Abstract: A method of playing a card game by a number of players competing for a jackpot contributed by the players includes performing an auction phase. The auction phase includes the steps of revealing a face value of an auction card; auctioning the auction card; and (i) eliminating the auction card when none of the players makes a bid for the auction card, (ii) awarding the auction card to a player who makes a sole bid and requiring the player to pay the amount of the sole bid into the jackpot, or (iii) awarding the auction card to a player who makes a winning bid among a plurality of bids and requiring the player to pay the amount of the winning bid to a player having a second-most preferred bid. The step of auctioning the auction card includes a bidding period that is timed.