that'd be my assumption, too. all of poker players use software like poker tracker or such, but my guess would be that this new guy got a hold of some new program.
what's especially telling (IMHO) was the part where he was 30k down, said brb and proceeded to win much more than he lost. it's almost as if he had a quick'n'dirty bugfix to make.
Indeed, there must be a trick somewhere. First, the guy opens 6 tables and doesn't win. Then there is this "brb" moment where he shuts down 5 tables and start to focus on the last one. The pattern is similar with the other opponents, first he loses, then something happens, then he starts to destroy his opponent.
There is a pattern here. Maybe the guy has programmed a tool/helper that can learn from the playstyle of his opponent really quick (multiple tables at first), making them more predictable and modifying the stats accordingly. I don't know, but something is definitly happening somewhere in the process.
what's especially telling (IMHO) was the part where he was 30k down, said brb and proceeded to win much more than he lost. it's almost as if he had a quick'n'dirty bugfix to make.