GPI300: Cheong Up, Gruissem Down, Dutch Duo Out

With the WSOP hangover behind us, the live tournament circuit has started up again. And while we’re still awaiting the start of new seasons on the World Poker Tour and the European Poker Tour, we do have a few big changes inside the GPI300:

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Jason Mercier (GPI#1, -) remains at the top of GPI300 for the 13th week in a row. But Mercier has a new dance partner at #2 as for the third time since the beginning of June we have a new man in second position.

After back-to-back-to-back performances at WSOP APAC, the EPT Grand Final and the WPT World Championship, Daniel Negreanu captured the #2 spot on the GPI only to see him lose that spot to Philipp Gruissem a few days into the WSOP.

But it’s Joseph Cheong (GPI#2, +3) who now holds the #2 spot. In a week where his GPI points total didn’t change, Cheong instead benefited from aging results from a few of his fellow competitors in order to move up the chain.

This is the highest that Cheong has ever been ranked on the GPI. He spent a few days at #3 early on during the WSOP. This is a far cry from the #273 ranking the former November Niner was tagged with just 16 short months ago.

Negreanu (GPI#3, +3) and fellow Canadian Michael Watson (GPI#4, +3) also moved up three spots into third and fourth respectively as they continue to eye the top of the mountain, where Mercier has been sitting for three months now.

Gruissem (GPI#7, -5) took the toughest beat this week as he drops five spots to #7. Fellow Germans Marvin Rettenmaier (GPI#6, -3) and Ole Schemion (GPI#5, -1) also took a tumble.

Here’s a look at the GPI Top 10:

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BIGGEST RISERS, NEW ADDITIONS

Recent tournament results certainly factored into some of our biggest movers and newest additions this week as recent IPT final table participants Alessandro Longobardi (GPI#101, +38) and Massimo Mosele (GPI#258, +111), ANZPT Queenstown Snowfest final table participant Daniel Neilson (GPI#232, +75) and LAPT Peru 12th place finisher, Team PokerStars Pro Leo Fernandez (GPI#242, +83) (pictured, right) were amongst the players who most moved up the rankings this past week.

The Florida State Poker Championship helped Floridians Adam Levy (GPI#264, +22) (pictured, right) and Ashton Griffin (GPI#146, +30) move up the ranks as well. Two-time WPT Champion Tommy Vedes (GPI#299, +2) jumped back into the GPI300 after spending a week away from the list.

This week’s Top 10 Movers:

[table id=230 /]

BIGGEST DROPS, ON THE OUTSIDE

On the flip-side, the start of August hasn’t been so kind for fellow Dutch pros Tobias Peters (GPI#350, -117) and reigning EPT London Champ Ruben Visser (GPI#335, -91) (pictured, right) who not only were the two players to drop the most in the rankings this week but, both players now find themselves on the outside of the GPI300, looking in.

Others taking a big tumble this week include EPT 7 Barcelona winner Kent Lundmark (GPI#307, -68) – who, like the Dutch duo, drops out of the GPI300 – EPT Deauville High Roller champion Eric Sfez (GPI#300, -86) and American pro David Diaz (GPI#276, -24) all fell in the standings.

Diaz (pictured, right), who final tabled the WPT Borgata Poker Open and the WPT bestbet Open in the past 10 months, was banned from all Caesars properties (including the Rio, home of the WSOP) in mid-June putting an end to the WSOP bracelet winner’s 2013 Series and preventing him from picking up valuable GPI points throughout June and July.

This week’s Top 10 Drops:

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THE BUBBLE BURSTS

There are plenty of former champions who find themselves a few points away from the GPI300. They include EPT and WPT champ Andrey Pateychuk, WSOP bracelet winners Jason Duval and Eric Froehlich, former EPT San Remo winner Rupert Elder and WPT Champions Club members Alexander Kuzmin, Steve Brecher and defending WPT Prague winner Marcin Wydrowski.