Volpe, Negreanu, Barbero Highlight National PoY Winners in the Americas

With the 2013 poker season in the books, we take a look at some of the GPI National Players of the Year in the Americas …

USA  |  PAUL VOLPE

Paul Volpe (GPI#9) held the #1 rank in the Global Player of the Year race throughout the summer. His back-to-back final tables on the World Poker Tour – at the L.A. Poker Classic and the Bay 101 Shooting Star – vaulted Volpe into contention for the overall race. In the end, Volpe would finish third in the world but would still pickup the GPI National USA Player of the Year title, outlasting, amongst others, Bryn Kenney (GPI#6) and David Peters (GPI#13).

1. Paul Volpe 1042.38
2. Bryn Kenney 986.26
3. David Peters 983.67
4. Steven Silverman 940.41
5. Shannon Shorr 929.10

CANADA  |  DANIEL NEGREANU

Daniel Negreanu (GPI#2) finished 2013 as the #1 poker player in the world, sitting atop the GPI300; and although he would lose the race for Global Player of the Year to Ole Schemion late in the season, Kid Poker still wraps-up a strong 2013 campaign winning the GPI National Canada Player of the Year title, outlasting Michael Watson (GPI#19), who battled Negreanu throughout the year for tops in Canada.

2010 WSOP World Champion Jonathan Duhamel (GPI#12) continued to prove why he’s one of the best Main Event winners in the Moneymaker era, finishing third in the face and ninth overall. EPT Berlin High Roller winner Griffin Benger (GPI#82) and PartyPoker Premier League champ Sorel Mizzi (GPI#34) round-out the Canadian Top 5.

1. Daniel Negreanu 1130.87
2. Michael Watson 964.80
3. Jonathan Duhamel 938.76
4. Griffin Benger 777.46
5. Sorel Mizzi 765.48

BRAZIL  |  NICOLAU VILLA-LOBOS

It what has to be the craziest, most intense race anywhere in the world, rising star Nicolau Villa-Lobos (GPI#141) bested Ariel Bahia (GPI#188) by less than a point … in fact, Villa-Lobos, who’s 2013 season included a second place finish to Daniel Negreanu in the WSOP Europe High Roller bracelet event in October, finished 0.13 points ahead of Bahia to earn the title of GPI National Brazil Player of the Year for 2013.

1. Nicolau Villa-Lobos 514.36
2. Ariel Bahia 514.23
3. Victor Sbrissa 360.01
4. Leonardo Martins 326.84
5. Rafael Henrique Dutra Caiaffa 284.77

MEXICO  |  ANGEL GUILLEN

PokerStars Team Pro Angel Guillen (GPI#169) wins the GPI National Mexico Player of the Year title. His 2013 season included a High Roller event victory at the Colombia National Poker Championship on the Latin America Poker Tour (LAPT).

Although Mexican standouts Santiago Nadal (GPI#371) and Juan Carlos Alvarado (GPI#475) did finish in the National Top 5, it’s WSOP Main Event Top 100 finisher Pedro Fernandez (GPI#550) that finished second to Guillen.

1. Angel Guillen 440.09
2. Pedro Fernandez 353.01
3. Santiago Nadal 348.58
4. Gerardo Godinez 255.65
5. J.C. Alvarado 203.28

PERU  |  ANTONIO LAFOSSE

Peruvian pro Antonio Lafosse (GPI#71) ran away with the GPI National Peru Player of the Year title, finishing over 600 points ahead of his closest competitor, Gabriel Diaz (GPI#2546).

Lafosse’s breakout season on the live tournament circuit included an 8th place finish at the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic in Las Vegas.

1. Antonio Lafosse 750.33
2. Gabriel Diaz 111.64
3. Victor Lay 91.37
4. Francisco Picasso 76.70
5. Carlos Noriega 73.40

ARGENTINA  |  JOSE “NACHO” BARBERO

Another PokerStars Team Pro, Jose “Nacho” Barbero (GPI#111), picked up a Player of the Year title, this time in Argentina. Nacho would finish ahead of fellow PokerStars team member Leo Fernandez (GPI#276), who finishes second.

Fabian Ortiz (GPI#1347), who final tabled the PCA Main Event in the Bahamas on Monday, will already have a lead on his country mates once the 2014 PoY rankings are first released. As for 2013, Ortiz would place 6th on the National Argentina list.

1. Jose “Nacho” Barbero 487.07
2. Leo Fernandez 331.24
3. Richard Dubini 248.22
4. Damian Salas 227.43
5. Ariel Mantel 209.01

OTHER AMERICAS PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS

CHILE:
1. Amos Ben 133.85
2. Nicolas Godoy 109.00
3. Alex Manzano 106.75

COLOMBIA: 
1. Mayu Uribe Roca 326.77
2. Rafael Pardo 94.61
3. Alexander Granados 84.95

COSTA RICA:
1. Humberto Brenes 312.02
2. Arturo Morales 50.57
3. Luis Jaikel 44.26

CUBA:
1. Camilo Posada Fernandez 176.34

PANAMA:
1. Bolivar Palacios 257.89
2. Pablo Fernandez 89.81
3. Raul Pino 49.88

URUGUAY:
1. Marcelo Bonanata 157.02
2. Alejandro de Arruabarrena 140.73
3. Martin Lategui 134.31