Global Poker Index: Alex Foxen Repeats, Wins 2019 GPI Player of the Year
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.
Below you'll find the overall GPI rankings as of January 1, but first let's look together at the final results of the 2019 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race.
It was an exciting conclusion, with Kahle Burns having led to start December after he had wrestled the lead away from Sean Winter. But at the finish it was last year's GPI POY Alex Foxen passing everyone to defend his title, his dramatic victory in the World Poker Tour Five Diamond World Poker Classic to close out the year having pushed him over the top to secure him back-to-back POY wins.
2019 GPI Player of the Year
| Rank | Player | GPI Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Foxen | 3806.09 |
| 2 | Sean Winter | 3679.19 |
| 3 | Bryn Kenney | 3647.81 |
| 4 | Kahle Burns | 3641.63 |
| 5 | Stephen Chidwick | 3637.94 |
| 6 | Rainer Kempe | 3499.77 |
| 7 | Sam Greenwood | 3487.10 |
| 8 | Manig Loeser | 3434.91 |
| 9 | Timothy Adams | 3377.88 |
| 10 | Ali Imsirovic | 3377.59 |
| 11 | Anthony Zinno | 3356.45 |
| 12 | Shannon Shorr | 3348.37 |
| 13 | Jeremy Ausmus | 3329.69 |
| 14 | Joseph Cheong | 3253.96 |
| 15 | Dario Sammartino | 3249.13 |
| 16 | Adrian Mateos | 3242.50 |
| 17 | Matthias Eibinger | 3217.14 |
| 18 | Kristen Bicknell | 3175.37 |
| 19 | Danny Tang | 3163.58 |
| 20 | Ben Heath | 3158.35 |
After earning more than $6.6 million in tournaments during 2018, Foxen won over $6.3 million in 2019, nearly $1.7 million of that total coming for topping a 429-entry field in the WPT Five Diamond. According to Hendon Mob, Foxen recorded 40 cashes in 2019 (after having 24 in 2018), including an amazing 22 final tables and two titles.
Unlike past years there was quite a bit of turnover this time around with just four players from last year's GPI POY Top 20 making the list again in 2019.
Besides Foxen, Stephen Chidwick returned once more to challenge for the title before ultimately finishing in fifth. Last year Chidwick was runner-up for POY, and in 2017 he finished third.
Meanwhile the 2017 GPI POY winner Adrian Mateos made this list again at No. 16 after taking eighth a year ago, and Rainer Kempe who ended up at No. 18 last year improved upon that finish to land at No. 6 in 2019.
Here's a look at past GPI POY winners:
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Alex Foxen |
| 2018 | Alex Foxen |
| 2017 | Adrian Mateos |
| 2016 | David Peters |
| 2015 | Byron Kaverman |
| 2014 | Daniel Colman |
| 2013 | Ole Schemion |
| 2012 | Dan Smith |
Yesterday the GPI also announced several other player-of-the-year honors based on performances during the calendar year:
| Title | Player | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 GPI Female Player of the Year | Kristen Bicknell | Canada |
| 2019 GPI Player of the Year Americas | Alex Foxen | USA |
| 2019 GPI European Player of the Year | Stephen Chidwick | UK |
| 2019 GPI Player of the Year Asia | Danny Tang | Hong Kong |
| 2019 GPI Player of the Year Latam | Farid Jattin | Colombia |
For Kristen Bicknell that makes it three years in a row she has won GPI Female Player of the Year. Bicknell cashed 36 times during 2019 for more than $2.4 million, more than doubling her 2018 winnings.
Both Foxen as GPI Player of the Year Americas and Chidwick as GPI European Player of the Year similarly repeated after taking those same titles a year ago.
Danny Tang claimed the 2019 GPI Player of the Year Asia title after cashing 37 times for more than $6.1 million during the year, highlighted by his first World Series of Poker bracelet win in the $50,000 "Final Fifty" event. And Farid Jattin won 2019 GPI Player of the Year Latam thanks to his 15 cashes worth close to $1.5 million.
Now, a quick look at the current overall GPI rankings:
Overall GPI Top 10
| Rank | Player | Overall GPI Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Foxen | 4017.12 |
| 2 | Stephen Chidwick | 3674.16 |
| 3 | Adrian Mateos | 3466.09 |
| 4 | Sean Winter | 3356.05 |
| 5 | Anthony Zinno | 3352.33 |
| 6 | Manig Loeser | 3317.69 |
| 7 | Joseph Cheong | 3302.02 |
| 8 | Jeremy Ausmus | 3271.51 |
| 9 | Dario Sammartino | 3259.98 |
| 10 | Ali Imsirovic | 3252.32 |
Foxen has also returned to the No. 1 spot in the overall GPI rankings. After his Five Diamond win, Foxen two weeks ago moved back in front of Chidwick in what has proven to be a prolonged back-and-forth battle between those two.
Foxen has occupied either No. 1 or No. 2 in the overall GPI rankings every week since September 2018, while Chidwick has also been in either of the two top spots since June 2019.
While most of the rest of the Top 10 is close to what we saw a month ago, Adrian Mateos at No. 3 is a new name on the list. The Spaniard made a significant upward move after enjoying a successful European Poker Tour Prague series where among his scores was a victory in the opening €10,300 No-Limit Hold'em event.
That followed two other wins in the partypoker MILLIONS World Bahamas series in November for Mateos, meaning his ranking went from No. 108 in mid-November to No. 3 where he sits today.
Also new to the Top 10 since we last checked a month ago are Dario Sammartino (No. 9) and Ali Imsirovic (No. 10). While Sammartino was cashing earlier in the month in Prague, Imsirovic enjoyed a big win in the $50K WPT Five Diamond High Roller.
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.
