GPI Year in Review: Welcome to February, Where Fantasy Met Reality

February saw Fantasy Poker Manager make its debut with EPT Deauville and WPT events in Baden, Austria and Los Angeles …

FANTASY MEETS REALITY

Fantasy Poker Manager made its official debut with the arrival of EPT Deauville in France. FPM was met with a ton of fanfare from fans and pro players alike. Pros such as Jake Cody, Michael Watson and Fantasy Guru Kevin MacPhee are just a few who took a liking to the game.

Almost a year later, FPM is still running strong having just completed the 2013 portion of its second season. 2014 is right around the corner, time to start scouting for the PCA, the Aussie Millions and the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open – all coming in January!

BIG NAMES RISE ON THE WPT

February would prove to be a very busy month for the World Poker Tour as three events were presented in Florida, Austria and Los Angeles.

Matt Salsberg would be at it again, this time at the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open in Hollywood, Florida, final tabling the second of his back-to-back WPTs, yet again bowing out in sixth position. Former November Niner Matt Giannetti would go on to win his second WPT title (he won WPT Malta in 2011, on his way to his WSOP Nov9 appearance). Lily Kiletto and Darryll Fish would also final table Lucky Hearts.

Onto Baden, Austria where two-time WPT Champion Marvin Rettenmaier was looking for #3 at WPT Baden. The German would finish fifth in the event as Serbian pro Vladimir Bozinovic would earn his first big title, defeating Dutch star Paul Berende heads-up. Finnish pro Kimmo Kurko would also final table the Baden event.

Finally, the battle of Los Angeles was won by Canadian Paul Klann, who defeated online superstar Paul Volpe heads-up to win the WPT L.A. Poker Classic. Volpe would be on the verge of more WPT success, months after breaking out on the live tournament circuit in the 2012 WSOP Main Event. Jesse Yaginuma and Toby Lewis would also final table at the LAPC.

FEBRUARY IN A FLASH

Sam Trickett and Igor Kurganov closed out the Aussie Millions by winning the 250K and 25K Challenges at the Crown Casino in Melbourne. Trickett’s victory earned him 2M AUD while Kurganov added 275K AUD to his already impressive earnings portfolio.

EPT Deauville came and went with French player Remi Castaignon earning the Main Event crown. Czech star Vojtech Ruzicka would leave Deauville with the High Roller title.

A trio of big names would pickup victories on the World Series of Poker Circuit in February: Michael Mizrachi took down the WSOP Circuit event in South Africa, David Tuthill’s breakout victory would come at WSOP Circuit Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and IveyPoker Pro Jonathan Tamayo would earn the W at WSOP Circuit Palm Beach, in Florida.

Thomas Finneran won UKIPT Cork … Online poker supernova Luca Moschitta won IPT Saint Vincent … Robert Auer won the Masters Finale, presented by the European Poker Tour … Dani Stern and Rodger Johnson earned six-figure scores winning side event at the LAPC.

NEGREANU’S ROAD TO GPI#1:

After starting the year at #21 and dropping to 29 during the month of January, Daniel Negreanu would loose a little more steam in February, loosing over 200 points since the start of the season and dropping to #41 overall inside the GPI300 … at this point, it looked like Negreanu was destined to fall outside the GPI300 by season’s end if things didn’t pick up soon (Spoiler Alert: things picked up for Kid Poker – did they ever!)

2012 GPI Player of the Year Dan Smith would spend the last few weeks on top of the GPI300 in February. Smith would lose the #1 rank to Marvin Rettenmaier during February. Mad Marvin would not relinquish the #1 spot until May!

SCHEMION’S ROAD TO PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Ole Schemion would add a side event cash at the Aussie Millions and a fifth place finish at the Masters Finale presented by the European Poker Tour in Dortmund, Germany in the month of February.

Schemion would retain his fourth overall rank on the Player of the Year charts as February came to a close.

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GPI YEAR IN REVIEW:

January ››  PCA, Aussie Millions Kickoff January
February ››  Welcome to February, Where Fantasy Met Reality
March ››  EPT Victory for Visser, Rocco Rocks Venice in March
April ››  Kid Poker Hits the Ground Running in April
May ››  Mercier Shines in Monte Carlo in May
June ›› WSOP Dominates June Headlines
July ››  Elezra, Harwood, Alaei Win, November Nine Set in July
August ›› Hinkle, Sivler Win Big in Florida, Rybin, Cristos Win WPTs in August
September ›› Big October Wins for Middleton, Zinno, Marvin Moves to #1
October ›› Negreanu Makes His Move as October Offers Tons of Action
November ›› Four Win on WPT, Mizzi Wins Premier League in November
December ›› Smith, Pair of Julians Win, Schemion Steals PoY

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