Poker Writer
Triton Poker Series unveiled a new clock system called “Triton Tempo,” modeled after the chess clock. Senior Director of Events Luca Vivaldi discussed the new innovation in a video posted on Triton One Poker’s X account.
Pitched as Triton’s aim to continue to evolve the game, Vivaldi describes it as a “fully networked chess clock system.” Like in chess, where players have a time bank they use on every move, each poker player has a bank of time that winds down with each decision.
When action is on a player, their name, seat number, and the time they have left to act are clearly visible to the table. It’s a granular system that lets players control their own time down to the second. They may take exactly as much time as they need to make a decision within the allotted limits.
GGPoker has a similar mechanics for its final tables. Players get a clock that counts down during all of their decisions. Long tanks only subtract from the player’s allotment down the road.
Triton already has a highly detailed system of tracking player points and hand histories, so the addition of the time bank is a fairly simple addition by the their standards.
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A More Efficient System for Time Banks in Poker
If a player needs an extra five seconds, they can use it without being forced to burn an entire 30-second time bank, as in traditional action clock formats. In some ways, the 30-second time bank system could make the play slower. For example, a player may only need a few more seconds to decide but feel obligated to go ahead and use up the 30-second bank once it is spent.
There are also differing amounts of time banks that a player can get. If a player enters earlier in an event, they receive more time. Additional time is also added as players go deeper into an event.
Positive Player Reaction
The reaction to the news was almost all positive. Several called it an innovative move that is better than the traditional time bank model.
Daniel Negreanu was one player who praised it:
I’ve been wanting to see this implemented for a long time, an innovative game changer for poker. Shot clocks help, but chess clocks are a much more fair and equitable system.
One of the players who played with the new Triton Tempo system this week was Italian pro Mustapha Kanit, who said, “Honestly, this week was amazing. Insane Improvement!”
