♣️Poker

Concept

At first glance, implementing Texas Hold’em on a smart contract might seem daunting due to its complexity. However, breaking it down reveals that the process is quite manageable. Here’s how we simplify the implementation:

1. Card Deck: Define a standard 52-card deck with clear distinctions between suits and ranks.

2. Random Card Draw: Use a Verifiable Random Function (VRF) to ensure truly random card draws.

3. Card Hierarchy: Establish the hierarchy and combinations of poker hands.

4. Player Data: Track essential information for each player:

   • Hole cards

   • Current stake

   • Actions taken (bet, fold, etc.)

   • Turn sequence

5. Pot Management: Maintain a running total of the pot.

6. Game State: Monitor the current player and stage of the game.

7. Game Rules: Implement core rules, such as the flop, turn, and river, and manage blinds (small and big).

8. Game Parameters: Set up the number of seats, big blind size, and other parameters.

By utilizing these building blocks, we can deploy multiple game instances using Program Derived Addresses (PDAs), creating a fully decentralized poker platform.

Client

While the smart contract handles the backend operations, the client-side is equally crucial. The frontend manages the game state synchronization among players at the same table and keeps track of whose turn it is. Since we don’t use backend services for blockchain queries, the poker client is responsible for all necessary interactions and updates.

Games

Players can create new tables or games by initiating a new poker smart contract PDA. Once a game is set up, the frontend will query the blockchain to retrieve and display it, allowing other players to join. If the game creator leaves, the game proceeds unaffected. Additionally, players can set up private or "home" games, which are not listed publicly but can be accessed via a shared link.

Improvements

The initial version of our decentralized poker platform will focus on cash games. However, we have ambitious plans for future enhancements, including:

• Tournaments: Linking multiple tables under a single identifier to create tournament structures.

• Freerolls and Satellites: Offering free entry and satellite games for larger events.

• Sit & Go: Implementing popular tournament formats that start as soon as enough players join.

We are actively working on these features to expand the platform’s capabilities and provide a more robust poker experience.