While my research indicates that it remains unclear who initially created threads promoting the establishment of synchronized breaks for multi-table tournaments, the vast majority of poker players agree that Full Tilt Poker’s recent software upgrade will prove an invaluable commodity for the novice player and the professional alike.

Among other things, the recent update established a common hour (X:55) for all tournaments to break, theoretically allowing a player in multiple tournaments enough common break time to take care of any of nature’s calls, a luxury previously denied the tournament grinder.

This considered, I expect the 2010 census numbers on tournament grinders to reflect an increase in average life expectancy. “The five minutes of freedom, the opportunity to refocus once an hour on a busy Sunday by doing some push-ups, stretching, or peeling bananas, was once unimaginable, but our spirits have been lifted,” says tdomeski. Full Tilt’s update is fairly comprehensive, with a couple exceptions that rarely apply (view Full Tilt software update thread) as my Tuesday night trial run indicates:



Okay, okay... so don’t unlearn your unmentionable excretion techniques just yet. While the synchronized break system developed by Full Tilt works perfectly (give or take a few seconds if your tournaments have differing field sizes), those of us who play on multiple sites will remain inconvenienced until the other poker clients follow the precedent set by FTP.

Some members of the online poker community, via a thread started by PocketFiver Wretchy, have already initiated a petition, to PokerStars, seeking the development of complementary software upgrades, and I anticipate that every site wishing to compete will be forced to submit to Full Tilt’s model. With this in mind, I decided to give PokerStars the opportunity to comment, hoping to write the most informed article possible, and prompting their support staff with some of the previously mentioned data on the general success of the Full Tilt imposed system. The reply I received follows:

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Hello Brett,

While it would be inappropriate for us to comment on the development activity of another site, I can tell you that we have discussed the possibility of synchronized breaks on PokerStars. We believe that for breaks to be referred to as synchronized, they should take place simultaneously relative to each other. No proposal we've seen to this point accomplishes this goal.

We will continue to monitor the feedback on this issue and discuss within our Poker Room Management team, but for now we have no plans to develop synchronized breaks on PokerStars.

All the best,

Bryan S.
Tournaments Team Leader
PokerStars Poker Room Management

* In an April 30th email reply to PocketFives reporters, Bryan S. of PokerStars added the following:

"We have in the past discussed a system very similar to the one currently in place on FTP. We are currently checking to see exactly how common it is for players to be participating in more than one MTT at a time. In short, we're continuing to take a hard look at the issue, and may yet act in a way similar to what FTP has already done, if we believe that doing so would be beneficial."
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While I don’t believe that PokerStars would fizzle without jumping on the bandwagon, I can imagine that this move by Full Tilt has caused plenty of conversation, especially considering the available model and general public approval so far.

There are also a few kinks that need to be resolved concerning the rebuy and add-on accomodations. Currently, Full Tilt allows 2 minutes for add-on’s in non-turbo tournaments, 1 minute in turbos, and 30 seconds for final rebuys in tournaments without add-ons. Previously 5 minutes for most tournaments, this limited add-on time simply exacerbates the pre-existing issue that we can’t remember to add on. With multiple tables running and split-second decisions to ponder, it is not uncommon to overlook the tables that are not producing active alerts. With no audio reminders and very tiny visual reminders, the 5 minute add-on window has already been the topic of immediate concern numerous times in poker discussion forums.

I could be wrong, but for now, I sit in the “if we couldn’t do it in 5 minutes, ain’t no way in hell we’ll do it in 2 minutes” camp. The verdict is in, and it’s time for an “auto add-on” button. This simple feature would end countless headaches, ensuring that those who intended to add-on would be able to do so with the least possible distraction or inconvenience.

When I was approached to do this piece, I was initially loathe to accept for fear of the imminent retaliatory doomswitch that PokerStars will no doubt employ against this poker player and writer; however, it is impossible to remain impartial on this matter. The stance to take on the matter is non-negotiable. We’re tired of spilling liquid on our laptops in the mad dash down stairs for a coke. We’re tired of fasting for twelve hours on a Sunday or resorting to Chinese take-out for the fifth straight day. We’re tired of soiling the floor when “you have fifteen seconds to act,” pocket aces, and about thirty seconds of urine. Thank you Full Tilt, for answering our prayers. So go make an auto add-on button real quick, and then email PokerStars the code for the synchronization.

Recent Scores for Brett "threatnasty" Switzer

<table width="90%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td>$12,348.00 </td><td valign="bottom"></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td>$55 buy-in, Nightly Seventy Grand [$70,000 guaranteed] on PokerStars. 04/20/2009, 1 place for 12,348.00 </td></tr></tbody></table> <table width="90%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="bottom"></td><td>$17,602.00 </td><td valign="bottom"></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td>$100 buy-in, $33,000 Guarantee (1r+1a) on FullTiltPoker. 04/01/2009, 1 place for 17,602.00 </td></tr></tbody></table> <table width="90%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="bottom"></td><td>$11,736.90 </td><td valign="bottom"></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td>$109 buy-in, $109 NL Hold'em [$50,000 guaranteed] on PokerStars. 02/06/2009, 1 place for 11,736.90 </td></tr></tbody></table> See All Scores