diff --git a/client/src/App.css b/client/src/App.css
index 22150fb..97c6b52 100755
--- a/client/src/App.css
+++ b/client/src/App.css
@@ -15,10 +15,26 @@ body {
   width: 100%;
   bottom: 0;
   flex-direction: row;
-  justify-content: space-between; /* left-justify 'board', right-justify 'game' */
   background-image: url("./assets/tabletop.png");
 }
 
+.Table .ErrorDialog {
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: space-around;
+  align-items: center;
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 0;
+  left: 0;
+  bottom: 0;
+  right: 0;
+  background-color: #00000060;
+}
+
+.Table .ErrorDialog .Error {
+  display: flex;
+  padding: 1rem;
+}
+
 .Table .Game {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
@@ -34,8 +50,6 @@ body {
 .Table .Hand {
   display: flex;
   position: relative;
-  border: 1px solid orange;
-  margin: 1rem;
   height: 11rem;
 }
 
@@ -51,8 +65,6 @@ body {
 .Table .Board {
   display: flex;
   flex-grow: 1;
-  margin: 1rem;
-  border: 1px solid purple;
 }
 
 .Table .Sidebar .Chat {
diff --git a/client/src/App.js b/client/src/App.js
index b20a8d5..7973bc6 100755
--- a/client/src/App.js
+++ b/client/src/App.js
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ import {
   Routes,
   useParams
 } from "react-router-dom";
-import { base, gamesPath } from './Common.js';
-import history from "./history.js";
+
+import Paper from '@material-ui/core/Paper';
 
 import { GlobalContext } from "./GlobalContext.js";
 import { PingPong } from "./PingPong.js";
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ import { Chat } from "./Chat.js";
 import { MediaAgent } from "./MediaControl.js";
 import { Board } from "./Board.js";
 import { Actions } from "./Actions.js";
-
+import { base, gamesPath, debounce } from './Common.js';
+import history from "./history.js";
 import "./App.css";
 
 const Table = () => {
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ const Table = () => {
   const [ error, setError ] = useState(undefined);
   const [ peers, setPeers ] = useState({});
   const [loaded, setLoaded] = useState(false);
+  const [connecting, setConnecting] = useState(false);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     console.log(peers);
@@ -41,7 +43,8 @@ const Table = () => {
     /* We do not set the socket as bound until the 'open' message
      * comes through */
     setWs(event.target);
-
+    setConnecting(false);
+    
     /* Request a game-update */
     event.target.send(JSON.stringify({
       type: 'get',
@@ -75,18 +78,32 @@ const Table = () => {
     }
   };
   
+  const resetConnection = (function () {
+    let timer = 0;
+    function reset() {
+      timer = 0;
+      setConnecting(false);
+    };
+    return _ => {
+      if (timer) {
+        clearTimeout(timer);
+      }
+      timer = setTimeout(reset, 5000);
+    };
+  })();
+
   const onWsError = (event) => {
     console.log(`ws: error`, event);
     const error = `Connection to Ketr Ketran game server failed! ` +
-      `Try refreshing in a few seconds.`;
+      `Connection attempt will be retried every 5 seconds.`;
     console.error(error);
+    resetConnection();
     setError(error);
   };
   
   const onWsClose = (event) => {
     console.log(`ws: close`);
-    setWs(undefined);
-    global.ws = undefined;
+    resetConnection();
   };
 
   /* callback refs are used to provide correct state reference
@@ -125,8 +142,8 @@ const Table = () => {
       },
     }).then((res) => {
       if (res.status >= 400) {
-        const error = `Unable to connect to Ketr Ketran game server!` +
-          `Try refreshing in a few seconds.`;
+        const error = `Unable to connect to Ketr Ketran game server! ` +
+          `Try refreshing your browser in a few seconds.`;
         console.error(error);
         setError(error);
         throw error;
@@ -163,6 +180,7 @@ const Table = () => {
       new_uri = `${new_uri}://${loc.host}${base}/api/v1/games/ws/${gameId}`;
       console.log(`Attempting WebSocket connection to ${new_uri}`);
       socket = new WebSocket(new_uri);
+      setConnecting(true);
     }
 
     console.log('table - bind');
@@ -185,11 +203,7 @@ const Table = () => {
         socket.removeEventListener('message', cbMessage);
       }
     }
-  }, [ setWs, gameId, ws, refWsOpen, refWsMessage, refWsClose, refWsError ]);
-
-  if (error) {
-    return <div>{ error }</div>;
-  }
+  }, [ setWs, connecting, setConnecting, gameId, ws, refWsOpen, refWsMessage, refWsClose, refWsError ]);
 
   console.log(`Loaded: ${loaded}`);
 
@@ -198,6 +212,7 @@ const Table = () => {
       <MediaAgent/>    
       <PingPong/>
       <div className="Table">
+        { error && <div className="ErrorDialog"><Paper className="Error">{ error }</Paper></div> }
         <div className="Game">
           <Board/>
           <div className="Hand">todo: player's hand</div>
diff --git a/client/src/Common.js b/client/src/Common.js
index b8f928d..a37125d 100644
--- a/client/src/Common.js
+++ b/client/src/Common.js
@@ -9,9 +9,8 @@ const getPlayerName = (sessions, color) => {
   return null;
 }
 
-
 function debounce(fn, ms) {
-  let timer
+  let timer;
   return _ => {
     clearTimeout(timer)
     timer = setTimeout(_ => {
@@ -19,7 +18,7 @@ function debounce(fn, ms) {
       fn.apply(this, arguments)
     }, ms)
   };
-}
+};
 
 const base = process.env.PUBLIC_URL;
    
diff --git a/server/routes/games.js b/server/routes/games.js
index 4c69451..c842bc3 100755
--- a/server/routes/games.js
+++ b/server/routes/games.js
@@ -2746,29 +2746,7 @@ router.put("/:id/:action/:value?", async (req, res) => {
 
     break;
 
-  case "state":
-    const state = value;
-    if (!state) {
-      error = `Invalid state.`;
-      break;
-    }
 
-    if (state === game.state) {
-      break;
-    }
-
-    switch (state) {
-    case "game-order":
-      if (game.state !== 'lobby') {
-        error = `You cannot start a game from other than the lobby.`;
-        break;
-      }
-
-      addChatMessage(game, null, `${name} requested to start the game.`);
-      game.state = state;
-      break;
-    }
-    break;
   }
 
   return sendGame(req, res, game, error);
@@ -2804,6 +2782,30 @@ const wsInactive = (game, req) => {
   }
 }
 
+const setGameState = (game, session, state) => {
+  if (!state) {
+    return `Invalid state.`;
+  }
+
+  if (!session.color) {
+    return `You must have an active player to start the game.`;
+  }
+
+  if (state === game.state) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  switch (state) {
+  case "game-order":
+    if (game.state !== 'lobby') {
+      return `You cannot start a game from other than the lobby.`;
+    }
+    addChatMessage(game, null, `${session.name} requested to start the game.`);
+    game.state = state;
+    break;
+  }
+}
+
 const resetDisconnectCheck = (game, req) => {  
   if (req.disconnectCheck) {
     clearTimeout(req.disconnectCheck);
@@ -3122,6 +3124,15 @@ router.ws("/ws/:id", async (ws, req) => {
       console.log(`${id}:${getName(session)} - ${data.type} ${data.field} = ${data.value}`);
       update = {};
       switch (data.field) {
+      case 'state':
+        error = setGameState(game, session, data.value);
+        if (error) {
+          console.warn(error);
+          session.ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'error', error }));
+          break;
+        }
+        sendToPlayers(game, { state: game.state, chat });
+        break;
       case 'color':
         error = setPlayerColor(game, session, data.value);
         if (error) {
@@ -3129,6 +3140,8 @@ router.ws("/ws/:id", async (ws, req) => {
           session.ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'error', error }));
           break;
         }
+        /* Can't use sendToPlayers as the player name is a top level field
+         * and is unique to each player */
         for (let key in game.sessions) {
           const _session = game.sessions[key];
           if (!_session.ws) {
@@ -3143,7 +3156,7 @@ router.ws("/ws/:id", async (ws, req) => {
         await saveGame(game);
         break;
       default:
-        console.warn(`WARNING: Requested SET unsupported field: ${field}`);
+        console.warn(`WARNING: Requested SET unsupported field: ${data.field}`);
         break;
       }
       break;