GPI300: Ole matches the record; Kitai, Kenney move up

Schemion matches Mercier and Smith and a pair of star players move up in the Top 10…

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Congratulations go out to Ole Schemion (GPI#1, =) who begins week #17 at the top of the GPI World Poker Rankings, joining Jason Mercier (GPI#7, -1) and Dan Smith (GPI#22, +1) as the three players to have spent the most consecutive weeks at the top of the GPI. Schemion, who returned to #1 on Christmas Eve, is 7 days away from becoming the first ever to be ranked at the top for 18 weeks in a row – stay tuned!

Belgian star Davidi Kitai (GPI#2 CB, +1) is once again one spot away from the top. The three-time WSOP bracelet winner and Triple Crown Club member has been very vocal about his desire to reach #1 on the GPI World Poker Rankings. Schemion is the only player to stand in the way of Kitai’s bid to reach his goal at the moment.

Like Kitai, former World #2 Bryn Kenney (GPI#6, +1) also moves up one spot this week. After finishing 2014 with a bang, the American pro has already amassed over $1M in winnings this season, this for the third time of his career.

The members of the Top 10 remain the same this week as no players have dropped or entered at any point so far this month.

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SWIMMING UPSTREAM

A third place finish at the PaddyPower Irish Open last week sees Michael Wang (GPI#159, +68) continue his rise inside the World Poker Rankings. Wang, who started 2015 ranked outside the GPI300, has moved up over 260 spots to a career-best #159 so far this season.

Thanks to his deep run in Dublin, Wang also moves into the Top 25 in the 2015 GPI Poker Player of the Year race.

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DOWN THE LADDER

“Professional Best Friend” Jeff Gross (GPI#278, -56) takes the biggest plunge inside the 300 this week.

Gross, who returned to the GPI300 earlier this year, is now in danger of dropping out of the elite group once again in the near future … same can be said for 13-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth (GPI#258, -49), who also finds himself in the danger zone this week.

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IN-N-OUT

A third place finish in the Main Event at the Italian Poker Open in Campione d’Italia allows former EPT Prague Champion Salvatore Bonavena (GPI#290) return to the GPI300 for the first time in two months.

On the flip-side, former November Niner Martin Staszko (GPI#306) is one of 10 players to fall from the Top 300 this week.

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