CARD GAME

Abstract

A card game method pits a dealer against one or more players. The highest value hand is nineteen. A player who has placed a wager to win seeks to obtain a hand having a value greater than that of the dealer hand, which will generally mean a hand of nineteen or as close as possible to nineteen. A player who has placed a wager to push will seek to tie the dealer band. Tens and face cards have a value of ten or zero—otherwise, card values are as provided in traditional blackjack. In one embodiment, additional hit cards are limited to two, so that no hand may contain greater than four cards.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved card game having aspects of the games of baccarat and blackjack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The rules of the game of baccarat, also known as punto banco, are well-known. Two hands are dealt—a “dealer” hand and a “player” hand. Each hand initially receives two cards, and the goal is to achieve the highest point total when adding the value of the cards making up the hand. A series of rules govern whether the player hand or the dealer hand is dealt a third card.

Special rules apply to the determining of card values for adding purposes. 10's and face cards have no value, Aces have a value of one, and the remaining cards have their face value. If the added value of the cards is greater than 10 (e.g., two sevens have an added value of 14), the first digit is ignored and only the second one is considered in determining value (e.g., the baccarat value of two sevens is “4” and not “14”). As a result of these adding rules, the highest baccarat hand achievable is nine.

Blackjack is also a popular card game, especially when played in a casino setting. In the game of blackjack (also known as “21”), one or more players play against a dealer. The object of the game is to beat the dealer's hand by either receiving a cumulative point card total greater than the dealer's, although not greater than 21, or by receiving a cumulative point card total of 21 or less while the dealer receives a cumulative point card total of greater than 21. Therefore, if neither the blackjack player or the blackjack dealer receive a cumulative point card total of greater than 21, then whichever hand has the higher cumulative point card total is the winning hand.

In blackjack, numerical cards (i.e. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10) have a point card value equal to their face card value. Picture (or “face”) cards (i.e. Jacks, Queens and Kings) have a point card value of 10 points. Aces have a point card value of either 1 or 11 points. Both the blackjack player and the blackjack dealer receive an initial two cards. The player may choose to draw one or more additional cards (known as “hitting” or “taking a hit”) until the player either chooses to stop drawing cards (known as “sticking” or “standing”) or until the cumulative point card total for the player is greater than 21 (known as a “bust” or “busting”). The blackjack dealer, on the other hand, is required to draw additional cards as long as the dealer's cumulative point card total is 16 or less. When blackjack is played for money, players wager that their hand will beat the dealer's hand.

The present invention is directed to an improved card game method having aspects of baccarat and blackjack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method of playing a card game is disclosed. The method comprises: accepting a wager from a player; providing two cards to the player to comprise a player hand; providing two cards to a dealer to comprise a dealer hand; determining a value of the player hand; determining a value of the dealer hand; comparing the value of the player hand and value of the dealer hand, wherein a highest value for a winning hand is nineteen; determining whether the value of the player band is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand; and determining an outcome of the wager based on whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand and whether the wager was for the player to achieve a greater value hand or an equal value hand as compared to the dealer hand.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of playing a card game is disclosed. The method comprises: accepting a wager from a player; providing two cards to the player to comprise a player hand; providing two cards to a dealer to comprise a dealer hand; determining a value of the player hand; determining a value of the dealer hand; presenting the player with the option to add to the player hand by receiving up to two additional cards, and thereafter not permitting the player to add any additional cards to the player hand; wherein a value of ten cards and face cards is, alternatively, ten or zero; comparing the value of the player hand and value of the dealer hand; wherein a highest value for a winning hand is nineteen; determining whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand; and determining an outcome of the wager based on whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand and whether the wager was for the player to achieve a greater value hand or an equal value hand as compared to the dealer hand.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a method of playing a card game is disclosed. The method comprises: accepting a wager from a player; providing two cards to the player to comprise a player hand; providing two cards to a dealer to comprise a dealer hand; determining a value of the player hand; determining a value of the dealer hand; presenting the player with the option to add to the player hand by receiving up to two additional cards, and thereafter not permitting the player to add any additional cards to the player hand; wherein a value of ten cards and face cards is, alternatively, ten or zero; comparing the value of the player hand and value of the dealer hand; wherein the highest value hand comprises two cards adding up to nineteen; wherein the next highest hand comprises at least three cards adding up to nineteen; determining whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand; and determining an outcome of the wager based on whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand and whether the wager was for the player to achieve a greater value hand or an equal value hand as compared to the dealer hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a table of hand values for use in a card game method consistent with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In one embodiment, the card game of the present invention is played using a standard 52-card deck. (In a casino setting, it will be preferred that the dealer use a plurality of decks, with six decks being preferred.) The number cards up to nine (i.e., two through nine) will have their face value. The Ace, consistent with prior art blackjack, may be a one or an eleven. Number ten and the face cards (i.e., Jack, Queen and King) may be ten or zero. The goal of the game will be to achieve a 19. As described below, it is possible to achieve a “natural” 19, or a “mix” 19.

With respect to the number ten and the face cards, a player receiving multiple such cards may treat one as ten and the other has zero. Alternatively, as described below, the player may treat all such cards as having the value of zero.

A “natural” 19 is a two card hand that has the value of 19. It may consist of a King and a nine, a Queen and a nine, a Jack and a nine, a ten and a nine, and an Ace and an eight. A “mix” 19 will be a hand containing three or more cards, where the total value is nineteen.

In typical prior art blackjack as played in casinos, a dealer deals two cards to each player and to itself. Each player receives his or her two cards down, and the dealer receives one up card and one down card. After checking to see if he has a blackjack (if the dealer's up card is an ace through a machine that will read its down card), the dealer then turns to the player on his left, who must make the decision to hit, stand, double down or split his pair. As long as a player has not exceeded 21, there is no limit on the number of times a player may hit. After all the players have played their hand, the dealer plays his hand. The dealer has set rules which generally require him to stand on 17 or higher, unless the dealer has a soft seventeen (i.e., an ace and a 6), in which case the dealer has to hit.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a player is restricted to hitting no more than two times, so that the largest hand would be a four card hand. In another embodiment, the number of hits would be unlimited, as long as a player does not go bust. It can be seen that where the player has all tens and/or face cards, a player can achieve a hand having a value of zero.

There are several ways to rank hands, according to the card game of the present invention. According to one embodiment, a natural 19 is the highest hand, and a mix 19 is the second highest hand. Thereafter, hand value is dictated by the value of the cards, with the hand having the higher value being the winning hand.

In one embodiment of the present invention, which may be utilized for play in a casino setting, players are first asked to place a wager. In one embodiment, players may wager on having a winning hand over the dealer, or having a push with the dealer. A win may pay 1 to 1, while a successful push wager may pay at higher odds, for example 6 to 1. The dealer will deal two cards to each player, face down, and two to itself, one face up and one face down—as in prior art games. Each player, in turn, will be given the opportunity to “hit” up to two times, in an effort to develop a high value hand. The dealer will then complete its hand, according to a rule that dictates when a dealer must hit and when a dealer must stick. In one embodiment, the rule dictates that a dealer must draw on a soft 16 (e.g. Ace and five or ten and six) or lower, and must stand on a hard 16 (e.g., a seven and nine) or higher.

After all hands are complete, the outcome of each player bet is determined by a comparison of dealer and player hands, by reference to a table of hand values like that shown in FIG. 1. Where the player and dealer each have equal value hands, the result is a push. In one embodiment, the dealer will win if both the player and dealer have hand values equal to zero (i.e., a hand comprising four tens and/or face cards). In one embodiment, after dealing two cards, the dealer may announce a check for “naturals.” Players may check first and then, if the dealer has a ten, face card or nine showing, the dealer.

In another embodiment, which may be utilized in a player banker setting, the hand values will be as described above, and the player banker will occupy the position of the dealer and be treated as a dealer (e.g., the player banker will win if both the player and player banker have a hand value of zero). In this embodiment, the player banker position may rotate clockwise. Other rules will be as described above with respect to play of the game in with a casino dealer.

It may be desired to play the game in a baccarat style, with one dealer hand and one player hand, with players wagering on either the dealer hand or player hand to win.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of playing a card game comprising:

accepting a wager from a player;

providing two cards to the player to comprise a player hand;

providing two cards to a dealer to comprise a dealer hand;

determining a value of the player hand;

determining a value of the dealer hand;

comparing the value of the player hand and value of the dealer hand;

wherein a highest value for a winning hand is nineteen;

determining whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand; and

determining an outcome of the wager based on whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand and whether the wager was for the player to achieve a greater value hand or an equal value hand as compared to the dealer hand.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting the player with the option to add to the player hand by receiving up to two additional cards, and thereafter not permitting the player to add any additional cards to the player band.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a value of ten cards and face cards is, alternatively, ten or zero.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest value hand comprises two cards adding up to nineteen.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the next highest hand comprises at least three cards adding up to nineteen.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the value of an ace is, alternatively, one or eleven.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the dealer must draw an additional card when the value of the dealer hand is a soft 16 or lower, and wherein the dealer must stand when the value of the dealer hand is a hard 16 or higher.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein, when the value of each of the dealer hand and the player hand is zero, determining that the value of the dealer hand is greater than the value of the player hand.

9. A method of playing a card game comprising:

accepting a wager from a player;

providing two cards to the player to comprise a player hand;

providing two cards to a dealer to comprise a dealer hand;

determining a value of the player hand;

determining a value of the dealer hand;

presenting the player with the option to add to the player hand by receiving up to two additional cards, and thereafter not permitting the player to add any additional cards to the player hand;

wherein a value of ten cards and face cards is, alternatively, ten or zero;

comparing the value of the player hand and value of the dealer hand;

wherein a highest value for a winning hand is nineteen;

determining whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand; and

determining an outcome of the wager based on whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand and whether the wager was for the player to achieve a greater value hand or an equal value hand as compared to the dealer hand.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the highest value hand comprises two cards adding up to nineteen.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the next highest hand comprises at least three cards adding up to nineteen.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the value of an ace is, alternatively, one or eleven.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the dealer must draw an additional card when the value of the dealer hand is a soft 16 or lower, and wherein the dealer must stand when the value of the dealer hand is a hard 16 or higher.

14. A method of playing a card game comprising:

accepting a wager from a player;

providing two cards to the player to comprise a player hand;

providing two cards to a dealer to comprise a dealer hand;

determining a value of the player hand;

determining a value of the dealer hand;

presenting the player with the option to add to the player hand by receiving up to two additional cards, and thereafter not permitting the player to add any additional cards to the player band;

wherein a value of ten cards and face cards is, alternatively, ten or zero;

comparing the value of the player hand and value of the dealer hand;

wherein the highest value hand comprises two cards adding up to nineteen;

wherein the next highest hand comprises at least three cards adding up to nineteen;

determining whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand; and

determining an outcome of the wager based on whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand and whether the wager was for the player to achieve a greater value hand or an equal value hand as compared to the dealer hand.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the value of an ace is, alternatively, one or eleven.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the dealer must draw an additional card when the value of the dealer hand is a soft 16 or lower, and wherein the dealer must stand when the value of the dealer hand is a hard 16 or higher.