Global Poker Index: Justin Bonomo Closing in on POY Leader Fedor Holz
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 Dec. 14.
2016 GPI Player of the Year
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fedor Holz | 3644.80 | - |
| 2 | Justin Bonomo | 3442.75 | +4 |
| 3 | David Peters | 3366.10 | -1 |
| 4 | Chance Kornuth | 3336.54 | -1 |
| 5 | Ari Engel | 3255.23 | -1 |
| 6 | Paul Volpe | 3192.88 | -1 |
| 7 | Adrian Mateos | 3186.35 | - |
| 8 | Samuel Panzica | 3114.66 | - |
| 9 | Ankush Mandavia | 3012.91 | +17 |
| 10 | Charlie Carrel | 3012.19 | +18 |
There are just a couple of weeks left to go to determine the 2016 Global Poker Index Player of the Year, and after months of stasis with Fedor Holz well out in front, things are finally tightening up as the last big tournaments of the year take place.
Holz stays on top again this week — his 27th week in a row at No. 1 — although the gap between him and the chase pack has narrowed with Justin Bonomo now in second position after jumping up four spots since the last update.
Bonomo earned points for taking fifth in the World Poker Tour Five Diamond World Poker Classic Main Event won by James Romero. Like many others near the top, Bonomo is also in the Czech Republic this week playing events in the European Poker Tour Prague festival, giving himself more opportunities to gather points and perhaps overtake Holz at the finish.
There are others still in contention, too, including a couple of new names on this week's top 10. Ankush Mandavia elevated from No. 26 to No. 9 this week after picking up multiple cashes at the WPT Five Diamond, including winning the $25,000 High Roller and finishing sixth in the $100,000 Super High Roller chopped by Jan Schwippert and Tom Marchese.
Meanwhile after winning the partypoker WPT Prague High Roller to kick off the month, Charlie Carrel had a couple of big cashes at EPT Prague already with a third-place finish in the opening €10,300 No-Limit Hold'em event and a runner-up in the €50,000 Super High Roller won by Leon Tsoukernik. Those latter scores helped Carrel move up from No. 28 to No. 10 in the POY race.
GPI 300 Top 10
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fedor Holz | 4855.94 | - |
| 2 | Nick Petrangelo | 4305.38 | - |
| 3 | David Peters | 4279.96 | - |
| 4 | Justin Bonomo | 4232.44 | +5 |
| 5 | Dan Smith | 4209.89 | - |
| 6 | Jason Mercier | 4164.94 | -2 |
| 7 | Tom Marchese | 4079.30 | +1 |
| 8 | Jake Schindler | 3957.12 | +12 |
| 9 | Erik Seidel | 3953.34 | -3 |
| 10 | Connor Drinan | 3929.16 | - |
Holz continues to maintain a wide lead in the overall GPI rankings (also for a 27th straight week), although there was some movement below as players collect these December cashes.
Bonomo made a move up from No. 9 to No. 4 this week in the overall rankings. And Jake Schindler has likewise jumped up this week to enter the top 10, going from No. 20 to No. 8 after finishing third in the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic Main Event.
Welcome to the GPI Top 300
| Rank | Player | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 176 | Corey Hochman | 2203.88 |
| 212 | Sergi Reixach | 2095.45 |
| 224 | Eric Wasserson | 2072.83 |
| 248 | Jeffrey Chang | 2018.02 |
| 261 | Andrey Shatilov | 1984.40 |
| 262 | Matt Waxman | 1975.68 |
| 264 | Shannon Shorr | 1971.23 |
| 268 | Jean-Pascal Savard | 1956.13 |
| 271 | Jesse Sylvia | 1952.67 |
| 272 | David Rheem | 1945.42 |
| 286 | Gerald Karlic | 1915.77 |
| 289 | Rajaee Wazwaz | 1905.91 |
| 295 | Anton Wigg | 1900.07 |
| 298 | Jyri Merivirta | 1894.40 |
| 299 | David Diaz | 1888.47 |
Lots of tournament action means 15 new names entered the overall GPI top 300 this week, a group headed by Corey Hochman who moved up from No. 320 to No. 176 after taking 19th in the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic Main Event.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 212 | Sergi Reixach | 2095.45 | +213 |
| 289 | Rajaee Wazwaz | 1905.91 | +182 |
| 224 | Eric Wasserson | 2072.83 | +145 |
| 176 | Corey Hochman | 2203.88 | +144 |
| 264 | Shannon Shorr | 1971.23 | +142 |
There were some especially big jumps made by those on the "Biggest Gains" list this week, with Sergi Reixach making the largest leap of anyone in this week's top 300. Reixach went from No. 425 to No. 212 after cashing in the WPT Five Diamond Main while also taking third in the $25K WPT Five Diamond High Roller.
Others on this list — Rajaee Wazwaz, Eric Wasserson and Hochman — also cashed in the WPT Five Diamond Main, while Shannon Shorr final tabled another event at the Bellagio to make a big upward move as well.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 293 | Gavin O'Rourke | 1901.52 | -101 |
| 251 | Marc Macdonnell | 2006.37 | -82 |
| 270 | Natasha Mercier | 1954.71 | -81 |
| 222 | Jeremy Ausmus | 2080.69 | -64 |
| 232 | Julian Stuer | 2966.22 | -62 |
Finally Gavin O'Rourke slipped the furthest in the rankings this week among players still in the top 300 after going from No. 192 to No. 293.
What to Expect Next Week
All eyes remain focused on the EPT Prague festival which still has several days of events left to go.
The PokerNews live reporting is at EPT Prague with both the €10,300 High Roller and the €5,300 Main Event still to play out before the next GPI update.
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.
