Global Poker Index: Dan Smith Slips, Still No. 1 Overall for 16th-Straight Week

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Dec 11, 2014 3 min read Last updated Apr 09, 2015

Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top 300 tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes into account a player’s results over six half-year periods. The GPI also ranks the top performers of the year over two six-month periods as calculated by the USA Today Global Poker Index point system.

2014 GPI Player of the Year

After last week’s excitement that saw 2013 Global Poker Index Player of the Year Ole Schemion make a charge up the leaderboard to second position in this year’s POY race behind Daniel Colman, there was no movement among the top 10 this week. Such quiet won’t last long, however, with the European Poker Tour Prague series having already gotten underway and the World Poker Tour Five Diamond Poker Classic Main Event starting next Monday.

Incidentally, Jason Mercier’s victory in the recently completed WPT Alpha8 St. Kitts tournament earned him a handsome $727,500 first prize, but no GPI points for winning the 15-entrant event. The Bellagio will also be hosting the next $100,000 WPT Alpha8 event next week (Dec. 18-20), which may well clear the 21-entrant minimum for GPI points.

GPI 300 Top 10

Dan Smith remains the top-ranked tournament player in the world for a 16th-straight week despite having lost a little over 200 points from his total after a couple of his cashes from last year’s WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic — including his win in the Main Event — moved into a third aging period.

Meanwhile both Daniel Negreanu and Ami Barer moved up a few spots within the top 10, with Jacob Schindler joining the group, moving up from No. 14 to No. 10 to take the spot vacated by Martin Jacobson (No. 13 this week).

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

No less than 18 players moved up this week to claim spots inside the GPI Top 300 rankings. Among them, the Aussie Tam Truong jumped all of the way from No. 339 to No. 187 after winning the Star Poker Summer Series $5K Challenge in Sydney last week.

Biggest Gains

Truong was one of several players making big moves upward in the GPI rankings this week, with Iaron Lightbourne making the biggest leap from No. 714 up to No. 228 after his victory in the Unibet Open London Main Event.

Chris Bolek was another big winner this week — and big mover — taking first in the Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open” Championship $2 Million Guaranteed Main Event. That was Bolek’s second big finish in Florida in less than a month after having taken runner-up in the WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble in November.

Biggest Drops

Meanwhile among those sliding yet staying in the GPI Top 300 this week, Artem Metalidi had the biggest drop from No. 197 to No. 275, while Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier is sitting outside the top 150 for the first time since the rankings began in early 2011.

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

• Tags Global Poker Index Dan Smith Daniel Colman Ole Schemion Daniel Negreanu Ami Barer Jason Mercier Tam Truong Chris Bolek Bertrand GrospellierEuropean Poker Tour World Poker Tour Unibet Poker
• Related Tournaments World Poker Tour
• Related Players Daniel NegreanuJason MercierDaniel ColmanDan SmithOle SchemionAmi Barer