When the Global Poker Index (GPI) announced late last year that it would discontinue its Global Poker Awards, there were some quizzical looks from members of the poker industry. The reason given was that there were unspecified “other things” that would take up the time of the members of The Hendon Mob (THM) team, who compile the massive array of data used in these endeavors, rather than putting on an awards show. We now know what the “other things” are in creating an array of new awards using data from the GPI and THM.
Some Questionable Awards
In past years, the GPI and THM have awarded three awards: the Player of the Year, the Women’s Player of the Year, and the Mid-Major Player of the Year. This is being expanded in 2026, with a few awards that, at first glance, seem redundant.
The overall and Women’s POY will remain part of the program, but there will be an additional category: Men’s Player of the Year. Usually, the overall POY is a male player, so awarding a gender-specific award would be a bit of a copycat. The reason this does not apply to the Women’s POY is that the ladies, as a rule, usually do not play the volume or buy-in that many players do, so the “women-specific” category is necessary (it also allows women-only events to be counted). In 2025, the overall POY was won by Punnat Punsiri, while Kristen Foxen ran roughshod over the women for the Women’s POY.
The Mid-Major Player of the Year also will be making a comeback, but there will be two POYs given, one to the male Mid-Major POY winner and one to the female Mid-Major POY champion. The Mid-Major POY covers tournaments between $1 and $2,500, rewarding those players who do not play in the bigger events on the international tournament circuit. In 2025, Omar Lakhdari from Algeria won this award.
There will be two other awards for overall tournament performance in 2026. The GPI Celebrity/Sports Star Player of the Year will be given out to the top celebrity or sports star who has moved over from their area of expertise to take on the challenge of tournament poker (any event over $1). This one might have many scratching their heads, as it seems to set a standard that someone who has a “celebrity” status deserves more attention than a typical grinder in the tournament world would.
The other new yearly award will focus on who controls the top of the GPI for the longest period, once again a standard that would seem to be covered by the POY award. This GPI Most Weeks at #1 Award would cover whoever earns the most weeks in the #1 position throughout the year. In 2025, Jesse Lonis, who held the POY lead until Punsiri passed him in December, topped the chart for 23 weeks, which would have won him the award.
Not One, But Three…
THM and the GPI have traditionally highlighted the year’s biggest feat. Starting in 2026, the organizations will now hand out three awards to cover these special achievements.
The THM Flag Hunter of the Year will honor the player who captures the most national flags in tournament cashes in those countries during the year. Yet another THM award, the THM Money List Winner, will go to the player who earns the most money through tournament poker over the twelve months of 2026. Finally, there will be a third award, the THM Most Results Award, which will look to honor the player who earns the most cashes over the coming year.
That makes ten awards the GPI/THM will hand out this year, and (as previously stated) it seems some of them are a bit redundant. A look at the current leaders in each category is a mixed bag, however. These are your current leaders in the ten categories:
2026 GPI Player of the Year (also Men’s GPI POY)
Matthew Wantman – 2094.36 points
2026 GPI Women’s Player of the Year (also Women’s Mid-Major POY)
Wenwen Chen – 817.79 points
2026 GPI Men’s Mid-Major POY
Meng Dian Peng – 1120.47 points
GPI Celebrity/Sports Star POY
Beth Hall – 490.09
Most Weeks at #1
Punnat Punsiri – 4
THM Flag Hunter of the Year
Eight players tied at four flags each
THM Money List Winner
Yuri Martis Dzivielevski – $2,045,350
THM Most Results
Chiayun Wu – 30 cashes
Whether the new performance awards from the Global Poker Index can successfully replace the Global Poker Awards remains to be seen. It does give several new metrics for poker table discussions regarding the “best players in the game,” though, perhaps the intent of the Global Poker Index – to stay on the minds of the poker community.