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Featured on Rich On Tech

We’re so proud to be featured on the Rich on Tech podcast. Listen to the whole Podcast Episode on Spotify or wherever you get your podcast (or use the player below).

On the show Rich shares his experience with the app and talks about how he has been using EasyPoker for his home poker games during the pandemic.

Spoiler: The show loves the app!

EasyPoker is free

Get the app here if you want to get the EasyPoker app for your next home game as well.

There is something wrong with social media. The new docudrama, The Social Dilemma (Netflix, 2020) shows how social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. is having a massive negative impact on human behavior. EasyPoker wants to use ethical design to challenge ‘The Social Dilemma’.

Nowadays everything is connected through the internet. We are always online and it is beginning to divide us. We have switched out human interaction for digital convenience. In the documentary, The Social Dilemma (2020), experts show how social media is designed to change human behavior. We are becoming less social, more digitally addicted and forgetting the benefit of technology.

The Social Dilemma & Digital Poker

Here are 3 ways, EasyPoker solves ‘The Social Dilemma’:

Remember, technology is a tool and so is your smartphone. EasyPoker uses your smartphone, to enhance the overall experience and convenience of poker. The technology makes it much easier to play, anywhere and anytime, without the lack of social interaction. The game needs to be played, face-to-face, with your friends and family. Sure, you can better yourself with a 1vs1 online, but the main goal is to interact in the real world.

In a time with social distancing, it is important to remember that social media is not the only way of interacting. If we use technology to our benefit, we can use it to
retain a ‘normal’ way of living. A poker night doesn’t need to involve physical chips or cards.

EasyPoker solved it with one simple tool. Your smartphone. Without
all of the downsides. It is also better to call someone’s bluff face-to-face, rather than getting tricked by an online poker shark or catfish.

Do not become addicted and gamble with your money, time or morals.

You can get addicted to anything. Smoking, drinking, gambling, social media. The list goes on. Poker’s biggest hurdle is gambling. EasyPoker simply removed the possibility in the game. This is part of our approach to ethical design. Less focus on addictive features and more focus on better user experience. We want you to play, because you like the game, not because you are addicted to it. The tech-industry holds a responsibility to become more transparent and less addictive.

EasyPoker is the product and not the player.

Bring social back

EasyPoker keeps improving. Our players contribute with new ways of making the game better. We want to continue to better ourselves and make ‘technology great again’ and bring social back into our daily digital lives. Together.

#1 Product of the Day

At EasyPoker we’re focused on one thing; creating the digital substitute to the silver case poker set.
We want to give you the experience of physical poker, with the convenience of digital poker – allowing you to fire up a game of poker with friends anytime, anywhere. As part of this mission, we recently launched the on Product Hunt.

Take EasyPoker for a Spin

WHAT IS PRODUCT HUNT?

For those of you not familiar with ‘Product Hunt’ it’s a popular website where makers of digital products can upload their work to get feedback, awareness and followers.
Wired describes it as “Tech’s new tastemaker”, and so it’s kind of a big deal – and a great window to showcase your product to the entire tech industry.
Once you launch your project on Product Hunt, the site’s users can read about it, give you feedback and, if they like what they see, upvote it.
Product Hunt has hundreds of new products uploaded every day, and the site picks out a few of these to be ‘featured’.

EasyPoker on Product Hunt

EasyPoker launched on Product Hunt on July 1st and was quickly picked as one of the sites ‘featured’ products. This was of course amazing.
The hunters really seemed to like the app, and users were quick to comment, ask questions and upvote the product. Product Hunt’s featured list is ranked by number of upvotes, and since most attention goes to the top 5 products of the day, we were happy to find ourselves among those five.

It was a great day with a lot of feedback and interaction with users and tech interested people, and by the end of the day, EasyPoker was at the top of the list and awarded the prestigious ‘#1 Product of the Day” badge to flaunt on our website etc – which we proudly do.

What does this mean for EasyPoker?

Being #1 Product of the day on Product Hunt is a great achievement of which we are really proud and honored. Previous products of the day include now big companies like Pokémon GO, Tesla, Slack, Instagram and a bunch of other cool products that we love.

If you follow us, you know that user feedback is something we take very seriously – in fact users pretty much control the priority of our pipeline and direct our focus. This is because we truly want to build this app, not only for, but with our awesome users.

The #1 Product of the day badge from Product Hunt is a stamp of approval more than anything – an acknowledgement for the entire tech world to see. We’ve already been contacted by several tech blogs and media regarding interviews, so look out for that as well.

Thank you all

We cannot thank our users enough for their continued love and support.
We really pour our heart and soul into this app – all day, everyday – working hard to optimize existing features and constantly incorporating awesome new features.
But none of this would be possible if not for the love, help and feedback from our super engaged user base. In the app stores, on social media and on Product Hunt – we see you, and we really appreciate you.

You can check out our Product Hunt campaign here – we’re of course still crazy for upvotes.

GET started for free now

Interesting Facts About Poker to Tell Your Friends

Want to become a true poker connoisseur? Then take a good luck at some funny and interesting facts about poker that we have put together for you. Enjoy!

Evolution of Poker

Did you know that poker originated in America? It actually took birth in New Orleans, Louisiana. Nowadays, we know it as Texas Hold’em which is just besides Louisiana.

During its first years of development, it came apparent that there was a need for some kind of common currency. Poker chips replaced coins, gold etc. Till this day, poker chips are still used – but it is highly doubtful that they are fabricated the way they were, when they were first coined. Ivory, bone, clay and wood seems to have lost its grip in chips, but luckily poker has not lost its grasp on people.

From Underground to Television

Day by day, year by year, poker evolved. In 1973 it took a giant leap forward. For the first time ever The World Series of Poker was transmitted live from Las Vegas. Tennessee child, Walter “Puggy” Pearson, won $130.000 and the main event that year. Since that year, many more tournaments have been televised for the pleasure of people.

Bigger audience and more people watching poker, means more “eyes on the prize”. Luckily, there are plenty of combinations to go around.

There exists more than 300 million seven card poker hands. That is quite a few. That is just a few millions too many for pros to remember, but they still manage to get the edge on you. Sometimes. It is stated, that the best poker players only got five percent advantage on a skilled poker player.

Dirty Clothes

This is next to nothing, but if you learn to read your opponents? almost nothing might just be enough. It is said that leaning forward or backward is a tell-tell sign of a strong hand.

It is also said that some poker players play in dirty clothes out of shear superstition. SO be aware of your surroundings and smell your way around superstitious players looking for glory (and gold).

Do you know any interesting facts about poker? Comment down below or send us a massage. You can also check out our other blog post with more poker facts.

Poker with Friends

If you like poker then you should check out EasyPoker. It’s an app that’s designed to facilitate live poker among friends. It has a Kahoot style multiplayer system and it’s completely free. Get it for iPhone and Android.

Genius Poker Quotes

A lot has been said about poker. These are some of the best poker quotes ever said. Give it a read. You might earn a chip or two.

“You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once.”
– Amarillo Slim Preston

Make them come back

What Preston means by this poker quote is to make your opponents come back for more. That is the essential point of Amarillo Slim Prestons quote. Beat your opponent, don’t intimidate them.
Bonus: I also heard this poker quote in Rounders and I don’t really know who said it first.

“If you can’t spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.”
– Mike McDermott

The Sucker

As Mike McDermott aka. Matt Damon says, someone is always the sucker at the table. This quote reminds us of exactly that. The question is: Are you fast enough to know if it is yourself who is the sucker?

“If there weren’t luck involved, I would win every time.”
– Phil Hellmuth

Everyone has been thinking this

Do not lie. If you have not heard it, read it or said it – you have definitely thought of it to yourself. Apparently, opponents luck is the only thing that stands between you and the pot (of gold).

“Poker is a lot like sex. Everyone thinks they are the best, but most don’t have a clue what they are doing.”
– Dutch Boyd

Probably true

Another way of saying “Fake it till you make it”.

“Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game.”
– James Altucher

Game of skill

Yes. It. Is. There is a human craft behind playing poker. You have know the mechanics of the game, but also how to read your opponent. Once you do, you will learn, that skills beat chance and pros beat noobs. It’s no coincidence that it’s always the same guys at the finale table.

Make your own Poker Quotes

Time for some shameless self promotion – but I think you will like it. With the EasyPoker app you can easily create a game of live social poker and play with your friends. It’s designed to be played face to face. If you’re into poker then you should check it out.

Missing your Favorite Poker Quotes?

Do you have a favourite quote you would like to share? Then write it in the comments below. We are always happy to get feedback from our dear poker community.

Take a look at some of our other blogs and look forward to a lot of exciting news on our app.

How to Host the Perfect Poker Night

So you’re planning a poker night with your friends and family? That sounds fun! But in order for you to successfully host a poker night you need to have a plan. Luckily we’ve made a to-do for the perfect poker night.

1. Know your rules

First you need to decide what kind of poker you are playing. There are lots of different types of poker games out there so you need to choose which game to play. The most common poker game is Texas Hold’em. Next step is to know all the rules, how big your buy in is and how the hands are ranking.
We’ve made a quick and simle video showing you How to Play Poker.

You should also plan on when you raise the blinds (or if you are doing this at all). When I play poker I normally like to raise the blinds every 15 minutes.

Bonus tip: If you plan on having a cash buy-in, then make sure to collect the money up front. This makes sure that no one forgets about it after the game. It’s also very motivating for players when they have actually seen the potential winnings in the pot.

2. Have the right facilities

poker night massage You will need (of cause) a full poker set with playing cards and poker chips (or the EasyPoker app). Other than that you should have a big table and chairs to sit all players. If you are a perfectionist the table should be round or oval and have a green tablecloth. Remember to leave enough space for the players chips, cards, beverage or what else they might need while playing.

If you are a cool host you should plan a surprise visit from a massage therapist that can massage players during the poker game. This will truly make you popular among the friends and can help you focus even better during the poker night.

3. Use music to set the tone

Music is an important element of the poker night. It should just be a subtle thing in the background to set the tone. I like to use a mix of jazz, old songs, classic music and some soundtracks from Casino Royale and Rounders.

Feel free to use our Playlist on Spotify.

4. Create an Atmosphere

Music is a great way to set the tone. But you will also have to create a more casino like vibe in your house. Clean up your place, lower the lights and pull out the heavy Chesterfield furniture (if you have those).

Make sure to keep the room darken with a light on the poker table. LED strips and Hue lights are also great for creating an exciting poker night atmosphere with warm tones.

5. Snacks & Beverages

It is important to have finger foods and snacks such as chips with dip, nuts, crackers, popcorn, pigs in a blanket, pretzels etc. Everything that does not require the player to have a plate will work.

It’s a good idea to have both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages when playing. It’s always cool to have a straight up whisky or cognac but if you don’t like that, you could go for a whisky sour (one of my favorites).

Poker Night wherever you are

Hosting a poker night is fun but also a lot of work. You often need to plan your night of playing poker weeks in advance. But what about those spontaneous poker games when you’re just hanging out? Chances are that you are not carrying around a poker set, so you will need to figure out something else (or end up not playing at all…). But don’t worry – we have your back. Just download the free EasyPoker app and you’re ready to go. No need for poker chips, playing cards or a table.

This is why Three of a Kind beats Two Pairs

As one of the creators of the EasyPoker app I often get asked about which hands are stronger in texas hold’em poker. The most frequent question is by far if Three of a Kind beats Two Pairs. The question is often stated like “How does three 3’s beat my two pairs of Kings and Jacks?”. This seems confusing for a surprising number of people.

The answer is of cause that three of a kind ALWAYS beats two pairs. No matter the cards.

It’s in the math

Math behind three of a kind

Yes, this might sound boring for non mathematicians but it’s a simple question of math. Actually poker is built on math (you probably already knew that).

Getting a strong hand in poker means beating the odds. The smaller the statistical probability of getting the hand, the bigger the chance of winning. The all-time strongest hand in hold’em poker is the Royal Straight Flush. The chance of getting this hand is 649,739 to 1. That is a probability of 0.000154%. For comparison, the chance of getting a single pair is 49.9%.

So far so good.

Three of a Kind vs. Two Pairs

It might sound crazy that, say, three 2’s will beat a Pair of Aces and a Pair of Kings – but it’s not. The odds of getting any two pairs are actually 20:1. In a game of poker with a deck of 52 playing cards, the cumulative probability of this happening is 7.62%. The chance of getting any Three of a Kind is 2.87%.

So there you have it. The reason why any 3 of a Kind beats any Two Pairs is in the math. Bring this info to your next poker night and you will be a genius among your poker-noob friends.

Complete poker hand ranking guide

If you’re interested you can visit our complete poker hands ranking guide to get up to date on all hold’em poker hands.

20 free things to do with friends

Looking for fun and free things to do with friends? Are you guys bored out of your mind and yet have no money to spend? We know the feeling all to well. Suddenly it feels like everything fun cost money, especially when you’re broke.

But not to worry! We’ve got you covered. Here is a list of my 20 favorite free things to do with friends. Hope you find my activities interesting.

1. Go sightseeing

This might be weird, but it can be fun to see and learn something new about your neighbourhood. Go on Google and treat your local area like you were a tourist. I’ve been doing this for the last couple of years and now it’s one of my favorite free things to do with friends.

2. Play poker

Is there anything better than beating your friends in a game of poker? No. So go play poker with your buddies now!

Oh wait. You have no chips or cards? No problem. Download the EasyPoker app for iOS and Android. The app handles everything for you and it’s so simple a toddler can use it. You’re welcome!

3. Take a swim

Of course this depends on the season. But if it’s summer go take a dip in a lake, ocean or in your rich neighbor’s pool. I love swimming so much that this get’s a top spot on our free things to do with friends list.

4. Go for a hike

Hiking is fun year around. Especially if you live anywhere in the word except Denmark (my contry). Get closer to our lovely nature and maybe shoot a couple of cool pics for the gram.

5. Play video games

One of my favorite things to do with friends is playing video games. It can be either the newest FIFA or old games to bring up a nostalgic feeling. So fire up or dig out your old Playstation or Nintendo and get going!

6. Watch a movie

Find an old DVD on the shelf or turn on Netflix for a fun movie day/night. If you don’t have a Netflix account you can sign up for a free trial month.

7. Go to the local library

But not just to read free books, comics and magazines. Most modern libraries also have games, music, events and cultural-arty-things. All for free!

8. Make a funny YouTube video

For most of my childhood I created YouTube videos with my friends. It’s really fun talking about ideas, writing jokes, shooting and editing stuff. Most of you guys have smartphones with great video and editing capabilities, so no excuses. And maybe your videos go viral and you become a millionaire? Who knows.

9. Try out geocaching

Geocaching is the world’s biggest treasure hunt. Fun. Free. Kills time.

10. Have a yard sale

Get out all the old stuff that you don’t use and set up a yard sale. It’s fun and you and your friends can make some money as well.

11. Binge watch a TV series

A fun, relaxing and free thing to do with friends is to binge watch a great TV series. My recommendations are Silicon Valley (HBO), Breaking Bad (Netflix), Modern Family (Netflix) and Brooklyn Nine Nine (netflix).

12. Go to a lecture

If you live near a big or medium sized city you can probably find lots of free lectures and events happening right now. Make some searches on Google, Meetup or Facebook and be amazed by everything happening near you.

13. Talk about business ventures

I bet you would like to be your own boss (and rich)? Talk about your dreams and ideas for the next big thing. It can be apps, websites, stores, soups – anything! Maybe it can become a reality some day.

14. Go for a bike ride

This of course depends on you both having a bike. But if you do then take out your metal horse and see the world in a slightly faster pace. Or go mountain biking (without breaking your necks, please).

15. Play sports games (or invent your own)

One of my favorite things to do with friends is playing football, frisbee, baseball, soccer or whatever you like to play. If you don’t have the necessary equipment, then invent your own game with the stuff you have.

16. Listen to live music

Go on Facebook, Google or whatever and find a local place that have live music. I bet there’s a bar near you that plays live music tonight (for free).

17. Go camping

If you have the essentials (and nice weather) then go camping. Open fields, mountains, fresh air and a campfire won’t cost you a dime.

18. Go to an open mic event

Most big cities have free comedy nights a couple of times a week. Here young (and sometimes famous) comedians perform and test out new jokes for upcoming shows. So you’ll get free comedy entertainment and help the comedians practice. Win Win.

19. Rock climbing

If you live in a country with mountains and cliffs you should go rock climbing. It’s fun, healthy and dangerous (cool). And please make sure not to kill yourself.

20. Go urban exploring

One of my favorite things to do is urban exploring, also called urbexing. Here you explore old buildings, malls and warehouses in your city. It’s really fun, creepy and deserves a spot on our free things to do with friends list. Oh, and if you decide go urban exploring, please make sure not to get hurt or fail like these guys:

Are you ready for the digital poker table?

Tech is changing everything. And now it’s changing how we play poker in the traditional casino. At least that’s the vision of the company ‘Jackpot Digital’. Their new digital poker table enables up to ten players to play texas hold’em. They call it Jackpot Blizz.

Digital Poker Table

Jackpot Blizz’s digital poker table features an 84-inch 4K resolution touch screen. The table supports gestures we know from online poker. I have not tried it yet but it looks very intuitive. Take a look for yourself.

The whole experience is virtual. The cards are dealt by the computer. You see your cards, call, bet and raise by tabbing on the screen. Seems cool.

Gimmick or Solid Tech

Jackpot Blizz’s digital poker table has both pros and cons. It’s perfectly designed for cruise ships and small casinos. It has a faster gameplay, needs no dealer and it is impossible to cheat. But will this be enough to replace the traditional poker table or is it just a gimmick?

Are Digital Poker Tables the Future?

Personally I really enjoy playing poker in a casino. Interacting with other players and the dealer, feeling the cards and playing around with the chips makes me feel like James Bond. It’s something that I can’t do when playing on my phone or computer.

I don’t see Jackpot Digital’s digital poker table replacing traditional poker anytime soon. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a place in the market.

When we created EasyPoker we weren’t trying to replace traditional poker or even online poker. We simply wanted to make face to face poker more accessible in spontaneous situations. Allowing poker fans to play a game of social, face to face poker – anytime, anywhere.
The social experience of traditional poker, with the convenience we know from online poker.
Therefore, we can certainly appreciate Jackpot Digital’s attempt to shake up and rethink the way we play poker.