GPI Update: Byron Kaverman Continues At No. 1; Global Poker League Increased To 12 Teams

Byron Kaverman still rules the GPI 300 rankings in No 1 spot. The changes in the Top 10 are few and mostly in the middle rungs with two new entries from last week.

In the Indian-origin Top 300, Mukul Pahuja is fresh off a 2^nd place finish at the EPT 12 Malta High Roller for €290,100. So is Nipun Java who made a 4^th place in the WPT Emperors Palace Poker Classic for R355,510. Both show a rise in the charts, while most of the rest continue to hover around the same positions they held last week.

In other major news from the Global Poker Index, the ambitious Global Poker League plans by Alex Dreyfus continue to take further shape and now he has increased the teams to include 12 nations.

Climbers

Nicholas Petrangelo is now up by a spot to No. 4.

Bryn Kenney has risen further to No. 5. He has just made a 7^th place finish for €72,730 in the EPT 12 Malta High Roller.

Davidi Kitai is up at No. 6. He too has been busy at the EPT 12 Malta, where he has scored €34,200 for a 3^rd place finish in the 6-Handed Spooky Turbo Event.

Dippers

The only one to fall this week is Scott Seiver, who drops 3 places to No. 7.

Notable Indian Movers in the Top 300

Mukul Pahuja is up by 14 places to No. 30. Pahuja has made a 2^nd place finish in the EPT 12 Malta High Roller for €290,100.

Pratyush Buddiga drops 15 spots to No. 40.

Ravi Raghavan falls two spots to land at No. 115.

Nipun Java is now higher at No. 153. Java has just made a 4^th place in the WPT Emperors Palace Poker Classic for R355,510.

Vinny Pahuja is now at No. 247.

Global Poker League – Increased To 12 Nations

Alex Dreyfus, CEO, Global Poker Index is a man who believes in never giving up and doing things grander the second time around. In 2015, he floated the poker-teams event and saw a moderate success with the attempt. Now Dreyfus returns with the same event – the Global Poker League (GPL) in 2016 and this time he has 12 countries participating in it.

The event will also feature the innovative “Cube” which will allow viewers to interact and experience the feelings of the players involved.

These 12 nations will be divided into three segments of four teams. The winners of each group segment will qualify for the final, plus another team will join them through a playoff process. Currently, reigning champion team Italy is automatically qualified for the GPL. The remaining nations will be chosen on the basis of their points in the GPI World Rankings.

The chosen nations will be allowed to select two players from the GPI World Poker Rankings (as of July 20, 2016), while the reigning 2015 GPI Player of the Year from each country, will automatically get a seat on the chosen team.

A “Wild Card” entry will decide who will be the final player on the team.

As the rankings stand now, following are the nations that qualify:

1. Italy (champions)
2. USA (North American)
3. Argentina (South American)
4. Germany (Europe)
5. Australia (Asia-Pacific)
6. Canada
7. UK
8. Russia
9. France
10. Ukraine
11. Spain
12. Austria

However, the final teams will depend on the GPI rankings at that point of time.