Like France, Italy is often referred to as a lesser-skilled country by poker circles, but this team also packs a lot of power. Where Team France may be very strong in four out of five spots, Italy is strong across the board, and we'd consider them one of the favorites to win the first GPM.

Let's start with Mustapha Kanit, the country's top ranked player. This kid can play. He packs a great combination of natural talent and aggression that should give many of the other players trouble.

The same could be said for the other players on the team — Dario Sammartino, Andrea Dato, Giuliano Bendinelli, and Rocco Palumbo. They're Italy's best talents and will likely play a high-risk, high-reward style of play.

Bendinelli should be the least known player of the pack, but he's a player we would deem on the verge of a big breakout. He recently stated that he's gunning to take down European Poker Tour Player of the Year.

"To be completely honest with you, the pleasure to say 'I won the EPT POY title in Season 11' would be much, much bigger than the one that comes from saying 'I won the EPT Main Event in Deauville,'" Bendinelli stated. "In the end, that's only a single event."

You know what would look good next to the EPT Player of the Year award? The first-ever GPM trophy.