Showdown
Showdown reinvents high-stakes card gaming by merging poker's betting mechanics with the strategic depth of TCGs (Trading Card Game). Created by world-ranked champions from Magic: The Gathering and Hearthstone, it's designed to bring back the golden era of competitive poker—but with action cards that flip the game on its head.
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Team & Vision
The Founders
Stanislav Cifka – Hearthstone world #1, Magic Pro Tour champion, chess FIDE master
Ondrej Strasky – Magic Pro League winner, Magic Mythic Championship winner
Jan Kotrla – Magic National Champion, Magic Team World Championship 3rd place
The Mission: Make Card Games Great Again
"20 years ago, poker was king. Then Hearthstone took over. Now it's time for the next big thing." Showdown aims to resurrect high-stakes competitive gaming by solving poker's modern problems: bots, regulatory fragmentation, and trust issues—all while keeping games fast, strategic, and accessible.
Core Principles
Game experience first – No overcomplicated designs
Learn in 10 minutes – Master over thousands of hours
Built for competition – From casual play to million-dollar stakes
How Showdown Works
The Gameplay Loop
Showdown takes poker's foundation and adds TCG mechanics:
7-10 minute matches – Quick, mobile-friendly sessions
1v1 heads-up format – Pure skill-based competition
2 private + 5 shared cards – Classic poker structure
Action cards modify outcomes – Change pocket cards, steal chips, interact with opponents
First to 100 chips wins – Pot starts at 10 chips each hand
Key Mechanics
Starting Hand – Get 2 pocket cards + 2 action cards (4 on first hand)
Action Card Management – Keep up to 5 cards that carry over between hands
Chip Value System – Playing action cards adds their chip value to the pot
Turn Structure – Players alternate between playing action cards or checking
Game Flow
Preflop → Flop (3 community cards) → Fold Option → River (2 more cards)
If both players continue after fold option, pot doubles automatically
Color-coded timing – Green cards (Preflop), Red (Flop), Blue (River), Grey (any stage)
Showdown – Best 5-card poker hand wins the pot
"Even if you start with a bad hand, you can play cards to improve it" – Unlike poker where you fold 90% of hands, Showdown ensures constant action and engagement.
Technical Architecture
Why Blockchain?
The founders explain how blockchain solves poker's biggest issues:
Permissionless play – No country restrictions or regulatory barriers
Anti-bot design – Action cards make algorithmic play impractical
Trust through transparency – Smart contract tournaments with guaranteed payouts
True ownership – NFT cards as collectible skins (gameplay cards free)
MegaETH Integration
With MegaETH's performance, Showdown enables:
Real-time betting markets – Predict tournament winners mid-game
Instant settlements – No waiting for withdrawals
On-chain tournaments – Transparent, immutable prize pools
Community features – Player-designed cards with on-chain voting
Market Positioning
The Problem with Modern Poker
Banned in many countries – US players can't face Europeans
Bot dominance – AI beats pros since 2017
Trust issues – Full Tilt's collapse still haunts players
Slow gameplay – Folding 90% of hands kills excitement
Showdown's Solution
Global accessibility – Blockchain bypasses regulations
Human-centric design – Action cards defeat algorithmic play
Transparent infrastructure – No custody, no trust required
Constant action – Every hand matters, momentum swings frequently
The Showdown Thesis
Two-Sided Market
Casual players – Climb ladders, collect cards, enjoy quick matches
High-stakes players – Bet millions in ego-driven skill battles
Not pay-to-win – All gameplay cards free, NFTs are cosmetic only
Competitive Vision
Drawing from their professional backgrounds, the founders are building:
Regular seasons with transparent rewards
eSports infrastructure for tournaments
Streaming integration with referral systems
6-player multiplayer mode in development
Roadmap & Progress
Current Status: Closed Alpha
100+ cards with trillions of deck combinations
4 pre-built decks for testing
New card sets every 3-4 months planned
Deck builder and tournament system coming soon
Timeline
Q2 2025 – Closed alpha with 150 players
Q4 2025 – Closed beta
Q1 2026 – Open beta
Q2 2026 – Full launch
Resources & Further Reading
The Bottom Line: Showdown isn't just another card game—it's the resurrection of high-stakes competitive gaming. By solving poker's modern problems through blockchain and adding TCG strategy, they're creating a game where skill determines rewards, not algorithms or geography. Whether you're playing for fun or millions, every match delivers the adrenaline rush that made poker legendary.
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