American Poker Awards Winners Announced

The Oscars weren’t the only award ceremony this weekend, the 3rd annual GPI American Poker Awards honored their winners in Los Angeles last Friday. 

Awards were given out in 18 categories, three of them were known prior to the event since they were decided by a point system based on last year’s performances. These were Player of the Year, which went to David Peters; Female Player of the Year, which went to Cate Hall; and WSOP Player of the Year which was given to Jason Mercier.

Cate Hall called her award a “consolation prize” since she doesn’t believe a gender specific award should be a separate category. 

“The concept of Female Player of the Year doesn’t make a lot of sense” She said. “There were 77 men who finished ahead of me in the Player of the Year race this year and for me to get an award ahead of 76 of them – it feels to me like it has to send the message that I am not expected to compete with them. In the context of awards for athletic achievement, because men are faster and stronger – that’s a biological fact – but when you carry that over to an award for performance for a mental game it sends the message that men are just in another league and every part of me rebels against that idea.”

6 new categories were introduced this year. Here’s the full list of the players awarded: 

Tournament Performance of the Year: Ari Engel (Aussie Millions Main Event)

Breakout Performance of the Year: Maurice Hawkins

Event of the Year: Super High Roller Bowl, ARIA, Las Vegas

Mid-Major Circuit of the Year: WSOP Circuit

Moment of the Year: Jason Mercier's heater at the WSOP POY

Media Person of the Year: Joseph Stapleton

Industry Person of the Year: Sean McCormack

Poker Media Content of the Year: Jason ‘jcarverpoker’ Somerville

Poker Podcast of the Year: Poker Life Podcast with Joe Ingram

Charitable Initiative of the Year: Dan Smith Charity Drive

 APA Lifetime Achievement Award: Mori Eskandani

PocketFives Legacy Award: Cliff “JohnnyBax” Josephy

The Hendon Mob Award: John Holley

APA Jury Prize: Matt Savage