WSOP Results Continue to Make Waves in the GPI

The WSOP continues to shake up the Global Poker Index rankings this week with the conclusion of eight more events. This week’s new results bring familiar faces back to the Top Ten, and one of poker’s largest prize pools ever means big moves for others.

Duhamel, Seidel, and Lichtenberger Back in Top Ten

Jonathan Duhamel makes the biggest move into the Top Ten this week with an impressive 11 spot jump from GPI#16 to GPI#5. Although he cashed in the $10,000 NLHE 6-Max Event last week, his 213 point jump is due to his amazing January run. The 6-Max Event is excluded from his score because he already had four higher scores in Period 1. However, his Period 2 scores double this week with the addition of his 4^th place finish in the $100,000 PCA Super High Roller Event and his 5^th place finish in the $5,000 PCA NLHE 8-Max Turbo Event. Both were being excluded by the cap in Period 1 and both age into Period 2 this week where he previously only had two scores.

Erik Seidel steps back into the Top Ten moving up 5 spots from GPI#12 to GPI#7. Seidel has put up solid numbers this WSOP cashing six times, four of which were in GPI qualifying events. Last week Seidel finished 11^th in the $10,000 NL 2-7 Draw Lowball Event. This event replaced Seidel’s earlier June WSOP cash in the $1,500 NLHE-Shootout Event for a 118 net point gain.

Andrew “luckychewy” Lichtenberger rounds out the new entrants into the Top Ten this week with a 10 spot gain from GPI#19 to GPI#9. Lichtenberger has also had a very productive WSOP, cashing in seven GPI qualifying events. His 6^th place finish in the $10,000 NLHE 6-Max Event adds 380 points to his score. Offsetting that by 123 points is the aging of his PCA cash in January and cashes in both the 2011 and 2009 WSOP. The net effect is a gain of 257 points this week.

The Big One for One Drop: Not a Small Affair

The field of 48 was stacked full of serious talent with each player putting in a whopping $1,000,000. With 9 players finishing in the money, it should come as no surprise that over half of the cashers are in the GPI Top 300. The winner, Antonio Esfandiari, not only took home over $18,000,000 but he jumps up 102 spots to GPI#105, the 2^nd largest upward movement in rank and 2^nd largest score gain this week. Sam Trickett was the runner-up in the event and moves up 66 spots to GPI#30. Trickett’s 364 point gain is the largest score gain of the week. Fourth place finisher, Phil Hellmuth (GPI#40 +8), also moves up this week. Returning to the GPI this week thanks to their performance in The Big One are GPI regulars Brian Rast (GPI#208) and Mike Sexton (GPI#292).

$10,000 NLHE 6-Max Has Big Impact

Half of the cashers in the $10,000 NLHE-Six Max Event improve in the GPI thanks to their finishing spots. Event winner Gregory Merson makes his GPI debut at GPI#289. Shannon Shorr has a big jump from GPI#61 to GPI#25 with his 3^rd place finish. Edward Sabat (GPI#225) makes his GPI return after finishing 4^th, and Christopher Brammer (GPI#140 +128) has the largest jump in GPI rank with his 5^th place performance. Also cashing in the event is the world’s current best player, Jason Mercier.  Mercier was joined by fellow Top Ten ranked Eugene Katchalov (GPI#6) and Roberto Romanello (GPI#18 +4) who returns this week to the Top Twenty. Improving his Top Twenty position with his cash was Mike McDonald (GPI#12 +5).

Welcome Back to the GPI

Eleven GPI alumni return to the Index this week. Tyler Reiman (GPI#214) and Edward Sabat (GPI#225) make their return with their performances in the $10,000 NLHE 6-Max Event. Mark Rose (GPI#244) and Matt Berkey (GPI#275) both cashed in the $1,500 NLHE Event adding enough points to their scores for their return. Cashing in the $10,000 NL 2-7 Draw Lowball gave Ali Eslami (GPI#277) all he needed to return to the Index. Also returning this week are Jeff Madsen (GPI#297), who has cashed in eight GPI qualifying events at this year’s WSOP, Andrew Robl (GPI#288), Andrey Gulyy (GPI#290), and Andras Kovacs (GPI#298). Rounding out the list are The Big One for One Drop cashers Rast and Sexton.

Making Their Debut

In addition to the $10,000 NLHE 6-Max winner Gregory Merson, Ryan Julius (GPI#279) also makes his GPI debut after cashing in the event.  Joining them on the Index for the first time are Paul Vas Nunes (GPI#284), Aage Ravn (GPI#295), Carla Solinas (GPI#296), and Dan Perper (GPI#299).