually lost a few points in the race this week, still remains second.

Jason Mercier (GPI#4, +1) and Philipp Gruissem (GPI#5, +1) each move up a spot inside the Top 10 at the expense of Dan Smith (GPI#6, -2), who drops two spots in the rankings after losing 50 points in the standings.

A deep run at the WPT Fallsview Poker Classic helps Mike Watson (GPI#9, +10) make a return to the GPI Top 10 for the first time in eight weeks. The former World #2 spent all of 2013 – minus a single week in February – ranked inside the Top 10 … welcome back, SirWatts!

Watson’s inclusion means that Paul Volpe (GPI#15, -5) finds himself outside the Top 10 for just the third week in 2014.

GPI TOP 10:

[table id=884 /]

SWIMMING UPSTREAM

WSOP bracelet winner James Collopy (GPI#213, +87) makes the biggest move up the rankings this week moving to #214. Collopy, who won the PLO event at WSOP APAC last April, recently placed 7th in a NLH/PLH event at the Aussie Millions in Melbourne.

Recent Sky Poker UK Poker Championships 12th place finisher Marcel Luske (GPI#177 HR, +86) and WPT Fallsview prelim event winners Pratyush Buddiga (GPI#137, +79) and Mike Leah (GPI#113 HR, +48) also made some noise inside the 300 this week.

This week’s Top 10 Movers within the GPI300:

[table id=885 /]

DOWN THE LADDER

Defending WSOP Circuit Las Vegas Champion David Tuthill (GPI#208, -70) and Jonathan Aguiar (GPI#291, -68), the face of Draft Kings, both take the biggest hits this week, each falling over 65 spots in the rankings. Good news for both as the WPT L.A. Poker Classic is right around the corner and each player is set to play in the Main Event, perfect time to pickup some valuable points!

Live/online hybrid stars Chris Moorman (GPI#266, -60), Calvin Anderson (GPI#255, -55) and Griffin Benger (GPI#150, -48) each fall down this week as well.

This week’s Top 10 Drops within the GPI300:

[table id=886 /]

IN-N-OUT

Guess who decided to make a return to the GPI300 this week? That’s right, after 10 weeks away, Phil Ivey (GPI#293, +11) is back in the lead group. With Ivey’s lack of live tournament participation, his stay might very well be short lived … although the EPT Grand Final and the 45th WSOP are right around the corner!

WPT Seminole Hard Rock Champion Kevin Eyster (GPI#292, +10) continues his in and out show on the GPI300. Eyster, who started the 2014 poker campaign only a few spots outside the GPI300, has found his way in and out on three different occasions already this season.

WSOP November Niner and WPT Champions Club member JC Tran (GPI#302, -57) leaves the 300 this week. The news isn’t all bad for JC – the WPT’s California Swing is right around the corner, and Tran is expected to play in each event (LAPC, Bay 101, Rolling Thunder), he’ll have plenty of opportunities to find his way back into the GPI300.

WPT Champions Club members Amir Babakhani, Erick Lindgren and Phil Laak also leave the 300 group this week … and Blair Hinkle is about to receive a HUGE pay check from Full Tilt Poker, but, he won’t be able to enjoy the money as a GPI300 member, he falls to #397 this week.

[table id=887 /]

HR = Highest Career GPI Ranking