GPI300: O’Dwyer on the Move

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

There were no changes in the Top 7 this week, all is well for the boys up top. For the 14th straight week Jason Mercier (GPI#1, -) is at the top of the charts! To think that Mercier held the 8th, 9th, 7th and 6th positions in the weeks leading into his 14-week domination is quite remarkable.

Former November Niner Joseph Cheong (GPI#2, -) makes his second straight appearance at #2. It’s important to note that this is the highest that Cheong has ever been on the GPI300. After weeks of ups and downs that started at the WSOP, the quintet of Negreanu, Watson, Schemion, Rettenmaier and Gruissem remained the same this week, taking a week off from their year-long battle in the standings.

There is only one man who caused a shake-up in the Top 10 this week and that’s Steve O’Dwyer (GPI#8, +2). O’Dwyer’s runner-up finish during the Irish Poker Championship at UKIPT Galway resulted in valuable GPI Points and allowed him to move up two spots in the standings. O’Dwyer, who was ranked as high as #2 back in June 2012, is looking to continue moving on up in the rankings.

O’Dwyer’s move up means that both that both Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier (GPI#9, -1) and Igor Kurganov (GPI#10, -1) both lose one spot in the Top 10 – the good news, however, is that they’re still in … for the moment!

GPI TOP 10:

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SWIMMING UPSTREAM

Irish pro Dermot Blain (GPI#155, +50), who was recently signed as a Full Tilt Ambassador, and Scottish pro Niall Farrell (GPI# 227, +21) – who finished second to Sandeep Pulusani in Event #44 – 3K NLH – a few short weeks ago at the WSOP – both took full advantage of their score in the High Roller Championship at UKIPT Galway last week to make significant moves up the GPI Rankings.

Blain (pictured, right) – who finished third in the HR event – made the biggest jump of the week moving up exactly 50 places to #155 overall and #1 overall in Ireland. John O’Shea (GPI#528), Michael Graydon (GPI#531), EPT9 Sanremo final table participant Jason Tompkins (GPI#745) and 2008 Irish Poker Champion Jude Ainsworth (GPI#765) round-out Ireland’s Top 5.

Meanwhile, 2010 WSOP World Champion Jonathan Duhamel (GPI#21, +14), two-time WSOP bracelet winner Davidi Kitai (GPI#36, +10), WPT Venice Grand Prix champ Rocco Palumbo (GPI#107, +12) and reigning WPT Player of the Year Matt Salsberg (GPI#43, +10) also enjoyed big moves inside the GPI300 this week.

Duhamel’s rise to #21 is the highest the Canadian has been on the GPI300 since being ranked #17 overall during the week of December 24, 2012. Duhamel’s career high was #5 in July of last season. Although he hasn’t won on the live tournament circuit since the 2012 PCA, Duhamel has had a solid 2013 season having collected a total of 14 cashes resulting in over 700K USD in winnings. Plus, nine of those cashes were Top 10 finishes.

This week’s Top 10 Movers within the GPI:

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DOWN THE LADDER

Jon Turner (GPI#269, -47), a.k.a. PearlJammed/PearlJammer, took one of the toughest hits this week falling 47 places into a very dangerous position on the GPI300. Turner, who has a total of seven WSOP Final Tables and who has collected over 5M USD in winnings online, finds himself only 31 places away from being on the outside of the Top 300.

UK poker pro Sebastian Gohr (GPI#265, -45), double bracelet winner Athanasios Polychronopoulos (GPI#201, -43), former EPT Copenhagen winner Anton Wigg (GPI#267, -28) and One Drop High Roller champ Anthony Gregg (GPI#136, -27) all took a tumble this week as did Adam Levy (GPI#285, -21) – who was moving up the ranks just a short week ago – and Owen Crowe (GPI#296, -15), who now find themselves dangerously close from losing their GPI300 status.

This week’s Top 10 Drops within the GPI:

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IN AND OUT

A week after returning to the GPI300, two-time WPT Champion Tommy Vedes (GPI#301, -2) is on the outs again. It’s certainly been a rough stretch for Vedes who entered the WSOP this past summer ranked 129th. No word yet if Vedes plans to play the WPT Merit Cyprus Classic starting on Friday … Vedes calls Cyprus his home for part of the year … but if he does, he’ll be looking to get back into the plus column with a good showing.

On a positive note, the Spanish duo of Raul Paez Corral (GPI#232, +78) and Sergio Aido Espina (GPI#300, +58), who both enjoyed some success at UKIPT Galway, both entered the GPI300 this week. Both players now only trail Ana Marquez and Carlos Mortensen in the GPI National Spain race.

Max Silver (GPI#251, +185), who had three key cashes at UKIPT Galway, took a huge leap into the GPI300 moving up 185 spots and also jumping into the Top of the very competitive GPI National UK race for first … Toby Lewis currently leads the race with over 2,500 GPI points.

This week’s GPI300 In and Out List:

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