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Poker Timer
Press Start when the first hand is dealt. The blinds go up by themselves, with three beeps before each rise.
Level 1 / 12
Turbo: 12 levels in 2 hours. Blinds rise fast, so luck counts for more.
Standard home game: 12 levels in 3 hours of play, before breaks.
Deeper play: 12 levels in 4 hours. Suits bigger starting stacks.
Poker blind structure: the 12 levels
| Level | Small blind | Big blind | Ends at (15-min levels) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 50 | 0:15 |
| 2 | 50 | 100 | 0:30 |
| 3 | 75 | 150 | 0:45 |
| 4 | 100 | 200 | 1:00 |
| 5 | 150 | 300 | 1:15 |
| 6 | 200 | 400 | 1:30 |
| 7 | 300 | 600 | 1:45 |
| 8 | 400 | 800 | 2:00 |
| 9 | 500 | 1,000 | 2:15 |
| 10 | 800 | 1,600 | 2:30 |
| 11 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2:45 |
| 12 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 3:00 |
Times are playing time with 15-minute levels and no breaks. With 10-minute levels the schedule ends at 2:00; with 20-minute levels at 4:00. The schedule has no antes.
How to use it
- Choose 10, 15 or 20-minute levels. The page shows the total: 2, 3 or 4 hours for all 12 levels.
- Put the clock where the whole table can see it, on a TV or a tablet, and tap the full-screen button. Leave Beeps on.
- Press Start as the first hand is dealt. The face shows the current blinds, such as “100 / 200”, the time left in the level, “Level 4 / 12” and the blinds that come next.
- Three beeps count down the end of each level and the blinds change by themselves. The new blinds apply from the next hand dealt.
- Press Pause for a break and Start to carry on. Skip jumps straight to the next level if the table agrees to speed things up.
Choosing a level length and a starting stack
Level length sets the character of the tournament. Short levels push the blinds up before players have seen many hands, so stacks get short quickly and luck decides more pots; that is a turbo. Longer levels give more hands at each price and more room to play. Ten-minute levels suit a weeknight, 15 minutes is the usual home-game middle, and 20 minutes suits a table that wants a long evening.
A common home-game setup is a starting stack of 100 big blinds or more. With 25/50 blinds that means 5,000 to 10,000 chips per player. Chip values vary by set, so decide what each color is worth and write it down where everyone can see it. If you allow rebuys, set the level at which they stop, for example the end of level 4, before the first hand.
How long a home poker tournament lasts
Most games end well before level 12. A common rule of thumb is that a tournament finishes around the time the big blind reaches about 5% of all the chips in play. Eight players with 5,000 chips each put 40,000 on the table; 5% of that is a big blind of 2,000, which is level 11. Fewer players or smaller stacks finish sooner, and bigger stacks last longer.
Plan breaks into the evening, because the clock does not schedule them. A 10-minute break every hour works well: press Pause at the end of a level. The first break is also the moment to color up, swapping the smallest chips for larger ones once the blinds no longer need them. From level 4 onward every blind is a multiple of 100, so the 25 chips can come off the table.
Common mistakes
- Changing the blinds in the middle of a hand. Finish the hand in progress; the new level starts with the next deal.
- Starting with stacks that are too small. At 1,000 chips and 25/50 blinds players have 20 big blinds and the game is a lottery by level 3.
- Forgetting to pause for a break. The level keeps running while people are in the kitchen and they come back to doubled blinds.
- Leaving chip values unstated. Half the table will miscount a bet. Write the values on a card next to the pot.
- Putting the clock where only the dealer can see it. Players plan around the next rise, so it belongs on the biggest screen in the room.
Questions people ask
How long should blind levels be in a home poker tournament?
Fifteen minutes is the usual choice for a home game of six to ten players. Use 10 minutes for a fast turbo and 20 minutes for more play at each level.
How many chips should each player start with?
A common setup is 100 big blinds or more. On this schedule the first big blind is 50, so give each player 5,000 to 10,000 in chips.
What is a good poker blind structure for beginners?
One that rises gently and is easy to follow: 25/50, 50/100, 75/150, 100/200, then 150/300 and upward, as in the table above. No level more than doubles the one before it.
Does this poker tournament timer include antes or breaks?
No. The 12 levels are blinds only and run one after another. Add antes as a house rule if you want them, and press Pause when you take a break.
What happens after the last level?
The clock stops after level 12 at 1,500/3,000. If players are still in, keep playing at those blinds or agree a deal to split the prize.
Can I skip a level or go faster once players are knocked out?
Yes. Press Skip to jump to the next level at any time. Many hosts skip a level when the table is down to three or four players and stacks are deep.