Global Poker Index: Ramin Hajiyev, Jonathan Karamalikis Early 2015 POY Leaders

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Jan 22, 2015 3 min read

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.

2015 GPI Player of the Year

And they’re off! A new year has begun, and with it a brand new Global Poker Index Player of the Year race in which results from the recently completed PokerStars Caribbean Adventure have predictably been reflected in the early rankings.

Early POY leader Ramin Hajiyev (pictured above) cashed four times at the PCA, making two final tables while also cashing in both the LAPT Bahamas Main Event and the $25,000 High Roller. Jonathan Karamalikis likewise earned four PCA cashes to sit in second position this week, making at least the last three tables of tournaments in each instance.

Meanwhile Nicholas Petrangelo is in third position in the POY race this week after winning one PCA side event (the $5,300 Turbo 8-Handed NLHE event) and final-tabling the $25K High Roller where he finished sixth. Other $25K High Roller final tablists Joe Kuether (who finished second) and Scott Seiver (who finished fifth) also found spots in this week’s top ten.

GPI 300 Top 10

Turning to the overall GPI rankings, Ole Schemion remains on top for a fifth-straight week with a fairly comfortable lead (at the moment) over a chase pack currently headed by Bryn Kenney. Kenney enjoyed two big finishes at the PCA, taking third in the $100,000 Super High Roller and 11th in the $25K High Roller. Scott Seiver likewise made a big move back into the overall top 10 on the strength of his having final-tabled both of those events.

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

There are just seven newcomers to the GPI Top 300 this week, with the aforementioned Nicholas Petrangelo making the biggest jump all of the way up into the top 100. While Petrangelo’s strong PCA performances helped his ranking considerably, it should be noted that his GPI status was boosted even further thanks to the fact that some of his earlier cashes had been split into two profiles and a correction was made.

David Tuthill earned big points by winning the $2,650 buy-in Million Dollar Heater Main Event at the Beau Rivage Hotel in Biloxi last week where he topped a field of 195 to win $165,000. Benjamin Zamani finished third in that same event while also cashing in a WSOP Circuit event, and Corrie Wunstel also cashed in that tournament plus two others in Biloxi.

Biggest Gains

We’re leaving Petrangelo off the “Biggest Gains” tally as his big jump was partly caused by the correction noted above. Meanwhile among the others making big moves this week was Chance Kornuth whose third-place finish in the $10,000 PCA Main Event helped him improve from No. 234 to No. 108 — a career-best ranking for the Colorado-based player.

Biggest Drops

Finally Kiryl Radzivonau of Belarus slipped the furthest of those retaining their spots within the top 300 this week, tumbling from No. 124 to No. 166.

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 Ramin Hajiyev Jonathan Karamalikis Nicholas Petrangelo Bryn Kenney Scott Seiver Ole Schemion David Tuthill Chance Kornuth Kiryl Radzivonau Lee Markholt PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
• Related Tournaments PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
• Related Players Jonathan KaramalikisScott SeiverChance KornuthBryn KenneyLee MarkholtOle Schemion