diff --git a/examples/hello-gl/hello-gl-standalone.py b/examples/hello-gl/hello-gl-standalone.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..20bc949
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/hello-gl/hello-gl-standalone.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+from netorcai.agent import *
+from netorcai.standalone import run_agent
+
+def game_logic(agent):
+    print("Logging in as a game logic...", end=' ', flush=True)
+    agent.send_login("py-gl", "game logic")
+    agent.read_login_ack()
+    print("done")
+
+    print("Waiting for DO_INIT...", end=' ', flush=True)
+    do_init = agent.read_do_init()
+    print("done")
+
+    print("Sending DO_INIT_ACK...", end=' ', flush=True)
+    agent.send_do_init_ack({"all_clients":{"gl": "python"}})
+    print("done")
+
+    for i in range(do_init.nb_turns_max):
+        print("Waiting for DO_TURN...", end=' ', flush=True)
+        do_turn = agent.read_do_turn()
+        print("done")
+        
+        print("Sending DO_TURN_ACK...", end=' ', flush=True)
+        agent.send_do_turn_ack({"all_clients":{"gl": "python"}}, -1)
+        print("done")
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    run_agent(game_logic)
diff --git a/examples/hello-gl/hello-gl.py b/examples/hello-gl/hello-gl.py
index 39c0291..6abee5b 100755
--- a/examples/hello-gl/hello-gl.py
+++ b/examples/hello-gl/hello-gl.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-from netorcai.client import *
+from netorcai.agent import *
 import sys
 
 def main():
     try:
-        client = Client()
+        client = Agent()
 
         print("Connecting to netorcai...", end=' ', flush=True)
         client.connect()
diff --git a/examples/hello-player/hello-player-standalone.py b/examples/hello-player/hello-player-standalone.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4021e12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/hello-player/hello-player-standalone.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+from netorcai.agent import *
+import sys
+from netorcai.standalone import run_agent
+
+def play(agent):
+
+    print("Connecting to netorcai...", end=' ', flush=True)
+    agent.connect()
+    print("done")
+
+    print("Logging in as a player...", end=' ', flush=True)
+    agent.send_login("py-player", "player")
+    agent.read_login_ack()
+    print("done")
+
+    print("Waiting for GAME_STARTS...", end=' ', flush=True)
+    game_starts = agent.read_game_starts()
+    print("done")
+
+    for i in range(game_starts.nb_turns_max):
+        print("Waiting for TURN...", end=' ', flush=True)
+        turn = agent.read_turn()
+        print("done")
+
+        actions = [{"player": "python"}]
+        print("Sending actions {}...".format(actions), end=' ', flush=True)
+        agent.send_turn_ack(turn.turn_number, actions)
+        print("done")
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    run_agent(game_logic)
diff --git a/examples/hello-player/hello-player.py b/examples/hello-player/hello-player.py
index bd66e1e..b0d3ec4 100755
--- a/examples/hello-player/hello-player.py
+++ b/examples/hello-player/hello-player.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-from netorcai.client import *
+from netorcai.agent import *
 import sys
 
 def main():
     try:
-        client = Client()
+        client = Agent()
 
         print("Connecting to netorcai...", end=' ', flush=True)
         client.connect()
diff --git a/examples/hello-splayer/hello-splayer.py b/examples/hello-splayer/hello-splayer.py
index d42f79d..d4e61d5 100755
--- a/examples/hello-splayer/hello-splayer.py
+++ b/examples/hello-splayer/hello-splayer.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-from netorcai.client import *
+from netorcai.agent import *
 import sys
 
 def main():
     try:
-        client = Client()
+        client = Agent()
 
         print("Connecting to netorcai...", end=' ', flush=True)
         client.connect()
diff --git a/examples/hello-visu/hello-visu-standalone.py b/examples/hello-visu/hello-visu-standalone.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cff13a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/hello-visu/hello-visu-standalone.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+from netorcai.agent import *
+from netorcai.standalone import run_agent
+
+def visualize(agent):
+
+    client = Agent()
+
+    print("Connecting to netorcai...", end=' ', flush=True)
+    client.connect()
+    print("done")
+
+    print("Logging in as a visualization...", end=' ', flush=True)
+    client.send_login("py-visu", "visualization")
+    client.read_login_ack()
+    print("done")
+
+    print("Waiting for GAME_STARTS...", end=' ', flush=True)
+    game_starts = client.read_game_starts()
+    print("done")
+
+    for i in range(game_starts.nb_turns_max):
+        print("Waiting for TURN...", end=' ', flush=True)
+        turn = client.read_turn()
+        print("done")
+
+        print("world state for turn", i, turn.game_state)
+
+        actions = []
+        print("Sending actions {}...".format(actions), end=' ', flush=True)
+        client.send_turn_ack(turn.turn_number, actions)
+        print("done")
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    run_agent(visualize)
diff --git a/examples/hello-visu/hello-visu.py b/examples/hello-visu/hello-visu.py
index c2cd59f..666802c 100755
--- a/examples/hello-visu/hello-visu.py
+++ b/examples/hello-visu/hello-visu.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-from netorcai.client import *
+from netorcai.agent import *
 import sys
 
 def main():
     try:
-        client = Client()
+        client = Agent()
 
         print("Connecting to netorcai...", end=' ', flush=True)
         client.connect()
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ def main():
             turn = client.read_turn()
             print("done")
 
+            print("world state for turn", i, turn.game_state)
+
             actions = []
             print("Sending actions {}...".format(actions), end=' ', flush=True)
             client.send_turn_ack(turn.turn_number, actions)
diff --git a/netorcai/client.py b/netorcai/agent.py
similarity index 88%
rename from netorcai/client.py
rename to netorcai/agent.py
index e0881d3..53d3e0f 100644
--- a/netorcai/client.py
+++ b/netorcai/agent.py
@@ -17,27 +17,40 @@ def recvall(sock, size, flags=0):
         data += packet
     return data
 
-class Client:
-    """A netorcai Client.
+class Agent:
+    """A netorcai Agent.
 
-    Handles client-side communications of the netorcai metaprotocol.
-    Most of the time, only the following methods should be called:
-    - connect() and close(), to connect to or disconnect from netorcai
+    An agent is any netorcai program except the gamemaster.
+    Handles agent-side communications of the netorcai metaprotocol.
+
+    Once connected to the gamemaster, only the following methods
+    should be called:
+    - close(), to connect to or disconnect from netorcai
     - send_<MESSAGE_TYPE>, to send a message to netorcai
-    - recv_<MESSAGE_TYPE>, to blockingly receive a message from netorcai
+    - recv_<MESSAGE_TYPE>, to blockingly receive a message from netorcai.
+
+    In order to connect, you can either use:
+    - connect() to connect to a gamemaster running as a server
+    - take_over() to use an existing socket, for instance to talk to a
+    gamemaster connecting to this program as a server.
     """
     def __init__(self):
-        self.socket = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
-        self.socket.setsockopt(socket.SOL_TCP, socket.TCP_NODELAY, 1)
+        pass
 
     def __del__(self):
         self.close()
 
     def connect(self, hostname="localhost", port=4242):
+        self.socket = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+        self.socket.setsockopt(socket.SOL_TCP, socket.TCP_NODELAY, 1)
         self.socket.connect((hostname, port))
 
+    def take_over(self, socket):
+        self.socket = socket
+
     def close(self):
-        self.socket.close()
+        if self.socket:
+            self.socket.close()
 
     def send_string(self, string):
         send_buffer = (string + "\n").encode('utf-8')
diff --git a/netorcai/standalone.py b/netorcai/standalone.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f3c4ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/netorcai/standalone.py
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+import netorcai.agent
+import argparse
+import socket
+from threading import Thread
+
+def run_agent(game_func):
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument("--server", help="run as a server", action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--port", type=int, help="port to use (as server or client)")
+    parser.add_argument("--host", type=str, help="host to connect to (as a client)",
+                        default="localhost")
+    parser.add_argument("--verbose")
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    if args.server:
+        serve(args, game_func)
+    else:
+        run_client(args, game_func)
+
+def run_client(args, game_func):
+    agent = netorcai.agent.Agent()
+
+    port = args.port or 4242
+    host = args.host or "localhost"
+
+    if args.verbose:
+        print("Connecting to netorcai...", end=' ', flush=True)
+    agent.connect(hostname=host, port=port)
+    if args.verbose:
+        print("done")
+
+    try:
+        game_func(agent)
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(e)
+        sys.exit(1)
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+
+def serve(args, game_func):
+
+    port = args.port or 4567
+
+    sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+    sock.bind(('', port))
+    sock.listen()
+
+    while True:
+        (clientsocket, address) = sock.accept()
+
+        def run_on_sock():
+            agent = netorcai.agent.Agent()
+            agent.take_over(clientsocket)
+            try:
+                game_func(agent)
+            except Exception as game_exc:
+                print("fatal error in game function", game_exc)
+
+        t = Thread(target=run_on_sock)
+        t.run()