diff --git a/src/client.odin b/src/client.odin
index f715c5a..749d8fe 100644
--- a/src/client.odin
+++ b/src/client.odin
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 package hanabi
 
+import "core:bufio"
 import "core:fmt"
+import "core:mem"
 import "core:net"
+import "core:os"
 
 Client_View :: struct {
 	num_players:   int,
@@ -56,18 +59,29 @@ render_view :: proc(view: Client_View) {
 	}
 }
 
-
 run_client :: proc(host_addr: net.Endpoint) {
 	serv, list_err := net.dial_tcp(host_addr)
 	if list_err != nil do panic(fmt.tprintln("failed to dial:", net.to_string(host_addr)))
 	defer net.close(serv)
 
-	pl := recv_payload(serv, context.temp_allocator)
-	fmt.println("received payload")
+	scanner: bufio.Scanner
+	bufio.scanner_init(&scanner, os.stream_from_handle(os.stdin), context.temp_allocator)
 
-	view := create_view(pl, context.temp_allocator)
-	render_view(view)
-
-	free_all(context.temp_allocator)
+	LISTEN: for {
+		msg_header: Msg_Type
+		net.recv(serv, mem.ptr_to_bytes(&msg_header))
+		switch msg_header {
+		case .Poke:
+			fmt.println("action:")
+			bufio.scanner_scan(&scanner)
+			action := bufio.scanner_text(&scanner)
+			net.send(serv, transmute([]byte)action)
+		case .State_Update:
+			pl := recv_payload(serv, context.temp_allocator)
+			view := create_view(pl, context.temp_allocator)
+			render_view(view)
+		}
+		free_all(context.temp_allocator)
+	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/server.odin b/src/server.odin
index 42d701e..079ac85 100644
--- a/src/server.odin
+++ b/src/server.odin
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package hanabi
 
 import "core:fmt"
 import "core:math/rand"
+import "core:mem"
 import "core:net"
 
 Comm_World :: struct {
@@ -49,7 +50,14 @@ create_payload :: proc(g: Game, player: int, allocator := context.allocator) ->
 	return {u8(g.num_players), u8(g.hint_tokens), u8(g.lives_left), u8(len(cards)), cards[:]}
 }
 
+Msg_Type :: enum u8 {
+	State_Update,
+	Poke,
+}
+
 send_payload :: proc(sock: net.TCP_Socket, pl: Payload) -> net.Network_Error {
+	header := Msg_Type.State_Update
+	net.send(sock, mem.ptr_to_bytes(&header))
 	data: [dynamic]u8
 	defer delete(data)
 	append(&data, pl.num_players, pl.num_hints, pl.num_lives, pl.num_cards)
@@ -58,8 +66,10 @@ send_payload :: proc(sock: net.TCP_Socket, pl: Payload) -> net.Network_Error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-poke_player :: proc(player: int) -> bool {
-	unimplemented()
+send_poke :: proc(sock: net.TCP_Socket) -> net.Network_Error {
+	header := Msg_Type.Poke
+	net.send(sock, mem.ptr_to_bytes(&header)) or_return
+	return nil
 }
 
 Play_Action :: distinct Card
@@ -72,7 +82,7 @@ Action :: union {
 	Hint_Action,
 }
 
-receive_action :: proc(player: int) -> (action: Action, is_valid: bool) {
+receive_action :: proc(player: net.TCP_Socket) -> (action: Action, is_valid: bool) {
 	unimplemented()
 }
 
@@ -80,7 +90,6 @@ perform_action :: proc(game: ^Game, action: Action) {
 	unimplemented()
 }
 
-
 run_server :: proc(listen_addr: net.Endpoint, num_players: int, num_hints: int, num_lives: int) {
 	listener, list_err := net.listen_tcp(listen_addr)
 	if list_err != nil do panic(fmt.tprintln("failed to listen:", net.to_string(listen_addr)))
@@ -116,9 +125,9 @@ run_server :: proc(listen_addr: net.Endpoint, num_players: int, num_hints: int,
 
 		action: Action
 		POKE: for {
-			poke_ok := poke_player(current_player)
-			if !poke_ok do panic(fmt.tprintln("failed to poke player", current_player))
-			action, is_valid := receive_action(current_player)
+			poke_err := send_poke(w.sockets[current_player])
+			if poke_err != nil do panic(fmt.tprintfln("failed to poke player %d; %s", current_player, poke_err))
+			action, is_valid := receive_action(w.sockets[current_player])
 			if is_valid do break POKE
 			fmt.println("invalid action received. try again.")
 		}