Global Poker Index: Kenney Keeps Lead, Zamani Zooms Up After Win
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 6.
2017 GPI Player of the Year
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bryn Kenney | 3284.93 | - |
| 2 | Koray Aldemir | 3149.15 | - |
| 3 | Nick Petrangelo | 3058.14 | - |
| 4 | Dario Sammartino | 2928.47 | - |
| 5 | Dan Smith | 2841.98 | - |
| 6 | Sergio Aido | 2809.01 | - |
| 7 | Pete Chen | 2781.40 | - |
| 8 | Stephen Chidwick | 2778.51 | - |
| 9 | Anthony Spinella | 2769.89 | +5 |
| 10 | Dejuante Alexander | 2769.61 | +48 |
There was absolutely zero movement among the top eight players on the 2017 Global Poker Index Player of the Year leaderboard since the last update, which means Bryn Kenney remains in front for a third week in a row. Meanwhile at the bottom of the Top 10 two new names appear.
Anthony Spinella moved up from No. 14 to No. 9 this week after picking up points from a 12th-place finish in the 926-entry 2017 River Poker Series Main Event at the WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma won by Ben Zamani (pictured above).
Making a much bigger leap this week is Dejuante Alexander who catapulted from No. 58 to No. 10. Alexander also cashed in that same event at the WinStar (finishing 16th), one of a few recent scores that have helped him move up the POY rankings.
Both Spinella and Alexander barely squeaked ahead of Ari Engel whose GPI score for the year remained at 2769.06, meaning he's at No. 11 in the POY race at the moment.
GPI 300 Top 10
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bryn Kenney | 3385.08 | - |
| 2 | Nick Petrangelo | 3307.33 | - |
| 3 | David Peters | 3262.53 | - |
| 4 | Justin Bonomo | 3230.84 | - |
| 5 | Stephen Chidwick | 3209.76 | - |
| 6 | Adrian Mateos | 3205.37 | - |
| 7 | Ari Engel | 3127.74 | - |
| 8 | Dan Smith | 3076.69 | - |
| 9 | Ankush Mandavia | 3030.18 | - |
| 10 | Koray Aldemir | 3029.66 | - |
The top of the overall GPI rankings is also largely unchanged from a week ago, with everyone in the Top 10 staying put and Kenney notching a third week running at No. 1.
Just outside of the Top 10 is Ben Zamani who elevated from No. 32 to No. 11 after winning that aforementioned River Poker Series Main Event at the WinStar. Zamani earned a $347,134 first prize in the $2,500 event, and is just one spot behind his previous career-high GPI ranking of No. 10 achieved back in January.
Welcome to the GPI Top 300
| Rank | Player | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 270 | Jon Turner | 1864.95 |
| 275 | Joe Elpayaa | 1859.29 |
| 284 | Richard Alsup | 1836.15 |
| 290 | David Sands | 1828.72 |
| 297 | Linh Tran | 1817.60 |
| 298 | Patrick Mahoney | 1816.85 |
| 299 | Josip Simunic | 1814.26 |
| 300 | Michael Aron | 1810.85 |
A relatively quiet week meant just eight new names joined the GPI Top 300, all of whom come in near the bottom of the list. Jon "PearlJammer" Turner is the highest-ranked of this group after moving up from No. 333 to No. 270. Turner's career-high GPI ranking is No. 96 (from June 2017).
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 290 | David Sands | 1828.72 | +135 |
| 165 | Osmin Dardon | 2059.80 | +128 |
| 171 | Marvin Rettenmaier | 2047.34 | +128 |
| 114 | Johanssy Joseph | 2189.80 | +104 |
| 275 | Joe Elpayaa | 1859.29 | +85 |
Looking at those in the current GPI Top 300 who made the biggest upward moves since a week ago, David "Doc" Sands heads the list after going from No. 425 to No. 290. Sands most recently final-tabled the World Poker Tour Legends of Poker Main Event, finishing seventh.
Artur Papazyan won that WPT Legends Main Event, outlasting Phil Hellmuth heads-up for the win. Fifth-place finisher Marvin Rettenmaier also enjoyed a big upward leap thanks to his finish, going from No. 299 to No. 171. So did Osmin Dardon who took ninth in the event, thereby helping him move up from No. 293 to No. 165.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 274 | David "Chino" Rheem | 1861.04 | -106 |
| 229 | Tim West | 1940.58 | -71 |
| 262 | Ray Qartomy | 1882.96 | -54 |
| 220 | Jeremy Joseph | 1954.17 | -50 |
| 197 | Matt Salsberg | 1994.28 | -49 |
Finally, looking just at players in this week's GPI Top 300, David "Chino" Rheem endured the steepest drop in the rankings after falling from No. 168 to No. 274.
What to Expect Next Week
The 2017 World Cup of Cards is currently playing out at the Playground Poker Club in Kahnawake, Quebec near Montreal, and the PokerNews live reporting team is on the scene delivering reports on multiple events.
The partypoker Millions Russia series is ongoing in Sochi, the World Series of Poker International Circuit is in Campione d'Italia, Italy, and the World Series of Poker Circuit touches down in Biloxi, Mississippi today to start another 12-event series.
The 888Live Poker Festival São Paulo series is underway as well in Brazil, with PokerNews also there with updates, photos, features, and more. There's the partypoker Grand Prix Killarney series ongoing, too, with PokerNews likewise reporting on the Main Event.
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.
