Global Poker Index: New Leaders in the GPI 300 and Player of the Year; Ivey Returns

Phil Ivey

Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top 300 tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes a player's results over six half-year periods. The GPI also ranks the top performers of the year over two six-month periods as calculated by the USA Today Global Poker Index point system.

For a look at both lists, visit the official GPI website.

2013 GPI Player of the Year

RankPlayerScoreChange
1Mike Watson964.79+2
2Ole Schemion963.35-1
3Paul Volpe907.75-1
4Daniel Negreanu875.96--
5Jonathan Duhamel867.32+1
6Steven Silverman842.82-1
7Marvin Rettenmaier799.20+2
8Bryn Kenney795.83--
9Shannon Shorr794.59+6
10Steve O'Dwyer767.53-1

We might have another photo finish in GPI Player of the Year race this year. After Dan Smith barely edged out Marvin Rettenmaier last year, Mike Watson and Ole Schemion are head-to-head going into the final two months of 2013. Watson passed Schemion this week and now leads the German by one point. Watson took sixth in the €2,200 Event #4 at the World Series of Poker Europe this month.

Another player who found October success in Europe was Shannon Shorr, who took fifth in the €5,300 Mixed-Max event, allowing him to jump six spots to No. 9 in the POY standings. Shorr could move again next week when his eighth-place finish in the WSOP-Europe Main Event is applied to his GPI formula.

GPI 300 Top 10

RankPlayerTotal ScoreRank Change
1Ole Schemion3081.40+1
2Marvin Rettenmaier3066.43-1
3Mike Watson2921.68+2
4Steve O'Dwyer2892.74+2
5David Sands2872.31-1
6Noah Schwartz2855.32+19
7Paul Volpe2847.73--
8Daniel Negreanu2847.01-5
9Jason Mercier2822.35--
10Steven Silverman2780.09--

When one door closes, another opens. Schemion lost his lead in the POY race, but he overtook fellow German Marvin Rettenmaier for the top spot in the GPI 300 this week. It marks the first time Schemion has led this leaderboard, an incredible accomplishment considering the 20-year-old can't play the WSOP in the U.S.

Climbing all the way to No. 6 this week was Noah Schwartz, who recently won his first bracelet at the WSOP-Europe. Schwartz had been a regular in the Top 10 before dropping out in July 2012, but he looks to be a mainstay through the end of the year.

Welcome to the GPI

PlayerTotal GPI ScoreGPI Rank
Erwann Pecheux1371.15221
Jan Peter Jachtmann1351.14230
Flavien Guenan1328.07252
Ariel Bahia1306.57263
Phil Laak1292.51269
Aku Joentausta1272.80283
Fabrice Soulier1269.60286
James Anderson1251.93295
Jerry Wong1251.66296
Samuel Chartier1250.28297
Alexander Condon1249.75298
Mike Wattel1247.19299
Phil Ivey1244.70300

After a seven-week hiatus, Phil Ivey returned to the GPI 300 this week. Ivey picked up some points by taking 10th in the €5,300 Mixed-Max event at the WSOP-Europe. It was only his fifth cash of the year and the first since the WSOP in Las Vegas.

Among the notables exiting the GPI 300 this week were Martin Staszko, Maxim Lykov, Melanie Weisner, Daniel Reijmer, Keith Lehr and Anton Wigg.

Biggest Gains

RankPlayerTotal GPI ScoreChange
83Max Greenwood1840.26+52
96Phil Hellmuth1790.70+31
149Lee Markholt 1574.52+45
164Manuel Bevand1659.48+43
172Nikolaus Teichert1521.05+64
187Vitaly Lunkin1471.66+99
204Grant Levy1423.74+96
262Tommy Vedes1306.93+30

Phil Hellmuth gained some steam this week after picking up his 100th career WSOP cash in France. Hellmuth rejoined the top 100 even though his victory at least year's WSOP-Europe Main Event recently aged into Period 3 of the GPI formula.

Also making a huge leap this week was fellow bracelet winner Vitaly Lunkin, who finished third in the €3,000 PLO Mixed-Max Event at WSOP Europe. Lucnkin also won the €50,000 Super High Roller at EPT Barcelona last month, defeating Erik Seidel heads-up.

Biggest Drops

RankPlayerTotal GPI ScoreChange
103Micah Raskin1764.73-35
111Dominik Nitsche1738.00-30
250Mihai Manole1336.54-38
251Alexander Kravchenko1334.45-32
266Tim West1298.79-50
267Kyle Bowker1292.22-44
292Jason Lavallee1263.11-36

To view 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.

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