Abstract: The present invention relates to a gaming apparatus comprising a gaming table with a gaming surface having at least one predetermined location for receiving a gaming token. A gaming token supporter is mounted at each of the at least one predetermined location for receiving a gaming token on the gaming surface of the gaming table such that the gaming token supporter is flush with the gaming surface and forms a gaming token receiving location. A photoelectric sensor for each gaming token supporter that emits and receives modulated radiation is mounted to the gaming table such that each sensor is aligned with and in sensing proximity to a gaming token supporter.

Abstract: A multi-player automated casino table card game platform enables play of casino table poker-type games according to rules effected through a processor. Rules may include games similar to Let It Ride® stud poker such as playing a wagering game comprising a player placing a wager comprising at least two distinct parts and providing to the player at least a portion of the player's game elements so that partial information or a game outcome is provided; giving the player at least one opportunity, before the player's final game outcome is determined, to withdraw from engagement in the game at least one part of said at least two parts, but less than all of said at least two parts, and continuing play of the game with additional portions of the player's game elements being displayed to the player.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of play in the practice of the present invention that are described below. An apparatus supporting the play of a casino table card game according to the present invention may comprise: A playing surface; A card-delivery device; A microprocessor operatively connected to the card-delivery device; Player controlled election identifiers that provide a visible signal of an election; At least two areas for display of at least partial card hands from which only one card hand may be elected for a wagering game by a player; The card-delivery device having at least one sensor thereon for sensing the presence of cards in a delivery area of the card-delivery device from which cards may be removed; The at least one sensor on the card-delivery device providing a signal to the microprocessor that a sensed set of cards has been removed from the delivery area; and in response to the signal, the microprocessor preventing players from entering a new election.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of cards. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected.

Abstract: A poker-type card game comprises at least one player making at least one ante wager in the poker-type game at least against a dealer/banker's hand. The player receives a first number of cards and the dealer receives a second number of cards that is at least one card more then the number of cards received by the player. A set of community cards is provided that are used by the dealer and the player. One of the dealer's cards is exposed to the table to provide an exposed dealer card. The dealer is compelled to discard the exposed dealer's card if the rank of the exposed dealer's card is within a first range of values and the dealer is compelled to discard an unexposed dealer's card if the exposed dealer's card is within a second range of values. After resolving the status of the dealer's hand, the player may be allowed to amend the initial one ante wager.

Abstract: A method of playing a poker-type wagering game is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a) placing a mandatory Ante bet to participate in a poker-type card game against a dealer hand; b) placing a mandatory Super Bonus bet on the occurrence of one of a predetermined plurality of winning poker hands; c) a dealer dealing at least two hands of cards to the dealer position and a hand of cards to each player participating in the game; d) and when the dealer's first hand meets or exceeds a predetermined high ranking hand value, discarding the first hand and playing the second hand; e) each player placing an additional mandatory Bet after viewing at least the player's hand of cards to stay in the game; f) resolving each player hand against the dealer hand; g) paying the player on the Ante and Bet if the player's hand ranking exceeds that of the dealer; and h) paying the player on the Super Bonus bet if the player hand is one of a plurality of predetermined winning poker hands.

Abstract: A reel-type display wagering game is provided in which the symbols on the frames or positions of the pay line display are capable of having an ordered arrangement of separately provided and separately determined generic symbols and species symbols. The generic symbols may be provided in a number of ways. The generic symbols may be provided in a separate set of reels or frames, or may be added as subtext or supertext on the same frame or reel position as the species symbols.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas.

Abstract: A multi-player automated casino table card game platform enables play of casino table baccarat-type games according to rules effected through a processor. Rules may include games similar to Baccarat or Mini Baccarat with an optional side bet on a point spread between the player and bank hands.

Abstract: A system provides information indicative of customer satisfaction respecting at least one service or sales provider, the system including at least one customer information entry component that provides customer input to a database supported by a financial service provider that assists point-of-sales or point-of-service payment to a site. The system can segregate or aggregate accumulated customer input data according to at least business one customer of the financial service provider. At least one business customer can access information from the accumulated customer input data that relates to data relating to that specific business customer. The system can provide alerts and/or can relate the data in its variance to the customer's historical average scores.

Abstract: A discard rack moves and reads suit and rank of individual cards. The cards are provided to a card in-feed area and moved to a card collection area. Both suit and rank of each card is read in the card in-feed area or between the card in-feed area and the card collection area. The discard rack comprises a) a card in-feed area with card moving elements that move only a bottom card from a set of cards in the card in-feed area, b) a card collection area that receives cards from the card moving area in the same sense as cards are received in the card in-feed area, c) an image capture device that captures data from a card while the card is between the card in-feed area and the card collection area, d) preferably a communication port to send out captured data to a processor, and e) an elevator that lowers to maintain a level at which cards are received in the card collection area.

Abstract: A live casino operated tables, games, video games, automated games with live players, or by having a dealer or banker provided with a casino table poker game utilizes at least one deck of playing cards, the game comprising: each player placing at least one wager to participate in the casino game; dealing a first number of cards to a dealer as a banker's hand, the first number of cards being greater than the number of cards to be used in determination of a poker rank hand for the banker's hand; dealing a second number of cards to each player, the second number of cards being greater than the number of cards to be used in determination of a poker rank hand for each player; the dealer discarding at least one card from the banker's hand to form a resulting single dealer hand; each player discarding at least one card to form a resulting player's hand for each player, wherein the number of cards in resulting player's hands and the resulting banker's hand are equal; and resolving each player hand against the banker'

Abstract: A method of controlling the game of baccarat is disclosed, the method including the steps of providing a card delivery shoe equipped with a sensor capable of reading at least a rank of each card; a first processor capable of controlling operation of the card delivery shoe; and a second processor capable of receiving signals from the sensor and programmed to display information related to the game of baccarat.

Abstract: A programmable card handling machine with a display and appropriate inputs for adjusting the machine to any of a number of games comprises inputs including a number of cards per hand selector, a card game selector, a number of hands delivered selector and a trouble-shooting input. These features also provide for interchangeability of the apparatus for many different games, for many types of cards or decks and in different locations thereby reducing the number of back-up machines or units required at a casino. The display may include a game mode or game selected display, and use a cycle rate and/or hand count monitor and display for determining or monitoring the usage of the machine. The card-handling machine is capable of randomly selecting numbers of cards to be delivered in a hand of cards to players and the dealer during a round of a casino table card game.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas.

Abstract: A multi-player automated casino table card game platform enables play of casino table BLACKJACK-type games according to rules effected through a processor. Rules may include games similar to standard blackjack or Twenty-One with an additional bonus event present in the play of the game.

Abstract: A method of playing a wagering card game for a number of player using standard playing cards having a standard rank and involving standard poker hand rankings comprises: each player placing at least four distinct wagering parts to participate in the game; dealing three cards to each player and at least two common cards, all of the at least two common cards being dealt face down; giving each player the chance to examine the cards received by that player and to withdraw at least a first part of the at least four distinct wagering parts wager based on the rank of the player's cards prior to one of the at least two common cards being dealt face down being exposed; showing the at least one common card, thereby providing at least a partial hand for each player, each player's at least a partial hand comprising the shown at least one common card and the cards each player was dealt; allowing each player to withdraw a second part of the at least four wagering parts and forfeiting a third part of the at least four wager

Abstract: Retention of chlorine and hypochlorite in hair is reduced by treating the hair with a defined composition, allowing the composition to remain on the hair for at least 10 seconds, and then rinsing off the composition with water. The composition comprises at least 1% by total weight of the composition of potato particles having an average diameter of less than 10 microns when dried; at least 1% by total weight of the composition of clathrate; at least 1% by weight of surfactant; and water.

Abstract: A process for separating particles of different sizes comprising projecting a stream of particles into a fluid medium; allowing the particles to develop differing trajectories in the fluid medium; providing at least two separate collection areas for different average size particles from the stream of particles; and collecting particles along said different trajectories.

Abstract: A bottle rocket launcher comprises a long hollow tube barrel having an tube-axial sealing valve that has a rotary cylindrical or spherical valve member where the valve is attached at the breech end of the launcher barrel. The rocket launcher can be angled up to a near vertical position with support legs. In use, a bottle rocket can be partially inserted into the valve passageway that is held open. The flammable rocket fuse is lit and the bottle rocket is dynamically inserted by hand contact with the rocket stick into the barrel inside chamber body to a position that is beyond the valve member. The valve is rotated into a valve-closed position while the rocket fuse is burning. When the bottle rocket powder is ignited by the burning fuse, the burning exhaust gases thrusts the bottle rocket along the inside of the barrel tube and propels it into the sky in the direction that the launcher barrel is pointed.