Global Poker Index: Holz Still Leads; Bonomo, Seidel, Klein Trending Upwards
Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes into account a player's results over six half-year periods. For a look at the entire list, visit the official GPI website. Here's a look at the rankings as of Oct. 12, 2016.
2016 GPI Player of the Year
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fedor Holz | 3637.69 | - |
| 2 | Chance Kornuth | 3336.54 | - |
| 3 | Paul Volpe | 3192.20 | - |
| 4 | David Peters | 3131.44 | - |
| 5 | Adrian Mateos | 3045.89 | - |
| 6 | Nick Petrangelo | 3008.21 | - |
| 7 | Ivan Luca | 2992.47 | - |
| 8 | Jason Mercier | 2931.51 | - |
| 9 | Connor Drinan | 2926.70 | - |
| 10 | Justin Bonomo | 2881.55 | +15 |
The Fedor Holz reign atop the 2016 Global Poker Index Player of the Year leaderboard extends to 18 weeks following another quiet seven days at the top of the rankings.
The top nine all stayed the same this week, with only David Peters adding a few points after a fourth-place finish in a recent $25,000 buy-in ARIA High Roller. Meanwhile Justin Bonomo has charged up into the top 10, knocking Dominik Nitsche down a notch to No. 11 this week.
Bonomo's year has been highlighted by numerous deep runs in high rollers, including winning a $25K ARIA High Roller back in February and coming runner-up in a $50K one at the ARIA in June. He also had a trio of cashes at the European Poker Tour Grand Final in May (including one victory in a side event) and a stellar 2016 World Series of Poker in which he cashed six times and made four final tables, finishing runner-up twice and third two times as well.
GPI 300 Top 10
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fedor Holz | 4872.33 | - |
| 2 | Nick Petrangelo | 4392.22 | - |
| 3 | Jason Mercier | 4304.04 | - |
| 4 | Byron Kaverman | 4247.55 | - |
| 5 | Steve O'Dwyer | 4238.21 | - |
| 6 | Connor Drinan | 4183.95 | - |
| 7 | Erik Seidel | 4054.45 | +3 |
| 8 | Anthony Zinno | 4022.11 | - |
| 9 | David Peters | 4006.10 | - |
| 10 | Bryn Kenney | 3923.43 | - |
The latest update shows Holz enjoying an 18th week in first position in the overall GPI rankings as well. The top 10 players all remain the same from a week ago, with the only change being Erik Seidel jumping up from No. 10 to No. 7 following his runner-up finish in another of the $25K ARIA High Rollers last week. Seidel has topped the GPI overall rankings before, the last time in February 2012.
Incidentally, Seidel earned a $293,125 cash for that second-place showing at the ARIA, pushing his overall career tournament earnings to $29,840,640. That keeps him in second on the overall all-time money list, currently led by Daniel Negreanu with $32,619,169.
Welcome to the GPI Top 300
| Rank | Player | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 279 | David Stefanski | 1929.02 |
| 285 | Tom Middleton | 1922.97 |
| 290 | Bill Klein | 1915.36 |
| 300 | Dylan Linde | 1890.56 |
Only four players were able to move up into the GPI top 300 this week, with David Stefanski the highest-ranked of the group after climbing from No. 305 to No. 279.
Among these four only Bill Klein is making his debut in the top 300. He made a huge leap from No. 720 to No. 290 this week after cashing in not one but two of the $25K ARIA High Rollers, finishing third in one and second in the other.
Meanwhile Tom Middleton rejoins the list after having won the 2016 Wynn Fall Classic where he bested a 361-entry field to earn a $99,000 first prize.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 290 | Bill Klein | 1915.36 | +430 |
| 54 | Brian Rast | 2959.04 | +208 |
| 82 | Darren Elias | 2679.03 | +57 |
| 285 | Tom Middleton | 1922.97 | +51 |
| 146 | Cate Hall | 2318.85 | +41 |
That upwards leap earned Klein the top spot in this week's "Biggest Gains" list, with Middleton likewise making the top five.
Brian Rast made a huge upwards move this week within the top 300 as well, going from No. 262 to No. 54 after winning one of those $25K ARIA High Rollers, topping a field of 39 entries to earn a cool $393,120.
Final table appearances at the recent World Poker Tour Maryland Live! Main Event by both Darren Elias (who finished fourth) and Cate Hall (who took sixth) also earned them enough GPI points to put them on this list of upward-trenders. Zachary Smiley won that 554-entry, $3,500 buy-in event, taking away $320,948 for doing so.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 229 | Maurice Hawkins | 2038.55 | -45 |
| 203 | Noah Bronstein | 2111.82 | -41 |
| 239 | Chad Eveslage | 2021.70 | -40 |
| 295 | Michael Laake | 1902.29 | -36 |
| 124 | Scott Clements | 2439.61 | -31 |
Finally, looking only at players still in the GPI top 300, Maurice Hawkins fell the furthest this week after dropping from No. 184 to No. 229.
What to Expect Next Week
This week's tournament highlights include the conclusion of the WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble series in Jacksonville, Florida, highlighted by the $25K High Roller which Chance Kornuth just won (and should earn some GPI points for) and the $5,000 Main Event which starts tomorrow.
The European Poker Tour Malta series gets started next Tuesday, where the PokerNews live reporting team will be on hand to cover both the €10,300 and €25,750 High Rollers, the €10,200 Single-Day High Roller, the €10,300 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller, and the €5,300 Main Event.
Don't forget as well about The Big One for One Drop Invitational that starts tomorrow in Monte Carlo, a €1,000,000 buy-in event (with reentries) for which PokerNews will also be providing coverage from start to finish.
To view the 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.
