Poker timer and tournament clock
Press Start, put it on the biggest screen in the room, and let it call the blinds: a countdown the whole table can read, the current and next blinds, and a chime when they go up. Pause, skip, add a minute, or load your own structure — free, in your browser.
Blinds50 / 100
Next: 75 / 150
Space start/pause · ← → level · + minute · F full screen · M sound
The screen is kept awake while the clock runs, where the browser allows it.
Blind structure: FizzPoker ladder, normal
| Level | Blinds | Ante | Starts at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 / 100 | — | 0:00 |
| 2 | 75 / 150 | — | 0:10 |
| 3 | 100 / 200 | — | 0:20 |
| 4 | 150 / 300 | — | 0:30 |
| 5 | 200 / 400 | — | 0:40 |
| 6 | 300 / 600 | — | 0:50 |
| 7 | 400 / 800 | — | 1:00 |
| 8 | 500 / 1,000 | — | 1:10 |
| 9 | 700 / 1,400 | — | 1:20 |
| 10 | 1,000 / 2,000 | — | 1:30 |
| 11 | 1,500 / 3,000 | — | 1:40 |
| 12 | 2,000 / 4,000 | — | 1:50 |
Running the clock at a home game
- Pick the structure. The FizzPoker ladder (50/100 up to 2,000/4,000) suits 10,000-chip stacks. For other stacks, build a schedule with the blind structure calculator and open it here with one click.
- Put it where everyone can see it. A laptop at the end of the table or a TV works best. Press F for full screen; the screen stays awake while the clock runs where the browser allows it.
- Start it with the first hand. Shuffle up, deal, press Space. When the chime sounds, finish the hand in progress — the new blinds apply from the next deal, the usual tournament rule.
- Pause for real interruptions. Food arrives, someone steps out, a ruling takes a minute: pause the clock rather than letting the blinds race ahead. + adds a minute if a level was eaten by one long hand.
- Take a break and color up. Add a break line to your structure (
break 10) and use it to swap small chips for big ones — the chip calculator helps plan what everyone starts with.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Start, pause or resume the clock |
| → or N | Next level (full time) |
| ← or P | Previous level |
| + / − | Add or remove a minute |
| F | Full screen on or off |
| M | Sound on or off |
| R | Reset to level 1 (asks first) |
Shortcuts work while the clock is on screen and you aren’t typing in a field.
How long should blind levels be?
Level length is the main dial on how long a tournament lasts. Here is FizzPoker’s 12-level ladder at five level lengths — when it reaches the 1,000/2,000 level, and when a six-player game with 10,000-chip stacks has all its chips worth about 20 big blinds, the point where almost every hand is all-in or fold and the game is close to over.
| Level length | 1,000/2,000 starts | 6 players down to ~20 BB | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 min | 27 min | 30 min | FizzPoker’s turbo speed online: a whole game in well under an hour |
| 5 min | 45 min | 50 min | A quick game, or a second game late at night |
| 10 min | 1 h 30 min | 1 h 40 min | A brisk game that fits into a weeknight |
| 15 min | 2 h 15 min | 2 h 30 min | The home-game sweet spot: time to play without dragging |
| 20 min | 3 h | 3 h 20 min | Deep stacks, or a group that likes long evenings |
Those times are the clock only — add breaks and a few pauses. If the game should end by a certain hour, work backwards: decide the length, then let the blind structure calculator spread the increases so the blinds catch up with the chips right about then.
Your own structure, as a link
Every structure has a shareable address, so the clock on your TV and the one on a friend’s phone show the same levels. The format is short enough to type:
/poker-timer?s=25-50,50-100,75-150,100-200,b10,150-300,200-400-400&m=15s lists the levels as small blind-big blind (a third number is the ante; b10 is a 10-minute break) and m is the minutes per level. Open this example.
The last level holds: when its time runs out, the clock stops and the blinds stay where they are until someone has all the chips.
Playing online? The table keeps time for you
If the group can’t meet in person, FizzPoker runs the whole tournament in the browser: the host picks 2–9 seats and a blind speed — turbo, fast, normal or slow, for 3, 5, 10 or 15-minute levels on the same ladder as the presets above — and sends a private link. Everyone starts with 10,000 chips and the blinds rise on their own. Pair it with a video call and it feels like game night.
When someone has all the chips, one tap on Rematch opens a fresh table with the same seats and blinds, and a recap card with the winner, the standings and awards like biggest pot and bad beat is ready to drop in the group chat.
Questions people ask
What is a poker clock?
A poker clock (or blind timer) counts down each blind level of a tournament and shows the current and next blinds, so nobody has to watch the time. When a level ends, the blinds go up — by the usual rule, starting with the next hand dealt.
How long should blind levels be in a home game?
For an evening tournament, 15–20 minutes is a comfortable pace. On FizzPoker’s 12-level ladder, 15-minute levels reach the 1,000/2,000 level after 2 h 15 min; 10-minute levels get there in 1 h 30 min. Use shorter levels for a quick game and longer ones if players start deep.
Does the timer keep my screen on?
Yes, in browsers that support the Screen Wake Lock API, which most current browsers do: the screen stays awake while the clock runs. Where it isn’t supported, the timer says so — turn off auto-lock for the game.
What happens if I close or reload the page?
The clock is saved in your browser after every change. It runs from timestamps, so reopening the page picks up at the right level with the right time left — even if the laptop slept in between.
Can I use my own blind structure with antes and breaks?
Yes. Open “Blind structure”, type one level per line (25/50, 100/200/25 for an ante, break 10 for a break), set the minutes per level and press “Use this structure”. “Copy link” gives you a URL that opens the clock with that structure on any device.
Is there a poker game that runs the blinds for me?
FizzPoker does, for online games: the host picks a turbo, fast, normal or slow blind speed (3, 5, 10 or 15-minute levels), shares a private link, and the table raises the blinds automatically. It’s free No-Limit Hold’em for 2–9 players in the browser.