Abstract: A method of playing at a gaming table or on an electronic video gaming machine a player-versus-paytable five-card stud poker game utilizing the 20 royal cards and 4 number nine cards of the four card suits of a standard 52-card poker deck as a 24-card pinochle-poker deck of cards with player awards based upon predetermined amounts related to a paytable of winning five-card hands. Initially a “bet” wager is made by a player and from the pinochle-poker deck two cards are dealt face-down and three cards are dealt face-up to the view of the player. The player, after viewing the face-up cards, is permitted to stand on the “bet” wager or double or triple the “bet” wager after which the face-down cards are up-turned and may be used as community cards in the hand of the player. The player's hand is evaluated to determine whether or not such hand is a winning hand with respect to a paytable of winning five-card hands with a winning hand paid off in accordance with the paytable.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for playing, via an electronic video game machine, a player-versus-paytable five-card poker game utilizing the 20 royal cards of a standard 52-card poker deck as a royal deck of cards with player pay-off awards based upon predetermined amounts related to a paytable of winning five-card hands. Bet wagers are initially accepted by the game machine from the player. Where the royal card poker game is a draw poker game the game machine deals and displays five cards face-up on the machine's video screen. Where the poker game is a stud poker game the game machine deals and displays three or four cards face-up and one or two cards face-down. The player, after viewing the video displayed cards, is permitted to stand on the initial bet wager or double the bet wager. Where the game is draw poker, the player is then permitted to discard one or more cards and exchange the discarded cards for substitute machine dealt cards to complete the poker hand.

Abstract: A method of playing at a gaming table a player-versus-paytable five-card stud poker game for up to seven players utilizing the 20 royal cards of a standard 52-card poker deck as a royal deck of cards with player awards based upon predetermined amounts related to a paytable of winning five-card hands. Bet wagers are initially accepted from each player at the gaming table Up to three cards are dealt face-down to each of the occupied player positions at the table and up to three cards from the royal deck of cards are dealt face-down to a dealer position at the table Each player, after viewing the dealt cards, is permitted to stand on the bet wager or double the bet wager after which one of the face-down cards at the dealer position is up-turned for use as a community card by the players. Each player is then permitted to stand on the hand and bets or triple the bet wager after which the remaining face-down card or cards at the dealer position are up-turned for use as a community card by the players.