How does the RNG work?

Goody_Ace

Just a question - certainly not an inference of anything

But does anyone actually have any info on how it generates the cards (or numbers) or is it strictly private.

I know it is audited and checked by a independent source and I am not questioning this but is it’s workings only known to privileged people.

For instance; at the beginning of a fresh shuffle and deal, are the 52 cards put in a stack.

(As in a real game) and then dealt from the top in the original shuffle order or are they randomly generated (from the possible cards left) each time another cards is dealt?

Is there any information on this?

Sir-Gary

I don't know specifically how Sky's work, but they all use a set of random numbers which they call a seed number. There are a lot of numbers in this batch which the computer could use but as they are a set of numbers it would be truer to call them pseudo random numbers. If it was left like that it could in theory be cracked, so they use other levels of security which are outside of the control of anyone. This could be the count on a deterioration of a radioactive isotope or simply the exact to the millisecond at which you clicked the mouse to start a new hand or the sum of the exact time all players made their last action . These are multiplied by the seed value to give a value which represents a card, this makes it impossible to predict or arrange what the card will be. They can either do the whole deck at this time, or as some sites do and don't randomize the deck until each card is required, this extra level of security is not really needed but is done to try and stop people saying the RNG is rigged (it doesn't work)

markycash

The site I started out on in 2007 used a continuous shuffle, even back then. I would therefore be surprised if that extra layer of security isn't used here (although as you say Gary, it isn't really necessary). I think a lot of the extra added layers of security are as much about reassuring the tinfoil hat brigade as anything else. 

NoseyBonk

As far as the virtual deck goes, it's been confirmed by a Sky representative (I think it was Sky_Peter) that it is (virtually) shuffled once before the hand as per a live situation, rather than between each street*.

'RNG' (the accepted term used by the poker community) are relatively simple pieces of code. The key is the seeding as Gary points out.

*It was quite a while ago so it could have changed since.