Poker and the shared pot at the table in a decentralised network

In summary, the conversation discusses the drawbacks of using a centralized network for online poker and proposes the idea of a decentralized network using bitcoin. The advantages of this system include avoiding government taxation, no rake fees, and not having to trust a company. However, the main challenge is figuring out how to handle the money put into the pot during a game. One proposed solution is to use an escrow system where players nominate multiple escrows to hold portions of the pot, and if any escrow fails to distribute the money correctly, they are blacklisted by the majority of players. The conversation also mentions a similar escrow system used for buying and selling items with bitcoin.
  • #1
luma
32
0
Hey,

When we play Poker online, we are using a centralised network. You deposit your cash online, sit down at a game and play. You place your trust in the site to be secure; no other players can see your hands and no money is being secretly stolen from you. Even big name sites have been known to cheat and smaller sites just shut down and steal your money.

There are two well known sites- PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. By being secure, they charge you excessive amounts to use their service. The market is monopolised by them since small sites are untrustworthy. This year I played on PokerStars and made $3k profit and payed $4.5k in rake- so I had to win $7.5k in total and hand over more than half my winnings to PokerStars. Many players hate this.

A decentralised Poker network (using bitcoin). Here's the advantages:
+ Government heavily taxes Poker sites. Decentralised networks are outside the law.
+ No rake.
+ Don't need to place your trust in a company
+ Customise your client since you own the source!
+ No http://www.pokertableratings.com/ gathering statistics on your play against the rules of Poker

How could such a thing be implemented?

Mental poker is a scheme for neutrally verifying cards among players but is slow. Yet I imagine there's ways to speed it up by relying on trust/probabilistic methods.

The real problem is money put into the pot. For those unfamiliar with Poker I'll explain: People bet on the strength of hands, and put money in a pot. After so many betting rounds, both players show their hands. The strongest hand wins the money put in the middle. How can this be decentralised?

The best scheme I imagined was if the pot was stored by a third party. We want to protect against collaboration so using the other players not involved in the hand at the table is not possible (5 of the 6 players on the table could be collaborating together and just steal your money). Each player could nominate a few escrows each that hold fractional amounts of the money. Since people disconnect (bad internet .etc), the escrows would need to be dedicated services.

6 players sit down at a table. Each nominates 2 escrow services that hold the money (12 in total). Player A and B start betting and putting money in the pot. $200 goes into 12 escrows or $17 each. After they show the hand everyone agrees player A won. But one escrow refuses to award their share of the $7 to A... Everyone at the table blacklists that escrow to never trust them again and alerts everyone else in the network. If the majority of the players at the table >50% agree that an escrow is bad, then everyone blacklists them.

My scheme is full of holes though. Looking for ideas.
 
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  • #2
In an escrow:

1. A offers to sell laptop for 2000 coins, and escrows X coins as security.
2. B offers to buy and escrows X coins as security.
3. B pays 2000 coins to A.
4. If A refuses to send the laptop, both A and B have lost X coins. Therefore, A has an
* * incentive to send the laptop, and B can't use this system to put A out of business.
5. A sends the laptop to B.
6. If B refuses to acknowledge receipt of the laptop, both A and B have lost X coins.
* * Therefore, B has an incentive to acknowledge receipt of the laptop.

where X > 2000 (e.g X = 2500)

In Poker here, the transaction confirmation is when the hands are revealed and the escrow confirms the winner. I'm asking about a distributed escrow in essence.
 

1. What is a shared pot in poker?

A shared pot in poker refers to the collection of chips or money that is accumulated from players' bets during a hand. This pot is then awarded to the winner(s) of the hand.

2. How does the shared pot work in a decentralised network?

In a decentralised network, the shared pot is managed by a peer-to-peer system rather than a central authority. This means that players can make transactions directly with each other without the need for a middleman. The shared pot is distributed among the players based on the rules of the game and the outcomes of each hand.

3. What are the advantages of using a decentralised network for poker?

One of the main advantages of using a decentralised network for poker is that it eliminates the need for a central authority, reducing the risk of fraud or manipulation. It also allows for faster and more secure transactions, as well as lower fees compared to traditional poker networks.

4. Can players cheat in a decentralised poker network?

While it is possible for players to cheat in any form of poker, a decentralised network makes it more difficult to do so. This is because the transactions are recorded on a public ledger, making it easier to detect any suspicious activity. Additionally, decentralised networks often use smart contracts to enforce the rules of the game, reducing the risk of cheating.

5. Are there any downsides to using a decentralised network for poker?

One potential downside of using a decentralised network for poker is the lack of regulation. This means that players may have less protection in case of disputes or issues with the network. Additionally, the use of cryptocurrencies in decentralised networks may pose a barrier for some players who are not familiar with this form of currency.

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