Global Poker Index: Alex Foxen Repeats, Wins 2019 GPI Player of the Year

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Alex Foxen

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

RankPlayerGPI Score
1Alex Foxen3806.09
2Sean Winter3679.19
3Bryn Kenney3647.81
4Kahle Burns3641.63
5Stephen Chidwick3637.94
6Rainer Kempe3499.77
7Sam Greenwood3487.10
8Manig Loeser3434.91
9Timothy Adams3377.88
10Ali Imsirovic3377.59
11Anthony Zinno3356.45
12Shannon Shorr3348.37
13Jeremy Ausmus3329.69
14Joseph Cheong3253.96
15Dario Sammartino3249.13
16Adrian Mateos3242.50
17Matthias Eibinger3217.14
18Kristen Bicknell3175.37
19Danny Tang3163.58
20Ben Heath3158.35

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:

YearPlayer
2019Alex Foxen
2018Alex Foxen
2017Adrian Mateos
2016David Peters
2015Byron Kaverman
2014Daniel Colman
2013Ole Schemion
2012Dan Smith

Yesterday the GPI also announced several other player-of-the-year honors based on performances during the calendar year:

TitlePlayerCountry
2019 GPI Female Player of the YearKristen BicknellCanada
2019 GPI Player of the Year AmericasAlex FoxenUSA
2019 GPI European Player of the YearStephen ChidwickUK
2019 GPI Player of the Year AsiaDanny TangHong Kong
2019 GPI Player of the Year LatamFarid JattinColombia

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

RankPlayerOverall GPI Score
1Alex Foxen4017.12
2Stephen Chidwick3674.16
3Adrian Mateos3466.09
4Sean Winter3356.05
5Anthony Zinno3352.33
6Manig Loeser3317.69
7Joseph Cheong3302.02
8Jeremy Ausmus3271.51
9Dario Sammartino3259.98
10Ali Imsirovic3252.32

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.

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