Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top 300 tournament poker players in the world. The list is created by using a formula that takes a player’s results over six half-year periods. Jason Mercier and Erik Seidel have traded weeks in the top spot lately, but Seidel has overtaken Mercier this week. For a look at the entire list of 300, visit the official GPI website.
The Top 10 as of October 10, 2011
| Rank | Player | Total Score | Change in Rank from Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erik Seidel | 2,586.96 | 1 |
| 2 | Jason Mercier | 2,545.04 | -1 |
| 3 | Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier | 2,503.67 | 0 |
| 4 | Eugene Katchalov | 2,473.83 | 0 |
| 5 | Sorel Mizzi | 2,341.12 | 0 |
| 6 | Fabrice Soulier | 2,257.90 | 0 |
| 7 | Tom Marchese | 2,058.11 | 0 |
| 8 | Scott Seiver | 2,003.33 | 0 |
| 9 | Shawn Buchanan | 1,986.96 | 1 |
| 10 | Juha Helppi | 1,970.14 | -1 |
As we hinted last week, Mercier was due for a slight drop because of old scores. His second-largest career score, a win in the 2008 European Poker Tour London High Roller, fell out of the GPI entirely and even though he has other Period 6 scores to soften the blow, they were not enough to keep him in first place.
Welcome to the GPI
In a mixed bag of brand new players and familiar GPI faces, there were fifteen additions to this week’s GPI. The two making the biggest splash were Kevin Iacofano and Martins Adeniya, thanks to sixth and seventh place finishes in the 2011 European Poker Tour London Main Event.
New Additions
| Player | Total GPI Score | GPI Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Iacofano | 1,241.48 | 167th |
| Martins Adeniya | 1,198.48 | 196th |
| Nicolas Cardyn | 1,192.91 | 198th |
| Joao Barbosa | 1,182.59 | 204th |
| Humberto Brenes | 1,169.24 | 211th |
| James Mitchell | 1,166.78 | 215th |
| Dermot Blain | 1,166.21 | 216th |
| Juan Manuel Pastor | 1,150.22 | 229th |
| Adrien Allain | 1,121.28 | 241st |
| Juan Maceiras Lapido | 1,106.67 | 248th |
| Morten Mortensen | 1,069.31 | 277th |
| Maksim Kolosov | 1,066.87 | 279th |
| Kyle Loman | 1,052.88 | 284th |
| Mark Radoja | 1,048.76 | 289th |
| Matt Matros | 1,043.94 | 291st |
The fifteen who fell from the GPI this week were Cornel Cimpan, Dan Shak, David Steicke, Isaac Haxton, Jérome Zerbib, Jeff Papola, Jean-Philippe Rohr, Jonathan Jaffe, Lars Bonding, Kristijonas Andrulis, Paul Berende, Shander De-Vries, Ted Forrest, Valdemar Kwaysser, and Zachary Clark.
Ups and Downs
Thank to their respective first and second-place finishes in the EPT London Main Event last week, Benny Spindler and Steve O’Dwyer made huge leaps up the GPI to 24th and 15th place, respectively. The biggest jump of the week belonged to Salvatore Bonavena. With a cash at the EPT London Main Event, as well as cash in the Poker Grand Prix in Saint-Vincent, Italy, the week before, he has two Period 1 scores to go along with the rest of his GPI calculations.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total Score | Change in Rank From Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15th | Steve O’Dwyer | 1,886.86 | +72 |
| 24th | Benny Spindler | 1,814.80 | +92 |
| 103rd | Salvatore Bonavena | 1,425.27 | +165 |
| 120th | Rupert Elder | 1,338.01 | +68 |
| 137th | Andrew Chen | 1,301.91 | +86 |
| 141st | Steven Kelly | 1,294.48 | +91 |
| 147th | Nenad Medic | 1,274.26 | +75 |
| 159th | Fabrizio Gonzalez | 1,257.03 | +87 |
| 168th | Sebastian Ruthenberg | 1,241.35 | +125 |
| 185th | Marco Leonzio | 1,214.80 | +109 |
Tomer Berda experienced the biggest drop this week. His biggest Period 1 result, a cash in the 2011 EPT Berlin Main Event in April, dropped into Period 2. With only one minor cash remaining in Period 1, Berda’s GPI score took a big hit. Meanwhile, inaugural Epic Poker League champion David “Chino” Rheem fell out of the top 60. His result in the £10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo High Roller from the 2010 EPT London now falls under Period 3, rather than Period 2, and as a result, Rheem, fell roughly 50 spots.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total Score | Change in Rank From Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 108th | David “Chino” Rheem | 1,408.39 | -54 |
| 146th | Joseph Cheong | 1,275.12 | -50 |
| 208th | Kevin Vandersmissen | 1,175.02 | -93 |
| 225th | Davidi Kitai | 1,154.64 | -63 |
| 228th | Vanessa Rousso | 1,151.37 | -59 |
| 250th | Max Heinzelmann | 1,105.01 | -74 |
| 260th | Dori Yacoub | 1,088.01 | -63 |
| 276th | Tomer Berda | 1,069.37 | -118 |
| 299th | Philipp Gruissem | 1,034.74 | -63 |
| 300th | Kevin MacPhee | 1,034.31 | -73 |
What’s In Store?
With the 2011 World Series of Poker Europe in full swing, there will be some significant movement in the GPI next week. Steve Billirakis captured a bracelet on Wednesday and will be sure to improve upon his 223rd place in the GPI. As of the writing of this article, Bertrand Grospellier, Steve O’Dwyer, and Tristan Wade are at a final table in Cannes. A win for "ElkY" probably wouldn’t replace his other Period 1 scores, but it could prove helpful down the road.
The gap between Seidel and Mercier will widen, giving Seidel more of a cushion. Mercier’s first-place finish at the 2011 NAPT Mohegan Sun Bounty Shootout will fall into Period 2. His Period 1 scores will fall as a result, perhaps even opening the door for "ElkY" to take over the No. 2 spot.
To look at the entire list of 300, visit the official GPI website. While you’re at it, follow the GPI on Twitter and its Facebook page.
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