Ethereum Poker
Funding an online poker account with Ethereum (or “Ether”) is little different from funding an online poker account with any eWallet. You simply enter the amount you want to deposit, transfer the funds, and start playing. However, there are advantages to funding your account with Ethereum. Although Bitcoin remains the king of cryptocurrencies, the development of blockchain technology has given birth to hundreds of. Even Bitcoin-accepting poker rooms have difficulties finding enough players to keep the cash game rings and tournaments going, so you might imagine that Ethereum poker is a tiny gambling niche. The site that used to offer Ethereum poker was Betcoin. But in late 2017 Betcoin poker was forced to close as a result of lack of players. Best Ethereum provably fair video poker! Three variants available, Jacks or better, Tens or better and Bonus poker.
You want to play poker with real money, but you also want your identity to be kept secret? What about a truly fair RNG system, no country restrictions, and lightning fast withdrawals? Ethereum poker offers all of these and more – and the best part is, you don’t need to be a computer geek to benefit from all these advantages.
Top Ethereum Poker Sites
What Is Ethereum Poker?
Using Ether does not change the rules of the poker (or gameplay) – it is a currency before anything else. In other words, Ethereum poker is the usual “normal” poker. You do not have to learn the game from the beginning or memorize a new card hierarchy. The only differences are:
- Ether is used as the “currency” (The form of payment is called “Ether” on the Ethereum platform)
- You can play poker anonymously – no country limitations, no ID verification
- Deposit and withdrawal transactions are very fast
- In games where this feature is supported, the RNG software works on the Ethereum blockchain, not on a server controlled by the casino. (So you do not have to worry about fairness.)
- In pure Ethereum casinos, the house edge is lower than standard poker games (0.83% on average).
How Does Ethereum Poker Work?
In casinos that support Ether only as a currency, the functioning of the poker game does not differ in any way. Become a member, deposit Ether to your account and start playing – that’s all. The advantages you get from the casinos that offer this support are not directly related to the games. You only get the advantages of anonymous gambling, lightning fast withdrawals, and no country limitations. The rules of the games and the general gameplay do not differ.
Things are a bit different in pure Ethereum casinos. What we mean by this term is that all casino games, including poker, work on the blockchain, not on a central server. These types of casinos are relatively few in number, but they offer many advantages. First of all, you can be sure that the RNG software is really random because dice is “rolled” by the blockchain. Thanks to the smart contracts infrastructure, you do not have to wait for withdrawals: You win and get paid at the same time. Whichever poker variant you play, the house edge is significantly reduced. Pure Ethereum casinos keep their infrastructures on a blockchain, not on a central server. This allows you to enjoy various advantages in all games including poker.
But in any case, the rules of poker, the conditions of winning, and the overall gameplay do not change. The opportunities offered by Ethereum do not affect the way games work. In other words, Ethereum poker is not a new or “improved” game: You are still playing the usual poker.
Rules of Ethereum Poker
If you know the rules of poker, then you are ready to play poker on the Ethereum platform too: As we mentioned above, the rules of the game do not differ. Poker is a game with many variations, but the card hierarchy and base system do not change. Here is a brief reminder of the general rules using the five card poker variant:
- Poker is a game played with a single deck of 52 cards. Contrary to popular belief, Joker cards are only used in some variants.
- Each player gets 5 cards in total. The goal is to create a sequence with a higher rank than other players.
- As it is obvious from this explanation, there is a card hierarchy in poker. You can see this hierarchy in the following table:
| Rank | Name | Example |
| 1 | Five of a kind | Same 5 cards, i.e. 10-10-10-10-10 |
| 2 | Straight flush | 5 cards in order, same suit, i.e. 3-4-5-6-7 |
| 3 | Four of a kind | 4 cards of the same rank, i.e. Q-Q-Q-Q-6 |
| 4 | Full House | 3 cards of the same rank, 1 pair, i.e. K-K-K-3-3 |
| 5 | Flush | All cards are the same suit, i.e. 8-4-J-9-3, all Spades |
| 6 | Straight | 5 cards in order, different suit |
| 7 | Three of a kind | 3 cards of any rank, different suit, i.e. K-K-K-4-8 |
| 8 | Two pair | 2 pairs and a fifth card, i.e. 8-8-5-5-9 |
| 9 | Pair | 1 pair, 3 different cards, i.e. 4-4-9-2-7 |
| 10 | High card | If nobody has a pair, the highest card wins |
- The players are trying to create one of the sequences in this table with the cards being dealt. But creating a high-rank sequence is not the only way to win in poker. You can win a game by “bluffing” even when there are no valid sequences in your hand.
- After the initial dealing, each player must choose one of the following options:
- Call: The player matches the bet on the table
- Raise: The player matches the bet on the table and raises it. There is no limit on raising, as long as it stays under the table limit.
- Fold: The player removes himself from that game.
- The game (and betting) continues until all the remaining players have chosen the “call” option. For example, if there are only 2 players left on the table and both of them call, the cards are compared and the player with the higher rank wins.
Let us remind once again that these explanations are at a very basic level. There are numerous variations of poker and different rules can be used in each variant.
Top Strategies for Ethereum Poker
This goal of this article is not to give detailed poker strategies, but we can give you some tips:
- Do not bluff continuously. Hollywood movies may have convinced you that this is a valid tactic, but in the real world, constant bluffing will show you like a fool.
- Learn to analyze your opponents’ body language, especially their mimics.
- Learn basic card counting. This is the tactic that will help you the most. Likewise, you also need to learn probability calculations.
- If the odds are in your favor, adopt an aggressive style of play. (Please note, however, that this tactic does not work against professional players.)
- You do not have to enter every game. If your cards are bad, avoid playing that round. Otherwise, you will have to constantly bluff and that will not work. In other words, “play fewer hands.”
Remember that each poker variant has its own special tactics. These are just general tips and you may need to change them according to the game and your opponents.