diff --git a/public/frontend_poker.js b/public/frontend_poker.js
index 46989a6..b4a867a 100644
--- a/public/frontend_poker.js
+++ b/public/frontend_poker.js
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
     const yourStack = document.getElementById("your-stack");
     const currentTurn = document.getElementById("current-turn");
     const turnState = document.getElementById("turn-state");
+    const turnCountdown = document.getElementById("turn-countdown");
+    const turnProgressBar = document.getElementById("turn-progress-bar");
+    const turnAnnouncement = document.getElementById("turn-announcement");
     const turnQueue = document.getElementById("turn-queue");
     const lastAction = document.getElementById("last-action");
     const showdownPanel = document.getElementById("showdown-panel");
@@ -89,8 +92,9 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
         turnQueue.innerHTML = "";
         queue.forEach((player, index) => {
             const item = document.createElement("li");
-            item.textContent = index === 0 ? `${player} (now)` : player;
+            item.textContent = index === 0 ? `${player} · NOW` : index === 1 ? `${player} · NEXT` : player;
             item.classList.toggle("active", player === currentPlayer);
+            item.classList.toggle("next", index === 1);
             turnQueue.appendChild(item);
         });
     };
@@ -157,12 +161,25 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
         }
     };
 
+    const setTurnTimer = (seconds, totalSeconds) => {
+        turnCountdown.textContent = String(seconds);
+        turnProgressBar.style.width = `${Math.max(0, Math.min(100, (seconds / Math.max(1, totalSeconds)) * 100))}%`;
+        document.querySelector(".turn-panel").classList.toggle("urgent", seconds <= 10 && seconds > 0);
+    };
+
+    const announceTurn = (message) => {
+        if (turnAnnouncement.textContent !== message) turnAnnouncement.textContent = message;
+    };
+
     const renderIntermissionCountdown = (startsAt, baseMessage) => {
         stopCountdown();
+        const totalSeconds = Math.max(1, Math.ceil((Number(startsAt) - Date.now()) / 1000));
         const updateCountdown = () => {
             const seconds = Math.max(0, Math.ceil((Number(startsAt) - Date.now()) / 1000));
-            currentTurn.textContent = `${seconds}s`;
-            turnState.textContent = "Waiting for next round";
+            currentTurn.textContent = "NEXT HAND";
+            turnState.textContent = "TABLE RESET IN PROGRESS";
+            setTurnTimer(seconds, totalSeconds);
+            announceTurn("The next hand is about to start.");
             lastAction.textContent = baseMessage || `Next round starts in ${seconds}s. Minimum stake: $${minimumStake}.`;
             if (seconds <= 0) {
                 stopCountdown();
@@ -174,12 +191,15 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
 
     const renderTurnCountdown = (startsAt, currentPlayer) => {
         stopCountdown();
+        const totalSeconds = Math.max(1, Math.ceil((Number(startsAt) - Date.now()) / 1000));
         const updateCountdown = () => {
             const seconds = Math.max(0, Math.ceil((Number(startsAt) - Date.now()) / 1000));
-            currentTurn.textContent = `${currentPlayer || "Player"} (${seconds}s)`;
+            currentTurn.textContent = isYourTurn ? "YOUR TURN" : currentPlayer || "PLAYER TURN";
             turnState.textContent = isYourTurn
-                ? `Your decision (${seconds}s)`
-                : `Waiting for other player (${seconds}s)`;
+                ? "ACT NOW — CHOOSE AN ACTION"
+                : `WAITING FOR ${currentPlayer || "PLAYER"}`;
+            setTurnTimer(seconds, totalSeconds);
+            announceTurn(isYourTurn ? "It is your turn. Choose an action before the timer expires." : `It is ${currentPlayer || "another player's"} turn.`);
             if (seconds <= 0) {
                 stopCountdown();
             }
@@ -221,6 +241,9 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
                 } else {
                     stopCountdown();
                     currentTurn.textContent = message.currentPlayer || "Round ended";
+                    turnCountdown.textContent = "--";
+                    turnProgressBar.style.width = "0%";
+                    document.querySelector(".turn-panel").classList.remove("urgent");
                     turnState.textContent = isSpectator
                         ? "Spectating"
                         : isYourTurn
diff --git a/public/poker.html b/public/poker.html
index 7c57267..802feec 100644
--- a/public/poker.html
+++ b/public/poker.html
@@ -25,8 +25,14 @@
 
     <section class="community-area" aria-label="Community cards">
         <div class="turn-panel">
-            <span>Turn: <strong id="current-turn">Waiting...</strong></span>
-            <span id="turn-state">Waiting for table state</span>
+            <span id="turn-state" class="turn-kicker">Waiting for table state</span>
+            <strong id="current-turn" class="turn-player">Waiting...</strong>
+            <div class="turn-timer" aria-label="Time remaining">
+                <span id="turn-countdown" class="turn-countdown">--</span>
+                <span class="turn-seconds">seconds remaining</span>
+            </div>
+            <div class="turn-progress" aria-hidden="true"><span id="turn-progress-bar"></span></div>
+            <span id="turn-announcement" class="sr-only" aria-live="polite"></span>
         </div>
         <ol id="turn-queue" class="turn-queue"></ol>
         <div id="community-cards" class="card-row">
diff --git a/public/styles_poker.css b/public/styles_poker.css
index 41ff2d5..2b2471a 100644
--- a/public/styles_poker.css
+++ b/public/styles_poker.css
@@ -112,9 +112,9 @@ button:disabled:hover {
 }
 
 .turn-panel {
-    display: flex;
-    flex-wrap: wrap;
-    gap: 18px;
+    display: grid;
+    grid-template-columns: auto auto;
+    column-gap: 20px;
     align-items: center;
     justify-content: center;
     min-width: min(460px, calc(100vw - 32px));
@@ -122,10 +122,21 @@ button:disabled:hover {
     background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.78);
     box-shadow: 0 0 8px #0f0;
     color: #fff;
-    padding: 10px 16px;
+    padding: 14px 18px;
     font-family: monospace;
 }
 
+.turn-kicker { grid-column: 1; color: #a8d8aa; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: .08em; }
+.turn-player { grid-column: 1; color: #fff; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1; text-shadow: 0 0 8px #0f0; }
+.turn-timer { grid-column: 2; grid-row: 1 / span 2; display: grid; justify-items: center; min-width: 92px; border-left: 1px solid rgba(0, 255, 0, .45); padding-left: 18px; }
+.turn-countdown { color: #0f0; font-size: 38px; font-weight: 800; line-height: 1; text-shadow: 0 0 12px #0f0; }
+.turn-seconds { color: #d8ffd8; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: .06em; text-transform: uppercase; }
+.turn-progress { grid-column: 1 / -1; height: 5px; background: #153019; overflow: hidden; }
+.turn-progress span { display: block; width: 0; height: 100%; background: #0f0; box-shadow: 0 0 10px #0f0; transition: width .25s linear, background .2s; }
+.turn-panel.urgent { border-color: #ff394d; box-shadow: 0 0 14px #ff394d; }
+.turn-panel.urgent .turn-countdown { color: #ff5263; text-shadow: 0 0 14px #ff394d; }
+.turn-panel.urgent .turn-progress span { background: #ff394d; box-shadow: 0 0 10px #ff394d; }
+
 .turn-queue {
     display: flex;
     flex-wrap: wrap;
@@ -150,6 +161,8 @@ button:disabled:hover {
     color: #000;
 }
 
+.turn-queue li.next { border-color: #a8d8aa; color: #d8ffd8; }
+
 .card {
     width: 78px;
     height: 116px;
@@ -371,6 +384,10 @@ button:disabled:hover {
         padding: 12px 16px;
     }
 
+    .turn-panel { grid-template-columns: 1fr; justify-items: center; text-align: center; }
+    .turn-kicker, .turn-player { grid-column: 1; }
+    .turn-timer { grid-column: 1; grid-row: auto; border-left: 0; border-top: 1px solid rgba(0, 255, 0, .45); padding: 10px 0 0; }
+
     .card {
         width: 58px;
         height: 88px;