Global Poker Index: Mustapha Kanit Takes Over POY Lead
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 February 1.
2017 GPI Player of the Year
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mustapha Kanit | 1424.52 | +1 |
| 2 | Bryn Kenney | 1424.08 | -1 |
| 3 | [Removed:17] | 956.39 | +18 |
| 4 | Byron Kaverman | 939.05 | -1 |
| 5 | Nick Petrangelo | 788.13 | +7 |
| 6 | Ben Heath | 771.68 | +186 |
| 7 | Luc Greenwood | 765.12 | -3 |
| 8 | Sergi Reixach | 760.80 | -3 |
| 9 | Roland Israelashivili | 729.34 | +1 |
| 10 | Anton Astapau | 716.70 | -2 |
After one month there's a new leader atop the 2017 Global Poker Index Player of the Year rankings as Mustapha Kanit has moved ahead of early frontrunner Bryn Kenney to sit at No. 1 to begin February.
Both Kanit and Kenney collected significant GPI points at PokerStars Championship Bahamas, then Kanit went on to earn more at the Aussie Millions to move ahead. Kanit had deep runs in Melbourne in both the $25,000 Challenge won by James Chen (where Kanit finished seventh) and the $10,600 Main Event won by Shurane Vijayaram (where Kanit took 11th).
A few big upward moves brought new names into this week's POY top 10.
[Removed:17] leaped from No. 21 to No. 3 after also cashing in both the $25K Challenge (finishing 11th) and the Main Event (finishing 39th), then adding a runner-up in another $2,500 side event.
Ben Heath also made one of those huge moves that can happen early in the POY race, going all the way from No. 192 to No. 6 after his runner-up finish to Vijayaram in the Aussie Millions Main Event. Heath had already had three cashes in the Bahamas, including winning a $15K event.
Nick Petrangelo also continued his winning ways in Australia, taking first in the $100,000 Challenge. Petrangelo didn't earn POY points for that win (as there were only 18 entries �� fewer than the needed minimum of 32), but he did get points for cashing in both the $25K Challenge and Main Event to move up from No. 12 to No. 5.
GPI 300 Top 10
| Rank | Player | GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Petrangelo | 3577.93 | - |
| 2 | David Peters | 3505.18 | - |
| 3 | Fedor Holz | 3323.16 | +6 |
| 4 | Bryn Kenney | 3272.13 | -1 |
| 5 | Adrian Mateos | 3122.95 | -1 |
| 6 | Jack Salter | 3039.12 | -1 |
| 7 | Ari Engel | 2971.69 | -1 |
| 8 | Anthony Zinno | 2939.20 | -1 |
| 9 | Ankush Mandavia | 2933.98 | -1 |
| 10 | Andjelko Andrejevic | 2900.34 | +1 |
Speaking of Petrangelo, he remains at No. 1 for a third straight week in the overall rankings, with David Peters once again coming in at No. 2.
Meanwhile Fedor Holz �� the top-ranked player for 30 straight weeks before Peters recently overtook a month ago, then Petrangelo moved ahead of both �� jumped up from No. 9 to No. 3 this week after enjoying success at the Crown Casino.
Holz also went deep in the $100,000 Challenge (finishing third), which as noted didn't factor as far as GPI points were concerned. But his fifth-place finish in the Aussie Millions Main Event did earn him a bundle of points to enable his charge back up to No. 3.
Welcome to the GPI Top 300
| Rank | Player | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 137 | Jeff Rossiter | 2005.82 |
| 180 | Michael Hahn | 1919.05 |
| 181 | Marc MacDonnell | 1917.09 |
| 240 | Liv Boeree | 1815.01 |
| 269 | Tobias Hausen | 1746.12 |
| 270 | Scott Davies | 1745.34 |
| 272 | Joey Weissman | 1739.88 |
| 273 | Scott Stewart | 1739.85 |
| 296 | Wael Sarkis | 1697.84 |
Looking at the top 300 as a whole, there were nine players who joined the list with the last update, with Jeff Rossiter having moved up from No. 382 to No. 137 thanks to taking 14th in the $25,000 Challenge and getting all of the way to fourth in the Aussie Millions Main Event.
Michael Hahn finds himself in the top 300 for the second time in his career this week, his debut having come last month when he spent a single week at No. 300. Hahn went from No. 319 to No. 180 after recently topping a 590-entry field to win the Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar Chicago Main Event.
Biggest Gains
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 269 | Tobias Hausen | 1746.12 | +336 |
| 137 | Jeff Rossiter | 2005.82 | +245 |
| 181 | Marc MacDonnell | 1917.09 | +154 |
| 273 | Scott Stewart | 1739.85 | +142 |
| 180 | Michael Hahn | 1919.05 | +139 |
Both Rossiter and Hahn made it onto this week's top five "Biggest Gains" list this week (looking only at players within the top 300). But Tobias Hausen is the player topping the list after catapulting from No. 605 to No. 269.
Like others who made the Aussie Millions Main Event final table, Hausen �� who finished third �� likewise earned significant GPI points to improve his ranking, and in fact joins the top 300 for the first time as a result.
Biggest Drops
| Rank | Player | Total GPI Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 298 | Olivier Busquet | 1693.21 | -118 |
| 191 | Alexander Lynskey | 1891.08 | -79 |
| 253 | Jared Jaffee | 1791.79 | -67 |
| 189 | Scott Clements | 1899.84 | -65 |
| 231 | Stevan Chew | 1825.03 | -58 |
Looking only at those still in the top 300, Olivier Busquet was the player dropping the most this week after slipping from No. 180 to No. 298.
What to Expect Next Week
Looking over the tournament schedule, results from the World Poker Tour Borgata Winter Open in Atlantic City, New Jersey and the 888Live King's Festival in Rozvadov, Czech Republic will likely be reflected in next week's update. Speaking of the latter, be sure to check PokerNews' live updates from the 888Live Rozvadov Festival.
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.
