Global Poker Index: Seiver, Schemion Still On Top; Esfandiari Rejoins Rankings

3 min read
Scott Seiver

Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top 300 tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes into account a player��s results over six half-year periods. The GPI also ranks the top performers of the year over two six-month periods as calculated by the USA Today Global Poker Index point system.

2015 GPI Player of the Year

RankPlayerGPI Score
1Scott Seiver1327.94
2Ivan Luca1231.94
3Ognyan Dimov1192.13
4Davidi Kitai1154.14
5Ramin Hajiyev1145.28
6Jonathan Karamalikis1101.37
7Alexander Trevallion1095.89
8Vladimir Troyanovskiy1089.20
9Atanas Kavrakov1078.77
10Thomas Muehloecker1052.51

Scott Seiver keeps the top spot in the GPI Player of the Year race for a second week, although as has been the case for these first weeks of 2015 there were many dramatic moves made just below him thanks to a few players�� recently-posted results.

The Argentinian Ivan Luca cashed in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $25,000 High Roller in January, then grabbed multiple cashes in France last week, including in the �5,300 EPT Deauville Main Event and in the �10,300 EPT Deauville High Roller, finishing fifth in the latter. Those scores helped Luca jump all of the way from No. 29 to No. 2 in the POY race this week.

Meanwhile the Bulgarian Ognyan Dimov's big win in the EPT Deauville Main Event catapulted him from No. 36 to No. 3, and the Russian Vladimir Troyanovskiy��s three cashes in Deauville �� including a win in the FPS High Roller �� helped him move way up from No. 193 to No. 8.

GPI 300 Top 10

RankPlayerGPI ScoreChange
1Ole Schemion4244.03-
2Scott Seiver3937.19-
3Pratyush Buddiga3800.66-
4Jason Mercier3712.46+1
5Bryn Kenney3594.94-1
6Davidi Kitai3551.22-
7Ami Barer3523.32-
8Stephen Chidwick3458.71-
9Jonathan Duhamel3346.73+1
10Dan Smith3335.56-1

Turning our attention to the overall GPI rankings, the 10 players occupying the top spots remained the same for a third week running, with a few trading spots and no one making any major moves.

Ole Schemion remains the world��s top-ranked tourament player for an eighth-straight week. Byron Kaverman sits just outside the top 10 this week at No. 11 after finishing fourth in the Aria $25,000 High Roller II and second in the Aria $25,000 High Roller III.

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

RankPlayerTotal Score
141Robin Ylitalo2050.64
160Fadi Kumar1951.33
183Thomas Butzhammer1877.64
240Anthony Gregg1729.60
245Roman Korenev1718.53
253Antonio Esfandiari1696.22
266Ludovic Geilich1662.55
267Roger Sippl1661.52
269Darryll Fish1650.56
288[Removed:2]1604.66
290Nathan Bjerno1602.90
298Brett Shaffer1594.39
300Ilan Boujenah1594.19

This week saw 13 players climb into the GPI Top 300, including both 2012 WSOP $1,000,000 2012 Big One for One Drop winner Antonio Esfandiari who went from No. 425 to No. 253 and 2013 WSOP $111,111 One Drop High Roller champion Anthony Gregg who went from No. 399 to No. 240. Esfandiari finished third in the $25K Aria High Roller II to aid in his ascension, while Gregg took third the next day in the $25K Aria High Roller III to help him move up. Esfandiari��s highest previous GPI ranking has been No. 14, while Gregg��s previous peak was No. 85.

Incidentally, Tom Marchese won both of those $25K Aria High Rollers (on consecutive days), and those scores helped him move from No. 135 up to No. 42 in the overall rankings this week �� a big gain, but there were several who made bigger ones.

Biggest Gains

RankPlayerTotal GPI ScoreChange
245Roman Korenev1718.53+256
183Thomas Butzhammer1877.64+186
253Antonio Esfandiari1696.22+172
141Robin Ylitalo2050.64+163
240Anthony Gregg1729.60+159

Roman Korenev earned honors as this week��s biggest gainer among those in the top 300, going from No. 501 to No. 256 after cashing in the EPT Deauville High Roller. Thomas Butzhammer surged in the rankings as well, moving from No. 369 to No. 183 after making the money in both the High Roller and Main Event in Deauville.

Biggest Drops

RankPlayerTotal GPI ScoreChange
257David Diaz1693.30-63
238Isaac Haxton1732.19-54
292Richard Lyndaker1601.04-48
210Phil Ivey1772.77-47
197JC Tran1822.99-46

Finally among those falling the furthest yet remaining in the top 300, David Diaz dropped the most, going from No. 194 to No. 257. Last week we were noting how Phil Ivey had returned to the top 300. This week he sits at No. 210, having slipped somewhat from his No. 163 position last week.

To view both the 2015 Player of the Year and 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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