Introducing our third KK Crusher!
Consistency. Dedication. Growth. Success. These are the qualities that define KK Crushers, a brand-new initiative celebrating some of the most accomplished and respected players in the KKPoker community.
KK Crushers shines a spotlight on players who have consistently performed at a high level while representing everything that makes the KKPoker community special. Beyond tournament results and nicknames, it’s an opportunity to discover the people behind the avatars and learn about their journeys, challenges, personalities and ambitions.
Following Tommy ‘JustX’ Savov and Vlad ‘Sarah.K’ Barbu, we are delighted to introduce the third member of the KK Crushers family…
Bruno ‘Snoway’ Mazarelli Casadei
The 34-year-old Brazilian from Curitiba, Paraná, has become a very recognisable player on KKPoker, combining an incredible level of consistency with an impressive collection of tournament titles.
In fact, Bruno recently became the first player to win 200 titles on KKPoker.
But reaching that milestone required plenty of hard work, sacrifice and, above all else, resilience, after shifting from engineering to professional poker. Read on to learn his story!
From Civil Engineering to Poker
Bruno’s first experience with poker came in an unlikely place.
“I first discovered poker through a PlayStation 2 game released by Activision in 2005. I thought it was awesome back then, although I only played it for a short time.” said Bruno.
While studying at university in 2010, Bruno rediscovered poker and began to take the game more seriously.
He started studying the game in greater depth, but at the time, there was little reason to believe that poker would eventually become his career. Bruno was working towards becoming a civil engineer and building a professional future in the construction industry.
Then, in 2016, everything changed.
“In 2016, Brazil was going through a major crisis in the construction industry. Many projects slowed down, while others were completely halted. At the time, I was working on affordable housing developments in partnership with the São Paulo State Housing Agency (CDHU), and our project came to a stop.“
It was the moment that changed the direction of Bruno’s life. He moved to Florianópolis, began studying poker seriously and started pursuing his dream of becoming a professional player.
By 2018, that dream had become a reality.
Chasing the Dream the Hard Way
Becoming a professional poker player wasn’t easy. The biggest challenge for Bruno, of course, was money.
“I had already decided that I was going to make poker work, so there was no turning back. My parents always supported my decisions, but this was something completely new. Naturally, they had their concerns because they wanted the best for me.
“I couldn’t tell them things weren’t going well financially, especially since I had already started building a career as an engineer—they would have tried to convince me to return to engineering or take a government job.
“So I did whatever it took to keep chasing my dream. I worked as a lifeguard and recreation staff member at water parks and hotels, and also as a poker dealer, while studying and playing during my free time.“
It was a difficult period, but Bruno’s determination never disappeared.
Even during the biggest downswings, thoughts of quitting would only last a few hours. The next morning, he would wake up and get back to work.
The Resilience of a Poker Crusher
That mentality has become one of the defining characteristics of Bruno’s poker career.
When asked what separates great tournament players from average ones, his answer isn’t about advanced strategy or complicated mathematics. It’s about resilience.
“The ability to take punches, come back the next day, and still give your best.”
For Bruno, success is about being willing to look back at difficult decisions, review mistakes and learn from them.
It’s about putting your ego aside, understanding what went wrong and trying to ensure you don’t repeat the same mistakes.
That mindset has helped Bruno build a career based on consistency. His biggest strength as a poker player? One word. Resilience.
And when asked one thing he could never play without during an online session, Bruno’s answer summed up his mindset and personality perfectly! “Honestly, just electricity and an internet connection! I can adapt to everything else 😄ha!”
Becoming ‘Snoway’
Bruno’s KKPoker nickname has become very well known within the community, but has a surprisingly simple origin.
“When I was a kid, I used to skateboard. Snoway was a skateboard and accessories brand that I really liked. When it came time to create a nickname, it was simply the first name that came to mind.“
And Bruno has certainly given the name plenty of reasons to be remembered!
200 KKPoker Titles and Counting
Bruno’s list of KKPoker achievements is already impressive.
But one accomplishment stands above the rest. Winning the March Millions Leaderboard and becoming the first player in KKPoker history to reach 200 titles.
It’s a milestone that perfectly represents the consistency and volume that have defined Bruno’s career.
Although his playing volume dropped significantly after 2022, Bruno has worked hard to rebuild his schedule.
This year, he’s averaging around 700 tournaments every month. The results speak for themselves.
“I’ve always been focused on online poker, and now one of my main goals is to start playing more live tournaments as well.”
A Five-Figure Score
One of Bruno’s favourite poker memories came early in his career.
“The memory of winning my first five-figure score stands out. We were four-handed, and one of the strongest and most accomplished players at the table accused me of being ghosted.
“Ironically, I took it as a compliment—he was basically saying I was playing exceptionally well. That moment gave me even more confidence to trust my decisions, and I went on to win the tournament.”
Rather than letting it affect him, the moment gave Bruno even more confidence in his game.
Another career highlight for Bruno came on GGPoker network, where he turned a $50 buy-in into an $88,000 payday!
Life Beyond the Tables
Away from poker, Bruno describes himself as a ‘calm‘ and ‘easygoing person‘ who prefers to keep life flexible.
He’s not someone who follows a strict routine or plans every detail of his day. Instead, he likes to decide what he wants to do in the moment and simply go for it.
Bruno’s interests outside of poker include travelling, riding motorcycles, relaxing on beaches and visiting waterfalls. He’s also a fan of online gaming, including Counter-Strike and RPG games.
His favourite travel destination is Florianópolis, a city where he lived for many years and where an important chapter of his poker journey began. Now, he’s hoping to add more destinations to his poker travel list, with Las Vegas currently his favourite poker destination.
The Next Chapter
After years of focusing primarily on online poker, Bruno is ready to explore a new challenge. Live tournaments.
While he’s made only a handful of appearances on the live circuit so far, he’s now looking to increase his presence at live events and experience more of what tournament poker has to offer away from the online tables.
It’s another example of the mindset that has defined his career. Keep moving forward. Keep improving. Keep chasing the next goal.
Bruno’s Advice for the KKPoker Community
“Study the game.”
With so many free and affordable tools available today, Bruno believes upcoming poker players have more opportunities than ever to improve their skills.
But studying is only part of the equation. Bruno also believes poker players need to leave their ego at the door, focus on making the best possible decision in every situation and, most importantly, enjoy the journey.
His philosophy for poker, and life, is just as simple.
“Don’t panic during the bad times, and don’t get carried away during the good ones. Everything passes.”
Stay resilient. Stay consistent. Keep chasing your goals.
It’s a mindset that has taken Bruno from civil engineering and working multiple jobs to keep his poker dream alive, all the way to becoming the first player in KKPoker history to reach 200 tournament titles.
That’s exactly why Bruno ‘Snoway‘ Mazarelli Casadei is the perfect addition to the KK Crushers.
“Knowing that my dedication to poker has made me a reference point within the KKPoker community is extremely rewarding.” added Bruno.
And perhaps one day, your own journey could earn you the title of KK Crusher!
Follow Snoway’s poker journey on KKPoker.
Stay tuned for more KK Crusher announcements, including special bounty tournaments coming soon!
