Credit card gamble pays off again for WSOP Main Event player

Joe Marincola wasn’t sure he was good enough to play in the World Series of Poker’s Main Event when he entered the tournament in November.

But after a deep run that ended with a bad beat on Day 5 of that tournament, the resident of Philadelphia knew he would return.

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was just a one-time lucky bum,” said Marincola, borrowing a line from the movie “Rocky.”

“But I’m here doing it again. I belong here.”

Marincola bought into last year’s WSOP’s $10,000 No-limit Hold’em World Championship using an 18-month, interest-free credit card and did the same for his entry fee this year.

The gamble worked again, as he made Day 4 of the tournament before being knocked out in 777th place for $19,000.

There were unofficially 594 players remaining at the dinner break Sunday as the starting field of 8,663 continued to dwindle. Zilong Zhang of Irvine, California, was the leader with 4.8 million chips.

The Main Event continues with Day 5 on Monday at Bally’s.

“Poker is the only sport where amateurs can sit down and face off against the pros,” Marincola said. “I love poker so much for that reason. Everyone has a shot, and you have to take yours.”

Marincola finished in 288th place last year for $38,600 after using the credit card to play in his first Main Event.

With his winnings, the 37-year-old landlord and bartender said he paid off the credit card debt and also invested in the properties he owns.

But his elimination on Day 5 of the tournament remained a source of motivation. After climbing back from having one big blind the previous day, Marincola lost with ace-king against ace-queen for all his chips.

“I can’t get over the fact that I had the best hand,” Marincola said. “The second I got knocked out, I’m like, ‘I’m coming back.’ ”

Marincola opened a new credit card about a month ago with a $19,000 limit, more than enough to travel to Las Vegas and play.

“I’m a credit card gambler,” he said.

In preparation for his return to the Main Event, Marincola ran to the Philadelphia Museum of Art like Rocky Balboa did in the movie. Unlike last year when Marincola had to nurse his short chip stack to reach the money, he had a smoother ride this time.

Marincola doubled his 60,000-chip starting stack at the end of Day 1 and continued to run it up on Days 2 and 3. He had close to 300,000 chips when the money bubble burst early Sunday on Day 3 after more than an hour of hand-for-hand play.

“It was so exciting,” Marincola said. “It was a lot more relaxing because I had a lot of chips this year. Last year, I was struggling. This year, I kind of had a smooth ride until (Sunday).”

Marincola started Day 4 with about 37 big blinds but wasn’t able to double up at any point. He went out about two hours before the dinner break when he shoved all-in from the button for 17 big blinds with ace-queen but ran into the big blind’s pocket kings.

Marincola said he hoped his runs in November and this month serve as inspiration to his poker-playing friends and others in his Philadelphia neighborhood.

“Bottom line, it’s an underdog story, and there’s a lot of things relatable,” Marincola said. “Sometimes I don’t know if I’m being grateful enough or realizing how special it is in the present moment. I’m trying to cherish it. I’m doing the best I can to realize how special it is.”

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.