Global Poker Index: Waxman Cracks Top 10, Seidel Still Leads
Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the world's top 300 tournament poker players using a formula that takes a player's result over six half-year periods. One new face is in the top 10, and another is on his way out. For a look at the entire list of 300, visit the official GPI website.
The Top 10 as of October 24, 2011
| Rank | Player | Total Score | Change in Rank from Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erik Seidel | 2,586.96 | 0 |
| 2 | Eugene Katchalov | 2,518.15 | 0 |
| 3 | Jason Mercier | 2,437.94 | +1 |
| 4 | Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier | 2,425.51 | -1 |
| 5 | Sorel Mizzi | 2,344.31 | 0 |
| 6 | Shawn Buchanan | 2,331.45 | 3 |
| 7 | Fabrice Soulier | 2,231.63 | -1 |
| 8 | Tom Marchese | 2,058.11 | -1 |
| 9 | Juha Helppi | 2,031.39 | -1 |
| 10 | Matt Waxman | 2,010.63 | +9 |
Thanks to his excellent showing at the World Series of Poker Europe, Shawn Buchanan jumped up to No. 6 and should remain in the top 10 for awhile. He might even reach the top five next week. Meanwhile, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier had some older results slip to previous periods, resulting in his score dropping slightly and opening the door for Jason Mercier to move back into the top three.
Making his debut in the top 10 this week is Matt Waxman. It's been a successful two months in Europe for Waxman, who, after winning the WPT Grand Prix de Paris in September, cashed three times at the WSOPE.
Welcome to the GPI
Twelve newcomers have been added to the GPI this week, led by WSOPE Main Event Champion Elio Fox. For good measure, Fox followed that up with a 23rd-place finish in the ongoing EPT San Remo Main Event.
New Additions
| Player | Total GPI Score | GPI Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Elio Fox | 1,346.83 | 125th |
| Phillippe Ktorza | 1,328.38 | 131st |
| Arnaud Mattern | 1,257.65 | 159th |
| Maria Ho | 1,213.75 | 187th |
| Govert Metaal | 1,165.25 | 216th |
| Georges Yazbeck | 1,135.90 | 231st |
| Russell Carson | 1,120.44 | 242nd |
| Matt Jarvis | 1,081.11 | 264th |
| Jon Spinks | 1,062.53 | 283rd |
| Casey Kastle | 1,040.12 | 294th |
| Kent Lundmark | 1,039.73 | 295th |
| Jeff Papola | 1,029.45 | 300th |
The 12 players who slipped from the GPI this week are Alexander Debus, Brett Richey, Isaac Haxton, Jeff Madsen, John O'Shea, John Parker, Jonathan Karamalikis, Kenny Hallaert, Kyle Loman, Shawn Busse, Tomer Berda, and Vitaly Lunkin.
Ups and Downs
The biggest rise of the week belonged to Dermot Blain, fresh off of a fifth-place finish in the WSOPE Main Event. Jumping into the top 25 was Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi. With only one result in his Period 1 calculations prior to the WSOPE, Mizrachi's bracelet win in the €10,400 No-Limit Hold'em (Split Format) improved his GPI standing immensely.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total Score | Change in Rank From Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24th | Michael Mizrachi | 1,845.99 | +87 |
| 36th | Alexander Dovzhenko | 1,756.47 | +65 |
| 64th | Amir Lehavot | 1,609.78 | +96 |
| 78th | Dermot Blain | 1,524.23 | +176 |
| 87th | Vanessa Rousso | 1,505.21 | +134 |
| 112th | Ilan Boujenah | 1,399.32 | +115 |
| 154th | Nicolas Chouity | 1,272.12 | +59 |
| 184th | Noah Schwartz | 1,219.55 | +60 |
| 189th | Steve Brecher | 1,212.99 | +76 |
| 224th | Jani Sointula | 1,152.78 | +66 |
On the flip side, Marc Inizan suffered the steepest drop of the week. With his 13th-place finish in the Main Event of The Everest Poker ONE from April slipping into Period 2, Inizan only has one Period 1 score counting toward the GPI calculations. David Williams also slipped this week. His win at the 2010 WPT Championship, his best GPI result, fell from Period 3 to Period 4.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total Score | Change in Rank From Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130th | Surrinder Sunar | 1,331.16 | -62 |
| 158th | David Williams | 1,262.10 | -45 |
| 166th | Nikolay Evdakov | 1,251.45 | -38 |
| 207th | Josh Arieh | 1,176.47 | -53 |
| 233rd | Faraz Jaka | 1,130.74 | -65 |
| 257th | Chris Bjorin | 1,096.54 | -51 |
| 266th | Matt Stout | 1,079.81 | -37 |
| 267th | Michael Tureniec | 1,078.77 | -100 |
| 270th | Alain Roy | 1,077.17 | -63 |
| 285th | Marc Inizan | 1,057.42 | -101 |
What's In Store?
The EPT San Remo Main Event event concludes Thursday, and in terms of the GPI, only Kevin MacPhee is currently ranked. Rest assured, next week he'll be higher than his current 273rd place standing because regardless of his finish, it will be his only result in his Period 1 GPI calculations.
Who is due for a fall? Sorel Mizzi and Tom Marchese are going to slip, and the latter may be outside of the top 10 looking in. At the 2010 WPT World Poker Finals, Marchese finished in third place and Mizzi took seventh. Both have other scores that will take the place of their WPT World Poker Finals scores once they drop from Period 2 to Period 3, but we envision Marchese's will be too great to keep him in the top 10 come next week.
To look at the entire list of 300, visit the official GPI website. While you're at it, follow the GPI on Twitter and its Facebook page.
To stay on top of the GPI and other happenings in the poker world, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.+
