Global Poker Index: Mercier Mashes His Way Back to the Top

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Live Reporter
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Jason Mercier

Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top 300 tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes a player's results over six half-year periods. Jason Mercier reclaimed the top spot this week, back at the top for the first time since mid-October. For a look at the entire list of 300, visit the official GPI website.

The Top 10 as of December 19, 2011

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank from Last Week
1Jason Mercier2,554.65+2
2Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier2,477.48-1
3Erik Seidel2,470.40-1
4Eugene Katchalov2,436.920
5Sam Trickett2,320.020
6Shawn Buchanan2,310.72+1
7Sam Stein2,268.33-1
8Sorel Mizzi2,207.49+1
9Chris Moorman2,207.28-1
10Matt Marafioti2,069.710

For the third time in four weeks, the top spot on the GPI is occupied by a new, yet familiar, name. Jason Mercier is leading the way once again following his win in the High Roller Event at the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic. No end in sight.

Welcome to the GPI

Thirteen new names are on this week's GPI, and they are led by Nicolas Levi. With EPT Prague's results from earlier this month coming into play this week, Levi's third-place finish brought him back into the GPI at the No. 113 spot.

New Additions

PlayerTotal GPI ScoreGPI Rank
Nicolas Levi1,400.72113th
Nicolas Chouity1,177.76210th
Mads Wissing1,167.54218th
Joe Serock1,160.42221st
Amnon Filippi1,149.72225th
Brian Hawkins1,132.43238th
Andrea Dato1,130.84241st
Cornel Cimpan1,108.07257th
Joe Elpayaa1,103.43259th
Vojtech Ruzicka1,097265th
Taylor Paur1,096.86267th
Casey Kastle1,078.14275th
Denys Drobyna1,058.52286th

Those who fell from the GPI this week were Adam Junglen, Ali Eslami, Eric Buchman, Brock Parker, Faraz Jaka, Frank Calo, Greg Dyer, Josh Brikis, Kevin Vandersmissen, Tom Dwan, Jeff Papola, Mohsin Charania, and Ted Forrest.

Ups and Downs

The biggest rise of the week belonged to Andrey Pateychuk, who had a 183-point jump up the GPI. Along with his EPT Prague finish, is his WPT Prague win, giving him three scores of more than a half million dollars in Period 1.

Biggest Gains

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank From Last Week
59thDan O'Brien1,587.21+82
89thAndrey Pateychuk1,478.08+183
108thAntony Lellouche1,410.18+98
129thRussell Carson1,357.72+151
138thJean-Philippe Rohr1,337.37+121
168thKristijonas Andrulis1,259.22+117
176thCristiano Guerra1,235.66+84
186thDan Smith1,218.95+88
189thJuan Manuel Pastor1,215.42+109
213thIsaac Haxton1,173.26+84

Max Lykov and Chris Bell took the biggest hits. Even though Lykov has a bracelet win from this summer, it doesn't count toward the GPI because it was a $1,000 buy-in and needs to be at least a $1,500 to count. That aside, Lykov's only other WSOP cash dropped into Period 2, thus leaving his Period 1 empty. As for Bell, his win at the WSOPC Regional Championship in Atlantic City last December fell from Period 2 to Period 3.

Biggest Drops

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank From Last Week
193rdDan Heimiller1,210.99-88
229thDaniel Idema1,145.04-120
231stTimothy Finne1,142,76-99
233rdAndy Frankenberger1,137.23-111
242ndMarc Inizan1,130.45-99
264thMax Lykov1,098.74-147
272ndJoe Hachem1,089.22-88
294thGeorges Yazbeck1,044.75-92
297thChris Bell1,039.77-139
300thChris Tryba1,032.66-129

What's In Store?

Tournament wise, the schedule is light over the holidays until early January when the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure begins. Until then, WSOP scores aging into Period 2 will be the main reason for ups and downs in the GPI. Jason Mercier's bracelet win this summer will be among those aging scores, so expect to see his score drop, but will it knock him out of the top 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.

To stay on top of the GPI and other happenings in the poker world, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

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