Poker Blind Timer
Free poker tournament clock for home games. Choose from 4 preset structures or create your own custom blinds. 30 auto-advancing levels with antes — just press Start.
Level 1 of 30
25 / 50
12:00
Next: Level 2 — 50/100
How to Run a Home Poker Tournament
Running a smooth home poker tournament comes down to three things: a good blind structure, the right starting stacks, and a reliable timer. This free blind timer handles the pacing so you can focus on playing.
1. Choose your structure — Select one of the four presets or create a custom structure. Standard (12-minute levels) works for most home games with 6-10 players, finishing in about 2-3 hours. Turbo (8 min) is faster, Deep Stack (20 min) is more strategic, and Hyper Turbo (5 min) is great for quick sit-and-gos. Use Custom to set your own starting blinds and level duration.
2. Set up starting stacks — Give each player 50-100 big blinds. With the standard structure starting at 25/50, a 5,000 chip starting stack is ideal. Use denominations of 25, 100, 500, and 1,000 so players have enough chips for betting at every level.
3. Start the timer — Press Start and the clock counts down. When a level ends, the timer automatically advances to the next blind level and resets the countdown. Use the Pause button for breaks (every 4-5 levels is standard) and the Next Level button to skip ahead if needed.
Recommended Blind Structures by Game Length
| Structure | Level Time | Players | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyper Turbo | 5 min | 4-6 | 30-60 min |
| Turbo | 8 min | 6-8 | 1-2 hours |
| Standard | 12 min | 6-10 | 2-3 hours |
| Deep Stack | 20 min | 6-10 | 3-5 hours |
| Custom | Your choice | Any | Varies |
Tournament Pacing Tips
Take breaks — Schedule a 5-10 minute break every 4-5 levels. Pause the timer during breaks. This keeps players fresh and gives everyone time to regroup, grab food, and discuss hands.
Announce upcoming levels — The timer shows a preview of the next blind level. Announce the upcoming blinds and antes about 30 seconds before a level change so players can plan their strategy. The timer turns yellow at 60 seconds remaining and red at 30 seconds.
Adjust for player count — Fewer players means less time per level is needed. With 4-5 players, use Turbo or Hyper Turbo. With 8-10 players, Standard or Deep Stack keeps the game from running too long. If you have a fixed end time, work backwards to choose your structure.
Consider rebuys and add-ons — If you allow rebuys, set a cutoff level (commonly through Level 4 or 5). After the rebuy period, antes kick in and the tournament shifts into a freezeout. Rebuys extend the tournament by roughly 20-30 minutes depending on how many players rebuy.
Antes Explained
An ante is a forced bet that every player at the table must post before each hand, in addition to the blinds. Antes increase the size of the starting pot, which creates more incentive to play hands and steal pots. Without antes, tight players can wait forever for premium hands with little cost.
In all four structures on this timer, antes are introduced at Level 4 (100/200 blinds with a 25 ante) and increase with each subsequent level. The ante is typically 10-25% of the big blind. For example, at the 200/400 level, the ante is 50. With 8 players posting a 50 ante, the starting pot is 800 (400 in antes + 200 small blind + 200 big blind), which is double what it would be without antes.
Some home games use a big blind ante format, where only the big blind player posts the entire ante for the table. This speeds up the game since you don't need every player to post a separate chip. The amount is the same (ante x number of players), just collected from one player. You can use either format with this timer — the ante amount per player is displayed next to the blinds.
Frequently Asked Questions
›What blind structure should I use for a home poker tournament?
It depends on how long you want the tournament to last and how many players you have. For a casual home game with 6-10 players, the Standard (12 minute) structure works well — it gives players enough time to play real poker while keeping the game moving. If you have fewer players or want a faster game, try the Turbo (8 minute) structure. For a more serious, skill-based tournament with deeper stacks, choose the Deep Stack (20 minute) structure. The Hyper Turbo (5 minute) is best for quick sit-and-go games or when you want to play multiple tournaments in one night.
›How long should blind levels be in a poker tournament?
Blind level duration determines the pace and skill factor of your tournament. Longer levels (15-20 minutes) create a deeper, more strategic game where players can wait for premium hands and make careful decisions. Shorter levels (5-8 minutes) force more action and increase the luck factor since players must play more hands as blinds escalate quickly. For most home games, 10-15 minute levels provide a good balance. A tournament with 12-minute levels and 8-10 players typically lasts 2-3 hours.
›When should I add antes to a poker tournament?
Antes should be introduced after the first few blind levels to encourage action and build pots. In most standard structures, antes kick in at Level 4 (100/200 with a 25 ante). Antes create a larger starting pot, which incentivizes players to steal blinds and play more hands. Without antes, tight play is too rewarding in the middle stages. A good rule of thumb is to set the ante at about 10-25% of the big blind. This timer automatically includes antes at the appropriate levels in all four structures.
›How many chips do players need for a poker tournament?
A good starting stack is 50-100 big blinds. With a standard structure starting at 25/50 blinds, give each player 5,000-10,000 in chips. A common chip distribution for a 5,000 starting stack: 10x 25-value chips, 10x 100-value chips, 5x 500-value chips, and 2x 1,000-value chips. Having 50+ big blinds gives players room to play poker rather than just pushing all-in. For deeper structures, consider 10,000-15,000 starting stacks to match the longer blind levels.
›How long will a poker tournament last?
Tournament length depends on blind level duration, number of players, and starting stack depth. As a rough guide: multiply the number of levels you expect to play by the level duration. With 8 players and standard 12-minute levels, expect 8-12 levels of play, meaning the tournament runs about 1.5-2.5 hours. Turbo tournaments (8-minute levels) with the same players finish in about 1-1.5 hours. Deep stack tournaments (20-minute levels) can run 3-4 hours. Add 10-15 minutes for a break every 4-5 levels.
›What is a turbo poker tournament?
A turbo tournament uses shorter blind levels (typically 5-8 minutes) compared to a standard tournament (12-20 minutes). The faster blind escalation means the average stack shrinks in big blind terms much more quickly, forcing players into shorter-stacked decisions earlier. Turbo tournaments are more luck-dependent since there is less time to wait for premium hands, but they are popular for home games because they finish faster and let you play multiple events in one session. Hyper turbos (3-5 minute levels) push this concept even further.
›How do I create a custom blind structure?
Select 'Custom' from the structure dropdown. Enter your starting small blind, big blind, and level duration in minutes. The timer automatically generates 30 levels with gradually increasing blinds and antes (starting at level 4). Blinds increase by roughly 1.5x in early levels and 1.25x in later levels, rounded to nice numbers. This lets you match your home game's chip denominations and desired pace.
›Do I need to install anything to use this poker timer?
No. This poker blind timer runs entirely in your browser — no downloads, no sign-up, no ads. Open the page on your phone, tablet, or laptop, pick a structure, and press Start. It works offline once loaded and is fully mobile-friendly, so you can prop your phone up at the table or cast it to a TV. Bookmark it for instant access at your next game.
›How do I display the blind timer so everyone at the table can see it?
The simplest option is to open the timer on a tablet and place it in the center of the table. For larger groups, cast the browser tab to a TV using Chromecast, AirPlay, or an HDMI cable from a laptop. The timer uses large, high-contrast text that is easy to read from a distance. The color-coded countdown (green → yellow → red) gives players a visual cue even without reading the numbers.
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