diff --git a/games/balancep0ng.py b/games/balancep0ng.py
index 5d9b0c1..f3e0b15 100755
--- a/games/balancep0ng.py
+++ b/games/balancep0ng.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class BalanceBoardPlayer(object):
 
 
 class B4lancePong(object):
-    def __init__(self, out, balanceserver=None, color=True, numplayers=None):
+    def __init__(self, out, balanceserver=None, color=True):
         self.__playground = None
         self.__out = out
         self.__color = color
@@ -125,13 +125,21 @@ class B4lancePong(object):
             self.__balanceserver = ('localhost', 4711)
         else:
             self.__balanceserver = balanceserver
-        self.__numplayers = numplayers
 
         if color:
             self.__dimension = blup.frame.FrameDimension(22, 16, 256, 3)
         else:
             self.__dimension = blup.frame.FrameDimension(18, 8, 2, 1)
 
+    def gametickcb(self):
+        for i, p in enumerate(self.__players):
+            if isinstance(p, pong.PongBot):
+                print('bot in game')
+            if (isinstance(p, pong.PongBot) and \
+                self.__bplayers[i].get_player_ready()):
+                print('second player joined, cancelling current game')
+                self.__playground.cancel()
+
     def runGame(self):
         print('starting a game...')
         scoreLeft = 0
@@ -143,27 +151,35 @@ class B4lancePong(object):
         sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
         sock.connect(self.__balanceserver)
         print('connected!')
-        balance_util_p1 = blup.balance_util.BalanceUtil(sock, 0)
-        balance_util_p2 = blup.balance_util.BalanceUtil(sock, 1)
-        while not balance_util_p1.get_player_ready():
+        self.__bplayers = [
+            blup.balance_util.BalanceUtil(sock, 0),
+            blup.balance_util.BalanceUtil(sock, 1)
+        ]
+
+        while not (self.__bplayers[0].get_player_ready() or
+                   self.__bplayers[1].get_player_ready()):
             time.sleep(0.1)
 
-        self.__players = []
-        self.__players.append(BalanceBoardPlayer(self.__playground, self.__playground.leftPaddle, balance_util_p1))
+        for i in range(5):
+            frame = mk_logo_frame(self.__dimension, onePlayer)
+            self.__out.sendFrame(frame)
 
-        if self.__numplayers == 2:
-            self.__players.append(BalanceBoardPlayer(self.__playground, self.__playground.rightPaddle, balance_util_p2))
-        elif self.__numplayers is None:
-            for i in range(5):
-                frame = mk_logo_frame(self.__dimension, onePlayer)
-                self.__out.sendFrame(frame)
+            print('waiting for second player...')
+            if (self.__bplayers[0].get_player_ready() and
+                self.__bplayers[1].get_player_ready()):
+                break
+            time.sleep(1)
 
-                print('waiting for second player...')
-                if balance_util_p2.get_player_ready():
-                    self.__players.append(BalanceBoardPlayer(self.__playground, self.__playground.rightPaddle,
-                                                             balance_util_p2))
-                    break
-                time.sleep(1)
+        self.__players = []
+        for i in [0, 1]:
+            paddle = self.__playground.leftPaddle if i == 0 else \
+                     self.__playground.rightPaddle
+            if self.__bplayers[i].get_player_ready():
+                player = BalanceBoardPlayer(self.__playground, paddle,
+                                            self.__bplayers[i])
+            else:
+                player = pong.PongBot(self.__playground, paddle, 3)
+            self.__players.append(player)
 
         frame = mk_logo_frame(self.__dimension, logo)
         self.__out.sendFrame(frame)
@@ -178,25 +194,25 @@ class B4lancePong(object):
         self.__out.sendFrame(frame)
         time.sleep(1)
 
-        if len(self.__players) == 1:
-            bot = pong.PongBot(self.__playground, self.__playground.rightPaddle, 3)
-            self.__players.append(bot)
+        self.__playground.addGameTickCallback(self.gametickcb)
 
-        while max(scoreLeft, scoreRight) < __MAX_SCORE__:
+        while (max(scoreLeft, scoreRight) < __MAX_SCORE__ and
+               not self.__playground.cancelled):
             winner = self.__playground.play()
-            if winner is self.__players[0].ownPaddle:
+            if winner is self.__playground.leftPaddle:
                 scoreLeft += 1
             else:
                 scoreRight += 1
             pong.displayScore(self.__out, self.__dimension, scoreLeft, scoreRight, 3000)
 
-        for i in range(3):
+        if not self.__playground.cancelled:
+            for i in range(3):
+                frame = blup.frame.Frame(self.__dimension)
+                self.__out.sendFrame(frame)
+                time.sleep(0.5)
+                pong.displayScore(self.__out, self.__dimension, scoreLeft, scoreRight, 500)
             frame = blup.frame.Frame(self.__dimension)
             self.__out.sendFrame(frame)
-            time.sleep(0.5)
-            pong.displayScore(self.__out, self.__dimension, scoreLeft, scoreRight, 500)
-        frame = blup.frame.Frame(self.__dimension)
-        self.__out.sendFrame(frame)
 
         self.__playground = None
         self.__players = []
@@ -205,8 +221,6 @@ class B4lancePong(object):
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Blinkenbunt Pong!')
-    parser.add_argument('--players', dest='players', type=int,
-                        help='number of players (autodetect if unspecified)')
     parser.add_argument('--balance', dest='balance', type=str,
                         metavar='HOST:PORT', help='use balance input')
     parser.add_argument('--out', dest='out', type=str, metavar='OUTPUT',
@@ -216,7 +230,6 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     out = blup.output.getOutput(args.out)
     bhost, bport = args.balance.split(':')
 
-    p0ng = B4lancePong(out, balanceserver=(bhost, int(bport)), color=True,
-                       numplayers=args.players)
+    p0ng = B4lancePong(out, balanceserver=(bhost, int(bport)), color=True)
     p0ng.runGame()
 
diff --git a/games/pong.py b/games/pong.py
index d8c1149..80398d2 100755
--- a/games/pong.py
+++ b/games/pong.py
@@ -183,6 +183,8 @@ class Playground(object):
         paddleRight = Paddle(self, width - 1, (height - paddlesize)//2, paddlesize)
         self.__paddles = [paddleLeft, paddleRight]
 
+        self.cancelled = False
+
         self.__ball = Ball(self, 0, 0, 1, 1)
         self.__gameTickCallbacks = []
         self.__newRoundCallbacks = []
@@ -227,6 +229,9 @@ class Playground(object):
                 if paddle.containsPoint(x, y):
                     return paddle
 
+    def cancel(self):
+        self.cancelled = True
+
     def play(self, serve=None):
         leftPaddle = self.__paddles[0]
         rightPaddle = self.__paddles[1]
@@ -250,7 +255,7 @@ class Playground(object):
             callback()
 
         ticks = 0
-        while True:
+        while not self.cancelled:
             ticks += 1
             time.sleep(0.08)
             if ticks %2 == 0: