diff --git a/WebContent/cah.css b/WebContent/cah.css
index 62c4510..6f51622 100644
--- a/WebContent/cah.css
+++ b/WebContent/cah.css
@@ -9,26 +9,56 @@
 }
 
 #canvass {
-	/* */
+	/* * /
 	display: none;
 	/* */
-  height: 768px;
+  height: 750px;
 	overflow: none;
 	position: relative;
-  width: 1024px;
+  width: 1000px;
   border: 1px solid red;
 }
 
-#log {
-	width: 50%;
-	height: 200px;
-	border: 1px solid black;
+#chat_area {
+	width: 500px;
+	height: 215px;
+	border: 0px;
 	position: absolute;
 	bottom: 0px;
 	right: 0px;
+	overflow: none;
+}
+
+#log {
+	width: 500px;
+	height: 198px;
+	border: 1px solid black;
+	position: absolute;
+	bottom: 17px;
+	right: 0px;
 	overflow: auto;
 }
 
+#chat {
+	border: 1px solid black;
+	width: 451px;
+	height: 17px;
+	position: absolute;
+	bottom: -1px;
+	right: 49px;
+	padding: 0px;
+}
+
+#chat_submit {
+	width: 50px;
+	height: 19px;
+	position: absolute;
+	right: 0px;
+	bottom: -1px;
+	margin: 0px;
+	padding: 0px;
+}
+
 span.error {
   color: red;	
 }
diff --git a/WebContent/index.jsp b/WebContent/index.jsp
index d2995a1..a4c6322 100644
--- a/WebContent/index.jsp
+++ b/WebContent/index.jsp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 <%-- TODO make this be dynamic with looking at the filesystem and using jquery --%>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="js/cah.log.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="js/cah.longpoll.js"></script>
+<script type="text/javascript" src="js/cah.longpoll.handlers.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="js/cah.ajax.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="js/cah.ajax.handlers.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="js/cah.app.js"></script>
@@ -26,10 +27,15 @@
 <div id="nickbox">
     Nickname: <input type="text" id="nickname" value="" maxlength="30" />
     <input type="button" id="nicknameconfirm" value="Set" />
+    <span id="nickbox_error" class="error"></span>
 </div>
 
 <div id="canvass">
+  <div id="chat_area">
     <div id="log"></div>
+    <input type="text" id="chat" maxlength="200" />
+    <input type="button" id="chat_submit" value="Chat" />
+  </div>
 </div>
 
 </body>
diff --git a/WebContent/js/cah.ajax.handlers.js b/WebContent/js/cah.ajax.handlers.js
index 1cb87e8..9db1937 100644
--- a/WebContent/js/cah.ajax.handlers.js
+++ b/WebContent/js/cah.ajax.handlers.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ cah.ajax.SuccessHandlers.register = function(data) {
 };
 
 cah.ajax.ErrorHandlers.register = function(data) {
-  $("#nickbox").append("<span class='error'>" + data.error_message + "</span>");
+  $("#nickbox_error").text(data.error_message);
   $("#nickname").focus();
 };
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ cah.ajax.SuccessHandlers.firstload = function(data) {
 };
 
 cah.ajax.ErrorHandlers.firstload = function(data) {
-  // TODO dunno what to do here
+  // TODO dunno what to do here, if anything
 };
 
 /**
@@ -42,3 +42,7 @@ cah.ajax.after_registered = function() {
   cah.log.debug("done registering");
   cah.longpoll.longPoll();
 };
+
+cah.ajax.SuccessHandlers.chat = function(data) {
+  // pass
+};
diff --git a/WebContent/js/cah.app.js b/WebContent/js/cah.app.js
index 9ccc771..cb7b965 100644
--- a/WebContent/js/cah.app.js
+++ b/WebContent/js/cah.app.js
@@ -5,10 +5,16 @@
  */
 
 $(document).ready(function() {
+  // see if we already exist on the server so we can resume
+  cah.Ajax.request("firstload", {});
+
   // TODO see if we have a stored nickname somewhere
   $("#nicknameconfirm").click(nicknameconfirm_click);
   $("#nickbox").keyup(nickbox_keyup);
   $("#nickbox").focus();
+
+  $("#chat").keyup(chat_keyup);
+  $("#chat_submit").click(chatsubmit_click);
 });
 
 function nickbox_keyup(e) {
@@ -19,8 +25,26 @@ function nickbox_keyup(e) {
 }
 
 function nicknameconfirm_click(e) {
-  nickname = $.trim($("#nickname").val());
-  cah.ajax.request("register", {
-    nickname : nickname
+  var nickname = $.trim($("#nickname").val());
+  cah.Ajax.request("register", {
+    nickname : nickname,
   });
 }
+
+function chat_keyup(e) {
+  if (e.which == 13) {
+    $("#chat_submit").click();
+    e.preventDefault();
+  }
+}
+
+function chatsubmit_click(e) {
+  var text = $.trim($("#chat").val());
+  // TODO when I get multiple channels working, this needs to know active and pass it
+  cah.Ajax.request("chat", {
+    message : text,
+  });
+  cah.log.status("&lt;" + cah.nickname + "&gt; " + text);
+  $("#chat").val("");
+  $("#chat").focus();
+}
diff --git a/WebContent/js/cah.longpoll.handlers.js b/WebContent/js/cah.longpoll.handlers.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0803ad7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/WebContent/js/cah.longpoll.handlers.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/**
+ * Event handlers from long-poll operations.
+ * 
+ * @author ajanata
+ */
+
+cah.longpoll.ErrorCodeHandlers.not_registered = function(data) {
+  cah.longpoll.Resume = false;
+  // TODO disable interface
+  cah.log.error("The server seems to have restarted. Any in-progress games have been lost.");
+  cah.log.error("You will need to refresh the page to start a new game.");
+};
+
+cah.longpoll.EventHandlers.new_player = function(data) {
+  cah.log.status(data.nickname + " has connected.");
+};
+
+cah.longpoll.EventHandlers.noop = function(data) {
+  // pass
+};
+
+cah.longpoll.EventHandlers.chat = function(data) {
+  // TODO deal with multiple channels eventually
+  // don't display our own chat
+  if (data.from != cah.nickname) {
+    cah.log.status("&lt;" + data.from + "&gt; " + data.message);
+  }
+};
diff --git a/WebContent/js/cah.longpoll.js b/WebContent/js/cah.longpoll.js
index 13363d3..7ba8944 100644
--- a/WebContent/js/cah.longpoll.js
+++ b/WebContent/js/cah.longpoll.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ cah.longpoll.INITIAL_BACKOFF = 500;
 cah.longpoll.Backoff = cah.longpoll.INITIAL_BACKOFF;
 cah.longpoll.Resume = true;
 cah.longpoll.ErrorCodeHandlers = {};
+cah.longpoll.EventHandlers = {};
 
 cah.longpoll.longPoll = function() {
   cah.log.debug("starting long poll");
@@ -42,15 +43,11 @@ cah.longpoll.done = function(data) {
       cah.log.error(data.error_message);
     }
   } else {
-    // TODO process data
-    // var req = pendingRequests[data.serial];
-    // if (req && cah.ajax.SuccessHandlers[req.op]) {
-    // cah.ajax.SuccessHandlers[req.op](data);
-    // } else if (req) {
-    // addLogError("Unhandled response for op " + req.op);
-    // } else {
-    // addLogError("Unknown response for serial " + data.serial);
-    // }
+    if (cah.longpoll.EventHandlers[data.event]) {
+      cah.longpoll.EventHandlers[data.event](data);
+    } else {
+      cah.log.error("Unhandled event " + data.event);
+    }
   }
 
   // reset the backoff to normal when there's a successful operation
@@ -66,10 +63,3 @@ cah.longpoll.error = function(jqXHR, textStatus, errorThrown) {
       .error("Error communicating with server. Will try again in " + (cah.longpoll.Backoff / 1000)
           + " second" + (cah.longpoll.Backoff != 1000 ? "s" : "") + ".");
 };
-
-cah.longpoll.ErrorCodeHandlers.not_registered = function(data) {
-  cah.longpoll.Resume = false;
-  // TODO disable interface
-  cah.log.error("The server seems to have restarted. Any in-progress games have been lost.");
-  cah.log.error("You will need to refresh the page to start a new game.");
-};
diff --git a/src/net/socialgamer/cah/data/QueuedMessage.java b/src/net/socialgamer/cah/data/QueuedMessage.java
index 1732661..699b6c8 100644
--- a/src/net/socialgamer/cah/data/QueuedMessage.java
+++ b/src/net/socialgamer/cah/data/QueuedMessage.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public class QueuedMessage implements Comparable<QueuedMessage> {
    * 
    */
   public enum Type {
-    PING(0), NEW_PLAYER(5);
+    PING(0), NEW_PLAYER(5), CHAT(5);
 
     private final int weight;
 
diff --git a/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/ChatHandler.java b/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/ChatHandler.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df447a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/ChatHandler.java
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+package net.socialgamer.cah.handlers;
+
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import javax.servlet.http.HttpSession;
+
+import net.socialgamer.cah.Server;
+import net.socialgamer.cah.data.ConnectedUsers;
+import net.socialgamer.cah.data.QueuedMessage.Type;
+import net.socialgamer.cah.data.User;
+
+import com.google.inject.Inject;
+
+
+public class ChatHandler extends Handler {
+
+  public static final String OP = "chat";
+
+  private final ConnectedUsers users;
+
+  @Inject
+  public ChatHandler(final Server server) {
+    this.users = server.getConnectedUsers();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Map<String, Object> handle(final Map<String, String[]> parameters,
+      final HttpSession session) {
+    final Map<String, Object> data = new HashMap<String, Object>();
+
+    final User user = (User) session.getAttribute("user");
+    assert (user != null);
+
+    if (!parameters.containsKey("message") || parameters.get("message").length != 1) {
+      return error("No message specified.");
+    } else {
+      final String message = parameters.get("message")[0].trim();
+      if (message.length() > 200) {
+        return error("Messages cannot be longer than 200 characters.");
+      } else {
+        final HashMap<String, Object> broadcastData = new HashMap<String, Object>();
+        broadcastData.put("event", "chat");
+        broadcastData.put("from", user.getNickname());
+        broadcastData.put("message", message);
+        // TODO once there are multiple chat channels, put the destination here
+        // TODO once there are games and they have their own chat, make it only send to participants
+        users.broadcastToAll(Type.CHAT, broadcastData);
+      }
+    }
+
+    return data;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/Handlers.java b/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/Handlers.java
index 4d79766..3db337e 100644
--- a/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/Handlers.java
+++ b/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/Handlers.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ public class Handlers {
 
   static {
     LIST = new HashMap<String, Class<? extends Handler>>();
+    LIST.put(ChatHandler.OP, ChatHandler.class);
     LIST.put(FirstLoadHandler.OP, FirstLoadHandler.class);
     LIST.put(RegisterHandler.OP, RegisterHandler.class);
     LIST.put(TestHandler.OP, TestHandler.class);