Ali Imsirovic, Nadya Magnus Win GPI Player of the Year Titles
For the first time since 2019, the Global Poker Index will be calling out new names at the Global Poker Awards when introducing the 2021 Players of the Year as Ali Imsirovic, Nadya Magnus, and David Mzareulov have been confirmed as GPI 2021 Player of the Year winners.
Imsirovic, the young high-stakes pro, started the year as the GPI’s overall number #1 and ended up going wire-to-wire, never losing his lead and finishing just above runner-up Chance Kornuth and third-place finisher Shannon Shorr.
Imsirovic, who also finished the year as the PokerGO Tour overall leader, is renown for his seemingly routine victories in the regularly running Las Vegas super high roller scene. According to his Hendon Mob profile, Imsirovic recorded 53 in-the-money finishes in 2021 with 14 outright victories.
Of his more than $15 million in career live earnings, $6.1 million was earned in 2021. He had 22 six-figure scores, a number that will be naturally augmented by his average five-figure buy-in amount, and three times earned more than $500,000. This included his largest, and last, score of the year, his win in the WPT Rock ’N’ Roll Poker Open $25,500 Super High Roller for $695,355.
Imsirovic unseats Alex Foxen who was the last player to hold the title, winning back-to-back Player of the Year races in 2018 and 2019. The 2020 GPI POY race was not held due to the pandemic.
This will be Imsirovic’s second Global Poker Award after having been named the 2018 Breakout Player of the Year.
GPI Overall Leaderboard Top 5
| RANK | PLAYER | POINTS |
| #1 | Ali Imsirovic | 3478.55 |
| #2 | Chance Kornuth | 3225.11 |
| #3 | Shannon Shorr | 3141.45 |
| #4 | Uri Reichenstein | 3138.32 |
| #5 | Sergio Aido | 3090.55 |
This is the first GPI title for Nadya Magnus who earned the 2021GPI Female Player of the Year, making it the first time since 2017 that Kristen Bicknell has not earned that honor.
It was a big year for Magnus who recorded 24 in-the-money finishes, good for more than $426,000 on the year with 10 five-figure scores. She started the year out strong with a runner-up finish in the $2,200 event at the Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open earning $93,566, her largest result of the year.
Kyna England, the MSPT’s 2021 Player of the Year, ended up as the runner-up right behind Magnus on the leaderboard with Las Vegas pro Katie Lindsay finishing the year in third.
GPI Female Player of the Year Leaderboard Top 5
| RANK | PLAYER | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Nadya Magnus | 2435.43 |
| #2 | Kyna England | 2097.27 |
| #3 | Katie Lindsay | 1861.73 |
| #4 | Sonia-Veronika Shashikhina | 1739.32 |
| #5 | Vanessa Kade | 1632.92 |
The GPI introduced a new POY award this year that recognizes players grinding events with buy-ins up to $2,500 and Houston, Texas residence David Mzareulov is the first to win that award.
Mzareulov, who according to his Hendon Mob profile has live career earnings totaling more than $658,000, had 10 five-figure scores and well as his career-high cash of 205,000 by finishing in second place in the $1,125 Millionaire Mayhem Poker Series event.
GPI Mid-Major Leaderboard Top 5
| RANK | PLAYER | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | David Mzareulov | 2361.21 |
| #2 | Logan Hewett | 2327.65 |
| #3 | Michael Rossitto | 2313.97 |
| #4 | Jesse Lonis | 2302.33 |
| #5 | Nick Pupillo | 2242.76 |
All three players will receive their awards when the Global Poker Awards take place on February 18, 2022, from the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.
In addition to the three Player of the Year awards, the ceremony will be handing out a total of 26 awards including GPI Breakout Player of the Year, Final Table Performance, Blest Vlogger, Best Streamer, and Best Broadcasts.
There will be three Fan Choice Awards to be handed out as well including Best Hand, Poker Personality, and Best Trophy.
