Pick a blind structure, put the clock on the TV, and play. No account, no ads.
This varies a lot between groups and player counts. Some groups want a quick one or two hour game at 10 minute levels; others want an all-night epic at 30 minute blinds. Longer levels mean more real poker per level, shorter levels force the action. Trial and error with your own group is the best guide: start from a template, notice whether the night felt rushed or dragged, and adjust the level length next time.
At least 100 big blinds, so the early levels have real play. Most hosts work from the chips they actually own: pick a stack your chip set can deal to every player, then match the structure to it. Depending on how many players and rebuys you expect, include extra levels that may never be reached, just to be safe. The templates all carry extra runway past their expected finish for exactly this reason.
Open this page in the TV's browser, or cast a tab from your laptop or phone. The fullscreen button turns the page into a clean room display. With a free PokerNite account the clock also syncs live across devices, so the TV displays while your phone controls.
No. The timer is a web page, so it runs in any browser on a phone, tablet, laptop, or smart TV with nothing to install. If you want one-tap access, use your browser's add to home screen option and it behaves like an app.
Yes. The timer is saved in this browser and time is computed from the wall clock, so reopening the page after an hour lands on exactly the level you'd expect, even through multiple level changes. It is saved per device: a second device starts fresh unless you use an account to sync.
A common home game split is 50/30/20 for the top three places, paying about one in five entrants. Smaller games often go winner-take-all or 60/40. Enter the amounts in the clock's stats editor and they appear on the prize rail.
Yes. The timer is free with no ads and no feature limits, and it never requires an account. PokerNite makes its money on optional club tools for regular game nights: player tracking, season leaderboards, and club accounting.