2023 Australian Player of the Year (GPI)

John ‘Bert’ Perry, doesn’t really need much introduction to anyone that’s played poker on the Australian scene over the last few years, but 2023 was the year that Bert really left a mark securing six trophies. Three of the trophies came in high roller events throughout Asia, where he earnt his largest score to date, battling heads-up with German high stakes pro Daniel Smiljkovic, claiming victory over the Triton, GGPoker WSOP Bracelet Winner, for US$105,487 and a WPT title. A sensational year for Bert, rewarded for courage, perseverance, determination. I reached out to Bert and like most professionals he said “the GPI PoY is not something I chased or even thought about throughout the year, but It’s a pretty cool reflection of the incredible year, so it’s nice to have it in that way, plus my Mum is pretty stoked! Also, it’s finally nice to beat (fellow Australian professional) Josh McCully at something even if he’s won ten times more than me”

Nikki Turner from the Gold Coast, has topped the list of Australian ladies in 2023. Nikki may have been under the radar over the last couple of years, perhaps due to her very humble and quiet personality (at least in the poker room), but as 2023 progressed and I spent more time watching streams than playing, Nikki’s smiling face started popping up everywhere. Nikki started 2023 like a majority of players playing in the in the midstakes events, but after finding herself on several final tables and getting nice cashes along the way, Nikki invested her time in studying the game, put in plenty of practice applying her new skills, within no time she was battling in the Australian mid to high stakes games, up to 2.5K events with the pros like Bert, Jarrod Thatcher, Najeem Ajez and last years Australian GPI Player of the year Yita Choong. Nikki finished a very gallant 2nd to Australian high stakes crusher Naj Ajez in the APL Jackstar for a career high cash of A$47,010, and it would have been that experience heads-up that helped her take down her first mid-stakes trophy at APT Brisbane in the $550 Six-Max Champs for A$14,500. An amazing year, I reached out to Nikki who mentioned she was aware of the GPI rankings, and since going to miss the WSOPC in her local casino due booking a cruise, she travelled down to Bankstown to make a statement in GPI, where she had another huge podium finish 3rd (A$35,000) in APT’s Grind event. Certainly no longer under the radar with a year like that! Well done!