Global Poker Index: Zinno, Kaverman Lead; Rast Joins Top 10; WSOP POY Still in Play

Copy link Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Oct 22, 2015 4 min read

Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes into account a player’s results over six half-year periods. For a look at the entire list, visit the official GPI website. Here’s a look at the rankings as of October 21, 2015.

2015 GPI Player of the Year

While the World Series of Poker Europe festival nears its conclusion and several players have earned GPI points in Berlin thus far, the most recent weekly update of the 2015 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race shows little change at the top of the leaderboard. For a 16th-straight week Anthony Zinno remains the leader, with Byron Kaverman still right on his heels in second position.

Looking at the eight players who have won bracelets in Berlin thus far, of them only Georgios Sotiropoulos sits inside the top 100 of the 2015 GPI POY race. A victory in Event #8: €1,100 Turbo No-Limit Hold’em Re-Entry earned Sotiropoulos a first prize of €112,133 and helped him move up from No. 117 to No. 85 in the GPI POY.

2015 WSOP Player of the Year Update

Only Event #9: €10,450 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event and Event #10: €25,600 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em remain to be completed among the bracelet events at the World Series of Europe. That means as well only two more WSOPE events can affect the 2015 World Series of Poker Player of the Year Race (along with the results of the WSOP Main Event next month).

Mike Gorodinsky ended a spectacular summer in Las Vegas as the WSOP POY leader, and he continues to cling to the lead. A cash by Gorodinsky in Event #8: €1,100 Turbo No-Limit Hold’em Re-Entry where he finished 42nd added a few more points to his total. That provided Gorodinsky a little extra space between him and Brian Hastings who managed to final table Event #8 (finishing seventh), although the title isn’t locked up quite yet (see below).

Here’s what the top of the 2015 WSOP POY leaderboard looked like as of this morning before the start of today’s play:

Ismael Bojang, currently sixth in the POY race, started today’s Day 2 of the WSOPE High Roller with the chip lead and at the time of publication was still in the bracelet hunt with 16 players left. Bojang will take over the lead with a victory in the event, as Gorodinsky has just been eliminated in 17th place.

Incidentally, Kevin MacPhee, currently chip leader with 12 players left in the WSOPE Main Event, is No. 15 in the POY list. Keep close here at PokerNews for more updates on the 2015 WSOP POY race this week.

GPI 300 Top 10

Byron Kaverman enjoyed a fourth-straight week as the top-ranked tournament player in the world as the top of the overall GPI rankings mostly held steady again.

Paul Volpe (No. 5) and Stephen Chidwick (No. 7) swapped spots, while Brian Rast moved up from No. 12 to No. 10. In a stellar career that includes more than $16 million in tournament winnings, this actually marks Rast’s debut inside the GPI top 10.

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

Nine players moved up to join the overall top 300 in the GPI rankings this week, with Fabrice Soulier the highest ranked among them. Soulier moved from No. 322 to No. 228 after final tabling Event #6: €3,250 No-Limit Hold’em, finishing seventh.

Jake Cody is also back in the top 300 after moving up from No. 311 to No. 274 following a cash in the UKIPT Super Series Main Event at the Hippodrome in London. Cody’s highest ever GPI ranking was No. 11 back in December 2011.

Biggest Gains

Looking at those who moved up the most over the past seven days, Dean Baranowski used an 11th-place finish in Event #6: €3,250 No-Limit Hold’em to leap from No. 409 to No. 298 and join the top 300 for first time in his career.

Mario Lopez also continues his surge up the GPI rankings, moving from No. 189 to No. 129 after his runner-up finish in that same Event #6: €3,250 No-Limit Hold’em.

Biggest Drops

Among players retaining their spots inside the top 300, Jonathan Karamalikis took the biggest tumble this week after falling from No. 200 to No. 271.

What to Expect Next Week

As noted, the WSOP Europe festival is reaching its conclusion this week. Keep it here at PokerNews for more recaps, features, interviews, podcasts, and more from Berlin, all of which can be found on our WSOP mini site.

Meanwhile the poker world’s attention is already starting to turn from Germany to Malta as the European Poker Tour touches down on the Mediterranean archipelago for its second stop of Season 12. The 76-event festival has already gotten started and will continue through October 31.

To view both the 2015 Player of the Year and GPI overall rankings in their entirety, visit the official GPI website. While you’re at it, follow the GPI on Twitter and its Facebook page.

• Tags Global Poker Index World Series of Poker Europe 2015 WSOPE European Poker Tour EPT Malta Anthony Zinno Byron Kaverman Mike Gorodinsky Brian Hastings Ismael Bojang Kevin MacPhee Fabrice Soulier Dean Baranowski Jonathan Karamalikis
• Related Tournaments European Poker Tour
• Related Players Fabrice SoulierKevin MacPheeJonathan KaramalikisByron KavermanBrian HastingsMike Gorodinsky