GPI300: Buddiga continues strong start to 2015, O’Dwyer trending

Buddiga and O’Dwyer start off strong, which shows in this week’s update…

VIEW FROM THE TOP

For a sixth straight week, Ole Schemion (GPI#1, =) continues his reign atop the GPI300. Schemion’s score didn’t change this week – he remains the only player with over 4,000 points on the 300 – but that may soon change. The German superstar has final tabled the 100K Challenge at the Aussie Millions. With the event scheduled to conclude over the weekend, Schemion could see his points total rise with next week’s rankings update.

Pratyush Buddiga (GPI#2, +1) and Bryn Kenney (GPI#3, -1) switch spots this week. After a successful trip to the Bahamas to start 2015, Buddiga made his way to Australia, finishing 3rd in the 25K Challenge at the Aussie Millions. This is Buddiga’s third Top 7 finish in a little over a month.

Stephen Chidwick (GPI#7, +7) enters the Top 10 for the first time in 2015. Just like Buddiga, Chidwick ran deep in the Aussie Millions 25K, finishing one spot behind the former National Spelling Bee winner. Chidwick spent significant time ranked inside the Top 10 in 2014, including a seven-week stretch in September and October.

Chidwick’s returns sees 2014 Aussie Millions Main Event runner-up Sorel Mizzi (GPI#11, -1) move out of the Top 10 for the first time in three weeks. Mizzi, who was eliminated from this year’s Aussie Main Event during Day 1 play, will see his 2014 bounty move to a third aging period next week.

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SWIMMING UPSTREAM

Steve O’Dwyer (GPI#33, +39) continues to surge in 2015. O’Dwyer, who started the year ranked outside the Top 100, has pushed his way back into the 33rd spot in the ranks, his best ranking since April 2014. Just like Buddiga and Chidwick, the former World #2 final tabled the Aussie Millions 25K Challenge Down Under.

A first cash in four months sees French pro Paul Tedeschi (GPI#181, +83) take the biggest leap inside the GPI300 this week. The 2012 WSOP Europe Main Event final table participant finished 3rd in a prelim event at WPT National Cyprus late last week.

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DOWN THE LADDER

David Paredes’ (GPI#240, -47) runner-up finish at the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open entered a third scoring period this week, causing him to fall down 47 spots in this week’s rankings. After a strong first half to 2014, Paredes has only secured a single score since cashing in the WSOP Main Event this summer.

A pair of Global Poker Masters competitors, Italy’s Giuliano Bendinelli (GPI#164, -24) and the Ukraine’s Eugene Katchalov (GPI#79, -22), were also trending down this week.

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IN-N-OUT

Tobias Reinkemeier (GPI#140) is one of nine players to enter the GPI300 this week. This is only Reinkemeier’s fourth week inside the 300 since April 2014. The German, who has accumulated over $10M in his career on the live tournament circuit, was once ranked #5 in the World.

Max Altergott (GPI#305), Nacho Barbero (GPI#310) and defending EPT Deauville winner Sotirios Koutoupas (GPI#439) are three notables to drop from the 300 this week.

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ON THE BUBBLE

Unable to finally breakthrough Belgium’s Guy Goossens (GPI#301) finds himself on the bubble for the second time in three weeks. Goossens has been ranked between #301 and #347 since dropping from the 300 in November.