Global Poker Index: O’Dwyer in Front as Results Down Under Help Players Move Up
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 January 27, 2016.
GPI Player of the Year
We continue to await the first update on the 2016 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race, at which point we’ll see who has gotten the initial jump out of the gate in the pursuit of following the footsteps of 2015 GPI POY Byron Kaverman. Incidentally, for the Player of the Year race the GPI uses a player’s best 13 results (in terms of GPI POY points earned) between January 1 and December 31. Click here to read more about other factors considered by the GPI when calculating scores for the GPI POY.
While we wait for that 2016 GPI POY race to get going, let’s look at the latest overall rankings.
GPI 300 Top 10
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steve O’Dwyer | 4298.78 | - |
| 2 | Jason Mercier | 4044.06 | - |
| 3 | Nick Petrangelo | 4030.13 | - |
| 4 | Byron Kaverman | 4026.99 | - |
| 5 | Anthony Zinno | 3953.59 | - |
| 6 | Fedor Holz | 3872.02 | - |
| 7 | Bryn Kenney | 3861.26 | - |
| 8 | David Peters | 3714.78 | - |
| 9 | Stephen Chidwick | 3678.64 | - |
| 10 | Kevin MacPhee | 3630.43 | - |
It was a relatively quiet week at the top of the overall GPI list with Steve O’Dwyer remaining in the top spot for a third-straight week. O’Dwyer added a few points to his score to increase his lead over No. 2 Jason Mercier thanks to O’Dwyer’s fourth-place finish in the 2016 Aussie Millions $25,000 Challenge won by Chance Kornuth.
Like everyone else in the top 10, Stephen Chidwick kept his same spot as well (at No. 9), although he, too, added a few points to his total after winning another of the events in Melbourne, the $2,500 8-Game Mixed.
Looking just outside the top 10, former GPI top-ranked player Scott Seiver jumped from No. 31 to No. 14 this week after collecting points following a fourth-place finish in one of the $25,000 ARIA High Roller events played last weekend.
Tom Marchese won the first of those $25K events last Friday, continuing his hot streak in the ARIA High Rollers from last year, while Sam Soverel won the second one on Saturday.
Welcome to the GPI Top 300
| Rank | Player | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | Jason Les | 1933.76 |
| 218 | Eugene Katchalov | 1856.56 |
| 277 | Ryan Van Sanford | 1721.79 |
| 282 | Paul Hoefer | 1701.57 |
| 297 | Michael Linster | 1659.97 |
There are only five new names appearing inside the top 300 this week, with Jason Les the highest-ranked among them. A third-place finish for Les in that aforementioned 2016 Aussie Millions $25,000 Challenge helped him move all of the way up from No. 373 to No. 200, marking his first time inside the overall top 200 on the GPI.
Eugene Katchalov took 10th in that same $25K event, helping him make a big move back up the list from No. 309 to No. 218.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | Jason Les | 1933.76 | +173 |
| 89 | Chance Kornuth | 2448.80 | +98 |
| 218 | Eugene Katchalov | 1856.56 | +91 |
| 102 | Oliver Price | 2376.57 | +72 |
| 144 | Jason Koon | 2171.19 | +61 |
Those results helped Les and Katchalov both find places on the list of biggest GPI gainers this week, with the $25K winner Kornuth also earning a spot thanks to his move up from No. 187 to No. 89 following his victory. This marks Kornuth’s career-high in the GPI rankings and his first week inside the overall top 100.
Two more cashers in that event — Oliver Price (who finished fifth) and Jason Koon (who made it to 11th) — round out this week’s “Biggest Gains” list.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 276 | Alexander Lynskey | 1724.37 | -67 |
| 261 | Chris Hunichen | 1761.41 | -55 |
| 243 | Matt Glantz | 1800.94 | -54 |
| 126 | Pratyush Buddiga | 2244.68 | -38 |
| 255 | Asher Conniff | 1771.82 | -31 |
Finally, looking at players who kept their spots inside the top 300 but suffered the biggest drops, Alexander Lynskey fell the furthest after going from No. 209 to No. 276.
What to Expect Next Week
The poker world’s attention continues to be on the 2016 Aussie Millions where there are still many events left to play out, including the $10,600 Main Event, the $100,000 Challenge, and the LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge.
Remember, the PokerNews live reporting team remains on hand at the Crown Melbourne with start-to-finish coverage of all 24 events from the Aussie Millions.
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.
