diff --git a/rust/cli_player/src/ui_screens/game_screen.rs b/rust/cli_player/src/ui_screens/game_screen.rs
index 0e13b20..dd1ddb5 100644
--- a/rust/cli_player/src/ui_screens/game_screen.rs
+++ b/rust/cli_player/src/ui_screens/game_screen.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ use crate::constants::*;
 use crate::ui_screens::confirm_dialog_screen::confirm;
 use crate::ui_screens::popup_screen::{show_screen_too_small_popup, PopupScreen};
 use crate::ui_screens::set_boats_layout_screen::SetBoatsLayoutScreen;
-use crate::ui_screens::utils::{centered_rect_size, centered_text};
+use crate::ui_screens::utils::{
+    centered_rect_size, centered_rect_size_horizontally, centered_text,
+};
 use crate::ui_screens::ScreenResult;
 use crate::ui_widgets::button_widget::ButtonWidget;
 use crate::ui_widgets::game_map_widget::{ColoredCells, GameMapWidget};
@@ -576,11 +578,11 @@ impl GameScreen {
 
             f.render_widget(
                 player_map,
-                centered_rect_size(player_map_size.0, player_map_size.1, &maps_chunks[0]),
+                centered_rect_size_horizontally(player_map_size.0, &maps_chunks[0]),
             );
             f.render_widget(
                 opponent_map,
-                centered_rect_size(opponent_map_size.0, opponent_map_size.1, &maps_chunks[1]),
+                centered_rect_size_horizontally(opponent_map_size.0, &maps_chunks[1]),
             );
         } else {
             // Render a single map
diff --git a/rust/cli_player/src/ui_screens/utils.rs b/rust/cli_player/src/ui_screens/utils.rs
index f1e7928..387dfbb 100644
--- a/rust/cli_player/src/ui_screens/utils.rs
+++ b/rust/cli_player/src/ui_screens/utils.rs
@@ -46,6 +46,25 @@ pub fn centered_rect_size(width: u16, height: u16, parent: &Rect) -> Rect {
     }
 }
 
+/// helper function to create a centered rect using up certain container size, only horizontally
+pub fn centered_rect_size_horizontally(width: u16, parent: &Rect) -> Rect {
+    if parent.width < width {
+        return Rect {
+            x: parent.x,
+            y: parent.y,
+            width: parent.width,
+            height: parent.height,
+        };
+    }
+
+    Rect {
+        x: parent.x + (parent.width - width) / 2,
+        y: parent.y,
+        width,
+        height: parent.height,
+    }
+}
+
 /// Get coordinates to render centered text
 pub fn centered_text(text: &str, container: &Rect) -> Rect {
     if text.len() > container.width as usize {