Global Poker Index: Holz Continues Hold on Top Spots; November Niners Move Up

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Jul 21, 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 July 20, 2016.

2016 GPI Player of the Year

With only the final table of the Main Event left to be resolved, the 2016 World Series of Poker is over and done, and after grabbing the top spot in the 2016 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race in early June, Fedor Holz remains the frontrunner heading into the second half of the year. This marks a sixth-straight week at the top for Holz, whose victory in the One Drop for High Roller along with several other high roller successes catapulted him to first position.

The group of closest challengers to Holz for 2016 POY remains largely the same, although some recent results including in the final events of the WSOP helped a few players jump up into the top 10.

Chance Kornuth debuted just inside the 2016 POY top 10 last week, and moved up six more spots to No. 4 this time after making two deep runs in events at the Bellagio during the first half of July, including third in the Bellagio Cup XII won by Kully Sudhu.

Ivan Luca likewise went deep in a $25K Bellagio High Roller (finishing third), while also cashing in the WSOP Main Event (in 316th) to earn POY points and move from No. 35 to No. 8.Dietrich Fast also enters the POY top 10 at No. 9, moving up six spots after getting all of the way to 55th in the Main Event.

GPI 300 Top 10

Holz retains his lead in the overall GPI rankings where he's also been the pace-setter for six weeks now ahead of Jason Mercier in second and Nick Petrangelo in third.

Tom Marchese capped off a successful WSOP with a deep run in the Main Event, lasting all of the way to 14th place (his sixth cash of the series). That helped him move up into the overall GPI top 10 to No. 6, his highest career ranking since September 2011 when he peaked at No. 5.

Just below the top 10, last year's GPI Player of the Year Byron Kaverman has moved up from No. 25 to No. 13 after cashing in one of the latter WSOP preliminary events while also making the money in the aforementioned Bellagio Cup XII where he finished 10th.

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

No less than 22 players moved up into the newest top 300 list on the GPI, a reflection of the final week of results from the many WSOP bracelet events.

Dani Stern is the highest-ranked of this group, having catapulted all of the way from No. 417 to No. 84 after winning one of the $25,000 ARIA High Roller tournaments last week, topping a field of 41 to earn a $305,750 score.

Three players who made the November Nine (which starts in late October) in the WSOP Main Event are among this list of top 300 newcomers. Gordon Vayo (currently third in chips) moved from No. 393 to No. 210, Vojtech Ruzicka (sixth in the counts) jumped from No. 494 to No. 226, and Kenny Hallaert (presently in fourth chip-wise) went from No. 626 to No. 290.

Biggest Gains

Those three November Niners all earned their way onto the "Biggest Gains" list this week as well, where they are joined by the already-discussed Stern.

Dan Colman, who finished 31st in the Main Event, also made a big move from No. 521 to No. 283 to rejoin the top 300. Colman's highest-previous ranking in the GPI has been No. 4 back in January 2015.

Biggest Drops

Finally, only considering players still inside the top 300, Anton Astapau suffered the steepest slide after going from No. 111 to No. 186.

What to Expect Next Week

The World Poker Tour remains at the Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, Oklahoma currently, with a championship event coming up later in the month. The Borgata Summer Open continues in Atlantic City. And the France Poker Series is currently visiting the Hotel Casino Barrière de Lille in northern France.

Also, the 2016 Seneca Summer Slam kicks off today in Niagara Falls, with comprehensive coverage right here on PokerNews.

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 Adrian Mateos Chance Kornuth Ivan Luca Dietrich Fast Tom Marchese Jason Mercier Dani Stern Vojtech Ruzicka Gordon Vayo Kenny Hallaert Dan Colman Anton Astapau World Series of Poker Bellagio Las Vegas
• Related Tournaments World Series of Poker
• Related Players Jason MercierTom MarcheseChance KornuthKenny HallaertDaniel ColmanVojtech Ruzicka