Deal Her In: Joelle Guarino Picks Up Another Deep Finish at Seminole Hard Rock

By Sean Chaffin

Being married to a poker dealer might be seen as an advantage for some poker players. A dealer sees lots of action and might gain some insight into the game after being in the box for so many long hours.

For Joelle Guarino (pictured), that concept doesn’t quite work out with her husband, who pitches cards at Seminole Hard Rock Coconut Creek.

“He tries to give me advice,” she says. “But he’s horrible – he has no patience.”

Tips may not be necessary. The married mother of three took 43rd place for $15,015 on Day 3 at the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown. Guarino plays recreationally and loves getting away for some action on the property’s tournament scene.

A native of Parkland, Florida, Guarino operates a company selling embroidered jackets, hats, and other items. She plays regularly in tournaments at the Seminole Hard Rock and found some success. With almost $105,000 in live tournament winnings, Guarino’s biggest cash came at the Seminole Hard Rock in 2014. She finished 40th in the $5,300 SHR Poker Open Main Event for $34,921.

In 2017, she finished 15th in the $1,675 WSOP Circuit Main Event here at the Seminole Hard Rock for $16,299. She’s matter-of-fact about her play at the tables.

“Sometimes I run deep and sometimes I bust early,” she says. “It depends on the cards and how I play.”

This event can be put in the “deep” category. As Day 3 made it to the first break, Guarino felt good about her play on the felt and things seemed to be going her way. She found an early double up when she caught pocket Aces against an opponent’s pocket Kings. On the last hand before break, she also picked up a nice pot after moving all in on a Queen-high board and getting her opponent to fold.

Just after the break a little luck fell her way also when she faced off with an opponent holding versus . The board played out a straight for a chopped pot and she survived to keep playing.

Even from an early age, Guarino had an interest in poker. She fondly remembers her father’s nights hanging out with friends at the card table.

“He would have home games and I’d stand around watching him play,” she says. “He’d let me play every once in a while. They had mixed games at the house, and Texas Hold’em was one of them.”

Her father passed away a few years ago, but was proud of her game and seeing her graduate from those games at the house to bigger games at a casino. What’s it like for her at the tables as one of the few women in the field?

“I love playing against men,” she says. “They normally try to push me around or bluff me out. If I just play steady, I seem to do well.”

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and his work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions.

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