Global Poker Index: Dan Smith Leads; Bryn Kenney Enters Top 10
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.
Top 10 as of February 4, 2013
| Rank | Player | Total Score | Rank Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dan Smith | 3,340.95 | -- |
| 2 | Marvin Rettenmaier | 3,112.01 | -- |
| 3 | Jason Mercier | 3,078.06 | -- |
| 4 | Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier | 3,057.06 | -- |
| 5 | Joseph Cheong | 2,927.17 | -- |
| 6 | Andrew Lichtenberger | 2,892.60 | -- |
| 7 | Vanessa Selbst | 2,816.39 | -- |
| 8 | David Sands | 2,809.81 | -- |
| 9 | Steve O'Dwyer | 2,790.15 | +1 |
| 10 | Bryn Kenney | 2,786.57 | +1 |
The only change in the top 10 this week was Bryn Kenney replacing Mike Watson. Kenney cashed in the WPT Winter Borgata Poker Open Main Event, finishing 38th out of 1,042 for $11,615. That gave Kenney's Period 1 a small boost because it counts as his fifth Period 1 cash.
Welcome to the GPI
Nine players are new to this week's GPI, led by Andrew Robl at No. 172. Robl won the Aussie Millions AU$100,000 Challenge, besting a field of 22 for AU$1,000,000.
New Additions
| Player | Total GPI Score | GPI Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Robl | 1,380.32 | 172nd |
| Lee Markholt | 1,274.63 | 213th |
| Grzegorz Derkowski | 1,216.46 | 232nd |
| Athanasios Polychronopoulos | 1,188.90 | 245th |
| Samantha Cohen | 1,134.15 | 271st |
| Jeff Lisandro | 1,130.52 | 274th |
| Daniel Neilson | 1,123.86 | 278th |
| Barry Hutter | 1,121.76 | 279th |
| Dominykas Karmazinas | 1,095.78 | 292nd |
Falling from the GPI this week were Tony Dunst, Lucille Cailly, Martins Adeniya, Matthias De Meulder, Nicholas Verkaik, Paul Guichard, Ronny Kaiser, Tam Truong, and Yorane Kerignard.
Ups and Downs
The biggest rise of the week belonged to Hui "Kitty" Chen-Kuo. She cashed three times at the Aussie Millions, indluding a 17th-place finish in the Main Event for AU$55,000.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total Score | Change in Rank From Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55th | Phil Ivey | 1,980.69 | +36 |
| 82nd | Danyel Boyaciyan | 1,776.76 | +41 |
| 91st | Matt Salsberg | 1,731.79 | +60 |
| 110th | Frank Rusnak | 1,634.39 | +46 |
| 115th | Anton Wigg | 1,607.53 | +48 |
| 132nd | Taylor Paur | 1,550.86 | +60 |
| 145th | Craig McCorkell | 1,498.15 | +61 |
| 146th | Hui "Kitty" Chen-Kuo | 1,496.07 | +81 |
| 182nd | Jonathan Little | 1,355.12 | +57 |
Falling the furthest this week was Vadzim Kursevich. His win in the EPT Deauville Main Event last February aged into Period 3.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total Score | Change in Rank From Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 157th | Manig Loeser | 1,443.39 | -37 |
| 162nd | Erik Cajelais | 1,428.11 | -36 |
| 221st | Vadzim Kursevich | 1,259.77 | -74 |
| 231st | Ben Vinson | 1,231.73 | -34 |
| 237th | Artem Litvinov | 1,203.15 | -38 |
| 250th | Koen De Visscher | 1,176.01 | -41 |
| 277th | Sergio Castelluccio | 1,126.37 | -42 |
| 280th | Ray Qartomy | 1,121.56 | -37 |
| 282nd | Nacho Barbero | 1,115.25 | -32 |
| 294th | Mick Graydon | 1,093.80 | -72 |
What's In Store?
The EPT Deauville Main Event is winding down and the High Roller is under way, so expect some movement from those events come next week.
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.
GPI Fantasy Poker Value Pick of the Week
With the recent launch of the GPI Fantasy Poker Manager on Facebook, we thought we'd lend a helping hand in putting together your roster.
Here's how the GPI Fantasy Poker Manager works: Much like other fantasy sports, you are given a budget to pick a number of poker players for your team. When these poker players finish in the money places of real poker events, you are awarded points. Finish with the most points and you win. It really is as simple as that.
We'll be providing at least one "value" pick each week for your fantasy poker team. Here's our top selection for the World Poker Tour Lucky Hearts Poker Open, which kicks off Friday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Florida:
Jonathan Roy - 135,770: The French Canadian looks to be making a run at WPT Player of the Year following his win at WPT Montreal in November. He cashed in the WPT Winter Borgata Poker Open last week, and early in January he final tabled the PCA Main Event. So yeah, we'd say he is on his game at the moment. Roy can be had for about one-quarter of some of the highest listed players on the GPI Fantasy Poker manager. But that won't last for long.
To stay on top of the GPI and other happenings in the poker world, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
