Global Poker Index: Ari's at it Again - Engel Moves Up Rankings

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Apr 13, 2017 4 min read Last updated Apr 14, 2017

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 April 12.

2017 GPI Player of the Year

Ari Engel was an early leader in last year's Global Poker Index Player of the Year race before ultimately finishing sixth. Engel continues to be one of the most well traveled players on the tournament circuit. He's also one of the most accomplished, collecting cashes wherever he goes at a rapid clip.

No surprise, then, to see Engel challenging once again for the 2017 GPI POY. This week he moved up four spots in the rankings to No. 2, putting a bit of heat on frontrunner Bryn Kenney who remains the leader for a 10th-week running.

Engel won the $1,100 buy-in Mid-States Poker Tour Potawatomi Main Event last week in Wisconsin, topping a 495-entry field to do so. That finish came close on the heels of an eighth-place showing and cash in the $25,500 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown High Roller in Florida won by Jason Mercier. Just as Engel is one spot behind Kenney on the POY leaderboard, he was one spot behind Kenney in that event, too, as the latter took seventh.

Highlighting the other up-and-down movements in this week's top 10 is the appearance of Anthony Spinella. He jumped from No. 41 to No. 10 this week after taking fourth in that same SHRPO High Roller event while also cashing in the World Poker Tour $10,000 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Finale won by 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Ryan Riess.

Speaking of the SHRPO, Darryll Fish took second in the World Poker Tour $3,500 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown to Tony Sinishtaj, and as a result Fish jumped all of the way from No. 62 to No. 11 in the POY rankings.

GPI 300 Top 10

Nick Petrangelo continues to lead the overall rankings for a second week in a row, staying ahead of No. 2 David Peters. Meanwhile Justin Bonomo moved up from No. 5 to No. 3 this week after gathering GPI points from his runner-up finish to Mercier in that SHRPO High Roller. Engel also broke onto this week's list, moving up from No. 13 to No. 10.

Former GPI rankings leader Jason Mercier, incidentally, moved back up from No. 45 to No. 13 after winning that Hollywood High Roller and cashing in the SHRPO Main as well.

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

There are 17 new names in this week's GPI top 300, with 2016 WSOP Main Event third-place finisher Cliff Josephy the highest-ranked of the group at No. 166. Josephy finished sixth in the WPT $10K SHR Poker Finale, helping him jump back onto the list after sitting just outside the top 300 at No. 308 a week ago.

Oliver Weis won the second of two single-day high roller events during the PokerStars Championship Macau series, helping him move up from No. 452 to No. 189. And Louis Salter went from No. 352 to No. 199 after making a couple of deep runs in Macau.

Biggest Gains

Weis enjoyed the biggest gain of anyone in this week's GPI top 300, but it was only barely better than the one made by Tim West who after sitting at No. 510 last week is now up to No. 249 after his fourth-place showing in the WPT SHR Showdown Main Event.

Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi also made a big upward move to rejoin the top 300, going from No. 487 to No. 281 after finishing runner-up in the WPT Tournament of Champions won by Daniel Weinman. Mizrachi's highest-ever GPI ranking has been No. 7, a peak he attained several times, most recently in April 2013.

Biggest Drops

Looking at who fell the furthest this week while remaining in the top 300, Cary Katz took the largest tumble after slipping from No. 78 to No. 213.

What to Expect Next Week

Among the many tournament series happening in the United States this week is the Spring Borgata Open in New Jersey, the World Series Poker Circuit Cherokee in North Carolina and the Deepstack Extravaganza II in Nevada.

Meanwhile in Europe the partypoker Grand Prix & Millions is heading into its final days in Vienna, Austria, as are partypoker Millions series in both Vienna and Sanremo, Italy. And next week begins the WSOP International Circuit Cannes festival in France.

To view the 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 Ari Engel Bryn Kenney Anthony Spinella Darryll Fish Nick Petrangelo David Peters Justin Bonomo Cliff Josephy Oliver Weis Louis Salter Cary Katz Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown PokerStars Championship Macau
• Related Players Justin BonomoBryn KenneyCary KatzDarryll FishDavid PetersCliff Josephy