What Is Break in Poker?

Understanding a Break in Poker

In tournaments, you’ll take a pre-determined, scheduled break that gives you time to rest and grab food, or regroup between the levels.

• You’ll usually get a break every 55 or 60 minutes in live events.
  
  

• If you’re playing online, your breaks typically sync to the top of the hour across all of the tables.
  
  

• During these breaks, your chips will remain on the table and under supervision.
  
  

• When the timer expires, the play will resume automatically, and if you’re still away, you’ll be blinded out.
  
  

Tournament breaks can help you recharge and reset for the next blind level. This is especially helpful during long sessions.

What Does Break Mean in Draw Poker?

In draw poker, to “break” a hand means to discard one or more cards from an already made hand (such as a pair or two pair) to try to improve it on the draw.

• For example, you might break a pair down to draw to a straight or a flush.
  
  

• In lowball games, you might break a strong but still second-best hand to chase the nuts.
  
  

• You’re taking a calculated risk in sacrificing a made hand for a potential upgrade.
  
  

• You’ll usually do this when the potential reward outweighs the short-term loss.
  
  

When you break a hand, you need to have solid hand-reading skills and strong odds awareness, since it’s all about making those long-term gains and not chasing instant results.