Backyard Blackjack

Inspiration

We wanted to take a classic game—Blackjack—and make it more than just playing cards online. The idea was to create a tool that doesn’t just let you play but also helps you understand where you make mistakes, track your betting patterns, and learn from the game itself.

What it does

Backyard Blackjack is a web app that lets users play Blackjack while tracking their decisions, bets, and outcomes. The app provides statistics and analysis so players can see what went wrong in past games and improve their strategy. Users can sign up, log in, place bets, and review their performance on a dedicated stats page.

How we built it

We built the app using Next.js with TypeScript for the frontend, styled it with Tailwind CSS and HTML, and used PocketBase as our backend database and authentication service. The app supports user login/signup, tracks bets and round outcomes, and stores game data so statistics can be calculated and displayed.

Challenges we ran into

-Getting authentication working smoothly with PocketBase and integrating it into Next.js. -Handling game state transitions (betting, playing, and game over) without bugs. -Making sure data persisted correctly for each user while also allowing a guest mode. -Keeping the UI intuitive while showing all the information (hands, scores, bets, and results). -Setting up OAuth2 login flow and configuring it correctly with PocketBase. -Hosting the project on Vercel while managing environment variables and build errors.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

-Successfully building a full Blackjack game with working gameplay mechanics. -Implementing user accounts with tracked statistics and analysis. -Designing a clean interface using Tailwind CSS that feels fun but also informative. -Deploying the project so others can play and test it.

What we learned

-How to combine Next.js with PocketBase for authentication and persistent storage. -How to manage complex React state for a game with multiple phases. -The importance of error handling and type safety in TypeScript when building a game engine. -How to make a game not just entertaining but also educational by adding meaningful analytics.

What's next for Backyard Blackjack

-Expanding the statistics dashboard to give deeper insights into strategy and mistakes. -Adding multiplayer support so friends can play against each other. -Implementing achievements and leaderboards to increase engagement. -Improving mobile responsiveness for a smoother experience across all devices.