2nd Annual GPI American Poker Award Nominees

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As the 2nd Annual GPI American Poker Awards approach, the nominee list has just been announced. The nominations were don’t through balloting from over 80 members that are part of the industry, including players and executives. The ceremony will take place on Thursday, Feb. 25 at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. A jury vote will decide who or what will be the award winner.

Here is the list of the categories and the nominees:

Tournament Performance of the Year

• Jonathan Duhamel, WSOP One Drop High Roller
• Mike Gorodinsky, WSOP Poker Players’ Championship
• Joseph McKeehen, WSOP Main Event
• Anthony Zinno, WPT L.A. Poker Classic

Moment of the Year

• Anthony Zinno goes back-to-back, winning WPT Fallsview, WPT L.A. Poker Classic
• Over 22,000 players enter WSOP Colossus for chance at a gold bracelet
• Phil Hellmuth wins bracelet #14 in WSOP Razz Championship
• Daniel Negreanu busts 11th in WSOP Main Event

Breakout Performance of the Year

• Joshua Beckley
• Asher Conniff
• Cate Hall
• Kelly Minkin

Event of the Year (Up to $2,000 Buy-in)

• WSOP The Colossus, Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
• WPT500 at ARIA, Las Vegas
• WSOP Millionaire Maker, Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
• WPTDeepStacks DSPT Championship, Grey Eagle Resort & Casino, Calgary

Event of the Year (Over $2,000 Buy-in)

• Super High Roller Bowl, ARIA, Las Vegas
• WSOP Main Event, Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
• WSOP One Drop High Roller, Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
• WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, Hollywood, FL

Industry Person of the Year

• Jack Effel, WSOP Vice President and Tournament Director
• William Mason, Seminole Hard Rock Director of Poker
• John Pappas, Poker Players Alliance Executive Director
• Matt Savage, TDA Founder, WPT Executive Director

Charitable Initiative of the Year

• Chad Brown Memorial Tournament (Maria Ho, Vanessa Rousso)
• Charity Series of Poker (Matthew Stout)
• Tiger’s Poker Night (hosted by Tiger Woods, WPT Foundation)
• WSOP One Drop High Roller / Litte One for One Drop

Media Person of the Year

• Joey Ingram
• Kevin Mathers
• Donnie Peters
• Jason Somerville

Poker Presenter of the Year

• Sarah Herring
• Kara Scott
• Joseph Stapleton
• David Tuchman

Poker Innovation or Initiative of the Year

• Poker Central launches 24/7 television network
• SHRPO (in conjunction with PNIA) livestreams four FT’s in same room/at same time
• WSOP adds online bracelet event (with live final table)
• WSOP introduces The Colossus

Media Content of the Year

• BUST, an Insider’s Account of Greenville’s Underground Poker Scene (Brad Willis)
• Faraz Jaka: Homeless Poker Millionaire, CNN Money (Jaka, Gayles, Carson)
• Jason Somerville’s record Twitch Broadcast during WCOOP in September 2015
• Joe Giron shoots photo of Negreanu crumbled on the floor after WSOP Main Event elimination

During the ceremony, Byron Kaverman and Kelly Minkin will be honored with the 2015 GPI Player of the Year award. After the awards ceremony, the American Poker Conference will take place, where players and fans will be able to discuss various topics including eSports and Women in Poker.