Global Poker Index: Mercier Dethrones Seidel

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Live Reporter
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Jason Mercier

Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top 300 tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes a player's results over six half-year periods. There was a change on top of the GPI this week as a new yet familiar face is once again on top of the mountain. For a look at the entire list of 300, visit the official GPI website.

The Top 10 as of February 13, 2012

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank from Last Week
1Jason Mercier3,003.82+1
2Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier2,853.56+1
3Erik Seidel2,789.21-2
4Eugene Katchalov2,709.370
5Shawn Buchanan2,672.490
6Will "The Thrill" Failla2,429.74+1
7Matt Waxman2,400.18+1
8Vanessa Selbst2,371.85+1
9Mike "Timex" McDonald2,337.53+1
10Matt Marafioti2,295.53+1

The inaugural Epic Poker League Main Event fell into Period 2, impacting both Erik Seidel (runner-up in that event) and Jason Mercier (third) in the standings.

In Mercier's case, he has enough high-quality scores remaining in Period 1. That, along with the points gained from his finish in the Epic Poker League inaugural event, boosted his Period 2 results and helped increase his score this week. On the other hand, Seidel's Period 1 was left with just three cashes. As a result, he slipped to the No. 3 spot.

Welcome to the GPI

Only four new players are on the GPI this week with Vojtech Ruzicka coming in at No. 169, thanks to a win at the German Championship of Poker Main Event.

New Additions

PlayerTotal GPI ScoreGPI Rank
Vojtech Ruzicka1,1330.04169th
Andrew Tend1,084.22290th
David Diaz1,076.00298th
Amnon Filippi1,073.24200th

Adam Levy, Brandon Meyers, Georges Yazbeck, and Nicolo Calia were the ones who fell off the GPI this week.

Ups and Downs

Several players saw nice gains this week. Andrea Dato vaulted up the standings following his third-place result at WPT Venice. Kevin MacPhee and Shaun Deeb took first and second, respectively, in the EPT Deauville Six-Max High Roller last weekend.

Biggest Gains

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank From Last Week
45thOleksii Kovalchuk1,848.44+12
98thSimon Ravnsbaek1,529.69+97
102ndKevin MacPhee1,518.33+88
106thAnton Wigg1,495.70+13
117thMichael Tureniec1,475.70+21
119thShaun Deeb1,474.31+66
153rdAndrea Dato1,384.12+130
156thRonny Kaiser1,370.54+132
165thOgnjen Sekularac1,349.99+110

Justin Bonomo took the biggest plunge down the GPI this week. His 18th-place finish in the inaugural Epic Poker League Main Event dropped into Period 2, leaving him with only one Period 1 result. The same can be said for Chino Rheem, the winner of that tournament, who also dropped a fair amount this week.

Biggest Drops

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank From Last Week
136thDmitry Vitkind1,430.05-37
137thGavin Smith1,424.40-31
147thChino Rheem1,397.33-47
182ndHafiz Khan1,288.75-73
205thTed Lawson1,238.14-46
247thMarkus Ristola1,143.97-75
251stManuel Bevand1,140.79-52
261stNichlas Mattsson1,127.59-44
280thStephane Benadiba1.093.39-59
299thJustin Bonomo1,074.98-83

What's In Store?

EPT Copenhagen, LAPT Grand Final Carnival Poker Festival, DeepStacks Poker Tour Seneca Niagara, and WSOPC Palm Beach are all due to start over the next few days, so expect results from those events to shake up the GPI for the next two weeks.

To look at the entire list of 300, visit the official GPI website. While you're at it, follow the GPI on Twitter and its Facebook page.

To stay on top of the GPI and other happenings in the poker world, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

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