Global Poker Index: Jason Mercier Continues to Hold Off Grospellier and Smith

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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. For a look at the entire list of 300, visit the official GPI website.

The Top 10 as of August 20, 2012

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank from Last Week
1Jason Mercier2,823.31--
2Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier2,773.32--
3Dan Smith2,644.59--
4Marvin Rettenmaier2,635.92--
5Steve O'Dwyer2,607.66--
6Vanessa Selbst2,579.49--
7Mike McDonald2,518.15+2
8Erik Seidel2,509.06+7
9Eugene Katchalov2,443.91-2
10Andrew Lichtenberger2,416.49-2

Despite recently winning the European Poker Tour Barcelona €50,000 Super High Roller (for €962,925), Dan Smith still sits in the No. 3 position. An aging Period 2 score kept Smith from gaining on Jason Mercier and Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier. Smith's runner-up showing in the $1,850 no-limit hold'em event at the Park Open Classic last August aged into Period 3. That leaves him with three cashes in Period 2 (one short of a full slate), so the net loss in his Period 2 outweighs his net gains in Periods 1 and 3.

Erik Seidel's stay outside of the top 10 was quick, as his sixth-place finish in the European Poker Tour Barcelona €50,000 Super High Roller (worth €153,600) bumped him up seven places to No. 8. Mike "Timex" McDonald also made that final table, finishing fifth for €215,100 and rising two places to No. 7.

Welcome to the GPI

Six players were new to this week's GPI, led by Kunal Patel at No. 248, following his 21st-place finish in the $3,300 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event at the WPT Parx Open Poker Classic.

New Additions

PlayerTotal GPI ScoreGPI Rank
Kunal Patel1,150.83248th
Paul Volpe1,123.67262nd
Vinny Pahuja1,114.93267th
Kevin Calenzo1,098.97281st
Paul Lieu1,085.28289th
Athanasios Polychronopoulos1,075.69296th

Falling from the GPI this week were Dan Murariu, David Pham, Eric Baldwin, Paul Vas Nunes, Marc Inizan, and Leo Fernandez.

Ups and Downs

The biggest rise of the week belonged to Anthony Gregg, who took down the $3,300 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event at the WPT Parx Open Poker Classic.

Biggest Gains

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank From Last Week
31stDaniel Negreanu2,046.28+18
40thMike Watson1,956.51+28
75thGovert Metaal1,759.30+21
82ndGavin Smith1,723.58+16
106thAnthony Gregg1,592.32+103
128thBarry Greenstein1,512.62+16
165thCorey Burbick1,367.54+16
197thAllen Bari1,275.89+25
213thDavid Paredes1,244.64+79
222ndAndrea Benelli1,214.18+64
271stRyan Julius1,106.96+29

Max Silver's GPI stock fell the most this week. His win in a €2,000 no-limit hold'em event at the UK & Ireland Poker Tour Galway aged into Period 2.

Biggest Drops

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank From Last Week
58thToby Lewis1,854.48-18
61stRodger Hairabedian1,851.99-19
96thMcLean Karr1,667.50-30
127thElio Fox1,514.40-22
171stJake Cody1,356.27-22
225thBrian Hastings1,203.90-36
259thKhiem Nguyen1,133.43-31
278thMax Lykov1,101.31-19
284thMax Silver1,097.79-82
298thMatt Berkey1,073.89-24

What's In Store?

The European Poker Tour Barcelona Main Event is set to wrap up this weekend. In addition, the €10,000 High Roller event will also take place featuring many of the top names in the GPI.

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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