Global Poker Index: Eli Elezra Rejoins Rankings After Hot Month; Fedor Still First
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 September 21, 2016.
2016 GPI Player of the Year
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fedor Holz | 3637.69 | - |
| 2 | Chance Kornuth | 3336.54 | - |
| 3 | David Peters | 3097.44 | - |
| 4 | Paul Volpe | 3095.05 | - |
| 5 | Adrian Mateos | 3045.89 | - |
| 6 | Nick Petrangelo | 3008.21 | - |
| 7 | Ivan Luca | 2992.47 | - |
| 8 | Jason Mercier | 2931.51 | - |
| 9 | Connor Drinan | 2926.70 | - |
| 10 | Dominik Nitsche | 2875.65 | - |
Another week and another top-ranking for Fedor Holz in the 2016 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race. At the start of the summer when the GPI first released the POY rankings, Ari Engel enjoyed a brief moment at the top. But since Holz took over the lead shortly thereafter, he's now spent 15 weeks at No. 1 with a little over three months left to go in the year. (Engel, if you're curious, is currently in 13th in the race.)
In fact, the entire top 10 remained the same yet again this week, with Chance Kornuth still the nearest challenger to Holz in second position.
Looking just below this group, Alexander Rocha went from No. 25 to No. 14 after winning a $3,500 buy-in Deepstack Extravaganza 3.5 event last week. Rocha topped a 249-entry field to win a $173,861 first prize and a bunch of POY points to enable his upward move.
GPI 300 Top 10
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fedor Holz | 4838.07 | - |
| 2 | Nick Petrangelo | 4475.43 | - |
| 3 | Steve O'Dwyer | 4339.03 | - |
| 4 | Jason Mercier | 4304.04 | - |
| 5 | Byron Kaverman | 4270.07 | - |
| 6 | Connor Drinan | 4183.95 | - |
| 7 | David Peters | 4029.39 | +1 |
| 8 | Anthony Zinno | 4022.11 | -1 |
| 9 | Bryn Kenney | 3992.68 | - |
| 10 | Adrian Mateos | 3876.73 | - |
It was another quiet week at the top of the overall GPI rankings as well where Holz also remains the frontrunner for a 15th-straight week. Just one small change in the top 10 from a week ago, as David Peters (No. 7) and Anthony Zinno (No. 8) swapped spots.
Welcome to the GPI Top 300
| Rank | Player | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 260 | Matt Salsberg | 2001.74 |
| 284 | Moritz Dietrich | 1921.28 |
| 288 | Eli Elezra | 1916.63 |
| 300 | Peter Eichhart | 1876.19 |
There were only four newcomers in the GPI top 300 this week, the lowest number of new names on the list in recent memory. Matt Salsberg is the highest-ranked of the group after elevating from No. 361 to No. 260 following his runner-up finish in that aforementioned Deepstack Extravaganza event won by Rocha.
Also making it back to the top 300 this week is 2016 Poker Hall of Fame nominee Eli Elezra who is in the middle of a hot September thus far.
After starting the month taking runner-up out of 528 entries in the WSOP Circuit Nevada Main Event, a week later Elezra finished sixth in that Deepstack Extravaganza event won by Rocha, then he won another preliminary event at the World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open a few days ago.
With more than $3 million in career tournament earnings, Elezra's highest previous GPI ranking has been No. 238 back in June of this year.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 260 | Matt Salsberg | 2001.74 | +101 |
| 209 | Robert Mizrachi | 2084.32 | +53 |
| 194 | Phillip Hui | 2141.24 | +48 |
| 288 | Eli Elezra | 1916.63 | +42 |
| 207 | Felix Stephensen | 2096.33 | +34 |
Salsberg's leap earned him top honors in the "Biggest Gains" list this week (considering only those within the top 300) ahead Robert Mizrachi, Phillip Hui, and Elezra. Felix Stephensen also jumped from No. 241 to No. 207 after earning some points from a cash in the UKIPT Super Series Main Event at the Hippodrome London.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 184 | Jonathan Little | 2168.34 | -58 |
| 271 | Piotr Franczak | 1962.78 | -55 |
| 258 | Ralph Porter | 2010.81 | -52 |
| 278 | Ralph Qartomy | 1935.94 | -49 |
| 217 | Matt Affleck | 2071.37 | -39 |
Finally, looking only at players still ranked in the top 300, Jonathan Little slid the furthest from No. 126 to No. 184 this week.
What to Expect Next Week
That Deepstack Extravaganza 3.5 continues this week in Las Vegas, with the WPT Borgata Poker Open in Atlantic City also rolling forward.
Meanwhile the Heartland Poker Tour stops in Daytona Beach, Florida, the France Poker Series is in action in Deauville, France, and the Winamax Poker Open is playing out in Dublin, Ireland.
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.
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