felt/.planning/research/FEATURES.md

# Feature Research

**Domain:** Poker venue management platform (live card rooms, bars, clubs, casinos)
**Researched:** 2026-02-28
**Confidence:** MEDIUM — Core feature categories verified across multiple competitor products (TDD, Blind Valet, BravoPokerLive, LetsPoker, CasinoWare, kHold'em, TableCaptain). Feature importance is inferred from competitive analysis and forum discussions, not from direct operator interviews.

---

## Feature Landscape

### Table Stakes (Users Expect These)

Features that every competing product has. Missing any of these makes Felt feel broken before operators even test differentiating features.

#### Tournament Management

| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
| Tournament clock (countdown + level display) | Every competitor has it; this is the core job | LOW | Must show level, time remaining, next blind, break info |
| Configurable blind structures | TDD, Blind Valet, CasinoWare all require this; no venue runs default blinds | MEDIUM | Presets + custom editor; include antes, bring-ins |
| Break management (scheduled + manual) | Standard tournament flow; operators must pause for chip-ups, meals | LOW | Break countdown, break message per level |
| Chip-up / denomination removal messaging | Standard tournament procedure; without it operators improvise manually | LOW | Custom message per break (e.g., "Chip up 5s") |
| Rebuy / add-on tracking | Required in almost all bar/club tournaments | MEDIUM | Per-player rebuy count, add-on windows, prize pool impact |
| Late registration window | Industry standard; extends prize pool, increases player counts | LOW | Configurable end-of-level or time-based cutoff |
| Bust-out tracking | Required for payout ordering and seating consolidation | MEDIUM | Player elimination order, timestamp, chip count at bust |
| Prize pool calculation | Operators need this instantly; manual math causes errors | MEDIUM | Rake config, bounties, guaranteed pools, overflows |
| Payout structure (fixed % or variable) | Every serious software has this; without it TDs use paper | MEDIUM | ICM, fixed %, custom splits; print-ready output |
| Player registration / database | Venues know their regulars; re-entry and rebuy require player identity | MEDIUM | Name, contact, history; import from TDD |
| Seating assignment (random + manual) | Required for fair tournament start | MEDIUM | Auto-randomize, drag-and-drop adjustments |
| Table balancing | Required as players bust out; manual is error-prone | HIGH | Auto-suggest moves, seat assignment notifications |
| Table break / consolidation | Tables must close as field shrinks | MEDIUM | Triggers at N players, assigns destination seats |
| Multi-tournament support | Venues run satellites alongside mains; bars run concurrent events | HIGH | Independent clocks, financials, player DBs per tournament |
| Pause / resume clock | Universal need; phone calls, disputes, manual delays | LOW | Single button; broadcasts to all displays |
| Hand-for-hand mode | Required at bubble; TDA rules mandate clock management | MEDIUM | Stops timer, 2-3 min per hand deduction |
| Bounty tournament support | Standard format at most venues | MEDIUM | Progressive bounty tracking, per-player bounty calculations |
| Re-entry tournament support | Common format; distinct from rebuy | MEDIUM | New entry = new stack, maintains same player identity |

#### Cash Game Management

| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
| Waitlist management | Core cash game operation; BravoPokerLive built entirely on this | MEDIUM | By game type + stakes; order preserved; auto-seat |
| Table status board | Operators and players need to see what games are running | MEDIUM | Open/closed, game type, stakes, seat count, occupied seats |
| Seat-available notification | Players hate watching the board; notification is now expected | MEDIUM | SMS or push; BravoPokerLive popularized this |
| Game type + stakes configuration | Venues run multiple games (NLH, PLO, mixed); must be configurable | LOW | Poker variant, stakes level, min/max buy-in |
| Session tracking (buy-in/cashout) | Required for rake calculation and financial reporting | MEDIUM | Player buy-in amounts, cashout amounts, duration |
| Rake tracking | Venues live on rake; they must see it per table and in aggregate | MEDIUM | Percentage, time charge, or flat fee per pot |
| Must-move table handling | Standard practice at busy rooms with main + must-move games | HIGH | Automated progression rules, priority queue |
| Seat change request queue | Standard poker room procedure; without it conflicts arise | LOW | Players queue for preferred seat, FIFO, dealer notification |

#### Display / Signage

| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
| Tournament clock display (dedicated screen) | Any software that can't show a big clock on a TV is unusable | MEDIUM | Full-screen view: time, level, blinds/antes, next level |
| Seating board display | Venues show draw results and table assignments on screens | MEDIUM | Table/seat grid, player names, color-coded |
| Rankings / chip count display | Players want to see standings; operators use it to drive engagement | MEDIUM | Sorted leaderboard, update on eliminations |
| Upcoming events / schedule display | Venues run this on idle screens; basic signage need | LOW | Schedule rotation between operational views |
| Multi-screen support | One screen is not enough for a venue | MEDIUM | Each display independently assigned a view |

#### Player-Facing Access

| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
| Mobile clock view (player phone) | Blind Valet and LetsPoker both offer this; players expect it now | MEDIUM | QR code access, no app install, live blind/time view |
| Player standings on mobile | Players check their ranking constantly; it reduces questions to staff | MEDIUM | Live rank, chip count if entered, position relative to bubble |
| Waitlist position on mobile | Players want to leave and be notified; board-watching is dying | MEDIUM | Live position number, estimated wait time |

#### Operational Foundations

| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
| PIN / role-based authentication | Multi-staff venues need access control | MEDIUM | Floor manager, dealer, observer roles; offline PIN |
| Audit trail (state change log) | Disputes happen; operators need a record | MEDIUM | Who did what, when; immutable append-only log |
| Data export (CSV / JSON) | Operators archive results, import to spreadsheets, submit to leagues | LOW | Tournament results, player history, financial summary |
| Offline operation | Venues lose internet; TDD's biggest advantage over cloud-only competitors | HIGH | Full tournament run with zero cloud dependency |
| Print output (registration slips, payout sheets) | Physically handing a player their payout amount is still standard | LOW | Browser print, no special driver required |

---

### Differentiators (Competitive Advantage)

Features that no single competitor offers completely, or where the gap between current products and user expectations is large enough to win venues.

| Feature | Value Proposition | Complexity | Notes |
|---------|-------------------|------------|-------|
| Wireless display nodes (no HDMI cables) | Eliminates the #1 physical deployment pain point for venues | HIGH | Pi Zero 2W kiosk over WireGuard mesh; unique to Felt |
| Offline-first edge architecture | Cloud-only products (Blind Valet) die without internet; TDD has no cloud sync | HIGH | Leaf Node runs full tournament autonomously; game changer for reliability |
| Player mobile PWA (no app install) | App installs kill adoption; QR → instant live data is frictionless | MEDIUM | Progressive Web App, works on any phone |
| Integrated digital signage with WYSIWYG editor | Venues pay for separate signage software (Yodeck, NoviSign); Felt combines them | HIGH | Template gallery, AI content generation, venue branding, playlists |
| AI-assisted promo content generation | No competitor offers AI imagery for drink specials, event promos | HIGH | Generates branded images; reduces need for a graphic designer |
| League / season management with point formulas | TDD has leagues; Blind Valet has leagues; but neither integrates with operations | MEDIUM | Configurable scoring, automatic season standings, archive |
| Events engine (triggers + actions) | No competitor has this; "when bubble bursts, play sound, change display, send message" | HIGH | Rule-based automation; webhook support; unlocks countless automations |
| Cross-venue platform identity (player belongs to Felt, not venue) | BravoPokerLive does discovery; no one does cross-venue player identity for non-casinos | HIGH | Network effects; players carry their history across venues |
| TDD data import | Critical for adoption; operators have years of data in TDD | MEDIUM | Import blind structures, player DB, tournament history, league records |
| Touch-native dark-room operator UI | TDD's UI is 2002-era; all competitors have mediocre UX | HIGH | Mobile-first, one-handed operation in a dark card room |
| Dealer tablet module (bust-outs / rebuys at table) | LetsPoker has this; no other competitor does for live venues | MEDIUM | Reduces floor staff movement; improves accuracy |
| Multi-room / simultaneous tournament management | Casinos need this; no small-venue product handles it | HIGH | Independent rooms under one operator account |
| Sound engine (level-up sounds, break alerts, bubble fanfare) | TDD has customizable sounds; most cloud products don't | LOW | Per-event sound mapping; controllable from operator UI |
| Sponsor ad rotation on signage | Venues monetize signage; no poker software does this natively | LOW | Ad slot in signage playlist with scheduling |
| Rake analytics dashboard | Most products track rake but don't visualize it usefully | MEDIUM | Per-table, per-game, per-session revenue reporting |
| Player notifications (seat, waitlist, next tournament) | Push/SMS when seat ready; LetsPoker does this; most don't | MEDIUM | Seat available, waitlist position change, event reminder |
| Venue public presence page | PokerAtlas does discovery; Felt can combine venue management + public presence | MEDIUM | Public schedule, event registration, venue info |

---

### Anti-Features (Commonly Requested, Often Problematic)

| Feature | Why Requested | Why Problematic | Alternative |
|---------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|
| Payment processing / chip cashout | "Complete the money loop in one system" | Gambling license requirements, PCI compliance, massive regulatory complexity; Felt is a management tool not a payment processor | Track amounts, integrate with existing cage/cashier workflow; show totals clearly |
| Online poker gameplay | "Run online tourneys too" | Entirely different product (RNG, real-money gambling regulation, anti-fraud); would consume years of development for a different market | Keep focus on live venues; out of scope per PROJECT.md |
| Video streaming / broadcast | "Stream our home game" | Different infrastructure (CDN, video encoding, latency constraints); adds enormous complexity for a niche use case | Partner with OBS/Streamlabs if needed; do not build |
| Crypto / blockchain payments | "Accept ETH for buy-ins" | Volatile value, regulatory uncertainty, operational complexity for floor staff; 2024 trend but wrong for this market | Cash is still king in live poker; not needed |
| Real-money gambling regulation features | "We need GRC built in" | Each jurisdiction has different requirements; would require constant legal maintenance | Operate as a management tool; compliance is venue's responsibility |
| BYO hardware support | "Can I run it on my old laptop?" | Support burden becomes enormous; hardware variance causes reliability issues; undermines offline guarantees | Ship pre-configured Leaf Nodes; free tier runs on Felt cloud |
| Separate mobile apps (iOS/Android) for phase 1-3 | "Native app feels better" | Play Store / App Store review cycles slow iteration; PWA covers 95% of use cases for this domain | PWA for players; native apps are Phase 4 only |
| Multi-currency / regional financial rules | "Support Euro AND GBP" | Display-only currency is fine; actual financial rule compliance per jurisdiction is a legal minefield | Show currency symbol as configuration; no financial calculation changes |
| Real-time chip count entry by all players | "Players should enter their own chip counts" | Cheating surface; operational chaos; floor staff integrity is paramount | Optional chip count entry by floor staff only with audit trail |
| Complex tournament scheduling / calendar system | "Let players register online for next month's events" | Phase 3 feature only; in phase 1-2, the complexity diverts from core operational tools | Static event schedule display in phase 1; online registration in phase 3 |
| Third-party casino management system (CMS) integration | "Connect to IGT/Bally/Aristocrat" | Enterprise sales cycle, NDA/API access requirements, proprietary protocols; not needed for target market | Target venues are non-casino; casinos use Bravo/ACSC anyway |
| Staking / backing / action splitting | "Track who owns % of players" | Legal complexity, financial tracking burden, scope far beyond venue operations | Out of scope; operators who want this use dedicated tools |

---

## Feature Dependencies

```
[Player Database]
    └──requires──> [Tournament Registration]
                       └──requires──> [Tournament Clock Engine]
                                          └──requires──> [Blind Structure Config]

[Table Balancing]
    └──requires──> [Seating Assignment]
                       └──requires──> [Player Database]

[Waitlist Management] (cash game)
    └──requires──> [Player Database]
    └──requires──> [Table Status Board]

[Display System]
    └──requires──> [Display Node Registry]
    └──requires──> [Tournament Clock Engine] (for tournament views)
    └──requires──> [Table Status Board] (for cash game views)

[Player Mobile PWA]
    └──requires──> [Tournament Clock Engine] (for live data)
    └──requires──> [Waitlist Management] (for position tracking)
    └──requires──> [Netbird reverse proxy] (for external access)

[League Management]
    └──requires──> [Tournament results export / history]
    └──requires──> [Player Database]

[Events Engine]
    └──requires──> [Tournament Clock Engine] (trigger source)
    └──requires──> [Display System] (action target)

[Dealer Tablet Module]
    └──requires──> [Tournament Registration]
    └──requires──> [Bust-out Tracking]
    └──requires──> [Rebuy/Add-on Tracking]

[Digital Signage / Promo Content]
    └──requires──> [Display Node Registry]
    └──enhances──> [Events Engine] (content triggers)

[Analytics / Revenue Reporting]
    └──requires──> [Rake Tracking] (cash games)
    └──requires──> [Tournament Financial Engine] (tournaments)
    └──requires──> [Session Tracking]

[NATS Sync / Offline Replay]
    └──requires──> [Leaf Node embedded NATS]
    └──enhances──> [All real-time features] (propagates state to clients)

[Loyalty / Points System]
    └──requires──> [Player Database]
    └──requires──> [Session Tracking]
    └──requires──> [Tournament Registration]

[Public Venue Presence]
    └──requires──> [Core cloud layer]
    └──requires──> [Player Database] (cross-venue identity)
```

### Dependency Notes

- **Tournament Clock requires Blind Structure Config:** You cannot run a clock without a structure. Build the structure editor before the clock UI.
- **Table Balancing requires Seating Assignment:** Balancing suggests moves; you need an assigned seating model first.
- **Player Mobile PWA requires Netbird reverse proxy:** Players accessing from outside the venue LAN need the reverse proxy tunnel. Must be available from day 1 of mobile features.
- **Dealer Tablet requires Bust-out + Rebuy tracking:** The tablet is just an input surface for existing state; build the state machine first.
- **Events Engine enhances almost everything:** Build core features without it first; add Events Engine as an automation layer on top.
- **Digital Signage conflicts with Lean MVP scope:** Signage is a differentiator but adds significant complexity (content editor, playlist, scheduling). Build operational displays first; WYSIWYG editor is phase 1 stretch, AI content generation is phase 2+.
- **League Management requires completed tournament results:** You cannot compute standings without a completed tournament history model. League features must come after the core tournament lifecycle is complete.

---

## MVP Definition

### Launch With (v1) — Tournament Operations Core

Minimum viable product for a venue to replace TDD + a whiteboard and run a complete tournament with Felt.

- [ ] Tournament clock engine (countdown, levels, breaks, pause/resume) — core job
- [ ] Blind structure configuration (custom + presets, antes, chip-up messages) — cannot run without
- [ ] Player registration + bust-out tracking — needed for payout and table management
- [ ] Rebuy / add-on / late registration — needed for 90% of real tournaments
- [ ] Prize pool calculation + payout structure — operators need this to pay out correctly
- [ ] Table seating assignment (random + manual) + table balancing — required for multi-table events
- [ ] Financial engine (buy-ins, rake, bounties) — venues need to track cash flow
- [ ] Display system: clock view + seating view on dedicated screens — the room needs to see the clock
- [ ] Player mobile PWA: live clock + blinds + personal rank — replaces asking the floor every 2 minutes
- [ ] Offline-first operation (zero internet dependency during tournament) — reliability requirement
- [ ] Role-based auth (operator PIN offline, OIDC online) — floor staff access control
- [ ] TDD data import (blind structures + player DB) — adoption enabler for existing TDD users
- [ ] Data export (CSV, JSON, HTML print output) — venues archive results, submit to leagues

### Add After Validation (v1.x) — Tournament Enhancement + Cash Game Foundations

Add once the core tournament loop is proven reliable in production.

- [ ] League / season management — triggered when venues start asking for standings tracking
- [ ] Hand-for-hand mode — needed before any venue runs a serious event with a bubble
- [ ] Events engine (sound triggers, view changes on level-up, break start) — high value, low user cost
- [ ] Digital signage (schedule/promo display between operational views) — venues want their idle screens working
- [ ] Waitlist management + table status board — prerequisite for cash game operations
- [ ] Session tracking (buy-in / cashout / duration) — cash game financial foundation
- [ ] Rake tracking per table — cash game revenue visibility
- [ ] Seat-available notifications (push / SMS) — player retention for cash games
- [ ] Must-move table logic — required at any venue with main game protection
- [ ] Dealer tablet module (bust-outs + rebuys at table) — reduces floor staff walking

### Future Consideration (v2+) — Platform Maturity

Defer until core product-market fit is established across tournament and cash game operations.

- [ ] WYSIWYG content editor + AI promo generation — Phase 1 is out-of-the-box templates; WYSIWYG editor is Phase 2 after operational features are solid
- [ ] Dealer management (scheduling, rotations, clock-in) — Phase 3; operators won't churn over this
- [ ] Player loyalty / points system — Phase 3; high complexity, needs player identity first
- [ ] Public venue presence page + online event registration — Phase 3; requires stable Core cloud layer
- [ ] Analytics dashboards (revenue, player retention, game popularity) — Phase 3; operators need basic reporting first
- [ ] Private venues + membership management — Phase 3; niche use case (private clubs)
- [ ] Native iOS / Android apps (player + operator) — Phase 4; PWA covers the use case until then
- [ ] Social features (friends, activity feed, achievements) — Phase 4; requires large player network first
- [ ] Cross-venue player leaderboards — Phase 4; requires critical mass of venues on the platform

---

## Feature Prioritization Matrix

| Feature | User Value | Implementation Cost | Priority |
|---------|------------|---------------------|----------|
| Tournament clock engine | HIGH | LOW | P1 |
| Blind structure config | HIGH | LOW | P1 |
| Player registration + bust-out | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Rebuy / add-on | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Payout calculation + structure | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Table seating + balancing | HIGH | HIGH | P1 |
| Display system (clock + seating views) | HIGH | HIGH | P1 |
| Player mobile PWA (clock + rank) | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Offline-first operation | HIGH | HIGH | P1 |
| TDD data import | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Financial engine (buy-ins, rake) | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Role-based auth (PIN + OIDC) | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Waitlist management | HIGH | MEDIUM | P2 |
| Cash game table status board | HIGH | MEDIUM | P2 |
| Session + rake tracking | HIGH | MEDIUM | P2 |
| Events engine | MEDIUM | HIGH | P2 |
| League management | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | P2 |
| Dealer tablet module | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | P2 |
| Hand-for-hand mode | HIGH | LOW | P2 |
| Seat-available notifications | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | P2 |
| Must-move logic | MEDIUM | HIGH | P2 |
| Digital signage (playlist + schedule) | MEDIUM | HIGH | P2 |
| WYSIWYG content editor | MEDIUM | HIGH | P3 |
| AI content generation | LOW | HIGH | P3 |
| Dealer management / scheduling | MEDIUM | HIGH | P3 |
| Loyalty points system | MEDIUM | HIGH | P3 |
| Public venue presence | MEDIUM | HIGH | P3 |
| Analytics dashboards | MEDIUM | HIGH | P3 |
| Native mobile apps | LOW | HIGH | P3 |
| Social / friend features | LOW | HIGH | P3 |

**Priority key:**
- P1: Must have for any operator to run a tournament with Felt
- P2: Must have to expand beyond early adopters and cover cash game venues
- P3: Must have to compete at enterprise / casino tier

---

## Competitor Feature Analysis

| Feature | TDD | Blind Valet | BravoPokerLive | LetsPoker | Felt (planned) |
|---------|-----|-------------|----------------|-----------|----------------|
| Tournament clock | Yes (deep) | Yes (basic) | No | Yes | Yes (deep) |
| Blind structure editor | Yes (deep) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes (deep + presets) |
| Player registration | Yes | Yes (basic) | Player-side only | Yes | Yes |
| Rebuy / add-on | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Bust-out tracking | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Table balancing | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-tournament | Yes (limited) | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Payout calculator | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| League management | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Display (TV clock) | Yes (HDMI) | Browser | No | Yes (browser) | Yes (wireless nodes) |
| Player mobile access | No | Yes | Yes (waitlist) | Yes | Yes (PWA) |
| Waitlist management | No | No | Yes (core feature) | Yes | Yes |
| Cash game table board | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Session / rake tracking | No | No | No | Partial | Yes |
| Must-move tables | No | No | Partial | No | Yes |
| Offline operation | Yes (Windows only) | No | No | No | Yes (ARM SBC) |
| Cloud sync | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (NATS) |
| Cross-platform | Windows only | Browser | iOS/Android | All | Browser / PWA |
| Digital signage | No | No | No | No | Yes (integrated) |
| Events engine | Yes (scripts) | No | No | No | Yes |
| AI content generation | No | No | No | No | Yes (planned) |
| Dealer tablet module | No | No | No | Yes | Yes (Phase 2) |
| Loyalty system | No | No | No | No | Yes (Phase 3) |
| Dealer management | No | No | No | No | Yes (Phase 3) |
| Analytics dashboard | Minimal | No | Partial (player app) | Partial | Yes (Phase 3) |
| Import from TDD | N/A | No | No | No | Yes |
| Wireless displays | No | No | No | No | Yes (unique) |
| Platform player identity | No | No | Partial (national) | Partial | Yes (cross-venue) |

---

## Sources

- [The Tournament Director](https://www.thetournamentdirector.net/) — feature research (403 on direct fetch; confirmed via WebSearch and community forums)
- [Blind Valet](https://blindvalet.com/) — features page fetched directly
- [BravoPokerLive App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bravopokerlive/id470322257) — feature descriptions
- [LetsPoker](https://lets.poker/) — confirmed via [PokerNews LetsPoker article](https://www.pokernews.com/news/2022/02/letspoker-app-looks-to-revolutionize-the-world-of-live-poker-40689.htm) and [LetsPoker features article](https://lets.poker/articles/letspoker-features/)
- [CasinoWare](https://www.casinoware.net/) — features fetched directly
- [kHold'em](https://www.kholdem.net/en/) — features fetched directly
- [PokerAtlas TableCaptain](https://www.pokeratlas.com/info/table-captain) — confirmed via WebSearch (403 on direct fetch)
- [PokerNews: Best Poker Table Management Software](https://www.pokernews.com/strategy/what-is-the-best-poker-table-management-software-48189.htm) — category overview
- [Poker Chip Forum: What tournament management solution are you using?](https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/what-tournament-management-solution-are-you-using.106524/) — operator pain points (403 on direct fetch; confirmed via WebSearch)
- [Poker Chip Forum: Not impressed with tournament director](https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/not-really-impressed-with-tournament-director-software-any-interest-in-this.69632/) — TDD limitations
- [Home Poker Tourney: Clock Features Chart](https://homepokertourney.org/clocks-chart.htm) — feature comparison matrix fetched directly
- [3UP Gaming: Compare Poker Tournament Software](https://www.3upgaming.com/blog/compare-the-best-poker-tournament-software-providers/) — provider comparison fetched directly
- [Technology.org: Optimizing Poker Room Operations](https://www.technology.org/2025/01/23/optimizing-poker-room-operations-with-advanced-software/) — operational features (403 on direct fetch; confirmed via WebSearch)
- [3UP Gaming: Poker Room Waiting List App](https://www.3upgaming.com/blog/poker-room-waiting-list-app-the-best-tools-to-manage-your-poker-games) — waitlist feature analysis

---
*Feature research for: poker venue management platform (Felt)*
*Researched: 2026-02-28*