Jason Mercier Blasts Into Top Spot on Global Poker Index

American poker star Jason Mercier has blasted back to the head of the Global Poker Index (GPI) 300, leaping two places to knock Frenchman Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier off the top spot he held for two weeks.

The 25-year-old Team PokerStars Pro from Hollywood is in fact the third player to hold the pole position on the GPI in just four weeks, following on from Triple Crown winner Grospellier and fellow American Erik Seidel, although the new number one was also top back in mid-October.

Mercier – a two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner – added 112.92 points to his total to sit on 2,554.65 following success in the $100,000 buy-in High Roller Event at the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic last week for $683,767 and a $25,500 World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship seat, as well as a seventh place finish at the recent $20,000 main event #3 in the Epic Poker League (EPL) for $89,680 at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Mercier’s second WSOP bracelet arrived this past summer when he took down the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Six-Handed #35 event at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Vegas for $619,575.

Bertrand Grospellier Drops Down to Second Spot

The London-based Grospellier lost 24.27 points and one place to be on 2,477.48, while eight-time WSOP bracelet winner and Vegas native Seidel fell down to third from second spot, even though his points total remained at 2,470.40.

The immediate standings on the GPI 300 shouldn’t change too much over the next few weeks as the live poker schedule enters a lull during the festive season, although Mercier’s WSOP win back on June 22 will drop into Period 2 and possibly see fellow Team PokerStars Pro Grospellier return to the top spot.

Other ageing WSOP scores for players will also fall into Period 2, so there could well still be a few drops and promotions before the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) kicks off on January 5 at the Atlantis Resort and Casino on The Bahamas

Ukrainian Eugene Katchalov (2,436.92) and 25-year-old Englishman Sam Trickett (2,320.02) remained in fourth and fifth places respectively on the same points totals as last week.

Shawn Buchanan Moves up One Place to Sixth

But Canadian Shawn Buchanan overtook American Sam Stein in sixth spot – even though he lost 2.44 points from his previous total to sit on 2,310.72.

Stein dropped down one spot to seventh on 2,268.33 after losing 49.52 points, while another Canadian, Sorel Mizzi, reinforced his return last week to the top 10 by moving up one place to eighth in the rankings by adding 131.56 points to have 2,207.49.

Another Englishman, PartyPoker and PokerStars regular Chris Moorman, fell one spot to ninth on 2,207.28 – which was in fact an increase of 73.93 points – to sit just 0.21 behind Mizzi, while a third Canadian, Matt Marafioti, completed the top 10 with the same points total as last week, 2,069.71.

Russian Andrey Pateychuk – who picked up $599,720 for winning the €3,200 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em main event at the WPT Prague at the start of this month – was the biggest mover on this week’s rankings list, jumping an incredible 183 spots to 89th after increasing his points total by 406.48 to now have 1,478.08.

The Muscovite also finished sixth at the recent European Poker (EPT) Prague €10,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Re-Entry event, while he won the €4,600 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em main event at EPT San Remo for a massive $937,530 pay day back in late October.

Russell Carson Zooms to 129th on Latest List

Other big movers included Canadian Russell Carson, who jumped an impressive 151 spots to 129th on 1,357.72 points, while Frenchman Jean-Philippe Rohr (1,337.37) leapt up 121 places to 138th.

Also gaining move than 100 places were Lithuanian Kristijonas Andrulis (up 117 to 168th on 1,259.22 points) and Spaniard Juan Manuel Pastor (up 109 to 189th on 1,215.42), while Antony Lellouche (up 98 to 108th on 1,410.18), Dan Smith (up 88 to 186th on 1,218.95), Cristiano Guerra (up 84 to 176th on 1,235.66), Isaac Haxton (up 84 to 213th on 1,173.26) and Dan O’Brien (up 82 to 59th on 1,587.21) also posted notable improvements.

As we always note at Poker News Report, with so many players moving up dramatically, there is always a reverse reaction as pros drop down the rankings.

As such, the biggest fallers this week are Russian Max Lykov and American Chris Bell, who respectively dropped 147 and 139 places to 264th and 297th. Lykov lost 286.76 points to sit on 1385.50, while Bell fell 243.65 to now old 1,039.77.

Max Lykov’s WSOP Score Drops into Period 2

Unfortunately for Muscovite Lykov, his 38th place in the $5,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Shootout, event #24 at this summer’s WSOP, has now dropped into Period 2 on the GPI to leave him without a score in Period 1.

Additionally, his $648,880 win for taking down the WSOP event #54, a $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament, does not register on the GPI rankings as buy-ins need to hit $1,500 and above to count.

North Carolina’s Bell, meanwhile, has seen his World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) win at the Regional Championship’s $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event from Harrah’s Atlantic City last December for $358,295 fall into Period 3.

Chris Tryba also lost 129 places to now sit in the bottom spot of the GPI 300 on 1,032.66 points, while Daniel Idema fell 120 spots to 229th on 1,145.04.

Other notable losers this week are Andy Frankenberger, who dropped 111 places to 233rd on 1,137.23 points, as well as Marc Inizan (down 99 places to 242nd on 1,130.45 points), Timothy Finne (down 99 to 231st on 1,142,76), Georges Yazbeck (down 92 to 294th on 1,044.75), Dan Heimiller (down 88 to 193rd on 1,210.99), and former PokerStars Pro and one-time WSOP main event winner Joe Hachem (down 88 to 272nd on 1,089.22).

Nicolas Levi climbs on to top 300 rankings

However, the 13 new names on the GPI 300 will be greatly encouraged by making the latest rankings this week.

Frenchman Nicolas Levi tops the new entries at 113th on 1,400.72 points following his third place at the EPT Prague €5,000 No-Limit Hold’em main event for $361,509 this month. That result is, of course, registered in Period 1.

Also making appearances inside the top 300 are Nicolas Chouity at 210th on 1,177.76 points, Mads Wissing (at 218th on 1,167.54 points), Joe Serock (at 221st on 1,160.42), Amnon Filippi (at 225th on 1,149.72), Brian Hawkins (at 238th on 1,132.43), Andrea Dato (at 241st on 1,130.84), Cornel Cimpan (at 257th on 1,108.07), Joe Elpayaa (at 259th on 1,103.43), Vojtech Ruzicka (at 265th on 1,097.00), Taylor Paur (at 267th on 1,096.86), Casey Kastle (at 275th on 1,078.14), and Denys Drobyna (at 286th on 1,058.52).

Tom Dwan Falls off Leaderboard

Thirteen players, of course, exited the top 300, including big-name pros Ted Forrest, Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan, Ali Eslami, Adam Junglen and Eric Buchman.

The other eight dropping out are Mohsin Charania, Jeff Papola, Kevin Vandersmissen, Josh Brikis, Greg Dyer, Frank Calo, Faraz Jaka and Brock Parker.

Remember to check back here every week for the latest developments on the Global Poker Index.

The Global Poker Index Top 10

1. Jason Mercier (USA) – 2,554.65 (up two places)

2. Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier (France) – 2,477.48 (down one)

3. Erik Seidel (USA) – 2,470.40 (down one)

4. Eugene Katchalov (Ukraine) – 2,436.92 (no change)

5. Sam Trickett (UK) – 2,320.02 (no change)

6. Shawn Buchanan (Canada) – 2,310.72 (up one)

7. Sam Stein (USA) – 2,268.33 (down one)

8. Sorel Mizzi (Canada) – 2,207.49 (up one)

9. Chris Moorman (UK) – 2,207.28 (down one)

10. Matt Marafioti (Canada) – 2,069.71 (no change)