Global Poker Index: Kaverman Takes Over POY Lead, Still Tops Overall Rankings

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Nov 05, 2015 4 min read

Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes into account a player��s results over six half-year periods. For a look at the entire list, visit the official GPI website. Here��s a look at the rankings as of November 4, 2015.

2015 GPI Player of the Year

It was late June when Anthony Zinno won the $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller event at the 2015 World Series of Poker to claim his first career bracelet, his fifth cash of the summer (all final tables, in fact), helping him catapult into the top spot of the 2015 Global Poker Index Player of the Year standings.

Zinno would remain in first position for the next 17 weeks, but finally this week someone has managed to catch him to take over No. 1 in the POY race. Despite the fact that Zinno collected both a victory and a runner-up in the recently completed European Poker Tour Malta festival, Byron Kaverman has overtaken him to take the POY lead with two months left to go.

Kaverman likewise had a strong EPT12 Malta, final-tabling the �25,750 High Roller (finishing fifth), just missing the final table of the �10,200 Single Day High Roller (taking ninth), then winning the �10,300 High Roller. In the latter event Kaverman topped a big 168-entry field to earn a �430,800 first prize.

Dominik Nitsche also made a move upwards in the POY standings this week, going from No. 13 to No. 6 after cashing in both the �10,300 High Roller and the �5,300 Main Event in Malta.

GPI 300 Top 10

Kaverman��s jump over Zinno in the GPI POY race means he leads both GPI lists this week as he remains atop the overall GPI rankings. Jason Mercier had moved within three points of Kaverman a week ago, but Kaverman��s High Roller win at Malta gave him a little breathing room as he secured his status as the world��s top-ranked live tournament player for a sixth-straight week.

Nitsche also moved back into the top 10 of the GPI overall rankings, moving up from No. 13 to No. 9. And Bryn Kenney likewise rejoins the top 10, moving from No. 12 to No. 7 after picking up a cash in the EPT12 Malta Main Event and final tabling the �10,300 High Roller (finishing seventh). Kenney��s highest-ever GPI ranking was No. 2 in January of this year.

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

Nine players earned enough points this week to move into the overall GPI top 300, with Johnny Lodden the highest-ranked of the group after moving up from No. 303 to No. 238.

Lodden��s 29th-place finish in the EPT12 Malta Main Event helped him make the upward move. The Norwegian��s highest-ever GPI ranking has been No. 98 in May 2013.

Biggest Gains

Of players inside the GPI top 300, Rainer Kempe was the biggest gainer after moving up from No. 398 to No. 273. Two cashes at EPT12 Malta including a final table appearance in the Main Event where Kempe finished fifth helped the German join the top 300 for the first time in his career.

Meanwhile Jose Quintas appears on this ��Biggest Gains�� list for a second-straight week, having made a big move again from No. 297 to No. 215 after cashing five times in Malta, making three final tables and just missing a fourth.

Biggest Drops

Finally as we look at players retaining their top 300 spots, Tom Hall dropped the furthest after slipping from No. 124 to No. 239 this week.

What to Expect Next Week

While the poker world focuses on the completion of the 2015 WSOP Main Event final table in Las Vegas this coming Sunday through Tuesday, there��s plenty of other tournament action ongoing elsewhere as well.

The WSOP Circuit is completing its first ever stop at Rozvodov, Czech Republic where both a �25,000 Super High Roller and the Main Event play out this weekend. Follow all of the action here as PokerNews is providing live updates from both events.

There are also two more $25K High Rollers happening at the Aria Resort & Casino tomorrow and Saturday, the L.A. Poker Open getting underway at the Commerce Casino, the 888Live Local Series is touching down at the Aspers in Milton Keynes, England, and the 2015 partypoker World Poker Tour UK Main Event is playing out at the Dusk Till Dawn casino in Nottingham where PokerNews is on hand as well providing live updates.

To view both the 2015 Player of the Year and GPI overall rankings in their entirety, visit the official GPI website. While you��re at it, follow the GPI on Twitter and its Facebook page.

• Tags Global Poker Index Byron Kaverman Anthony Zinno Dominik Nitsche Jason Mercier Johnny Lodden Rainer Kempe Tom Hall European Poker Tour EPT Malta World Series of Poker Circuit
• Related Tournaments European Poker TourWorld Series of Poker Circuit
• Related Players Jason MercierDominik NitscheJohnny LoddenByron KavermanTom HallAnthony Zinno