Global Poker Index: Hall Off To Fast Start in 2012

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Live Reporter
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Galen Hall

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 is still No. 1 for the time being and it doesn't appear that his reign will be ending anytime soon. For a look at the entire list of 300, visit the official GPI website.

The Top 10 as of January 9, 2012

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank from Last Week
1Jason Mercier3,014.340
2Erik Seidel2,851.800
3Bertrand ��ElkY�� Grospellier2,829.100
4Eugene Katchalov2,749.990
5Sam Trickett2,582.470
6Shawn Buchanan2,430.85+2
7Vanessa Selbst2,412.31-1
8Matt Waxman2,395.23+1
9Will "The Thrill" Failla2,359.99-2
10Sam Stein2,248.98+3

Welcome to the GPI

Dan Shak leads the list of new GPIers this week following his runner-up showing in the PCA Super High Roller event this weekend.

New Additions

PlayerTotal GPI ScoreGPI Rank
Dan Shak1,069.61267th
Paul Berende1,045.97280th
Nicolas Cardyn1,043.57281st
Jan Bendik1,036.43285th
Nikolay Evdakov1,028.35289th
Amnon Filippi1,024.99290th
Ognjen Sekularac1,024.48291st
Greg Brooks1,021.03293rd
Ville Haavisto1,019.61294th
Andrew Robl1,008.74298th

Falling from the GPI this week were Alex Kostritsyn, Anton Ionel, Bolivar Palacios, Dana Kellstrom, Faraz Jaka, Jonathan Turner, Josh Brikis, Martin Staszko, Pius Heinz, and Robert Suer. With the WSOP Main Event results now six months old (November Nine results date back to July), Heinz and Staszko felt the effects of their scores slipping into Period 2.

Ups and Downs

The biggest rise of the week belonged to 2011 PCA Main Event Champion Galen Hall. It's been a good start to 2012 for Hall, who finished in third place in the PCA Super High Roller Event over the weekend. He also finished 64th in this year's PCA Main Event (which will be reflected in his GPI score next week). Jonathan Duhamel finished in fourth place in the PCA Super High Roller and rose in the ranks to No. 52.

Biggest Gains

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank From Last Week
44thFreddy Deeb1,794.36+26
52ndJonathan Duhamel1,735.55+30
57thVanessa Rousso1,702.00+30
75thAndras Kovacs1,633.03+31
81stDermot Blain1,590.64+37
115thGalen Hall1,409.46+63
189thJesse Alexis Cohen1,210.98+27
217thMike Binger1,158.56+27
227thBrian Powell1,143.10+50
243rdAndrey Zaichenko1,107.91+31

Fabrizio Gonzalez slipped the furthest this week. His 22nd-finish place in a $5,000 PLO/8 event at the 2011 WSOP fell into Period 2, leaving him with just one Period 1 score. WSOP Player of the Year Ben Lamb also saw his GPI stock drop this week as his Main Event finish fell to Period 2, leaving him with no Period 1 results.

Biggest Drops

RankPlayerTotal ScoreChange in Rank From Last Week
105thBen Lamb1,466.25-60
142ndJP Kelly1,322.52-53
195thNick Binger1,207.02-54
204thPeter Jetten1,190.70-60
235thDavid Bach1,128.13-74
258thMike Sowers1,081.42-76
284thSebastian Ruthernberg1,037.26-77
288thErick Lindgren1,033.82-61
292ndJohn Andress1,023.22-53
297thFabrizio Gonzalez1,016.75-95

What's In Store?

The PCA Main Event and PCA $25,000 High Roller will be wrapped up Monday, so both results will be taken into consideration for next week's rankings. Faraz Jaka and Byron Kaverman, who are currently deep in the PCA Main Event, will most definitely improve in next week's rankings.

A $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em 8-Max event also wrapped up at the PCA and Jonathan Duhamel took it down, so he will be sure to improve upon his current No. 52 ranking. Pius Heinz finished in fifth place, so he'll be back on the GPI next week. Finishing third in that tournament was Jason Mercier, so he'll be adding to his GPI lead next week.

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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