Global Poker Index: Urbanovich, Seiver on Top; Kanit Joins Top 10; Mortensen Back in GPI
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
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dzmitry Urbanovich | 2900.87 | - |
| 2 | Ivan Luca | 2662.47 | - |
| 3 | Joe Kuether | 2545.91 | - |
| 4 | Scott Seiver | 2427.46 | +8 |
| 5 | Connor Drinan | 2165.00 | -1 |
| 6 | Nicholas Petrangelo | 2152.17 | -1 |
| 7 | Vladimir Dobrovolskiy | 1902.56 | -1 |
| 8 | David Tuthill | 1854.54 | +7 |
| 9 | Steve O’Dwyer | 1814.48 | -2 |
| 10 | Thomas Muehlocker | 1769.72 | +6 |
Dzmitry Urbanovich continues to hang on to the top spot in the 2015 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race — his seventh week at No. 1 — having picked up a big boost points-wise this week thanks to his runner-up showing in the European Poker Tour Grand Final €100K Super High Roller won by Erik Seidel. Good thing, too, for Urbanovich, as others earning EPT Grand Final scores are charging hard up the POY leadboard.
Scott Seiver moved up from No. 12 to No. 4 this week after having final tabled both the €100K Super High Roller and the €50K Super High Roller in Monaco, then he followed that with a victory in another side event, the eight-handed €5,000 pot-limit Omaha. Thomas Muehlocker has also joined the top 10 this week, going from No. 16 to No. 10 after also final-tabling the €100K SHR.
GPI 300 Top 10
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott Seiver | 3917.95 | - |
| 2 | Davidi Kitai | 3823.02 | +1 |
| 3 | Ole Schemion | 3681.56 | -1 |
| 4 | Byron Kaverman | 3570.17 | +1 |
| 5 | Jason Mercier | 3549.54 | +2 |
| 6 | Bryn Kenney | 3532.13 | -2 |
| 7 | Stephen Chidwick | 3482.96 | -1 |
| 8 | Pratyush Buddiga | 3440.06 | -4 |
| 9 | Sorel Mizzi | 3429.30 | - |
| 10 | Mustapha Kanit | 3326.39 | +19 |
Having interrupted Ole Schemion’s record 18-straight week run atop the overal GPI rankings last week, Scott Seiver enjoys a second week on top after a relatively quiet week at the top of the leaderboard, though with lots of big movement happening down below as results keep piling up in Monte Carlo.
Davidi Kitai has edged upward into the No. 2 position, bringing him one spot closer to realizing one of his goals to top the GPI. Meanwhile Mustapaha Kanit has leaped all of the way from No. 29 to No. 10 on the heels of his big victory in the EPT Grand Final €50K Super High Roller — the highest ever career ranking for the player known online as “lasagnammmm.”
Welcome to the GPI Top 300
| Rank | Player | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 179 | Tim West | 1902.37 |
| 194 | Dermot Blain | 1867.09 |
| 204 | Max Altergott | 1847.40 |
| 207 | Brock Parker | 1837.18 |
| 243 | Rumen Nanev | 1699.48 |
| 257 | Ihar Soika | 1661.45 |
| 273 | Carlos Mortensen | 1620.43 |
| 276 | Matias Ruzzi | 1612.74 |
| 288 | Ben Warrington | 1573.66 |
| 289 | Alexander Rocha | 1572.30 |
| 290 | Yury Gulyy | 1572.10 |
There are 11 newcomers to the GPI Top 300 this week, with Tim West the highest-ranked among them at No. 179 this week. Carlos Mortensen also rejoins the list after his strong showing at the World Poker Tour World Championship where he finished fourth.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 273 | Carlos Mortensen | 1620.43 | +301 |
| 179 | Tim West | 1902.37 | +220 |
| 207 | John Parker | 1837.18 | +156 |
| 204 | Max Altergott | 1847.40 | +147 |
| 194 | Dermot Blain | 1867.09 | +143 |
Mortensen’s WPT showing made him the biggest gainer of anyone in the Top 300 this week after moving all of the way from No. 574 to No. 273, his first time back in the Top 300 since the first week of 2014. Mortensen’s highest GPI ranking previously was No. 18 back in late summer 2011.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 275 | Philipp Gruissem | 1618.04 | -81 |
| 287 | Vitaly Lunkin | 1574.13 | -60 |
| 150 | Alex Bilokur | 2003.94 | -51 |
| 256 | Benny Spindler | 1666.23 | -51 |
| 231 | Louis Salter | 1747.92 | -49 |
Finally Philipp Gruissem endured the biggest drop of those still within the Top 300 this week, his second straight week on this list after his triumphs at the EPT Grand Final a year ago — where he won the €25K High Roller — become more than a year old and thus worth fewer points. Gruissem will turn things around soon, though, after winning a €5K side event in Monaco this 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.
