ClubWPT Qualifier Quest: Bruce Collado Goes from Air Force Poker in Afghanistan to Mixing it up at Borgata

By Sean Chaffin

After serving as a medical technician in the U.S. Air Force for more than two decades, there’s not much Bruce Collado (pictured) hasn’t seen. Gunshots, explosions, and even deaths. He’s seen it all during his career and treated numerous soldiers in need. Collado is proud of his time serving his country and after qualifying at ClubWPT.com, he’s among those playing in today’s Day 2 field at the WPT Borgata Poker Open.

Afghan Hold’em

Most players have a story of how they learned to play poker – from college dorm rooms to their father’s regular game with friends. Many were inspired during the poker boom that WPT helped launch in the 2000s. Collado’s story is a bit different.

Being stationed overseas can be tough on members of the military – loneliness, unease, boredom. After being sent to Afghanistan a few years ago, he saw other airmen playing poker in the barracks – a way to break up the monotony of their time in the country and a chance for some normalcy in their otherwise serious routine.

Collado decided to give it a shot, plunking down some cash and learning as he went. Games of $1/$3 No Limit Hold’em became a regular part of his time in the country, not always with success.

“I took some beatings for a while, but I enjoyed it,” Collado said. “Sometimes I won, sometimes I lost.”

But his game continued to improve the more he played. So much so that when he returned from Afghanistan, his poker life continued – and he’s hoping for a nice bullet point this week.

ClubWPT Qualifier

The 43-year-old married father of four from Surprize, AZ., makes his way to Atlantic City as the lone qualifier from ClubWPT.com, the tour’s online subscription site offering players a chance to play for $100,000 in cash and prizes each month.

Collado has found some success on the site and in the past won a nice watch, which he is wearing today. After topping a field of 2,400 players online to win his seat into the Borgata Poker Open, Collado is hoping to parlay his success online into some success on the real poker felt.

As play got underway in Day 2, Collado had 57,000 in chips – not too bad with blinds starting the action at 500/1,000.

“So far, so good,” he said. “But I’m going to need a lot of luck.”

When not playing poker, Collado splits his time between driving for Uber and Lyft part-time and is also renovating his house. Since leaving the Air Force in 2014, he’s had more time to work on the house and has installed tile and wood flooring, and done some other projects as well.

As play continues at Borgata, Collado is hoping to do some more building – this time to his chip stack. Either way, the former airman is having fun playing the game he loves.

“I’m having a great time,” he says. “It’s been good and all the staff from the WPT have all been great.”

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and host of the True Gambling Stories podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @PokerTraditions.

Looking to win your way to a World Poker Tour event for your shot at becoming a WPT champion? Play for your chance on ClubWPT.com, where eligible VIP Members can play for over $100,000 in cash and prizes each month, including seats to WPT events, no purchase necessary.