POKER TABLE ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE DEALERS TO FACILITATE PLAY OF MULTIPLE POKER GAMES SIMULTANEOUSLY
An elliptical, poker table incorporating two dealer stations with each dealer station including one or more of the following: automatic card shuffler, chip rack, poker cards and drop box. In one configuration, the two dealer stations are positioned oppositely on long sides of the poker table and may be offset from one another. The poker table layout may include two chip areas at each player station to accommodate different sets of chips—one for each poker game being played simultaneously. The poker table layout may depict two distinguishable common card areas and betting areas. Chip separators may be positioned near each player station to maintain an independence of player chip stacks. One poker table incorporates a live dealer station and electronic poker system permitting a live poker game and electronic poker game to be played substantially simultaneously.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/416,347 filed Mar. 9, 2012 which is incorporated herein for all purposes. This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 13/416,250 and 13/454,001 filed Mar. 9, 2012 and Apr. 23, 2012, respectively, which are both incorporated herein for all purposes. This application is related to co-pending U.S. Patent Application Nos. ______ and ______, filed ______ and ______, respectively, which are both incorporated herein for all purposes.
FIELD OF INVENTIONThe embodiments of the present invention relate to a poker table configured to accommodate two or more dealers for conducting two or more poker games simultaneously
BACKGROUNDConventional casino style poker tables are elliptical in shape and accommodate ten or eleven players and a dealer. The poker table includes a table cut-out at the dealer station allowing the dealer to sit comfortably close to the table so that the dealer is able to deal cards and pass chips to players and also reach chips and cards passed in the direction of the dealer by the players.
Applicant has invented a poker game concept whereby players are able to play two poker games simultaneously. Thus, it would be advantageous to develop a new poker table configured to accommodate two dealers for conducting the two poker games simultaneously.
SUMMARYThe embodiments of the present invention are directed to an elliptical, poker table incorporating two dealer stations with each dealer station including one or more of the following: automatic card shuffler, chip rack and chips, poker cards and drop box. In one embodiment, the two dealer stations are positioned oppositely on long sides of the poker table and may be offset from one another. The poker table layout may include two chip areas at each player station to accommodate different distinguishable sets of poker chips—one for each poker game being played simultaneously. In one embodiment, the poker table depicts two common card areas proximate each dealer station to further maintain the independence of each poker game being played simultaneously.
In another embodiment, using a single chip set, the layout depicts distinguishable betting areas for each game and the table incorporates a physical chip stack separator at each player position.
In another embodiment, one dealer may be a live person and one dealer may be electronic and driven by a processor. In another embodiment, the poker table having two independent dealer stations may be convertible to a dealer table with a single dealer table.
Other variations, embodiments and features of the present invention will become evident from the following detailed description, drawings and claims.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive feature illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention claimed.
A poker table layout 150 depicts two chip areas 160, 165 at each player station 115-1 through 115-10. The two chip areas 160, 165, like the poker chips, may be colored differently or otherwise distinguished from one another to allow players to keep chips from the two poker games segregated.
In one embodiment, a single chip set may be used to play the two poker games (e.g., Limit Texas Hold'em). In such an embodiment, separation of the poker chips is important to know which pot which chips should be placed.
In another embodiment, as shown in
In another embodiment, two simultaneous poker hands are managed by a live dealer, located at a live dealer station 400, and an electronic dealer, managed by a processor (not shown). In such an embodiment, as shown in
As detailed above, the poker tables 100 and 300 and poker table layouts 150 and 200 facilitate the play of two poker games simultaneously. The play of two poker games simultaneously satisfies the need for “action” by poker players, especially younger players accustomed to playing multiple tables simultaneously in an online environment. In addition, the card room or poker club benefits from additional poker table revenue, which may be greater than twice normal poker table revenues, without raising overhead significantly (e.g., an additional dealer).
The poker table 100 may be suitable to conduct any number of simultaneous poker games including Texas Hold'em, Omaha and Seven Card Stud.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to several embodiments, additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.
Claims
1. A poker table comprising:
- a layout;
- a chip stack separator attached to said poker table at each player station; and
- two dealer stations each including one or more of the following: (i) automatic card shuffler; (ii) chip rack and chips; (iii) poker cards; and (iv) drop box; and
- wherein said two dealer stations facilitate the play of two poker games simultaneously.
2. The poker table of claim 1 wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable chip areas at each player station on said layout.
3. The poker table of claim 1 wherein said poker table is elliptical in shape.
4. The poker table of claim 3 wherein said two dealer stations are positioned oppositely along long sides of the poker table.
5. The poker table of claim 1 wherein the automatic card shufflers are integrated into the poker table.
6. The poker table of claim 1 wherein said two dealer stations are defined by cut-out areas.
7. The poker table of claim 1 wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable common card areas.
8. The poker table of claim 1 wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable betting areas for each player station.
9. A poker table comprising:
- a chip separator attached to said poker table at each player position; and
- a layout configured to accommodate multiple player stations and at least two dealer stations, each of said dealer stations including one or more of the following: (i) automatic card shuffler; (ii) chip rack and chips; (iii) poker cards; and (iv) drop box; and
- wherein said two or more dealer stations facilitate the play of two or more poker games simultaneously.
10. The poker table of claim 9 wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable chip areas at each player station.
11. The poker table of claim 9 wherein said poker table is elliptical in shape.
12. The poker table of claim 11 wherein said two dealer stations are positioned oppositely along long sides of the poker table.
13. The poker table of claim 9 wherein the automatic card shufflers are integrated into the poker table.
14. The poker table of claim 9 wherein said two dealer stations are defined by cut-out areas.
15. The poker table of claim 9 wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable common card areas.
16. The poker table of claim 9 wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable betting areas for each player station.
17. A poker table comprising:
- a layout;
- a live dealer station including one or more of the following: (i) automatic card shuffler; (ii) chip rack and chips; (iii) poker cards; and (iv) drop box;
- a player display at each player station, each said player display configured to display each player's hole cards;
- a common card display configured to display common cards;
- a user interface at each player station configured to allow players to make poker game decisions;
- a processor configured to control said player displays, common card display and user interfaces; and
- wherein said live dealer station allows a live dealer to manage a first poker game while said processor controls a second poker game, via said player displays, common card displays and user interfaces, substantially simultaneously to said first poker game.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 8, 2013
Publication Date: Sep 12, 2013
Applicant: PAC GAMING LLC (Dallas, TX)
Inventor: Timothy M. Frazin (Dallas, TX)
Application Number: 13/790,994
International Classification: A63F 1/06 (20060101);