Smith Hits Top Three; Sands Move Up; Shorr Returns to the Top Twenty

Several of the Global Poker Index Top Ten players were modestly impacted by aging this week, causing Steve O’Dwyer (GPI#4) to pull ahead of Vanessa Selbst (GPI#5) and Erik Seidel (GPI#7) to pull ahead of Eugene Katchalov (GPI#8). However, for Dan Smith there was nothing slight about it. Smith, who debuted at GPI#300 last December, moves from GPI#12 last week all the way up to GPI#3 thanks to picking up 261 points as a result of the aging of his results. This week his win in the Aussie Millions NLHE – $100,000 Challenge ages into Period 2 allowing his win in the EPT Grand Final NLHE – 6 Max to count in Period 1. The addition of points to his overall GPI score due to aging is likely to continue. Smith has cashed an astounding eleven times in the current Period 1, more than either Jason Mercier (GPI#1) or Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier (GPI#2) who are on top of the Index. Perhaps more impressive is that his lowest Period 1 score, the one he adds this week, is higher than any of Mercier’s and all but one of Grospellier’s. They remain ahead of Smith for now because of the longevity of their scores over all 6 Periods, but only time will tell if they will remain ahead of him. Of the 21 scores allowed within the GPI cap on total number of cashes, Mercier has a complete set and Grospellier is missing just one in Period 6. Smith on the other hand has only 15 total, having none in Period 4 and only 3 between Periods 5 and 6. As time goes by his cashes from Periods 1, 2, and 3 will fill out the open spots in his lower Periods. If he continues to post new results, he could be in a very good position for a long time.

While the story for the top half of the Top Twenty was all about aging results this week, the changes in the lower half of the Top Twenty is about new results. David Sands (GPI#13) and Shannon Shorr (GPI#19) each move up 6 spots this week. Sands finished 12^th in the Bellagio Cup VIII $10,000 NLHE Event and gains a net 108 points as a result. Shorr final tabled the Deep Stack Extravaganza III $5,000 NLHE Event picking up a net 159 points which returns him to the Top Twenty. It’s been nearly a year since Shorr has ranked in the Top Twenty, having fallen out last August. He had dropped to GPI#112 by the middle of last month but a strong showing at the WSOP combined with his cash this week has him back near the top.

Results are in from the Deep Stack Extravaganza III and the Bellagio Cup VIII

Shorr and Sands were not alone in their success this week, many other GPI ranked players posted new results this week, including a big win returning Tim West to the Global Poker Index.
West took the top prize in the Deep Stack Extravaganza III $5,000 NLHE event earning him 396 points. Joining West and Shorr at the final table was William Reynolds. Reynolds finished 5^th and moves up 34 spots to GPI#58.

Also concluding this week were the $10,000 Bellagio Cup and the $5,000 NLHE event from the Bellagio Cup VIII. Three GPI ranked players final tabled each of the two events. The final table in the $10,000 Bellagio Cup included Kristijonas Andrulis, Alain Roy, and Sean Jazayeri. Both
Andrulis and Jazayeri are newcomers to the Index this week. Andrulis earned 364 points for his runner-up finish and returns to the Index at GPI#164. Jazayeri finished 6^th and the 267 points he earned give him a GPI debut at GPI#284. Roy, who finished 4^th, picks up 192 points and a big jump in the rankings.

HarabedianWins and Makes Top Fifty

Roger Harabedian was also a winner last week. He came out on top at the WPT National Series – Mazagan NLHE Main Event. His 192 point net gain this week returns him the Top Fifty. Harabedian had been in the Top Fifty for most of the Global Poker Index’s existence, ranking as high as GPI#15, but has fallen recently.

Welcome Back to the GPI

Joining Andrulis, West, and Meyers in their return this week is Jan Bendik. Bendikearned 108 points for his cash in the CAPT and returns to the Index at GPI#248.