Why GPI is already an Integral Part of Poker

The Global Poker Index has become more than a useful tool for poker players to view their tournament rankings versus colleagues; it is on the rise as a go-to indicator of who’s who in poker for major industry organizations.

Poker players do use the GPI to gauge their accomplishments in comparison to fellow players. With the new inclusion of more tournaments, beginning at the $1,000 buy-in level, those of many different sectors of the industry can view their rise in poker on the whole, instead of in a select category or tournament series. The use of GPI in daily poker conversations, especially in setting gaming goals, is increasing all the time.

With this week’s NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship capturing the attention of poker players and fans, the GPI entered more than a few discussions regarding the choice of competitors for the invitational tournament. Only 64 players will have the opportunity to compete in the $20,000 buy-in event, which will be televised on the mainstream NBC network in the United States.

Some interested parties suggested that the GPI would have been the fairest way to choose the very best players in the game, though the show makes no such claim that the players fall into that category. Its production company, POKER PROductions, has to keep in mind that some players are better for television appearance than others, thereby helping to increase ratings in order to ensure the longevity of the show.

Mori Eskandani is the President of POKER PROductions with longtime roots in the poker community as a player and entrepreneur. We asked him how much of a role the GPI played in the selection of invitations sent to players, considering that 36 of the 64 players on the final roster are part of the GPI300 rankings. Eskandani made it clear that he is part of a selection committee and the goal was to choose players who would be fun to watch on television while considering results at the same time. “Were we selecting truly the ‘hottest’ 64 players in the world, it (GPI) would’ve played a more prominent role,” he said.

Eskandani admitted that the GPI300 was a helpful tool as a “double-check for who has been running hot in the tournaments.” Other factors in POKER PROductions’ decision-making included “best high-limit cash game players, celebs, and businessmen with affinity toward poker, and players who are simply fun to watch.”

As a poker player, he added, “I think GPI is relevant and can be a motivating factor for players to see where they stand against others.”

Since the mid-2012 acquisition of the Global Poker Index by Zokay Entertainment, its prominence in the gaming industry has increased several-fold. While made-for-TV decision makers may not use the GPI lists as much as skill-focused players and fans may like, the GPI is a necessary part of the process.