Researcher Robin Linus Completes Satoshi's Abandoned Poker Protocol on Bitcoin
- —The protocol uses 56,132 transaction-tree nodes to enforce two-player Texas Hold'em
- —Preparing one game requires about 8.4 MB of data and no Bitcoin consensus changes
- —Cards are jointly generated: only nine cards are needed instead of a full 52-card deck
- —An average of 2.08 attempts is required due to a 48% chance of passing the duplicate-card test
Why it matters: The project demonstrates Bitcoin can enforce complex games without a trusted dealer, but its security still requires independent review in 2026.
Source: Bitcoin.com