Friday, 29th March 2024 11:22
Home / Uncategorized / This or That with Team PokerStars Pro Angel Guillen

If you were to make a list of top pros from Mexico, Team PokerStars Pro Angel Guillen could very well be at the top. The man from Mexico City, who plays on PokerStars under the screen name “angelguillen,” burst onto the poker scene in a big way four years ago, first by finishing runner-up to Keven Stammen in the 2009 World Series of Poker Event #13 $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em for $312,800 and then winning Event #32 $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em 10 days later for $530,548 and his first gold bracelet.

Since then Guillen has strung together some impressive results; 15th PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) Main Event for $61,500, second in the 2012 Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT) Punta del Este Main Event for $126,240, third in the 2009 LAPT Punta del Este Main Event for $99,920 and back-to-back wins in LAPT Colombia High Roller events.

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We put Guillen, who previously studied economics and worked in business concentrating in investments, under the spotlight at the WSOP. We asked him…

PokerStars Blog: How was your summer?
Angel Guillen: This year I decided to stop playing so many tournaments just because of the tax situation in Mexico–we have to pay 30% of our prizes which is, to be honest, is the opposite of motivating. Instead I decided to go to Vegas to play more cash games, though I haven’t been playing much. I don’t know what happened. My plan was to come here, play maybe ten tournaments–I usually play between 15-20 so I was going to cut half of them–and the rest of the time I was going to play a lot of cash. I haven’t done so, I relaxed after being sick for a week.

PSB: It seems a lot of your fellow Team Pros are playing a lot of Open-Face Chinese Poker (OFC). Are you?
Guillen: Yeah. I don’t play in $100-point games yet, I don’t think I will. It’s a game that’s super addictive and very time consuming. I play with some friends for hours and hours every night and it just takes a lot of my time. I prefer doing other things. I do enjoy it obviously, but I’m not that into it. I don’t think I’m going to go up to $20 a point or whatever.

PSB: What’s your favorite thing to do in Vegas while there for the WSOP that’s not poker related?
Guillen: Sleep. Probably the food. I really enjoy coming to Vegas and exploring the different types of cuisines. They have very good options. I’m a fan of Japanese food, so this is the place to find good sushi. Every time I come I go to a different Japanese, Chinese or Thai place, so I’m a lot into that.

Now that I’ve been staying at the Palms Place, Lynn Gilmartin (Guillen’s girlfriend) and I have been going to the movies, which I’ve never really done before. This is the first time we’re really spending time at the movies and out by the pool. For me this summer has been like a holiday, the opposite of what it means to be a true grinder.

PSB: What’s your favorite movie that you’ve seen this summer?
Guillen: I think maybe This is the End because I love all those guys. It’s kind of stupid but very funny. I found it entertaining and lots of fun. Lynn and I enjoyed it.

PSB: When you go to the movies do you go all out and buy candy, soda and popcorn or do you sneak your own goodies in?
Guillen: I don’t sneak snacks, but I’m a popcorn guy for sure. Even if we have a big dinner before, I will buy my popcorn, I don’t care. We have dinner and desert but I still want my popcorn. It’s like a thing I can’t stop doing whenever I go to the movies. Lynn always gives me a hard time for that.

PSB: What’s your favorite movie ever?
Guillen: Wow, that’s a tough one. [Long pause] I don’t know, this is a tough one. Depending on the type of movie, I mean I like all the Pulp Fiction-type movies. I also like the romantic ones, which are like the complete opposite. I like The Secret in Their Eyes from the Argentinean director Juan Jose Campanella. I really liked it a lot.

PSB: What’s your plan for the end of the summer?
Guillen: The plan is to go back to Mexico and join my family for a week or so. Then I’m going to play the LAPT in Peru. I was hoping to go to Machu Picchu with some guys. I’ve been in Peru three times, but I haven’t gone which doesn’t make sense. So I’m going to find someone to go with me. After that I think I’m going to Cyprus with Lynnie, and then maybe European Poker Tour Barcelona. I’m going to try playing as many EPTs as possible. Also grind online. I’ve been playing cash games online mostly, and I plan on doing so once I’m back in Mexico.

WSOP photo courtesy of PokerPhotoArchive.com.

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