/**
     * removes circles in left right top and bottom with the circle in the
     * middle
     *
     * @param row
     *            - the row location of the middle circle
     * @param col
     *            - the column location of the middle circle
     * @param circle
     *            - what instance is the circle of
     */
    public void removeCircles(int row, int col, Circle circle) {
	System.out.println("removing circles");
	int counter;

	if (circle instanceof GreenCircle) {
	    playfield[row][col] = new NoCircle(row, col);

	    counter = 0;

	    // up direction
	    int rowUp = row;
	    int colUp = col;
	    while (true) {
		// if its not greenCircle then break the process
		if (!(playfield[--rowUp][colUp] instanceof GreenCircle)
			&& !(playfield[rowUp][colUp] instanceof NoCircle))
		    break;
		// if it is a GreenCircle then remove it, increment the counter
		// and break the while process
		else if (playfield[rowUp][colUp] instanceof GreenCircle) {
		    playfield[rowUp][colUp] = new NoCircle(rowUp, colUp);
		    counter++;
		    break;
		}
	    }
	    // right direction
	    int rowRight = row;
	    int colRight = col;
	    while (true) {
		// if its not greencircle then break the process
		if (!(playfield[rowRight][++colRight] instanceof GreenCircle)
			&& !(playfield[rowRight][colRight] instanceof NoCircle))
		    break;
		// if it is a greencircle then remove it, increment the counter
		// break the while process
		else if (playfield[rowRight][colRight] instanceof GreenCircle) {
		    playfield[rowRight][colRight] = new NoCircle(rowRight,
			    colRight);
		    counter++;
		    break;
		}
	    }
	    // donw direction;
	    int rowDown = row;
	    int colDown = col;
	    while (true) {
		// if its not greencircle then break the process
		if (!(playfield[++rowDown][colDown] instanceof GreenCircle)
			&& !(playfield[rowDown][colDown] instanceof NoCircle))
		    break;
		// if it is a greencircle then remove it, increment the counter
		// and break the while process
		else if (playfield[rowDown][colDown] instanceof GreenCircle) {
		    playfield[rowDown][colDown] = new NoCircle(rowDown, colDown);
		    counter++;
		    break;
		}
	    }

	    // left direction
	    int rowLeft = row;
	    int colLeft = col;
	    while (true) {
		// if its not Greencircle then break the process
		if (!(playfield[rowLeft][--colLeft] instanceof GreenCircle)
			&& !(playfield[rowLeft][colLeft] instanceof NoCircle))
		    break;
		// if it is a greencircle then remove it increment the counter
		// and break the while process
		else if (playfield[rowLeft][colLeft] instanceof GreenCircle) {
		    playfield[rowLeft][colLeft] = new NoCircle(rowLeft, colLeft);
		    counter++;
		    break;
		}
	    }
	}
    }