Abstract: A method of providing or receiving value from or to a participant value in a game tournament wherein a plurality of participants play a casino-style game, includes calculating an expected value for the position of each participant in the tournament, the expected value based upon the number of wagering units held by the participant at the point in time, the number of wagering units held by each other participant in the tournament at the point in time and a payout table for the tournament.

Abstract: A method of providing or receiving value from or to a participant value in a game tournament wherein a plurality of participants play a casino-style game, includes calculating an expected value for the position of each participant in the tournament, the expected value based upon the number of wagering units held by the participant at the point in time, the number of wagering units held by each other participant in the tournament at the point in time and a payout table for the tournament.

Abstract: A method of simulating a heads up gaming tournament utilizing at least one game server and a plurality of personal communication devices includes receiving value from a plurality of participants using the personal communication devices, providing the participants with wagering units, pairing unpaired first and second ones of the participants to play a heads up game, initiating the game by generating a game state, for example, dealing the private cards of a hold'em poker game, and transmitting the game state to the participants for display on the personal communications devices, whereupon the first participant transmits an action to the game server in response to the game state, receiving the action and updating the game state, receiving a second input in response to the first participant's action from the second participant, continuing play until the outcome of the heads up game is determined, updating the number of wagering units held by the first and second participants, repairing the participants for the n

Abstract: A method of providing or receiving value from or to a participant value in a game tournament wherein a plurality of participants play a casino-style game, includes calculating an expected value for the position of each participant in the tournament, the expected value based upon the number of wagering units held by the participant at the point in time, the number of wagering units held by each other participant in the tournament at the point in time and a payout table for the tournament.

Abstract: A method of providing a secondary skill based game to a player utilizing an electronic game machine includes providing the player with a plurality of wagering units enabling the participants to play a machine-implemented game, initiating the game whereby the player wagers during individual games, displaying indicia representing a game state to the player whereby the player may select from at least two different potentially winning actions to continue each game, determining an outcome for the machine-implemented game, and, if the number of wagering units held by the participant is greater than a predetermined number of wagering units and if the elapsed time from the initiation of the first game played by the player is less than a predetermined time interval and if the number of games played by the player is less than a predetermined maximum number of games, providing the player the a secondary skill based game prize.

Abstract: A method of simulating a gaming tournament utilizing a plurality of electronic game machines in a quasi-tournament includes the steps of: a) receiving value from a plurality of human users of the electronic game machines, the received value corresponding to a plurality of wagering credits whereby each human user is provided with a plurality of wagering units enabling the human user to participate in the quasi-tournament by playing one or more games on one of the electronic game machines, b) initiating a machine-implemented game on each game machine used in the quasi-tournament, whereby a human user may play the game using the electronic game machine to participate in the quasi-tournament, c) receiving input from the human user via a user interface associated with the electronic game machine to play the machine-implemented game, d) determining an outcome for each machine-implemented game played by each of the plurality of human users using the electronic game machines, e) updating the number of wagering units

Abstract: A method of simulating a gaming tournament utilizing a plurality of electronic game machines in a quasi-tournament includes the steps of: a) receiving value from a plurality of human users of the electronic game machines, the received value corresponding to a plurality of wagering credits whereby each human user is provided with a plurality of wagering units enabling the human user to participate in the quasi-tournament by playing one or more games on one of the electronic game machines, b) initiating a machine-implemented game on each game machine used in the quasi-tournament, whereby a human user may play the game using the electronic game machine to participate in the quasi-tournament, c) receiving input from the human user via a user interface associated with the electronic game machine to play the machine-implemented game, d) determining an outcome for each machine-implemented game played by each of the plurality of human users using the electronic game machines, e) updating the number of wagering units

Abstract: A method of providing or receiving value from or to a participant value in a game tournament wherein a plurality of participants play a casino-style game, includes calculating an expected value for the position of each participant in the tournament, the expected value based upon the number of wagering units held by the participant at the point in time, the number of wagering units held by each other participant in the tournament at the point in time and a payout table for the tournament.

Abstract: A method of operating a machine-implemented casino-style game includes receiving, with a game machine, a first wager from a human player of the machine-implemented casino-style game, the first wager entitling the human player to a payout if the human player wins the casino-style game, receiving a second wager from the player, the second wager entitling the player to view hidden indicia indicative of the status of machine-implemented game after the game is commenced and to receive a payout if the status of the machine-implemented game matches or exceeds a predetermined criteria, displaying to the player the hidden indicia indicating the position of the machine-implemented game and if the status of the machine-implemented game meets or exceeds the predetermined criteria, providing the human player with a payout.

Abstract: In a method of operating an electronic gaming system including a machine-implemented two player symmetric game, value is received from a human user of a machine-implemented electronic game in the form of a wager on the outcome of the game. The human user is prompted to select a game option which is received via a user interface associated with a user device. The human user selects the game option such that the human user may receive a jackpot if the human user's position at the conclusion of the machine-implemented game is greater than a predetermined criteria regardless of the position of the machine-implemented game, the game is played, an outcome determined, and value transferred to the human user if the human user wins the game or if the human user's position at the conclusion of the game is equal to or greater than the predetermined criteria.

Abstract: A method of providing or receiving value from or to a participant value in a game tournament wherein a plurality of participants play a casino-style game, includes calculating an expected value for the position of each participant in the tournament, the expected value based upon the number of wagering units held by the participant at the point in time, the number of wagering units held by each other participant in the tournament at the point in time and a payout table for the tournament.

Abstract: A method of simulating a gaming tournament utilizing a plurality of electronic game machines in a quasi-tournament includes the steps of: a) receiving value from a plurality of human users of the electronic game machines, the received value corresponding to a plurality of wagering credits whereby each human user is provided with a plurality of wagering units enabling the human user to participate in the quasi-tournament by playing one or more games on one of the electronic game machines, b) initiating a machine-implemented game on each game machine used in the quasi-tournament, whereby a human user may play the game using the electronic game machine to participate in the quasi-tournament, c) receiving input from the human user via a user interface associated with the electronic game machine to play the machine-implemented game, d) determining an outcome for each machine-implemented game played by each of the plurality of human users using the electronic game machines, e) updating the number of wagering units