Global Poker Index: Phil Ivey Joins Both Lists; Scott Seiver Grabs 2015 POY Lead

February 05, 2015

Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top 300 tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes into account 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.

2015 GPI Player of the Year

Scott Seiver finished the 2014 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race at No. 10, and as the second month of 2015 begins he has once more embarked on a challenge for POY honors, having moved up from No. 12 into first position this week. At the recently completed Aussie Millions, Seiver final tabled both the $100,000 Challenge (finishing third) and the $250,000 Challenge (finishing fourth), thereby putting some distance between himself and the chase pack at the moment.

Phil Ivey was the winner of that latter event, taking down the Aussie Millions $250,000 Challenge for the third time in four years. That victory plus a 23rd-place finish in the Aussie Millions Main Event allowed Ivey to debut at No. 27 this week in the 2015 GPI POY rankings.

Looking back at the top 10, Alexander Trevallion jumped from No. 39 to No. 4 this week after also doing well in his native Australia where he won a $25,000 event and took 33rd in the Aussie Millions Main Event.

GPI 300 Top 10

Turning our attention to the overall GPI rankings, the same players remain in the top 10 spots from last week, albeit with a bit of shuffling among them.

Ole Schemion stays on top for a seventh-straight week, while Scott Seiver’s aforementioned successes in Australia carried him upward from No. 8 up to No. 2. Daniel Negreanu currently sits just outside the top 10 in No. 11, and Mike McDonald made a big move from No. 36 up to No. 13.

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

There are 15 newcomers in this week’s GPI Top 300, with Phil Ivey the highest-ranked among them after his achievements Down Under. Ivey moved up from No. 526 to No. 163 on the strength of his points-earning performances in Australia. Also making a big move this week is Richard Lyndaker who catapulted from No. 480 up to No. 244. The New York-based player known as “nutsinho” online took seventh in the Aussie Millions Main Event to bolster his GPI standing.

While on the way to that final table, Lyndaker spoke with our Chad Holloway about his thought process during a big hand on Day 2 — read what he had to say in “Hold’em with Holloway, Vol. 17: Richard ‘nutsinho’ Lyndaker on Getting It in Marginal.”

Biggest Gains

Ivey and Lyndaker were the biggest gainers this week among players in the top 300. Other big movers this week not on this short list include Chris Klodnicki (from No. 425 to No. 289), Russell Thomas (from No. 372 to No. 262), and James Calderaro (from No. 317 to No. 210).

Biggest Drops

Finally among those falling the furthest yet remaining in the top 300, both Anthony Ruberto and Brian Hastings appear on this list for a second straight week.

To view both the 2015 Player of the Year and GPI overall rankings in their entirety, visit the official GPI website. While you’re at it, follow the GPI on Twitter and its Facebook page.

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  Global Poker Index Phil Ivey Scott Seiver Alexander Trevallion Ole Schemion Pratyush Buddiga Richard Lyndaker Aussie Millions

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  Phil IveyScott SeiverRichard LyndakerPratyush BuddigaOle SchemionAlexander Trevallion