GPI300: Main Event champion Martin Jacobson returns to Top 10

Just hours after winning the Main Event, Martin Jacobson is back in the GPI Top 10 …

VIEW FROM THE TOP

August 20, 2014 – that is the last time someone other than Dan Smith (GPI#1, =) held the #1 spot on the GPI World Poker Rankings. Smith, who returned to action after a six-week hiatus, was shut out at the Asia Championship of Poker in Macau. With important tournament series in Prague and Las Vegas coming up, you can bet that Smith will be on the hunt in final few weeks of the poker season.

While the Top 5 remains intact, Byron Kaverman (GPI#6, +2) makes a push to sixth this week, moving a few spots closer to a career-best #3 in the World.

Hot off the heels of his World Series of Poker Main Event victory, Super Swede Martin Jacobson (GPI#9, +4) makes a return to the Top 10, matching his career-best #9 ranking with the additional points he accumulated following his momentous victory on Tuesday.

A successful trip to Macau sees Ami Barer (GPI#10 CB, +5) make his Top 10 debut this week. The Canadian earned a pair of Top 5 finishes in the ACOP Warm-Up and Main events. Meanwhile, 2010 WSOP Main Event winner Jonathan Duhamel (GPI#12, -2) and Paul Volpe (GPI#15, -6) drop out this week, just seven days after returning to the Top 10.

[table id=1324 /]

SWIMMING UPSTREAM

Fabian Quoss (GPI#120, +171) is the biggest mover this week following a win in the High Roller event at the Asia Championship of Poker in Macau, his first win on the circuit since his Super High Roller victory at the PCA to start the 2014 poker season.

PokerStars Team Online pro Isaac Haxton (GPI#185, +92), former November Niner Joseph Cheong (GPI#19, +24) and recent WSOP Asia-Pacific Main Event winner Scott Davies (GPI#133 CB, +21) also make the move up this week.

[table id=1325 /]

DOWN THE LADDER

Former World Top 10 Igor Kurganov (GPI#294, -85) is dangerously close from dropping out of the GPI300 for the very first time of his career on the live tournament circuit. Kurganov only has four scores on the circuit this season.

John Juanda (GPI#282, -46) takes a big hit for the second straight week. Juanda, who started the season ranked outside the Top 300 may end the season on the outside looking in as well if the negative trend continues. Just like Juanda, Taylor Paur (GPI#293, -40) also drops for the second week in a row. The 2013 WSOP bracelet winner has been ranked inside the 300 since June.

[table id=1326 /]

IN-N-OUT

A trio of WPT Champions Club members make a return to the GPI300 this week as Michael Linster (GPI#277), Giacomo Fundaro (GPI#298) and James Calderaro (GPI#300) are all back in – as is 2011 EPT Copenhagen winner Michael Tureniec (GPI#204).

Ankush Mandavia (GPI#305), Ryan Spittles (GPI#307) and one of the greatest names in poker, Rasmus Agerskov Larsen (GPI#327) are three of the seven players to leave the 300 this week.

[table id=1327 /]

ON THE BUBBLE

2006 WPT Mandalay Bay Poker Champion Joe Tehan is on the bubble this week. Tehan, who has spent most of 2014 ranked outside the Top 300 has six cashes this season, including a pair of Top 5 finishes at the World Series of Poker this past summer in Las Vegas.

* Lead image courtesy of Jayne Furman, WSOP.com