Global Poker Index: Mercier Still in Front, Widens Lead; Zinno Still Tops POY
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 September 16, 2015.
2015 GPI Player of the Year
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthony Zinno | 4461.20 | - |
| 2 | Byron Kaverman | 4292.41 | - |
| 3 | Nicholas Petrangelo | 4076.11 | - |
| 4 | Dzmitry Urbanovich | 3955.62 | - |
| 5 | Connor Drinan | 3771.11 | - |
| 6 | Jason Mercier | 3751.99 | - |
| 7 | Paul Volpe | 3651.76 | - |
| 8 | Scott Seiver | 3610.29 | - |
| 9 | Stephen Chidwick | 3473.17 | - |
| 10 | Steve O’Dwyer | 3466.74 | - |
No news is good news for Anthony Zinno, who after another quiet seven days remains the 2015 Global Poker Index Player of the Year leader for an 11th-straight week. None of the top 10 changed this week, with only minor movement happening through much of the top 50 spots.
A couple of exceptions to the relative calm included Brian Rast who jumped from No. 63 to No. 35 this week and Olivier Busquet who moved from No. 66 to No. 47.
GPI 300 Top 10
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jason Mercier | 4248.27 | - |
| 2 | Byron Kaverman | 4075.59 | - |
| 3 | Anthony Zinno | 4006.18 | - |
| 4 | Scott Seiver | 3936.44 | - |
| 5 | Nicholas Petrangelo | 3817.84 | - |
| 6 | Paul Volpe | 3699.56 | - |
| 7 | Stephen Chidwick | 3696.84 | +1 |
| 8 | Davidi Kitai | 3601.95 | -1 |
| 9 | Bryn Kenney | 3590.78 | - |
| 10 | Mustapha Kanit | 3580.03 | - |
The overall GPI rankings were similarly stable this week with the top 10 players remaining the same and Jason Mercier enjoying a ninth-straight week in the top spot. Only Stephen Chidwick (now No. 7) and Davidi Kitai (now No. 8) swapped spots among the highest-ranked players.
Mercier in fact widened the gap between himself and Byron Kaverman in second position after Kaverman lost some points when his cash at the World Poker Tour Bay 101 Shooting Star back in March entered the second aging period. Kaverman is No. 2 in both lists this week as he is also the nearest challenger at present to Zinno for POY.
Looking just below the top 10, Pratyush Buddiga jumped from No. 25 to No. 15 this week. Buddiga’s highest previous ranking was No. 2, most recently in February of this year.
Welcome to the GPI Top 300
| Rank | Player | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 233 | Cary Katz | 1849.34 |
| 260 | Jens Lakemeier | 1784.85 |
| 273 | Griffin Paul | 1753.56 |
| 275 | Kevin Eyster | 1751.43 |
| 277 | Andrey Pateychuk | 1748.85 |
| 288 | Jason Les | 1724.22 |
| 296 | Jesse Rockowitz | 1681.98 |
| 298 | Ryan Fee | 1677.27 |
| 299 | Antonin Duda | 1676.26 |
| 300 | Marc-Etienne McLaughlin | 1673.24 |
There was a bit more movement at the other end of the GPI top 300 this week with 10 new players entering the list. Cary Katz is the highest-ranked of this group, having moved up from No. 448 to No. 233 after finishing third in one of the $25,000 ARIA High Roller events staged last week.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 233 | Cary Katz | 1849.34 | +215 |
| 273 | Griffin Paul | 1753.56 | +181 |
| 120 | Mayu Roca | 2310.81 | +80 |
| 275 | Kevin Eyster | 1751.43 | +70 |
| 288 | Jason Les | 1724.22 | +66 |
That jump made Katz the biggest gainer of the week among those in the top 300, with Griffin Paul the next-highest leaper. Paul, who most recently went deep in the World Poker Tour Legends of Poker Main Event (finishing 13th) went from No. 454 all the way to No. 273 this week.
Incidentally, this marks Paul’s first week in the GPI top 300, while Jason Les and Antonin Duda are also making their debuts on the list.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 291 | Bahbak Oboodi | 1694.20 | -65 |
| 241 | Ray Qartomy | 1826.76 | -52 |
| 215 | Ryan Riess | 1908.23 | -50 |
| 186 | Benjamin Zamani | 1987.63 | -46 |
| 286 | Andrea Dato | 1724.71 | -46 |
Meanwhile among the top 300 players this week Bahbak Oboodi endured the biggest fall after slipping from No. 226 to No. 291.
What to Expect Next Week
While the World Series of Poker Circuit is making a historic first visit to the Casino Campione in Italy, the WSOP-C is also landing over in West Palm Beach today for the start of another series at the Palm Beach Kennel Club. Meanwhile tomorrow sees the start of the Latin American Poker Tour Uruguay Main Event in Punta del Este.
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.
