In the Chips: Restaurateur Rachel Delatorre’s Road to Rolling Thunder

By Sean Chaffin

Learning to play poker became a bit of a mission for Rachel Delatorre (pictured). One might say a little spite was even involved in her decision to get in on the action.

“My ex-husband told me I was too stupid to learn, so I taught myself,” she says. “And I love it.”

That interest in the game now has her seated among the field in the WPT Rolling Thunder at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Day 1. She won a $230 satellite to make her way into the WPT Rolling Thunder. A regular at the property, Delatorre enjoys playing $2/$5 cash games on the weekend.

Despite her ex-husband’s doubt, Delatorre has now been playing poker for a decade and has almost $138,000 in live tournament winnings. That included a sixth-place finish in the World Series of Poker $1,000 Seniors Championship in 2018 for $129,626.

Along with her poker life, Delatorre owns a Mexican food restaurant called Casa Lupe in the nearby cities of Yuba City and Gridley. There are now two locations and the company has been in her family since the original eatery opened 52 years ago. 

“We’re authentic,” she says. “Everything’s fresh, fresh tortillas. We sell our salsa in bulk to all the stores in the area.”

When not playing cards or working at Casa Lupe, travel is a major interest. She’s been to Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and all over the Caribbean. She has a trip planned to Israel this fall and has also been on several poker cruises. 

With her two sons now running the restaurant for the most part, Delatorre has been able to work in even more time playing cards at Thunder Valley. After a lifetime of work in the restaurant industry, it’s now her time to get away a bit.

“I’ve been working all my life,” she says. “Now it’s my turn to kick back a little.”

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