Global Poker Index: Holz Ahead in Overall Rankings, POY; Mercier and Mateos on the Move

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Jun 30, 2016 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 June 29, 2016.

2016 GPI Player of the Year

Fedor Holz remains atop the 2016 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race where he’s been for most of the month after moving Ari Engel out of first position, with Bryn Kenney still in second behind him. Meanwhile Jason Mercier continues to collect cashes at the 2016 World Series of Poker and GPI POY points, too, helping him move up from No. 8 to No. 3 this week just behind Kenney.

Others used WSOP success to springboard into the GPI POY top 10 this week.

Adrian Mateos picked up a bracelet this week in Event #33: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em Summer Solstice to help him move up from No. 17 to No. 6. Jason Wheeler jumped from No. 15 to No. 8 thanks to four WSOP cashes so far this summer.

And Justin Bonomo moved all of the way up from No. 58 to No. 10 thanks to not one but two third-place finishes over recent days — one in Event #39: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed Championship and the other in Event #43: $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship. Earlier in the WSOP, Bonomo also finished runner-up in Event #8: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E..

GPI 300 Top 10

Holz continues to lead the overall GPI rankings again this week as well, his third-straight week in front. Meanwhile the man from whom he took the top spot, Steve O’Dwyer, has bounced back from No. 4 to No. 2.

Otherwise there was only minor shuffling at the top, with Mateos managing to crack the list after moving up from No. 13 to No. 10. This marks the first time in the top 10 for the 2013 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event champion and winner of the European Poker Tour Grand Final in October 2013. Incidentally, tomorrow is the Spaniard's birthday — and he only turns 22!

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

There were 16 newcomers joining the GPI top 300 this week, including a number of players returning to the list. The highest-ranked of the bunch is George Danzer who moved from No. 361 to No. 194 after picking up his fourth career WSOP bracelet in Event #43: $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship. Danzer had already taken third earlier in Event #3: $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Championship.

Danzer is one of four 2016 WSOP bracelet winners among this group. Andrey Zaichenko moved from No. 342 to No. 256 after winning Event #34: $1,500 2-7 Limit Triple Draw Lowball. Phillip McAllister jumped up from No. 410 to No. 262 following his victory in Event #42: $3,000 Shootout No-Limit Hold’em. And Martin Kozlov made a huge leap of exactly 500 places from No. 769 to No. 269 after winning Event #39: $10,000 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em Championship.

Biggest Gains

No surprise to see the catapulting Kozlov atop this week’s “Biggest Gains” list after that move. The Australian has five cashes this WSOP and currently sits inside the top 5 in the race for 2016 World Series of Poker Player of the Year, albeit as part of a chase pack well behind leader Jason Mercier.

Also on this list is Vanessa Selbst who rejoins the top 300 for the first time after dropping off the list in October 2015. Two WSOP cashes, including a ninth-place finish in the $10K NLHE 6-Handed Championship, helped Selbst move from No. 446 to No. 194. Selbst is part of the select club of poker players who have held the No. 1 position in the GPI rankings since their debut in 2011, having spent four weeks at the top during the summer of 2014.

Biggest Drops

Meanwhile, Joe Serock takes the biggest tumble this week among players who remained in the top 300, slipping from No. 148 to No. 206.

What to Expect Next Week

The WSOP marches on with another full week of action as the $10,000 Main Event No-Limit Hold’em Championship is suddenly now just over a week away (starting Saturday, July 9). Among the other tournament action happening currently in Las Vegas is the partypoker WPT500 at ARIA Resort & Casino that got underway on Monday and will last through July 6.

To view the 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 Fedor Holz Bryn Kenney Jason Mercier Adrian Mateos Jason Wheeler Justin Bonomo Steve O’Dwyer George Danzer Martin Kozlov Joe Serock World Series of Poker
• Related Tournaments World Series of Poker
• Related Players Steve O'DwyerJason MercierJustin BonomoBryn KenneyJason WheelerJoe Serock