The Global Poker Index Newsmakers: March 31, 2014 The Global Poker Index Newsmakers: March 31, 2014
World Poker Tour, Neil Stoddart - Global Poker Index
Key Takeaways
  • A summary of the recent accomplishments of players ranked on the Global Poker Index.

Khoroshenin Wins EPT Vienna

Over 900 players competed as the European Poker Tour made its way back to Vienna after a three-year absence. Ukraine’s Oleksii Khoroshenin (GPI#407) was the big winner, collecting €578,392 for the victory.

Marko Neumann (GPI#791), Simeon Naydenov (GPI#205) and Johnny Lodden (GPI#359) also made deep runs in the Main Event.

More Vienna Winners

Fabrice Soulier (GPI#177) was back in the winner’s circle on Saturday, winning EPT Vienna’s High Roller event.

Other Vienna winners included Jason Wheeler (GPI#249), Mateusz Moolhuizen (GPI#157), Walid Bou Habib (GPI#364), Martin Jacobson (GPI#45), Natalie Hof (GPI#6550), Eugene Katchalov (GPI#21) and Thomas Muehloecker (GPI#64), who is currently third in the EPT Player of the Year race.

Calderaro, Cristos, Jaka Final Table in Jacksonville

Local legend Nabil Hirezi (GPI#2800) captured the WPT Jacksonville bestbet Open last week, preventing two Season XII Champions from winning a second event this season.

WPT Lucky Hearts winner James Calderaro (GPI#240) and WPT Legends of Poker champ Jordan Cristos (GPI#88) will have to be satisfied with another final table appearance this season … former WPT Player of the Year Faraz Jaka (GPI#73) also final tabled the event.

Masek Is Lord Of The Rings on WSOP Circuit

Alexandru Masek (GPI#226) made history late last week winning his record-breaking 8th WSOP Circuit ring in a NLH Six-Max side event at WSOP Circuit St. Louis, the city he was born in.

Meanwhile, the Circuit Main Event is down to four players. Millard Hale (GPI#950) will hold the chip lead when final table play resumes later today at the Lumiere Place Casino.

Rast Wins Latest Bellagio High Roller

The Bellagio in Las Vegas hosted another 25K High Roller tournament on Saturday. The event, which drew 19 entries, was won by two-time WSOP bracelet winner Brian Rast (GPI#327).

Rast, who took home 289K USD for the victory, defeated Larry Wright (GPI#479) heads-up.

New Leader at the Top of the GPI POY Race

An impressive March charge has allowed Keven Stammen (GPI#39) to reach the top of the 2014 Global Poker Index Player of the Year leaderboard. Better known to many as Stammdogg, Stammen passes Mike McDonald to reach the #1 ranking.