GPI SIX PACK: Best WPT World Champions

The GPI/FPM team is currently live from the Bellagio in Las Vegas covering the prestigious WPT World Championship.

In the return edition of the GPI Six Pack, we take a look at the top six players to have won the WPT World Championship.  It is important to note that success on the World Poker Tour outside their WPT World Championship victory as well as overall lifetime performance on the live tournament circuit were the primary areas of focus when determining the list. Without further ado, here is our GPI Six Pack:

[table id=168 /]

Scott Seiver’s lone WPT win was his World Championship victory back in 2011. The 2012 PartyPoker Premier League winner has cashed a total of 5 times on the WPT, good for over 1.7M USD. He won a WSOP bracelet back in 2008.

Back in 2008, Seiver won a WSOP bracelet in a 5K NLH event. More recently, Seiver won the PCA Super High Roller event in the Bahamas and has already collected seven Top 10 finishes on the live tournament circuit so far in 2013.

Total 5 WPT Cashes, 1 Win, 1 Final Table, $1,704,144 collected on the World Poker Tour

[table id=169 /]

Currently ranked #2 on the GPI 300, “Mad” Marvin Rettenmaier  became the first player to win back-to-back events on the World Poker Tour. After winning the Season X World Championship, Rettenmaier won the first event for Season XI, the WPT Merit Cyprus Classic.  Rettenmaier also final tabled WPT Baden this season.

Since his WPT World Championship victory last season, Rettenamier has won a total of three events and has cashed 11 on the live tournament circuit.  He also held the #1 spot on the GPI 300 for a period of 11 weeks before seeing Jason Mercier take his place atop the standings last week.

Total 6 WPT Cashes, 2 Wins, 3 final tables, $1,596,735 collected on the World Poker Tour

[table id=171 /]

David Williams was already a big deal when he entered the 2010 WPT World Championship. Williams had already picked up a WSOP bracelet by that time (Seven-Card Stud in 2006) and was one spot away from becoming the WSOP Main Event Champion in 2004 when Greg Raymer defeated Williams heads-up.

Apart from his World Championship, Williams also three other WPT final tables to his credit … the 2004 WPT Borgata Poker Open, the 2006 Bay 101 Shooting Star and the 2006 WPT Mirage Poker Showdown.

Total 13 WPT Cashes, 1 Win, 4 Final Tables, $2,959,604 collected on the World Poker Tour

[table id=170 /]

The first ever WPT World Champion, Alan Goehring also won the WPT L.A. Poker Classic in 2006. Goehring also final tabled the WPT Grand Prix de Paris in 2005 and finished eighth in the 2006 WPT Mirage Poker Showdown.

Just like Williams, Goehring was a WSOP Main Event runner-up.  In 1999, Goehring finished second to Noel Furlong in the World Series of Poker Main Event, coming oh-so-close to the Big One.

Total 17 WPT Cashes, 2 Wins, 3 Final Tables, $3,968,724 collected on the World Poker Tour

[table id=172 /]

In one of the most memorable heads-up matches in WPT World Championship history, David Chiu came back from near death and against all odds defeated WPT legend Gus Hansen to take home the top prize.

Chiu also final tabled the WPT Invitational back in 2003 where Layne Flack took down the title. Chiu also has four WSOP bracelets to his credit and has earned an incredible 54 WSOP cashes in his long and illustrious career.

Total 11 WPT Cashes, 1 Win, 2 Final Tables, $3,655,866 collected on the World Poker Tour

[table id=173 /]

El Matador, El Perfecto! To say that Carlos Mortensen has been the most dominant player in the history of the World Poker Tour would be an understatement. Mortensen has earned the most money on the WPT and is tied for career wins with three. Outside his WPT Championship victory, Carlos also took down Festa al Lago in 2004 and the 2010 WPT Hollywood Open. Mortensen also has two other WPT Final Tables to his credit.

In 2001, Mortensen won the WSOP Main Event, defeating Dewey Tomko heads-up.   Mortensen also has several WSOP and LAPC cashes to his credit making him, by far, the greatest WPT World Champion who ever lived.

Total 18 WPT Cashes, 3 Wins, 5 Final Tables, $6,447,960 collected on the World Poker Tour

A notable mention goes out to Season VII World Champ Yevgeniy Timoshenko who just missed the list.

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