Much of the major live tournament action has been happening on the World Poker Tour as of late.  The March poker events such as the Bay 101 Shooting Star and the World Poker Challenge saw many of the best players in the world travel to their venues which heavily influenced this month’s power rankings.

With the world’s best squaring off against each other, it was a foregone conclusion that plenty of position jockeying would occur leaving many of the top 10 spots from last month changed quite a bit.

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The World Series of Poker’s lone March event in Caesars Atlantic City didn’t have quite the drawing power as the WPT events and, subsequently, hasn’t had any impact on these rankings.  So it’s unlikely that you’ll see the Caesars winner and virtual unknown Eric Haber leaping into the top ten.  However, you will be seeing these players:        

10. Erick Lindgren

Hometown: Burnley, California

Most Recent Major Tournament Result: 40^th place in 2008 Bay 101 Shooting Star (WPT) No-Limit Hold’em Championship   

Comments: No, Lindgren’s 40^th place finish at the Bay 101 isn’t going to turn any heads in the poker world.  But when you factor in his 24^th placing at the World Poker Open and 5^th place showing at Borgata, it becomes clear that Lindgren has been playing as consistent as anyone this year.

9. J.C. Tran  

Hometown: Nha Trang, Vietnam

Most Recent Major Tournament Result: 7^th place in 2008 Bay 101 Shooting Star (WPT) No-Limit Hold’em Championship

Comments: Tran got his feet wet for this year’s live tournament action with a 9^th place finish at the NBC National Heads Up Championship.  Now he’s really got the ball rolling after picking up a 7^th place spot at the Shooting Star.      

8. Nam Le

Hometown: Irvine, California

Most Recent Major Tournament Result: 4^th place in 2008 LA Poker Classic (WPT) No-Limit Hold’em Championship

Comments: With just two tournament showings so far, Le has slipped in the rankings somewhat.  But it’s hard to push him out of the mix with how well he has done.  His 4^th place LA mark and a respectable 16^th placing at Borgata should be enough to keep him in the rankings for a little while longer. 

7. David Pham

Hometown: Cerritos, California

Most Recent Major Tournament Result: 5^th place in 2008 World Poker Challenge (WPT) No-Limit Hold’em Championship

Comments: Unless you’re a big fan of the appetizer events that lead up to the big one at each tournament site, you probably haven’t had any sightings of one of the most successful live tournament players ever this year.  But Pham showed that he still has it after having a great tournament in Reno.

6. John Phan

Hometown: Da Nang, Vietnam

Most Recent Major Tournament Result: 6^th place in 2008 Bay 101 Shooting Star (WPT) No-Limit Hold’em Championship

Comments: Phan has really come to light as one of the most entertaining players of the year with his excessive Corona drinking and funny interviews.  But “The Razor” isn’t just some sideshow as he’s done pretty well this year on the felt as well.  His final table finish at the Shooting Star is a testament to that fact.

5. Phil Hellmuth Jr.

Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin

Most Recent Major Tournament Result: 6^th place in 2008 LA Poker Classic (WPT) No-Limit Hold’em Championship

Comments: Unlike the other Phil (Ivey), Hellmuth hasn’t been too active on the circuits since doing good in LA.  So for now, we’ll have to stick with his one tourney showing this year.  But we can almost be sure to catch him in the World Series of Poker where he’ll look to add to his already impressive collection of 11 bracelets.

4. David Tran

Hometown: El Monte, California

Most Recent Major Tournament Result: 8^th place in 2008 Bay 101 Shooting Star (WPT) No-Limit Hold’em Championship 

Comments: We haven’t seen much of Tran since he almost won the Borgata Open earlier in the year.  A few smaller tourneys at the LA Classic and that was pretty much it.  But he resurfaced in a big way after almost making the final table at the Bay 101 and establishing himself as one of the top tournaments this year.           

3. Men “The Master” Nguyen

Hometown: Phan Tiet, Vietnam

Most Recent Major Tournament Result: 10^th place in 2008 Borgata Winter Open (WPT) No-Limit Hold’em Championship

Comments: March was a very tough month for Nguyen after accusations were again hurled at him about being a cheater.  Many people in the LA poker club community think that his generous teachings to fellow Vietnamese players are a mere disguise for recruitment.  But it’s hard to call him a cheater in the major tournaments where he’s looked excellent all year long.

2. Lee Watkinson

Hometown: Cheney, Washington

Most Recent Major Tournament Result: 9^th place in 2008 Bay 101 Shooting Star (WPT) No-Limit Hold’em Championship

Comments: Watkinson has been on an absolute tear in the last three tournaments he’s entered.  Not only was he a final table participant at Harrah’s Rincon and the Borgata Open but he also made a strong run at the final table of the Bay 101 Shooting Star.  Is it really possible to keep up this consistency?  Watkinson would sure like to find out.  

1. Phil Ivey

Hometown: Absecon, New Jersey

Most Recent Major Tournament Result: 10^th place in 2008 World Poker Challenge (WPT) No-Limit Hold’em Championship

Comments: Not much has changed at the top of the poker world and why should it?  In the three live tournaments he’s played this year Ivey hasn’t finished lower than 10^th with that placing coming in the recent World Poker Challenge.  He’s already won the famed LA Poker Classic this year and added a third place showing in the smaller but star studded NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship.

New Faces this Month: John Phan, David Pham, J.C. Tran

Out this Month: Freddy Deeb, Gavin Griffin, Hoyt Corkins