Global Poker Index: Laplante, Cimbolas, Zhang Move Up Rankings

Copy link Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Jun 29, 2017 3 min read

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 June 28.

2017 GPI Player of the Year

It was a quiet week as far as the 2017 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race is concerned. None of the top eight players in the rankings recorded a cash at the 2017 World Series of Poker over the last week, though none saw their positions challenged as Bryn Kenney continues to lead for a 21st-straight week.

Justin Bonomo did crack the POY Top 10, moving up from No. 12 to No. 9 after the points were recorded from his fifth-place finish in Event #40: $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo won by Ernest Bohn.

Speaking of the WSOP, there's been a lot of debate this summer over the WSOP Player of the Year race �� currently led by Ray Henson �� and the new formula being used. Unlike last year, the WSOP POY is not being powered by the Global Poker Index, although the GPI is nonetheless providing its own "2017 WSOP Leaderboard" using its own system.

James Obst currently leads the GPI version of the list, which if you're curious can be consulted here.

GPI 300 Top 10

The overall rankings remained fairly stable at the top this week as well, with some small shuffles here and there and Nick Petrangelo still at the top for a 13th week in a row.

David Peters (No. 2) and Justin Bonomo (No. 3) swapped spots again, and Paul Volpe rejoined the Top 10 after moving up from No. 11 to No. 10. Volpe's career-high GPI ranking was No. 4, achieved in August 2015.

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

There are 22 new names in this week's GPI Top 300, with Ryan Laplante the highest-ranked of the group after moving up nearly 200 spots from No. 371 to No. 172.

Laplante has picked up several cashes in Las Vegas this summer while playing in the many tournament series currently on offer. His biggest cash of the month came when he earned $161,169 for a runner-up finish in a $1,100 NL event in the 2017 Wynn Summer Classic.

Biggest Gains

Who made the biggest upward moves this week among those in the GPI Top 300? Laplante's jump was one of the higher ones, topped by a few spots by Matas Cimbolas Cimbolas went from No. 391 to No. 181 this week after similarly collecting cashes in various Las Vegas events.

It was Michael Zhang making the most dramatic upward move, though, going from No. 491 to No. 234 on the heels of three WSOP cashes plus another at the ARIA Resort and Casino.

Biggest Drops

Finally, despite having a strong WSOP thus far with five cashes and a final table, Robert Mizrachi slipped the furthest among those in the GPI Top 300 this week (from No. 137 to No. 227) after some of his earlier scores were affected by the system's Aging Factor.

What to Expect Next Week

Along with all of those other Vegas tournament series, the 2017 World Series of Poker marches forward with the Main Event that starts July 8 fast approaching. Among those other series is the already begun $565 buy-in WPT500 Las Vegas, the final table for which happens July 5.

The PokerNews live reporting team remains on hand providing live updates, chip counts, photos, videos and more from each of the 74 bracelet events. So bookmark our WSOP landing page to follow along.

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.

• Tags Global Poker Index Bryn Kenney Nick Petrangelo Justin Bonomo Paul Volpe Ryan Laplante Matas Cimbolas Michael Zhang Robert Mizrachi WSOP
• Related Tournaments World Series of Poker
• Related Players Justin BonomoRobert MizrachiBryn KenneyPaul VolpeRyan LaplanteMatas Cimbolas