The inaugural Global Poker Awards went ahead without a hitch as the jury managed to fit round pegs into round holes.
Award shows feel like a cross between a wedding and Christmas. Dressing up like Beauty and the Beast, the gifts, and the disappointment of turning up, and not getting what you wanted.
Commodore 16 versus Commodore 64.
Gola v Nike.
Aniseed Ball v Gobstopper.
We all love weddings, and Christmas Day, so I agree with Lance Bradley, who said, in his Chris Moorman introductory speech, that we should have of these things.
There was a lot of bluster on the nomination process (Brad Owen referred to the bizarre voting in the Vlogging Category during his acceptance speech), but the GPA will fix those things.
Choosing poker as a profession can be as lonely as a rat in Cat Park, and it’s not only the player’s who feel lost on an island somewhere in this vast rock of ours.
Recognition is important.
Here are the people we chose to recognise on Friday night during the inaugural Global Poker Awards (GPA) at the PokerGO Studios in Las Vegas.
Runners, Riders and Winners
Tournament Performance
Justin Bonomo (Super High Roller Bowl IV)
John Cynn (WSOP Main Event)
Maria Lampropulos (PCA Main Event)
Dylan Linde (WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic)
Winner: John Cynn
Breakout Player
Ali Imsirovic
Maria Konnikova
Ping Liu
Michael Soyza
Winner: Ali Imsirovic
Streamer of the Year
Jeff Gross
Jason Somerville
Jaime Staples
Lex Veldhuis
Winner: Lex Veldhuis
Vlogger of the Year
Marle Cordeiro
Joe Ingram
Andrew Neeme
Daniel Negreanu
Doug Polk
Vlogger of the Year: Andrew Neeme
Podcast
LFG Podcast (Chad Holloway, Jamie Kerstetter)
Poker Central Podcast (Brent Hanks, Remko Rinkema)
PokerNews Podcast (Sarah Herring, Jeff Platt)
The Chip Race Podcast (Dave Lappin, Dara O’Kearney)
The Fives (Lance Bradley, Donnie Peters)
Winner: The Chip Race
Broadcaster
Maria Ho
Lon McEachern
Nick Schulman
Lex Veldhuis
Winner: Maria Ho
Poker Journalist
Drew Amato
Sarah Herring
Remko Rinkema
Christian Zetsche
Winner: Sarah Herring
Media Content
Drew Amato (Photo: Brunson Bids Farewell to WSOP)
Lance Bradley (Book: The Pursuit of Poker Success)
Haley Hintze (Article: Vayo v PokerStars)
Poker Central/Poker GO (Super High Roller Club: Schulman & Nejad)
Winner: Lance Bradley
Industry Person
Angelica Hael (World Poker Tour)
Cary Katz (Poker Central)
Matt Savage (World Poker Tour)
Ty Stewart (World Series of Poker)
Rob Yong (Dusk till Dawn, partypoker)
Winner: Angelica Hael
Tournament Director
Tony Burns (Seminole Hard Rock)
Paul Campbell (ARIA)
Jack Effel (WSOP)
Kenny Hallaert (Unibet Open)
Winner: Paul Campbell
Mid-Major Tour/Circuit
888Live
RUNGOOD Poker Series
Unibet Open
WPTDeepStacks
WSOP Circuit
Winner: RUNGOOD Poker Series
Event of the Year
Partypoker Caribbean Poker Party Main Event
Super High Roller Bowl IV
WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic
WSOP Main Event
Winner: WSOP Main Event
Moment of the Year
Jeremy Hilsercop receives PSPC Platinum Pass
Joe Cada wins WSOP The Closer
Doyle Brunson plays his final WSOP event
Justin Bonomo wins Big One for One Drop, completing Super High
Roller Streak of SHRB China, SHRB and One Drop.
Winner: Justin Bonomo
Other Trophies
2018 GPI Poker Player of the Year – Alex Foxen
2018 GPI Female Poker Player of the Year – Kristen Bicknell
Lifetime Achievement in Poker – Doyle Brunson
Charitable Initiative – Robbie Strazynski
Jury Prize – Drew Amato
PocketFives Legacy Award – Chris Moorman
Poker Personality of the Year – Brad Owen
