The Global Poker Index and The Hendon Mob threw a big party at PokerGO’s studio in the Aria on Saturday night, honoring the best in the poker industry over the previous 12 months with the Global Poker Awards 2023.
There were a total of twenty-seven categories to compete in. Some of them had a victor chosen for them months ago. Stephen Song went into the GPI Awards in Las Vegas as a double winner and a candidate for two more categories, having earned the requisite ranking points throughout the season to be awarded GPI Player of the Year and GPI Mid-Major Player of the Year. It came as a shock to Ethan Yau, who was nominated for three awards, when he won two of them.
Stephen Chidwick, the night’s third double winner, took pleasure in both simultaneously. As the PokerGO Tour’s overall champion, he was expected to deliver a prepared acceptance speech and return to the stage to receive the honors bestowed upon him by his peers as the game’s top threat.
This year’s Global Poker Awards event was the first time the Poker ICON honorary award was presented. After making his last professional appearance on the first episode of the new season of High Stakes Poker, Gabe Kaplan was awarded the first trophy of the year. With a special video message, Gabriel managed to put a smile on everyone’s face. I discovered that the definition of “Icon” in the dictionary is “old person.”
Among the other accolades that caught people’s attention were those given out for “Macho Man” Dan Cates’s final table at the WSOP Poker Players’ Championship being the finest final table of the year and for Angela Jordison’s breakthrough performance at the tables.
In terms of live broadcasts on the Internet, the people voted for the J4 hand between Garret Adelstein and Robbi Jade Lew and Hustler Casino Live as the greatest of the year. You have to experience the joy that the entertainment brings us.
The only thing that might have been better would have been if the EPT Barcelona had gotten more votes to win Best Event of the Year instead of the revamped WPT World Championship.
Below is the full list of awardees, with those that won appearing in boldface next to their respective categories.
Gambling legend Gabe Kaplan
Star Gold Coast, the Best Nonprofit Project
Cherish Andrews wins the Women’s GPI Player of the Year award.
Stephen Song was named the GPI Mid Major Player of the Year.
Stephen Song wins the GPI Male Player of the Year award.
Stephen Chidwick, Player of the Year on the PokerGO Tour
The Most Difficult Opponent, According to the Players:
Altman, Brian
Chidwick, Stephen
Foxen, Alex
Best FT Performance, Stephen Song:
“Jungleman” Daniel Cates won the $50,000 WSOP Poker Players’ Championship.
Main Event Winner Espen Uhlen Jrstad at the WSOP
GPI Breakthrough Player: Daniel Negreanu, WPT Premier Championship Stephen Song, Super High Roller Bowl VII
A. Jordison, Angela
Jrstad Espen Uhlen
Alexis Lococo Best Circuit Comeback: PapaMC Punnat Punsri Ethan Yau Rampage
Ivey, Phil
Mr. Alex Keating
Swift von Kriegenbergh Taylor
D. Weinman, Daniel
Among the Top Twitter Users:
Author: Phil Galfond
Jaffe, Will
Kerstetter, Jamie
Best Streamer, Marle Spragg
Lex Veldhuis “LexVeldhuis,” Benjamin “Spraggy” Spragg, Jon “apestylespoker” Van Fleet, and Kevin “kevinmartin” Martin for Best Videoblog.
Burton, Jaman
Grandoli, Mariano
Owen Brad
Content Creator on the Rise: Ethan Yau ‘Rampage’
Bode, Natalie
C. Comeskey Caitlin
Fullen, Jesse
Lexy Gavin-Mather, Prominent Businesswoman:
Beauregard, Ryan
John Effel
M. Eskandani Mori
Best Tournament Director, Tana Karn:
Campbell, Paul
Raymond Pulford
Matt Savage
Toby Stone’s Top-Rated Show:
Best Mid-Major Tour: European Poker Tour Main Event Triton Poker Coin Rivet Invitation World Series of Poker Main Event WPT World Championship, Wynn Las Vegas
Best Commentator: RUNGOOD Poker Series (RGPS), MSPT, WSOP Circuit (WSOPC), WPT Prime (WPTP).
J. Hartigan James
Kerstetter, Jamie
In the words of Jeff Platt
Nicholas Schulman
The Top Podcasts:
Podcast for Friends Only (Matt Berkey, Melissa Schubert and Landon Tice).
Hearing Poker (James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton)
Podcasts from PokerGO (Timothy Duckworth, Donnie Peters and Remko Rinkema)
Poker podcast hosted by David Lappin, Dara O’Kearney, and Barry Carter under the name “The Chip Race.”
Text: Best Media Content
Fiorvanti, Tim
Richards, Connor
Shahade, Jennifer
Award-Winning Media Productions by Robbie Strazynski, Video:
C. Comeskey Caitlin
Ingram, Joey, and Liow, Gregory. “Greg Goes All In” Best Media Content, Marle Spragg; Picture:
Abrego, Antonio
Alec Hayley Hochstetler Public Choice Award for the Rome Spenser Sembrat:
WSOP Main Event Bracelet European Poker Tour Main Event PokerGO Tour Stairway to Millions WPA Main Event
People’s Choice Award for Best Live Stream:
Casino King
Casino Hustler – Live!
Live Poker from the EPT at the Lodge
People’s Choice Award for Most Admired Individual:
DePaulo, Ryan
Mojave Felipe Ramos
Veldhuis, Lex
Best Hand (as voted on by the public): Ethan Yau “Rampage”
Salseo’s hand at Hustler Casino Live is a J-4.
Negreanu wins big in the SHR Bowl poker tournament.
PapoMC’s WSOP ME bluff
The WSOP Main Event complete house of David Diaz was busted.
