diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/client/network/GameClient.java b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/client/network/GameClient.java
index 5b7e5d6..de49850 100644
--- a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/client/network/GameClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/client/network/GameClient.java
@@ -13,9 +13,17 @@ import java.util.logging.Logger;
 /**
  * Fetches and parses game state from server.
  *
- * Protocol notes (based on your logs):
- * - Success replies contain lines like PHASE=..., POT=..., PLAYER ... END ... END
- * - Error replies contain -ERR, CODE=..., MSG=..., END
+ * Protocol notes (based on your current server implementation):
+ * - Success replies contain: PHASE, POT, CURRENT_BET, DEALER, ACTIVE_PLAYER, then blocks:
+ *   - CARD ... END (community cards on root level)
+ *   - PLAYER ... (NAME/CHIPS/BET/STATE + optional CARD blocks for requesting player) ... END
+ * - Error replies contain: -ERR then CODE=..., MSG=..., END
+ *
+ * Important:
+ * - The server does NOT wrap cards in a "CARDS" container.
+ * - CARD blocks appear either:
+ *   - at root level  -> community cards
+ *   - inside PLAYER  -> hole cards for that player (usually only for the requesting user)
  */
 public class GameClient {
 
@@ -51,7 +59,7 @@ public class GameClient {
 
         String joined = String.join("\n", lines);
 
-        if (joined.contains("-ERR")) {
+        if (joined.contains("-ERR") || joined.contains("-ERROR")) {
             String code = extractValue(joined, "CODE");
             String msg = extractValue(joined, "MSG");
             LOG.info(() -> "GET_GAME_STATE returned -ERR code=" + code + " msg=" + msg);
@@ -100,14 +108,12 @@ public class GameClient {
         Player currentPlayer = null;
         Card currentCard = null;
 
-        boolean inPlayerCards = false;
-        boolean inCommunityCards = false;
-
         for (String raw : input.split("\n")) {
             String line = raw.trim();
             if (line.isEmpty()) continue;
             if (line.startsWith("+OK")) continue;
 
+            // Global fields
             if (line.startsWith("PHASE=")) {
                 s.phase = value(line);
                 continue;
@@ -136,24 +142,21 @@ public class GameClient {
             if (line.equals("PLAYER")) {
                 currentPlayer = new Player();
                 s.players.add(currentPlayer);
-                inPlayerCards = false;
                 currentCard = null;
                 continue;
             }
 
             if (line.equals("CARDS")) {
-                inPlayerCards = (currentPlayer != null);
-                inCommunityCards = (currentPlayer == null);
-                currentCard = null;
                 continue;
             }
 
-            if (line.startsWith("CARD")) {
+            if (line.equals("CARD")) {
                 currentCard = new Card("", "");
-                if (inPlayerCards && currentPlayer != null) {
-                    currentPlayer.addCard(currentCard);
-                } else if (inCommunityCards) {
-                    s.communityCards.add(currentCard);
+
+                if (currentPlayer != null) {
+                    currentPlayer.addCard(currentCard);  // hole card
+                } else {
+                    s.communityCards.add(currentCard);   // community card
                 }
                 continue;
             }
@@ -162,7 +165,6 @@ public class GameClient {
                 currentCard.setValue(value(line));
                 continue;
             }
-
             if (line.startsWith("SUIT=") && currentCard != null) {
                 currentCard.setSuit(value(line));
                 continue;
@@ -173,18 +175,12 @@ public class GameClient {
                     currentCard = null;
                     continue;
                 }
-                if (inPlayerCards) {
-                    inPlayerCards = false;
-                    continue;
-                }
-                if (inCommunityCards) {
-                    inCommunityCards = false;
-                    continue;
-                }
+
                 if (currentPlayer != null) {
                     currentPlayer = null;
                     continue;
                 }
+
                 continue;
             }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/client/ui/gameui/CasinoGameController.java b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/client/ui/gameui/CasinoGameController.java
index 7b28b4b..47d0e10 100644
--- a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/client/ui/gameui/CasinoGameController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/client/ui/gameui/CasinoGameController.java
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ public class CasinoGameController {
     private Image dealerImage;
     private javafx.animation.Timeline timeline;
     private boolean gameStarted = false;
+    private java.util.List<String> lastCommunityKeys = java.util.List.of();
+    private java.util.List<String> lastMyCardKeys = java.util.List.of();
+    private int lastPot = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
 
     private static final int TOTAL_SLOTS = 5;
     private static final int PLAYER_SLOTS = 2;
@@ -126,6 +129,22 @@ public class CasinoGameController {
         // default constructor for FXML
     }
 
+    private String cardKey(Card c) {
+        if (c == null) return "null";
+        String suit = (c.getSuit() == null) ? "" : c.getSuit().toLowerCase();
+        String value = (c.getValue() == null) ? "" : c.getValue().toLowerCase();
+        return suit + ":" + value;
+    }
+
+    private java.util.List<String> cardKeys(java.util.List<Card> cards, int slots) {
+        java.util.List<String> keys = new java.util.ArrayList<>(slots);
+        for (int i = 0; i < slots; i++) {
+            Card c = (cards != null && i < cards.size()) ? cards.get(i) : null;
+            keys.add(cardKey(c));
+        }
+        return java.util.List.copyOf(keys);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Set the GameService for this controller. This method must be called before starting the UI to
      * ensure that the controller has access to the game logic and can update the interface
@@ -356,15 +375,28 @@ public class CasinoGameController {
 
         List<Player> players = (s.players != null) ? s.players : List.of();
         List<Card> community = (s.communityCards != null) ? s.communityCards : List.of();
+        List<Card> myCards = getMyCards(players);
 
-        renderCommunityCards(community);
-        renderPlayerCards(getMyCards(players));
-        renderPot(s.pot);
+        java.util.List<String> newCommunityKeys = cardKeys(community, TOTAL_SLOTS);
+        if (!newCommunityKeys.equals(lastCommunityKeys)) {
+            lastCommunityKeys = newCommunityKeys;
+            renderCommunityCards(community);
+        }
+
+        java.util.List<String> newMyCardKeys = cardKeys(myCards, PLAYER_SLOTS);
+        if (!newMyCardKeys.equals(lastMyCardKeys)) {
+            lastMyCardKeys = newMyCardKeys;
+            renderPlayerCards(myCards);
+        }
+
+        if (s.pot != lastPot) {
+            lastPot = s.pot;
+            renderPot(s.pot);
+        }
 
         updatePlayers(players);
         updateGameInfo(s);
         highlightDealer(s);
-
         updateTaskbar(s);
 
         LOGGER.info("myPlayerId=" + myPlayerId);