The Global Poker Index (GPI), the authority in live tournament rankings and results, is awarding its GPI Player of Year (PoY) trophy to David Peters of the United States. Peters has accumulated a total of 3,666.31 GPI POY points while unstoppable Fedor Holz from Germany follows at 2nd with 3,644.80 points.
What is the GPI POY?
Before continuing, the GPI PoY score should be differentiated from the Overall GPI Ranking. Although both is calculated by the aggregate sum of the Finishing Percentage Factor multiplied by the Buy-in Factor, the GPI PoY score only includes the top 13 results in a 12-month period while the GPI Ranking is calculated with an additional Aging Factor multiplier for results within a 36-month period.
GPI PoY 2016: David Peters
The winner of the GPI PoY could have been Holz if he didn’t retire last summer. But as it stands, although Holz is top in GPI Ranking globally, Peters takes home the GPI PoY trophy for 2016.
Interesting enough, a lot of Peters’ GPI scores come from events that happened in the Asian region. His biggest individual event score happened at the City of Dreams in Macau during the 2016 Asia Championship of Poker (ACOP) High Roller Event where he won 1st place which garnered him 510.98 points. He also earned some points in the Triton Super High Roller Series in January and November for 245.46 points and 156.22 points respectively.
Asia’s GPI Player of the Year: Yang Zhang
For Asia, the 2016 GPI PoY trophy was awarded to Yang Zhang of China. One would think that as the Asian Player of the Year, Zhang would have earned his individual event scores solely in Asia but that was not the case. Zhang’s aggregate sum was taken from events and finishes that he had achieved in Asia, Europe and the United States.
His highest GPI PoY individual event score of 249.74 points came from his 7th place finish at the PokerStars Red Dragon No Limit Holdem Event in City of Dreams Macau. This was closely followed by his 2nd place finish European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague Hyper Turbo Progressive Knockout Event where he got 248.49 points. His 3rd highest of 246.16 points and 4th highest score of 240.72 points were earned from EPT Barcelona No limit Holdem Event and World Series of Poker (WSOP) Crazy Eights Event respectively.
GPI Player of the Year per region
A special acknowledgement should be given to the most consistent players in Asia. Below are the GPI Players of the Year based on region:
Hong Kong: Daniel Chi Tang
Like Zhang, Daniel Chi Tang earned a lot of his points placing in the events he had joined in Asia, Europe and the United States. His biggest point earner was his 2nd place finish in the WPT National Main Event Party Poker No Limit Hold’em for 289.08 points.
India: Nipun Java
Nipun Java from India, who has 2,130.01 pts for 2016, earned most of it in tournaments in the United States.
Japan: Yosuke Sekiya
Yosuke Sekiya earned most of his 1,258.16 GPI PoY score from the ACOP.
Macau: Sam Keng Long Cheong
Sam Keng Long Cheong has not won a major event in Asia but his biggest point contributor was when he almost won a Spadie at the ACOP No Limit Holdem Spadie Event in Macau.
Malaysia: Lee Wai Kiat
Lee Wai Kiat from Malaysia has a total of 1,719.48 pts and is the Player of the Year for Malaysia. He earned his biggest points in EPT Barcelona placing 7th at the Hyperturbo Bounty 8 Handed Event.
Phillipines: Mike Takayama
Mike Takayama earned his 1,132.66 pts all in his home country beating #1 GPI Ranked Player for the Philippines Lester Edoc who is also a Poker King Club Team Member.
Singapore: Alex Xiang Wei Lee
Alex Xiang Wei Lee has been playing in the Asian circuit since 2011 and is 3rd in GPI Ranking for Singapore. But his efforts have been rewarded this year by making a total of 1,391.87 PoY pts making him the Player of the Year 2016.
South Korea: Sean Yu
For 2016, Sean Yu earned 1,318.47 pts a big chunk of which came from WSOP Circuit No Limit Hold’em Main Event #30 in Las Vegas where he won the event for $170,286, his biggest cash to date.
Taiwan: Hui “Kitty” Chen-Kuo
Hui “Kitty” Chen-Kuo is not only the Player of the Year 2016 for Taiwan but is also seeded #1 GPI Ranking in her country. The rose among the thorns, Chen-Kuo is not only consistent but is equally skilled earning most of her points when she placed 6th in the Aussie Millions Main Event in Crown Casino Australia.
Thailand: Chane Kampanatsanyakorn
Like Chen-Kuo, Chane Kampanatsanyakorn is also Player of the Year 2016 and is #1 seed in Thailand. Kampanatsanyakorn participates mostly in live tournaments in Asia and the United States.
Vietnam: Linh Tran
Linh Tran #1 Seed and Player of the Year 2016 for Vietnam has been a constant present in the headlines of Asian Poker news. Although not his biggest PoY point contributor, Tran triumphed in the APPT 10 Manila Main Event and the WPT National Philippines High Roller for 2016.
Article by Gabrielle Barredo
Louis Hartwell
Graduated in Media Communication at the University of Lausanne, Louis Hartman is a co-founder of somuchpoker.com. He began his career in Cambodia as freelance journalist. In same time he was making his living by playing poker every night at that time. Intense learner, he read dozens of poker strategy books to improve his skills during many years. With a strong interest about poker "behind the scene" in Asia and his communication skills, Louis launched Somuchpoker in 2014.
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