GPI National Italy | Top 10

The European Poker Tour sets foot in Italy as EPT Sanremo kicks off on Wednesday with the presentation of the Italian Poker Tour Main Event.

Recent WPT Venice Carnival winner Andrea Dato (GPI#164) leads Italy’s Player of the Year race with double Aussie Millions winner Mustapha Kanit (GPI#172) a close second. Dario Sammartino (GPI#49) is also in the PoY hunt.

See where the Italian trio and their country mates rank on the GPI National Italy Top 10 list:

#10 | Luca Moschitta

Former IPT Saint Vincent winner Luca Moschitta (GPI#503) is the first Italian on the National list. Moschitta’s IPT Saint Vincent win early in 2013 remains the biggest win of his career on the live tournament circuit.

The former Team PokerStars Online member added a second win late in 2013 winning the People’s Poker Tour Main Event in Nova Gorica, Slovenia.

GPI#503, Highest #319  |  1,240.41 points

#9 | Max Pescatori

Max Pescatori (GPI#360), a.k.a. “The Italian Pirate”, has enjoyed success on the live tournament circuit for over 10 years. His first scores came in 2002.

Pescatori has won two WSOP bracelet in his career, including a win in a $2,500 NLH event at the 37th WSOP in 2006. That win remains the biggest single score of his career, $682,389 USD.

GPI#360, Highest #97  |  1,437.79 points

#8 | Rocco Palumbo

Rocco Palumbo (GPI#358) holds a WSOP and a WPT title to his credit. Palumbo won a WSOP bracelet at the 43rd WSOP in 2012, defeating over 2,900 other opponents in a 1K NLH event. A year later, Palumbo would enter the WPT Champions Club, winning the WPT Venice Grand Prix in his native land.

Palumbo, who recently dropped out of the GPI300 for the first time in 15 months, is also an accomplished online tournament player. Palumbo has collected over 1.3M USD in online tournament winnings according to our friends at PocketFives. His current PocketFives ranking is 47th.

GPI#358, Highest #85  |  1,445.54 points

#7 | Alessandro Longobardi

Alessandro Longobardi (GPI#348) holds over 20 Top 10 finishes in his career, including a close call at the WPT Venice Grand Prix in 2012 where Longobardi would finish second to Rinat Bogdanov (GPI#12368).

Longobardi would be vindicated later that year with a win at PPTour Praga in the Czech Republic. Longobardi would collect €100,000 for the win.

GPI#348, Highest #98  |  1,449.63 points

#6 | Giuliano Bendinelli

Giuliano Bendinelli (GPI#310) closes the first half of the list. Bendinelli became a contender in Italy following his Monaco Cup victory at the EPT Grand Final last May in Monte Carlo, defeating Norway’s Yngve Steen (GPI#128) heads-up.

Bendinelli has two scores so far in 2014, an 11th place finish at WPT National Venice and a 47th place finish at EPT Deauville.

GPI#310, Highest #279  |  1,534.16 points

#5 | Salvatore Bonavena

2008 EPT Prague Champion Salvatore Bonavena (GPI#223) is the next on the list.

Bonavena has collected a total of six victories on the live tournament circuit. Other than his EPT victory, Bonavena has also earned a win at IPT Venice back in 2010.

GPI#223, Highest #84  |  1,730.62 points

#4 | Mustapha Kanit

A strong start to the 2014 season sees Mustapha Kanit (GPI#172) move to 4th in the Italian National race. After a 4th place finish in the 25K High Roller event at the 2014 PCA, Kanit would head on over to Australia to collect two side event victories at the Aussie Millions.

Kanit has collected seven wins and 19 Top 10 finishes in his 5 years on the circuit.

GPI#172, Highest #54  |  1,850.74 points

#3 | Andrea Dato

After a few close calls, it was finally Andrea Dato’s (GPI#164) time to shine last month at WPT Venice. The win comes after a pair of back-to-back final table finishes at previous WPT Venice events in 2011 and 2012.

Dato finished 60th in the Main Event at the 44th WSOP last summer in Las Vegas.

GPI#164, Highest #47  |  1,865.92 points

#2 | Giacomo Fundaro

The last WPT Mazagan winner, Giacomo Fundaro (GPI#89) currently finds himself ranked #2 in Italy.

Fundaro came close to a second WPT title at WPT Caribbean. He finished second to Tony Dunst (GPI#1082) late in 2013.

GPI#89, Highest #66  |  2,199.38 points

#1 | Dario Sammartino

Dario Sammartino (GPI#49) comes in at #1 on the GPI National Italy list. Sammartino holds a sizeable 435-point lead on Fundaro.

Sammartino has already collected four cashes so far in 2014, including a third place finish in the FPS High Roller and a 38th place finish in the Main Event at EPT Deauville. He also finished third last month at IPT Saint Vincent.

GPI#49, Highest #45  |  2,634.58 points

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