Frequently Asked Questions

What is RbPkr?

RbPkr is a home poker game tool designed to eliminate the slowest part of live poker: shuffling and dealing. By handling the deck digitally and showing cards on players’ phones, RbPkr helps home games run faster, smoother, and with far fewer interruptions—so you can see more hands per session and keep the game fun.

Why do I need to sign up?

You don’t always have to. If the game manager enables guest access, players can join with just a name—no account required. Creating an account is needed if you want to create games yourself, helps prevent abuse, and makes it easy to rejoin a game if you refresh or close your browser.

Do I need to download an app?

No. RbPkr is entirely web‑based. Players simply open their phone’s browser, scan the QR code, and join instantly. There’s no app store, no installation, and no updates to manage—everything works right in the browser.

Can I password‑protect my game?

Yes. When creating a game, you can set an optional password. Anyone joining will need to enter it before they can see their cards, which is useful for keeping private home games from uninvited guests.

How do I view my cards?

Make sure you’re viewing the game from the individual (Hole Cards) perspective. From there, drag your cards downward to peek at them. While peeking, you’ll see your best possible hand based on the community cards. Release to hide them again.

If you’re seeing only the community cards, tap or click the 4‑letter room code at the top of the screen to switch between the Community view and your Hole Cards view.

You can also check the URL in your browser. The individual (Hole Cards) view uses a URL like https://rbpkr.com/ROOM, where ROOM is the unique 4‑letter room code for your game. If you’re on a different URL, clicking the room code will take you to the correct view.

How do I fold?

Swipe your cards upward with some velocity to fold, or tap the fold button. Once folded, your cards are gone for that hand.

How does Draw for Button work?

When the manager clicks Draw for Button, each player draws one card from a freshly washed deck. The highest card gets the dealer button. Ties are broken by suit (spades > hearts > diamonds > clubs).

How many players can join?

Up to 10 players can join a single game, similar to a full‑ring casino poker table. This keeps the experience familiar and manageable for most home games.

Is the shuffle truly random?

Yes. The deck simulates real casino techniques: multiple riffle shuffles, box shuffles, and a wash before drawing for the button, using a cryptographically‑seeded random number generator.

What if someone loses connection?

Clients poll the server to stay in sync. If someone reconnects, they automatically catch up to the current game state.

Is there dark mode?

Yes. RbPkr automatically follows your device’s system preferences. If your phone or tablet is set to dark mode, the interface will switch automatically for a more comfortable viewing experience.

What’s the hand limit?

Each game starts with 50 free hands. You can purchase additional hands, and purchased games become permanent links your group can reuse.

What poker games are supported?

Currently, only No‑Limit Texas Hold’em is supported.

Can I use RbPkr for online or remote play?

RbPkr is designed for in-person home games, but you can enable chip tracking to reduce the need for physical chips. When enabled, RbPkr tracks each player’s stack and betting actions (check, bet, call, raise, all-in) to help guide live play. Chip tracking is optional and lightweight—it’s meant to support the flow at the table, not replace real money handling or turn RbPkr into a full online poker engine.

Do I need a TV or tablet to use RbPkr?

You don’t need a TV, but RbPkr works best with a shared screen—like a TV, tablet, or laptop—placed in the center of the table. This shared screen shows the community cards, player order, and game status, while each player privately views their hole cards on their own phone. This setup keeps the game fast, clear, and social, just like a traditional home poker game.

Can players see each other’s cards or cheat?

No. Each player’s hole cards are private and only visible on their own device. Cards are generated and stored securely on the server and are never shown to other players or the game manager. RbPkr is designed so that everyone at the table can trust the deal, just as they would with a physical deck.

Does the game manager have an advantage?

No. The game manager controls the flow of the game—advancing streets, starting new hands, and managing seats—but has no special access to cards or outcomes. The manager cannot see other players’ hole cards or influence the shuffle, deal, or results in any way.

Does chip tracking handle pots and payouts?

Chip tracking handles player stacks, betting actions, and automatic pot calculation including side pots when short-stacked players go all-in. Tied hands split evenly, rounded down to the small blind, with the remainder going to the player in best position. RbPkr will not handle real currency holding or payouts. Money always stays off‑app and must be handled manually by the game manager—whether that's settling up with cash, Venmo, PayPal, or whatever works best for your group. RbPkr remains a dealing and flow tool first, not a full poker or payments engine.

Is RbPkr a full online poker app?

No. RbPkr is not a full online poker app. While it can be used for remote play—since each player can see the community cards and their own hole cards on their own device—it’s designed primarily for in-person home games. RbPkr does not provide matchmaking, real‑money transactions, or long‑term bankroll tracking. For dedicated online or fully remote poker experiences, there are better options such as Poker TH. RbPkr focuses on fast, fair dealing and smooth game flow without replacing the social, home‑game experience.