diff --git a/robot.go b/robot.go
index 6eaa961..16634a1 100644
--- a/robot.go
+++ b/robot.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"encoding/gob"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
@@ -45,6 +47,14 @@ type robot struct {
 	wg *sync.WaitGroup
 }
 
+type encoder interface {
+	Encode(v interface{}) error
+}
+
+type decoder interface {
+	Decode(v interface{}) error
+}
+
 func (r *robot) negociate() (err error) {
 	if *verbose {
 		log.Printf("%s: trying to connect to game '%s'", r.name, r.game.Name)
@@ -158,19 +168,30 @@ func (r *robot) play() {
 
 	log.Printf("%s: starting loop", r.name)
 
+	var enc encoder
+	var dec decoder
+
+	if r.game.Encoding == "json" {
+		enc = json.NewEncoder(r.ws)
+		dec = json.NewDecoder(r.ws)
+	} else {
+		enc = gob.NewEncoder(r.ws)
+		dec = gob.NewDecoder(r.ws)
+	}
+
 	for {
 		r.speed = float32(maxSpeed)
 		if *verbose {
 			log.Printf("%s: about to wait on boardstate", r.name)
 		}
-		err = websocket.JSON.Receive(r.ws, &r.boardstate)
-		if *verbose {
-			log.Printf("%s: one recv boardstate", r.name)
-		}
+		err = dec.Decode(&r.boardstate)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("%s: Connection lost", r.name)
 			return
 		}
+		if *verbose {
+			log.Printf("%s: one recv boardstate", r.name)
+		}
 		// TODO: I need a truly-verbose flag?
 		// if *verbose {
 		// 	log.Printf("\n\n%#v\n\n", r.boardstate)
@@ -199,7 +220,7 @@ func (r *robot) play() {
 				FireAt:      r.fireat,
 			},
 		}
-		err = websocket.JSON.Send(r.ws, instruction)
+		err = enc.Encode(instruction)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Println(err)
 			return