Global Poker Index: Holz Holds Onto Lead; Vayo Vaults Upward
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 7, 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 | - |
It was essentially a week off for nearly everybody as far as the 2016 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race was concerned, with zero movement whatsoever among the top 10. That means 13 straight weeks in front for Fedor Holz who continues to enjoy a decent-sized lead over a chase pack headed by Chance Kornuth at No. 2.
Looking further down the POY chart, Benjamin Zamani did manage a big upward move from No. 65 to No. 28 this week after collecting points from his runner-up finish to Pat Lyons in the recent World Poker Tour Legends of Poker event.
GPI 300 Top 10
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fedor Holz | 4797.54 | - |
| 2 | Nick Petrangelo | 4494.03 | - |
| 3 | Steve O'Dwyer | 4347.19 | - |
| 4 | Jason Mercier | 4304.04 | - |
| 5 | Byron Kaverman | 4263.65 | - |
| 6 | Connor Drinan | 4215.89 | - |
| 7 | Anthony Zinno | 4044.50 | +1 |
| 8 | David Peters | 4029.39 | +2 |
| 9 | Bryn Kenney | 3992.68 | -2 |
| 10 | Tom Marchese | 3916.60 | -1 |
It was similarly quiet over at the top of the overall GPI rankings, with only a small bit of shuffling at the bottom of the top 10 as a few players' scores were slightly affected by the aging factor.
Holz remains the No. 1 player in the world for a 13th-straight week here as well. Meanwhile Anthony Zinno and David Peters moved up slightly and Bryn Kenney and Tom Marchese slipped a little although no one fell out of the top 10.
Welcome to the GPI Top 300
| Rank | Player | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 214 | Gordon Vayo | 2092.18 |
| 228 | Ray Qartomy | 2060.82 |
| 233 | Kyle Bowker | 2056.00 |
| 255 | Paul Matanel | 2011.11 |
| 290 | Garrett Greer | 1915.85 |
| 295 | Peter Eichhardt | 1891.84 |
| 296 | Darren Rabinowitz | 1890.18 |
| 300 | Dylan Wilkerson | 1883.05 |
There are just eight newcomers into this week's GPI top 300, with November Niner Gordon Vayo (pictured above) the highest-ranked of the group after moving up exactly 100 spots from No. 314 to No. 214.
Vayo currently sits third in chips among the final nine in the 2016 World Series of Poker Main Event that finally resumes again in a little under two months. Meanwhile the San Franciscan has spent the interim in a profitable manner, taking the title in the WinStar River Poker Series Main Event earlier this week. Vayo took away a cool $587,120 following a five-way final table deal.
Vayo has been in and out of the top 300 some over recent weeks. His highest career GPI ranking was No. 168 back in April 2013.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 255 | Paul Matanel | 2011.11 | +1178 |
| 228 | Ray Qartomy | 2060.82 | +307 |
| 290 | Garrett Greer | 1915.85 | +137 |
| 214 | Gordon Vayo | 2092.18 | +100 |
| 233 | Kyle Bowker | 2056.00 | +68 |
That 100-spot jump landed Vayo in the "Biggest Gains" list this week, although there were players making larger leaps as well.
Garrett Greer went from No. 427 to No. 290 after finishing eighth in that aforementioned WPT Legends of Poker event. Ray Qartomy moved up from No. 535 to No. 228 after a 10th-place finish in that WinStar River Poker Series Main Event won by Vayo. And Paul Manatel jumped all the way from No. 1,434 to No. 255 after collecting cashes at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open and European Poker Tour Barcelona.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 281 | Alex Keating | 1934.21 | -41 |
| 272 | Nathan Bjerno | 1975.13 | -38 |
| 217 | Ali Fazeli | 2084.28 | -37 |
| 249 | Louis Salter | 2021.72 | -34 |
| 261 | Riley Fuller | 1999.93 | -30 |
Finally, those on this week's "Biggest Drops" list didn't drop very much at all this week, with Alex Keating's slip from No. 240 to No. 281 being the steepest fall.
What to Expect Next Week
The Playground Poker Club World Cup of Cards continues this week in Kahnawake, Quebec, where PokerNews is on hand covering all of the events.
Meanwhile The Commerce Poker Series cranks up in Los Angeles, as does another Deepstack Extravaganza at the Venetian in Las Vegas. The WSOP Circuit stops over in Campione, Italy this week, and the Norwegian Championships take place September 10-11 at the Radidon Blu Caledonien in Kristiansand, Norway.
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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