CARD GAME METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLAYING THE SAME

Abstract

A method of playing a poker-style game, the method including (a) dealing an initial player hand to a player and an initial dealer hand to a dealer, the initial dealer hand being dealt face up, (b) dealing at least one community card face up, (c) determining a player hand ranking by forming a best player hand as a subset of the initial player hand and the at least one community card, (d) determining a dealer hand ranking by forming a best dealer hand as a subset of the initial dealer hand and the at least one community card, (f) comparing the player hand ranking to the to the dealer hand ranking to determine a winner.

Description

This patent application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/206,187 filed Jan. 28, 2009, which application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention broadly relates to card games and rules for playing card games.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A multitude of poker and poker style games are well known in the art. These games involve task players to form certain card combinations or hands, such as flushes, straights, pairs, and so on, to beat other players' hands. One popular variant is commonly known as “hold' em” poker. In hold' em-style games, players must form the best poker hand as a subset of hole cards dealt face down and are private to each player, and a group of community cards which are face up and available to all players. Typically, two hole cards are dealt to each player, and five community cards are available for use by all players, with portions of the five cards being dealt out over several betting rounds.

Due to the combination of private and shared cards, the game becomes quite complex and requires a lot of skill to master. Players must learn the probabilities of certain hands being formed, know when to fold and when to bet, how and when to bluff, and how to read an opponent's actions and/or bluffs. Thus, mathematically strong players who can calculate the odds of winning with any set of cards will still often lose if they can not hide their own emotions or read those of their opponents. Likewise, players who are very good at reading other players and who can make strong bluffs will still often lose if they are constantly taking risks because they do not understand poker probabilities. As a result, many novice players, who have not yet had the time to master the techniques required to be a good hold' em player do not often play, especially for money.

It is a constant goal of casinos and other gaming establishments to provide new games and activities that appeal to the widest range of players, from beginners to experts. Furthermore, there is a desire for new poker style games to be played in a causal or social setting, which must be fun and engaging. However, many novice players can be intimidated from even attempting to play a complex game against a dealer, to participate in a sponsored tournament, or participate in a social event. Thus, there is a desire for a live table game which enables even inexperienced players to easily learn, engage in, and enjoy the game, while also teaching advanced strategies for playing other poker or hold' em variants.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention broadly comprises a method of playing a poker-style game, the method including (a) dealing an initial player hand to a player and an initial dealer hand to a dealer, the initial dealer hand being dealt face up, (b) dealing at least one community card face up, (c) determining a player hand ranking by forming a best player hand as a subset of the initial player hand and the at least one community card, (d) determining a dealer hand ranking by forming a best dealer hand as a subset of the initial dealer hand and the at least one community card, (f) comparing the player hand ranking to the to the dealer hand ranking to determine a winner. In one embodiment, the dealer wins if the player hand ranking is worse than the dealer hand ranking and loses if the player hand ranking is better than the dealer hand ranking. In one embodiment, a tie results if the player hand ranking and the dealer hand ranking are equivalent.

In one embodiment, the initial dealer hand and the initial player hand each comprise two cards and the at least one community card consists of five cards. In a further embodiment, the best player hand is formed by selecting five total cards from the initial player hand and the community cards, and wherein the best dealer hand is formed by selecting five total cards from the initial dealer hand and the community cards. In one embodiment, the method is performed using at least one standard deck of fifty-two cards. In another embodiment, the method further includes awarding the player if the initial player hand resembles a predetermined combination of cards.

The current invention also broadly comprises a method of playing a poker-style game between a dealer and a player, the method including (a) dealing an initial dealer hand to the dealer, the initial dealer hand being dealt face up, (b) dealing an initial player hand to the player if the player makes a play wager, otherwise ending play and collecting a blind wager from the player, (c) dealing at least one community card face up if the player makes a board wager, otherwise ending play and collecting at least a portion of the blind wager and/or the play wager from the player, (d) determining a player hand ranking by forming a best player hand as a subset of the initial player hand and the at least one community card, (e) determining a dealer hand ranking by forming a best dealer hand as a subset of the initial dealer hand and the at least one community card, and, (f) comparing the player hand ranking to the to the dealer hand ranking for determining a winner.

In one embodiment, wherein after step (f), the method further comprises (g) collecting at least a portion of the board, play, and blind wagers from the player if the dealer hand ranking is better than the player hand ranking, and awarding the player with an amount proportional to the board wager, the play wager, the blind wager, or a combination thereof if the dealer hand ranking is worse than the player hand ranking. In a further embodiment, the player is awarded even money on the blind, play, and/or board wagers in step (g) if the player hand ranking is better than the dealer hand ranking. In one embodiment, the player is awarded according to a payout table with respect to the board wager in step (g), if the best player hand resembles a special predetermined hand combination. In another embodiment, the player is awarded according to the payout table, regardless of a result of the comparing of the player hand ranking and dealer hand ranking in step (f). In one embodiment, the at least one community card consists of five cards. In another embodiment, the value of the play wager is proportional to the value of the blind wager. In one embodiment, the dealer hand ranking and player hand ranking are determined following standard rules of poker hand valuation.

In one embodiment, the method further comprises (h) dealing the initial player hand to the player if the player makes a bonus wager, regardless of the player making or not making the blind, play, or board wagers. In one embodiment, the player must make the bonus wager before any cards are dealt. In another embodiment, the player is awarded a payout according to a payout table if the initial player hand resembles a predetermined combination of cards.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciable from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the accompanying drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a poker table for playing a game according to the current invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic layout of a player position included on the table shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the table shown in FIG. 1, depicting one example of a round of the current invention in play;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating one example of playing a game according to the current invention; and,

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating one example of playing a side game simultaneously with the game represented in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers on different drawing views identify identical, or functionally similar, structural elements of the invention. While the present invention is described with respect to what is presently considered to be the preferred aspects, it is to be understood that the invention as claimed is not limited to the disclosed aspects.

Furthermore, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the particular methodology, materials and modifications described and as such may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the appended claims.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the preferred methods, devices, and materials are now described.

Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a schematic overview of a table top poker game according to the current invention. The game is played by at least one player against a dealer using a deck of cards. Cards are well known in the art, each having a value and a suit identified on a face of the card. The backs of every card in a deck are made to be substantially identical so that cards are indistinguishable when the cards are face down. Thus, “face down” refers to when the face of the card is hidden, and “face up” generally refers to when the suit and value of the card is revealed. A standard deck of cards typically includes fifty-two total cards, having four suits: hearts (♡), clubs , spades , and diamonds (♦); each suit having one card of each value: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, and A. It should be understood that multiple decks are often used in casinos or other gaming centers to eliminate card counting. Alternatively, the deck could be shuffled between each round of play. It should also be appreciated that modified decks could similarly be used, containing any other combination cards having various suits and values, although the above described is well known as the most popular and commonly used.

In the shown embodiment, the game is run on table 10 by dealer 12. The table could be any appropriately dimensioned table, such as a poker, blackjack, or other card-game table which includes an appropriate gaming surface. Table 10 includes a plurality of player positions 14 for accommodating players of the game. Chip rack 16 may be included on the table or proximate to the table within reach of the dealer. Table 10 also includes an area for placement of the cards in the dealer's hand, generally designated with numeral 18, an area for placement of the cards in the players' hands, generally designated with numeral 20, and an area of the table is also reserved for placement of community cards, generally designated with numeral 21.

It should be appreciated that while seven player positions 14 are shown for accommodating up to seven players to play the game simultaneously, tables of varying sizes could be used in lieu of table 10 having more or less player positions. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that only one player and a dealer is required to play the game. That is, the game is played individually by each player against the dealer, and the players are not competing with each other. Thus, all player positions do not need to be filled by players to initiate play. Thus, if all seven player positions 14 are occupied by seven different players, it is possible that every single player could win in any given round.

Player position 14 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. In the shown embodiment, each player position includes indicia indicating how betting is to occur. For example, player positions 14 includes blind wager indicia 22, play wager indicia 24, board wager indicia 26, bonus wager indicia 28. These indicia could be any combination of shapes, symbols, or words indicating that the player is to place a bid or wager on the table to continue or initiate play at various steps of the game, as described below. It should be understood that other terminology could be used to describe certain bidding or wagering steps or phases. For example, the blind wager may be alternatively referred to as an ante, or playing the board wager as going “all-in.” Furthermore, indicia may not be included for example, to indicate the placement of the cards, which would instead be placed by the dealer in designated, but unmarked, locations.

FIG. 3 is a more detailed view of table 10, which is included to clarify the steps of game according to the current invention which are outlined in the flow charts shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Game 30 is shown in FIG. 4. Starting at step 50, the player must make a blind wager or ante to be included in a round of play. In the shown embodiment, the player would indicate a wager was being made, for example, by placing a betting chip, token, or other form of currency on the table, particularly in the area designated by blind wager indicia 22.

In step 52, the dealer deals himself an initial dealer hand, such as randomly from a deck of cards. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the initial dealer hand consists of two cards: a four of spades and a six of hearts (6♡). Since both cards are low values and of different suits, a player would should that this is a weak hand that could probably be beaten. Before dealing any other cards, each player is faced with a decision. The player can fold by proceeding to step 54A, or make a play wager in step 54B. If a player folds in step 54A, then the game ends for that player, and the player forfeits the blind wager made in step 50 as indicated in step 55. For example, in the shown embodiment a player indicates that a play wager is being made by placing a requisite amount of chips or tokens on play wager indicia 24. The game continues as long as any player makes a play wager by choosing step 54B.

Any players still in the game then receive two of their initial player hand of cards in step 56. These may be referred to as “hole cards.” As represented with numeral 20 in FIG. 3, these cards are preferably dealt face down, to each player that is at a player position 14. Even though the players are not competing against each other, each initial player hand is preferably dealt face down, so the other players can not see them. If they were dealt face up, savvy players would be able to card count, unfairly increasing their chances of success. Each player then examines his or her hand, and must decide whether to fold in step 58A or make a board wager (all-in) in step 58B. A player indicates that a board wager is being made, for example, by placing the requisite amount of chips or tokens on board wager indicia 26. Like step MA, folding in step 58A ends the game for that player and requires the player to forfeit at least a portion of the blind and play wagers in step 59.

Play continues if any players choose to make the board wager in step 58B. After the board wager, at least one community card is played, which card is available for use by all players. Once all community cards are revealed, all face down player cards are flipped over. Then, in step 62 the dealer and each player that is still in the game makes the best poker hand using a combination of their hole cards and the community cards. Each player's best poker hand is then compared with the dealer's best poker hand. If the ranking of the player's hand is higher, then the player wins. If the ranking is lower, then the dealer wins. If the ranking is the same, then the dealer, casino, or gaming establishment could institute an in-house rule making this result in a tie (all chips are returned to player), a win (player wins more chips than bet), or a loss (player loses at least some chips).

Typically, a poker hand consists of exactly five cards. Accordingly, the best hand is formed as a subset of the total available cards since the total number of cards available to the player is equal to or more than the poker hand size. For example, if two hole cards and five community cards are used, each player and the dealer may have to form the best five card hand out of the seven cards available. A player can not use another player's or the dealer's hole cards. It should also be appreciated that in one embodiment two hole cards and only three community cards are dealt, so all players must use all community cards and all hole cards to form a hand. In another embodiment, there could be three hole cards and only two, three, or four community cards. It should be understood that any combination of hole and community cards could be used with any poker hand count, but a five card hand formed as a subset of two hole cards and five community cards obtains good results for creating consistently exciting rounds of play.

The formation of best poker hands and relative ranking of these hands for a standard deck of cards should be readily appreciated, as similar formation and ranking rules are used in virtually all forms of poker. However, a few examples are provided for illustration. In the example shown in FIG. 3, there are five community cards consisting of a king of spades, ace of diamonds, two of diamonds, jack of diamonds, and six of clubs. In this example, the dealer must make the best five card hand out of the seven cards available to the dealer (4, 6♡, K, A♦, 2♦, J♦, 6). The best hand available to dealer would be the pair of sixes (6♡ from hole cards and 6 from the community cards). If a player had a king, ace, or jack as a hole card, that player could pair it with the corresponding community card (K, A♦, and J♦, respectively) and beat the dealer's pair of sixes. A player could also win this round, for example, if both the player's cards were diamonds, because then they would have a flush (A♦, 2♦, J♦, and two hole cards which are diamonds). A player's or the dealer's best hand may be formed solely from community cards.

It should also be appreciated that additional betting or wagering steps could be inserted, if the community cards were dealt out in portions over several steps. For example, three community cards could be dealt, and the player given the chance again to fold or make a further board wager, then another two cards could be dealt. Thus, any number of betting or wagering steps could be inserted into a round of the game, with the dealing of a portion of the community cards between each betting step.

In an alternate embodiment, illustrated as game 40 in FIG. 5, the player may be required to, or have the option of, making a bonus wager, as indicated by step 66 which activates a bonus game to occur simultaneously with game 30 described with respect to FIG. 4. The player indicates the bonus wager is being made, for example, by placing chips over bonus wager indicia 28. In the bonus game, a player will win a bonus amount for being dealt certain special combinations of hole cards. These payouts may be even money on the bonus wager made, proportional to the wager made, or determined by a payout table. For example a player in the bonus game may be awarded 25:1 for two aces, 10:1 for a king and an ace of the same suit, 5:1 for a king and an ace of different suits, 2:1 for any pair of number valued cards, and so on. A casino, dealer, or other gaming establishment could set the payouts and predetermined special card conditions in advance of the game being played.

Dashed lines are used to indicate that the steps that determine the outcome of the bonus game. The only step required by both games is step 56, although steps of game 40 may be required to occur before or after certain steps of game 30 to remain fair to all players. The bonus round steps may occur simultaneously with the steps of the game shown in FIG. 4, and these steps do not need to affect the outcome or play of that game. Thus, the same steps and numerals are used between FIGS. 4 and 5 with respect to game 30. In bonus game 40, after making the bonus wager, the player will receive two cards in step 56 and will remain in the bonus game, regardless of if that player folds in steps 54A or 58A. Players who wish to participate in both game 30 and bonus game 40 must make the play and board wagers to stay in the game as described above. Players of the bonus game do not need to make any wagers besides the initial bonus wager, as indicated by the dashed lines. After the player receives the two hole cards in step 56, the winners of the bonus game are determined in step 68. In one embodiment, so as not to influence the decisions of the other players, the determination of winners in step 68 occurs after all players have decided between steps 58A and 58B. As mentioned above, winners are determined if a player's hole cards form certain rare or predetermined special combinations. Players who are dealt one of these combinations and that are in the bonus game will receive a winning payout. Thus, if the player does fold, he can not win game 30 in step 64, but can proceed to the end of bonus game 40 at step 68 and win.

In another embodiment, the bonus wager may be made by the player at a different point in the game, such as after the dealer hand is dealt. In another embodiment, a player may only be eligible to win the bonus game if they do not fold. The payouts may have to be adjusted depending on these alternate rules of the bonus round.

It should be appreciated that various amounts could be required at different betting stages, and that different payouts could be awarded as determined by the dealer, casino, or gaming establishment. In one embodiment, the game is played without any wagers, and all players remain in the game. In one embodiment, the player collects even money on the play, blind, and/or board wagers, or an amount proportional to the wagers. In another embodiment, the board wager is paid according to a payout table, with certain hands receiving higher pay. For example, with respect to the board wager made, a royal flush may pay 50:1, a straight flush 30:1, a four of a kind 15:1, a full house 5:1, a flush 3:1, a straight 2:1, a three of a kind 1:1, and so on. Thus, in this embodiment a player may beat the dealer, but not collect winnings on the board wager (such as if the player only has a pair of cards). In one embodiment, the player loses all wagers made up to that point when folding. In another embodiment, only a portion of the wagers is lost when folding. For example, in one embodiment the play wager may be twice or four times the blind wager, but only one half of the play wager is forfeited if the player folds. It should be appreciated that other payouts for wagers, or certain hands or conditions may be rewarded, as set by the casino, dealer, or particular gaming establishment.

Unlike any other poker or hold' em style games, the dealer's hand is dealt face up, so that the players know exactly what they are playing against. As discussed above, hold' em style poker games inherently lend themselves to a large degree of strategy, including analysis of card probabilities, other player's moves and even body language, how and when to bluff, and so on. Advantageously, playing against the dealer makes the game more accessible to beginners and less skilled players, since they do not have to play against other players, and therefore can learn the basics of the game without having to yet master subtleties and advanced maneuvers, such as bluffing. By further revealing the dealer's hand, it allows the players “cheat,” enabling even the least skilled or most novice players to be successful. Additionally, it enables players to get an appreciation for the probabilities of certain card combinations occurring, such as flushes, straights, full houses, three of a kinds, four of a kinds, and so on, which would allow those players to be more comfortable in playing other variants of poker.

While more accessible to novice or less skilled players, the game remains fun, exciting, tense, and engaging by including several chances for the player to bet or fold. Slot machines are relatively “mindless” and not very engaging because they include only a single bet resulting in a win or a loss. The current invention game allows players to make decisions during the game, resulting in increased involvement, and therefore tension and excitement. Emotional highs and lows are inherently present in all gambling to various degrees, increasing the appeal of gambling for many people. By including the various betting stages, players of the current invention game must make decisions during the game, enabling them to experience these emotional highs and lows, and increasing the appeal of the game. Even if no money is being wagered or played for, these decisions will still engage the players in the game for a more fulfilling experience.

It should also be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that since the player is playing against the dealer only, and that the dealer must always follow predefined steps based on the player's actions, the above described game and method naturally lends itself also to being executed by a computer or similar electronic processing device in an electronic or video adaptation. An electronic adaptation could be made by encoding the steps outlined in FIG. 4 or 5 into a software program and executing the software by dealer 12, which would be a computer and/or processor. Accordingly, table 10 may be graphically displayed as an image to the player, along with the various cards and betting indicia, and include some means for receiving player input, such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, or the like, all of which are well known in the art. In an electronic game, the player may be playing for “points” in an attempt to reach a high score, or the game could be linked to a credit card, bank account, debit account, or the like, for rewarding and subtracting funds from that player. Accordingly, the scope of the current invention method is intended to cover any form of playing the game, regardless of medium.

Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of playing a poker-style game, said method comprising:

(a) dealing an initial player hand to a player and an initial dealer hand to a dealer, said initial dealer hand being dealt face up;

(b) dealing at least one community card face up;

(c) determining a player hand ranking by forming a best player hand as a subset of said initial player hand and said at least one community card;

(d) determining a dealer hand ranking by forming a best dealer hand as a subset of said initial dealer hand and said at least one community card;

(f) comparing said player hand ranking to said to said dealer hand ranking to determine a winner.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said dealer wins if said player hand ranking is worse than said dealer hand ranking and loses if said player hand ranking is better than said dealer hand ranking.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein a tie results if said player hand ranking and said dealer hand ranking are equivalent.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said initial dealer hand and said initial player hand each comprise two cards and said at least one community card consists of five cards.

5. The method recited in claim 4, wherein said best player hand is formed by selecting five total cards from said initial player hand and said community cards, and wherein said best dealer hand is formed by selecting five total cards from said initial dealer hand and said community cards.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said method is performed using at least one standard deck of fifty-two cards.

7. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising awarding said player if said initial player hand resembles a predetermined combination of cards.

8. A method of playing a poker-style game between a dealer and a player, said method comprising:

(a) dealing an initial dealer hand to said dealer, said initial dealer hand being dealt face up;

(b) dealing an initial player hand to said player if said player makes a play wager, otherwise ending play and collecting a blind wager from said player;

(c) dealing at least one community card face up if said player makes a board wager, otherwise ending play and collecting at least a portion of said blind wager and/or said play wager from said player;

(d) determining a player hand ranking by forming a best player hand as a subset of said initial player hand and said at least one community card;

(e) determining a dealer hand ranking by forming a best dealer hand as a subset of said initial dealer hand and said at least one community card; and,

(f) comparing said player hand ranking to said to said dealer hand ranking for determining a winner.

9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein after step (f), said method further comprises:

(g) collecting at least a portion of said board, play, and blind wagers from said player if said dealer hand ranking is better than said player hand ranking, and awarding said player with an amount proportional to said board wager, said play wager, said blind wager, or a combination thereof if said dealer hand ranking is worse than said player hand ranking.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein said player is awarded even money on said blind, play, and/or board wagers in step (g) if said player hand ranking is better than said dealer hand ranking.

11. The method recited in claim 9, wherein said player is awarded according to a payout table with respect to said board wager in step (g), if said best player hand resembles a special predetermined hand combination.

12. The method recited in claim 11, wherein said player is awarded according to said payout table, regardless of a result of said comparing of said player hand ranking and dealer hand ranking in step (f).

13. The method recited in claim 8, wherein said at least one community card consists of five cards.

14. The method recited in claim 8, wherein a value of said play wager is proportional to a value of said blind wager.

15. The method recited in claim 8, wherein said dealer hand ranking and said player hand ranking are determined following standard rules of poker hand valuation.

16. The method recited in claim 8, further comprising:

(h) dealing said initial player hand to said player if said player makes a bonus wager, regardless of said player making or not making said blind, play, or board wagers.

17. The method recited in claim 16, wherein said player must make said bonus wager before any cards are dealt.

18. The method recited in claim 16, wherein said player is awarded a payout according to a payout table if said initial player hand resembles a predetermined combination of cards.