Synchronized Breaks

1. A feature in online poker where multi-table tournaments are scheduled and timed so that they all start at a specific time and timed so that their breaks coincide simultaneously.

Explained

As popularized on Full Tilt Poker, synchronized breaks take place at 55 minutes past every hour. For example, if a tournament were to start at 13:05 ET, the tournament clock will stop at 13:55 ET and all hands will be completed before the break starts. Another tournament could start at 13:20 ET, and the break would still occur at 13:55 ET. This way, a player who was playing in both tournaments can actually take a break and do what nature demands.

Plea to PokerStars

Recently, PokerStars had drawn the ire of the poker community for seemingly refusing to implement synchronized breaks that coincided with Full Tilt's genius system. However, as of September 2009, PokerStars has finally answered the call, thus tournament grinders who play mainly on the two largest sites can now urinate in peace at 55 past every hour.