Blackjack Simulator and Probability Calculator

As a team of five, we set out to deploy what we had learned over the semester using Rust. We decided on creating a blackjack probability calculator and simulator so we could practice working with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and using recursive algorithms for calculating probabilities.

We divided the labor into the front and back ends. The frontend worked on creating the GUI and simulator interface, while the backend worked on creating a computationally small probability calculator. The single-player simulator has ‘hit’ and ‘stand’ buttons as you try your luck against the dealer. For simplicity, we removed some blackjack rules and we did not include any simulated gambling.

The frontend team was very efficient and we were able to have a working version within a few days, allowing us time to fine-tune and add flair, like the falling suit symbols in the picture on the right. Moreover we were able to find card PNG files on GitHUB that allowed us to have a pictorial depiction of the cards as they were drawn.

The backend team suffered several setbacks, primarily centered on poor communication between members. I functioned as the liaison between the frontend and the backend teams and made sure that their portions were completed by the due date.

We successfully completed the simulator and probability calculator and suffered only mild bugs during the combination of the frontend and the backend. While we never added more players, we would like to incorporate simulated players and simulated gambling to complexify the game experience.