Global Poker Index: Five Weeks at Top for Steve O’Dwyer; Barry Hutter Makes a Move
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 February 10, 2016.
GPI Player of the Year
We continue to await the first list of 2016 telling us where things stand with the new Global Poker Index Player of the Year race. The GPI uses a player’s best 13 results (in terms of GPI POY points earned) from January 1 to December 31. Click here to read more about the factors considered by the GPI when calculating scores for the GPI POY.
While we wait on the GPI POY, let’s look in on the overall rankings once again.
GPI 300 Top 10
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steve O’Dwyer | 4271.23 | - |
| 2 | Byron Kaverman | 4236.76 | - |
| 3 | Jason Mercier | 4121.90 | - |
| 4 | Nick Petrangelo | 4030.13 | - |
| 5 | Anthony Zinno | 3968.10 | - |
| 6 | Bryn Kenney | 3887.44 | - |
| 7 | Fedor Holz | 3849.42 | - |
| 8 | David Peters | 3738.01 | - |
| 9 | Stephen Chidwick | 3732.39 | - |
| 10 | Connor Drinan | 3689.09 | - |
It’s a holding pattern, so to speak, for the players leading the overall Global Poker Index rankings where the top 10 remained unchanged from a week ago. As a result Steve O’Dwyer continues sit on top of the list much like the increasingly popular Steve O’Dwyer card protectors are sitting on top of more and more players’ hole cards. (Read more about those in “Steve O’Dwyer’s Clay Poker Dolls are Real and Here to Stay.”)
This makes five weeks at No. 1 for O’Dwyer who stays just ahead of Byron Kaverman from whom he took over the lead to start the year.
Meanwhile just outside of the top 10 sits Barry Hutter who made a move from No. 24 to No. 11 after finishing runner-up in both of the $25,000 ARIA High Roller events last weekend. Dan Shak (currently ranked No. 352) won the first of those last Friday, while Justin Bonomo (currently at No. 47) took the one on Saturday.
Welcome to the GPI Top 300
| Rank | Player | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 203 | Matthew Wantman | 1904.95 |
| 257 | Rex Clinkscales | 1771.14 |
| 277 | David Paredes | 1705.78 |
| 293 | Alexander Greenblatt | 1664.30 |
| 297 | Mario Sanchez | 1656.11 |
| 298 | Greg Merson | 1655.34 |
There are just six new names in this week’s GPI top 300, with Matthew Wantman the highest-ranked of the group after moving up from No. 309 to No. 207. A sixth-place finish at the World Poker Tour Borgata Winter Poker Open Main Event won by Chris Leong was the highlight of Wantman’s week, helping him achieve his highest career GPI ranking.
Also making his career debut in the GPI top 300 is Rex Clinkscales who moved from No. 327 to No. 257 after cashing three times at the Borgata, including winning a side event.
Greg Merson, winner of the 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event, also returns to the top 300 this week. Merson’s highest-career GPI ranking has been No. 63, achieved in November 2012.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 277 | David Paredes | 1705.78 | +168 |
| 125 | Anthony Gregg | 2247.50 | +133 |
| 203 | Matthew Wantman | 1904.95 | +106 |
| 293 | Alexander Greenblatt | 1664.30 | +90 |
| 257 | Rex Clinkscales | 1771.14 | +70 |
The newcomers to this week’s top 300 mostly make up the biggest gainers this week as well, with David Paredes topping the list. Paredes moved up from No. 445 to No. 277 after finishing 20th in the aforementioned WPT Borgata Winter Open Main Event.
Also part of this group is Anthony Gregg who stormed up from No. 258 to No. 125. Gregg followed up his runner-up finish in the 2016 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure — won by Mike Watson — by cashing in the WPT Borgata Main, then adding a third-place finish in one of those ARIA High Roller events last weekend.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 263 | Roman Korenev | 1745.25 | -60 |
| 287 | David “ODB” Baker | 1682.87 | -42 |
| 174 | Tom Hall | 2044.74 | -40 |
| 248 | Vineet Pahuja | 1796.10 | -32 |
| 291 | Tobias Peters | 1672.30 | -30 |
Finally, among players retaining spots inside the GPI top 300, Roman Korenev fell the furthest after slipping from No. 203 to No. 263.
What to Expect Next Week
Among the tourney highlights this week, the WPT L.A. Poker Classic series is marching along all month at the Commerce Casino in California while the WSOP Circuit West Palm Beach series continues at the Palm Beach Kennel Club in Florida.
Meanwhile the European Poker Tour is back in action this week with the EPT Dublin festival having already gotten underway. Stick close to PokerNews for coverage from Ireland starting tomorrow with live updates, photos, videos and more from the €25,750 High Roller, the €10,200 Single-Day High Roller, the €10,300 High Roller, and of course the €5,300 Main Event.
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.
