Top 10 Ranked Poker Players According to the Global Poker Index
The Global Poker Index is seen by many as being the premier rankings system for live poker tournaments. Here at the Betfair Poker Blog, we take a look at the current Top 10 ranked players as of January 15, 2014.
1.) Ole Schemion - Germany - 3,227.76 points
Ole Schemion of Germany already has over $4 million in live tournament winnings despite not being old enough to play in Las Vegas tournaments - that's right, he's not even 21 years old yet!
To date, Schemion has 36 cashes, 28 final tables and 9 wins. Either he's on the mother of all heaters or is truly one of the best tournament players in the world.
2.) Daniel Negreanu - Canada - 3,107.44 points
Daniel Negreanu had one of his best years ever in 2013, a year that saw his lifetime earnings soar to $19,549,209.
Negreanu won a World Series of Poker bracelet when he took down the inaugural WSOP-Asia Pacific Main Event and his second bracelet of the year -- the sixth of his career -- when he became the WSOP Europe High Roller champion.
3.) Philipp Gruissem - Germany - 3,031.37 points
Take a look at Philipp Gruissem's long list of tournament cashes and you will discover that the majority of them came from High Roller and Super High Roller events.
The talented German won back-to-back World Poker Tour Alpha8 events that had buy-ins of £100,000 and $100,000 for combined scores of almost $2.5 million. Find a high buy-in tournament and you can bet your bottom dollar that Gruissem will be in the field.
4.) Marvin Rettenmaier - Germany - 3,027.84 points
There is nobody on the live poker circuit that plays more tournaments than "Mad" Marvin Rettenmaier, but volume is only part of the secret to success -- you also have to be a great player too.
Rettenmaier has over $4.5 million in live tournament winnings and unlike many of his peers, chooses to avoid the online poker world as much as possible.
5.) Vanessa Selbst - USA - 3,016.47 points
Vanessa Selbst is the only female player in the top 10, but she is also living proof that sex doesn't matter in this game.
With over $9.6 million in live tournament winnings, Selbst is one of the most successful tournament players of all time and we would expect her to climb higher in the rankings once her 3rd place finishes in both the PCA's High Roller and Super High Roller events.
6.) Bryn Kenney - USA - 2,806.74 points
Bryn Kenney has a knack of going deep in major tournaments across the globe and it is surely only a matter of time before New Yorker bags himself an EPT, WPT or WSOP title.
7.) Shannon Shorr - USA - 2,774.31 points
Shannon Shorr has been one of the most consistent performers in the poker world since he first appeared on the live circuit in 2006. Like sixth placed Bryn Kenney, Shorr is yet to win one of the three major titles, but that hasn't stopped him winning more than $5.4 million on the live tournament circuit.
8.) Stephen O'Dwyer - USA - 2,737.16 points
Steve O'Dwyer was one of many American players who left their country to continue playing online poker after the infamous Black Friday. O'Dwyer chose Ireland as his new home, mainly because of his Irish heritage and also for its ease of travel to the biggest tournaments on the European circuit.
O'Dwyer has numerous final table appearances on the EPT and finally won one when he took down the 2013 EPT Grand FInal in Monte Carlo for a career-best score of €1,224,000.
9.) Paul Volpe - USA - 2,694.15 points
Like many live poker geniuses, Paul Volpe cut his teeth in the online poker world where, playing as paulgees81, has winnings in excess of $4.5 million.
In the live arena, Volpe has close to $2.3 million in winnings, helped by a second place finish in the WPT L.A. Poker Classic ($651,170) and a third place in the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Stars event ($435,610).
10.) Erik Seidel - USA - 2,693.65 points
Erik Seidel is another member of the top 10 who specialises in the world of Super High Roller events. With almost $19.3 million in live tournament winnings, Seidel is one of the biggest tournament winners of all time -- he's fourth on the current list.
With the Aussie Millions just around the corner, which is a favourite festival of Seidel, you should keep an eye out for Seidel especially in the biggest buy-ins on the schedule.
Data courtesy of the Global Poker Index. Where do you stand in the GPI rankings? Head over to the GPI site to find out.
Prices quoted in copy are correct at time of publication but liable to change.
