U.S. patent application number 10/152325 was filed with the patent office on 2002-12-26 for four card poker and associated games.
This patent application is currently assigned to Shuffle Master, Inc.. Invention is credited to Snow, Roger M., Webb, Derek J..
Application Number | 20020195775 10/152325 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27562908 |
Filed Date | 2002-12-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020195775 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Webb, Derek J. ; et
al. |
December 26, 2002 |
Four card poker and associated games
Abstract
A casino game utilizes at least one deck of playing cards, the
game comprising: each player placing at least one wager to
participate in the casino game; dealing a first number of cards to
a dealer, the first number of cards being greater than the number
of cards to be used in determination of a poker rank hand for the
dealer; dealing a second number of cards to each player, the second
number of cards being greater than the number of cards to be used
in determination of a poker rank hand for each player; the dealer
discarding at least one card to form a resulting single dealer
hand; each player discarding at least one card to form a resulting
player's hand for each player, wherein the number of cards in
resulting player's hands and the resulting dealer's hand are equal;
and resolving each player hand against the dealer's hand according
to predetermined game rules. The initial player's wagers must be at
least matched with a Game Bet (or play bet) to remain in the game
after players have received their cards. The Game Bet may be
multiples of the initial player's wagers, for example, 1.times. to
5.times. the initial wager, or more.
Inventors: |
Webb, Derek J.; (Derby,
GB) ; Snow, Roger M.; (Las Vegas, NV) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARK A. LITMAN & ASSOCIATES, P.A
York Business Center, Suite 205
3209 W. 76th St.
Edina
MN
55435
US
|
Assignee: |
Shuffle Master, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
27562908 |
Appl. No.: |
10/152325 |
Filed: |
May 20, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10152325 |
May 20, 2002 |
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10016436 |
Nov 1, 2001 |
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10016436 |
Nov 1, 2001 |
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09249118 |
Feb 12, 1999 |
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6345823 |
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09249118 |
Feb 12, 1999 |
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09170092 |
Oct 13, 1998 |
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6237916 |
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09170092 |
Oct 13, 1998 |
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08889919 |
Jul 10, 1997 |
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6056641 |
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08889919 |
Jul 10, 1997 |
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08504023 |
Jul 19, 1995 |
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5685774 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
273/292 ;
273/303; 463/13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2001/005 20130101;
A63F 3/00157 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/292 ;
273/303; 463/13 |
International
Class: |
A63F 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 29, 1994 |
GB |
94/26324 |
Jul 22, 1994 |
GB |
94/14822 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A casino game utilizing at least one deck of playing cards, the
game comprising: each player placing at least one wager to
participate in the casino game; dealing a first number of cards to
a dealer, said first number of cards being greater than the number
of cards to be used in determination of a poker rank hand for the
dealer; dealing a second number of cards to each player, said
second number of cards being greater than the number of cards to be
used in determination of a poker rank hand for each player; the
dealer utilizing fewer than all of the cards dealt to form a
resulting single dealer hand; each player utilizing fewer than all
of the cards dealt to form a resulting player's hand for each
player, wherein the number of cards utilized in the resulting
player's hands and the resulting dealer's hand are equal; and
resolving each player hand against the dealer's hand according to
predetermined game rules.
2. The casino game of claim 1 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
3. The casino game of claim 1 wherein the first number of cards and
the second number of cards are both five cards and the resulting
number of dealer's cards and the resulting number of player cards
are both four cards.
4. The casino game of claim 1 wherein the first number of cards is
six and the second number of cards is five cards and the resulting
number of dealer's cards and the resulting number of player cards
are both four cards.
5. The casino game of claim 3 wherein, if the dealer's hand does
not have at least a minimum predetermined rank of poker hand, the
dealer is provided with one more additional card.
6. The casino game of claim 1 wherein the player makes an Ante
wager prior to review of that player's second number of cards.
7. The casino game of claim 6 wherein after the player reviews that
player's second number of cards, that player may place a wager of
at least 1.times. the Ante wager to stay in the game.
8. The casino game of claim 6 wherein after the player reviews that
player's second number of cards, that player may place a wager of
greater then 1.times. the Ante wager when the player's resulting
number of cards' hand exceeds at least a predetermined minimum
poker ranking for a player's hand.
9. The casino game of claim 8 wherein the wager of greater than
1.times. is an amount equal to a multiple of the Ante wager.
10. The casino game of claim 9 wherein the multiple of the Ante
wager may be selected from the group consisting of 1.times.,
2.times., 3.times., 4.times. and 5.times..
11. The casino game of claim 5 wherein the player makes an Ante
wager prior to review of that player's second number of cards.
12. The casino game of claim 11 wherein after the player reviews
that player's second number of cards, that player may place a wager
of at least 1.times. the Ante wager.
13. The casino game of claim 11 wherein after the player reviews
that player's second number of cards, that player may place a wager
of greater then 1.times. the Ante wager if the player's resulting
number of cards' hand exceeds at least a predetermined minimum
poker rank for a player's hand.
14. The casino game of claim 13 wherein the wager of greater than
1.times. may be an amount equal to a multiple of the Ante
wager.
15. The casino game of claim 13 wherein the multiple of the Ante
wager may be selected from the group consisting of 1.times.,
2.times., 3.times., 4.times. and 5.times..
16. The casino game of claim 5 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
17. The casino game of claim 11 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
18. The casino game of claim 15 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
19. The casino game of claim 1 wherein the first number of cards
exceeds the second number of cards by at least one card.
20. The casino game of claim 5 wherein the first number of cards
exceeds the second number of cards by at least one card.
21. The casino game of claim 11 wherein the first number of cards
exceeds the second number of cards by at least one card.
22. The casino game of claim 15 wherein the first number of cards
exceeds the second number of cards by at least one card.
23. The casino game of claim 21 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
24. The casino game of claim 22 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
25. The casino game of claim 1, wherein each player places at least
one of an Ante and a Bonus Bet, and when a bonus bet is placed,
paying the player a payout for achieving a predetermined winning
card combination.
26. The casino game of claim 25, wherein multiple winning
combinations are predetermined, and payouts and combinations are
displayed on a pay table.
27. The casino game of claim 25, and further comprising an
automatic bonus paid on the ante for at least one predetermined
winning combination.
28. A live casino game betting method comprising the steps of: each
player placing a first wager to participate in a live casino game;
a dealer dealing a plurality of cards to each player; the dealer
dealing a plurality of cards to the dealer; each player optionally
folding or making an additional bet that is a multiple of the first
wager, wherein the multiple is at least 1 and can be varied at the
option of the player; and resolving the wager according to
predetermined game rules.
29. The method of claim 28 wherein both the dealer excludes at
least one card from determining a hand to be ranked and each player
excludes at least one card from each player's hand to form a hand
to be ranked against the dealer's hand.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the dealer and the player are
initially dealt exactly five cards and resolution of game rules is
based upon ranking of four card hands.
31. The method of claim 29 wherein the dealer is initially dealt
exactly six cards and the player is initially dealt exactly five
cards and resolution of game rules is based upon ranking of four
card hands.
32. The method of claim 29 wherein the dealer and the player are
initially dealt exactly five cards and resolution of game rules is
based upon ranking of four card hands, and the dealer is dealt a
sixth card only if the dealer's four-card poker hand rank with the
initial five cards does not at least equal a predetermined dealer's
minimum hand rank.
33. The method of claim 32 wherein the dealer's minimum hand rank
is at least a rank less than one pair.
34. The method of claim 32 wherein the dealer's minimum hand rank
is at least a rank of one pair.
35. The method of claim 29 wherein the at least a first wager is an
Ante and the player must make the additional wager to stay in the
game, and the additional wager may be a multiple selected from
values between 1.times. and 5.times..
36. The method of claim 29 wherein the at least a first wager is an
Ante and the player must make the additional wager to stay in the
game, and the additional wager may be a multiple selected from the
group consisting of 1.times., 2.times., 3.times., 4.times. and
5.times..
37. The method of claim 35 wherein the multiple wager may exceed
1.times. only if the player's four-card poker rank exceeds a
predetermined player's minimum four-card poker rank.
38. The method of claim 36 wherein the multiple wager may exceed
1.times. only if the player's four-card poker rank exceeds a
predetermined player's minimum four-card poker rank.
39. The method of claim 29 wherein the dealer is provided with one
additional card after receiving the dealer's initial plurality of
cards.
40. The method of claim 39 wherein the player may make an
additional wager before the dealer receives the additional
card.
41. The method of claim 40 wherein the player may make the
additional wager after the dealer has determined that the four-card
poker rank of the dealer's hand in the initial cards dealt does not
meet at least the rank of a dealer's predetermined minimum
four-card poker rank.
42. The method of claim 1, and further including a mandatory Super
Bonus bet, wherein payouts are made on the Super Bonus bet for
predetermined hand ranks.
43. The method of claim 42 wherein the Super Bonus bet pays odds
for predetermined winning hands.
44. The method of claim 42 wherein the Su per Bonus and Ante bets
are equal.
45. A live casino game betting method comprising the steps of: each
player placing a first wager to participate in a live casino game;
a dealer dealing a plurality of cards to each player; the dealer
dealing a plurality of cards to the dealer; each player optionally
folding or making an additional bet that is of proportionate value
to the ANTE wager, but not necessarily equal to the ANTE wager; and
resolving the wager according to predetermined game rules.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/016,436 filed Nov. 1, 2001 which in turn is
a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/249,118 filed Feb. 12, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,823 issued
Feb. 12, 2002, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 09/170,092 filed Oct. 13, 1998, now
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,916 issued May 29, 2001, which is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/889,919
filed Jul. 10, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,641 issued May 2, 2000,
which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/504,023
filed Jul. 19, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,774 issued Nov. 11,
1997, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 from United
Kingdom Patent Applications 94/26324 filed Dec. 29, 1994 and
94/14822 filed Jul. 22, 1994.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to the field of games, card
games, wagering card games and especially poker-type casino
wagering games.
[0004] 2. Background of the Art
[0005] The present invention generally relates to a card game that
can be played in a casino or in a card room. More particularly, it
relates to a modified version of a stud poker game.
[0006] As a leisure time activity, poker and other card games have
been popular for many years. The capital requirements for playing
poker and other table card games are very low. All that are needed
are one or more decks of cards, a playing surface and a few
participants. Five card poker is a game that most people know how
to play and many games have been developed using the same basic
priority or rank order of winning poker hands: Royal Flush,
Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three
of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair and high card(s) in hand.
[0007] For some time, it had been difficult to adapt the rules of
poker into a casino table game in which each player plays against
the house, rather than against other players. Although club-type
games with players wagering against each other have been popular,
it was desirable for a game to be played where the house received a
more direct payback from the game. In a conventional poker game, a
number of players (greater than one) are each dealt a poker hand by
one player (or the house dealer who does not play in the game) who
acts as the dealer. The player with the highest ranking hand based
on the established priority ranking of poker hands wins. Each
player in turn deals a hand as the game continues. It is usually
essential to have wagering steps in the game to maintain the
interest and excitement of the game. In the absence of wagering,
there is little to commend the play of poker.
[0008] Many places, both within and without the United States, have
legalized gaming. Poker is one of the games of chance offered in
both casinos and card rooms. In a conventional card room poker
game, the house provides a dealer, the playing cards, the table and
chairs, but the house does not play a hand. The house collects a
nominal percentage of each player's bet ("the rake") that
compensates the house for providing the facilities to the players.
Alternatively, the house may charge each player a set amount per
hand or for a specified length of time of play. Each player is
competing not against the house, but against all the other players
with the highest hand winning the total of all the wagers made on
that hand.
[0009] Many people do not like to play card room poker because each
player is competing against his fellow players, not against the
house. Many people would rather attempt to win money from an
impersonal source, the house or the casino, rather than from their
fellow players with whom they may be acquainted. Card room poker
also tends to not offer any bonus payments for particularly good
hands, although bonuses are sometimes paid for highest hands in
tournaments or for specific combinations of hands at poker tables
(e.g., a losing hand of at least a full house). While a Royal Flush
is a rare occurrence and generates a thrill for any poker player,
the player collects the same total wager that he would have
collected if the hand was won with a Three-of-a-Kind.
[0010] In the past fifteen years, a number of card games have been
introduced to provide poker-type card games as house-banked casino
table games. These games have focused on a number of elements in
providing excitement and staying power for the games. The games
must be quickly understood by players. The rules must be simple and
clear. The resolution of wagers by the dealer must be easily
accomplished. The reading of hands by a dealer must not be complex.
In addition, the games must provide a high enough hit frequency to
appeal to players, yet allow the house to retain a profitable
portion of the wagers. These needs have limited the number of
successful games that have been designed and successfully
introduced into the casino gaming market.
[0011] Among the successful games are Let It Ride Bonus.RTM. poker,
Three Card Poker.RTM. game and Caribbean Stud.RTM. poker. These
games have each achieved a high level of commercial success with
different formats and attributes.
[0012] Let It Ride Bonus.RTM. stud poker is described in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,288,081. In this game, the player makes a wager in three
parts, three cards are dealt to each player (there may be only a
single player), and two common cards are dealt face down in front
of the dealer. The player examines his/her three cards, evaluates
the likelihood of a ranked hand (e.g., at least a pair of tens)
being achieved with those three cards and the as yet unseen common
cards. The player, based on judgment of that likelihood, may elect
to withdraw the first of the three-part wager or keep the wager at
risk. Upon the player making that decision, and withdrawing or
allowing the first wager to remain at risk, a first of the common
cards is turned face up. The player then can make another decision
with regard to the play of the hand and whether there is a changed
potential for a ranked hand. A second portion of the three-part
wager is then withdrawn or allowed to remain at risk. After this
decision, the last common card is exposed, and the rank of each
player's hand, including the common cards, is evaluated. Payments
are made to each player based on only the rank of hand achieved and
the number of wagers left on the table from the original three-part
wager. As noted, at least one wager must remain, as only two parts
can have been withdrawn. Wagers are paid off at rates (or odds),
for example, of 1:1 for pairs of at least 10's, 2:1 for two pairs,
3:1 for three-of-a-kind, 5:1 for straights, 7:1 for flushes, 12:1
for full houses, 50:1 for four-of-a-kind, 250:1 for straight
flushes, and 1000:1 for Royal Flushes. The specific payout odds can
be varied and often casinos choose payout tables that help them
achieve a desired percentage hold. Side bonus wagers may also be
placed in which ranked hands over three-of-a-kind receive fixed or
progressive bonuses, such as $25,000 for a Royal Flush. The bonus
payouts and hand combinations are typically displayed on a payout
table on the table surface.
[0013] The Three Card Poker.RTM. game (e.g., as described in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,685,774) deals three cards to each player and three
cards to the dealer, all face down. Initially one or two optional
wagers may be made by the player. One such wager is for the "Pair
Plus" bonus bet, a bet on achieving a winning combination included
in a payout table. Another wager is the game ante on which the
player competes against the dealer. The Pair Plus bet in one
example of the invention is a wager that the three card hand will
have a rank of at least one pair or more. The hand is paid off in
multiples of the bet depending upon the rank of the hand, with up
to 40:1 or more paid out for three-of-a-kind. In the ante wager, if
the player wants to compete against the dealer's hand (after
viewing the rank of the player's hand), an additional wager equal
to one or two times the ante must be placed by the player. The
dealer's hand is then exposed. If the dealer does not have a hand
of at least a certain qualifying rank (e.g., at least Queen high),
the dealer's hand is not in play. If the player has not made the
additional wager, the ante is collected by the dealer at some point
in the play of the game. If the player has made the additional
wager, the ante is paid off to the player if the dealer's hand has
not qualified or if the dealer's hand is not as high a rank as the
player's hand. If the dealer's hand has qualified, and the dealer's
hand is higher than the player's hand, then the ante and the
additional wager are collected by the house. If the dealer's hand
qualifies (e.g., at least Queen high) and is lower than the
player's hand rank, both the ante and additional wager are paid
off, with multiples payable to the ante wager for certain high
ranking hands (e.g., straights, flushes, straight flushes,
three-of-a-kind, etc.). The ranking of the various poker hands is
different than in five card poker games.
[0014] In Caribbean Stud.RTM. poker, described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,836,533, a player makes an initial ante wager, and five cards are
dealt to each player and to a dealer. The dealer exposes one of the
five cards to influence the player. The player decides if the dealt
player hand is of sufficient rank to compete against the dealer's
hand. The player may fold the player's hand at that time, or
continue the game by placing an additional wager (referred to as
the "Bet") that is usually required to be twice the value of the
ante. The dealer's hand qualifies for active play against the Bet
with a rank of at least Ace-King. If the dealer qualifies, the rank
of the players' hands are compared with the rank of the dealer's
hand. Players with hands of higher rank than the dealer's hand win
both the ante and the Bet. Players with hands of lower rank than
the dealer's hand lose both the ante and the Bet. If an initial
side bet (often referred to as the Jackpot side bet) has been made
by the player, ranked hands of particularly high values (e.g., at
least a Flush) are paid absolute bonus amounts or may be paid out
of a progressive jackpot. This bonus side bet is paid whether or
not the player's hand rank exceeds the rank of the dealer's
hand.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,827 describes another poker-type casino
table card game. This game may be played at a table with as many as
seven players competing against a dealer. The play of the game is
fairly complex, with each player having both multiple hands and
utilization of a dealer's card. One method of play is to provide
each player with three cards, and the dealer is provided with four
cards. The dealer's play of cards is predetermined, while the
players may select their desired holding. Player's hands are
competing directly against the dealer's hand in each of the hands
made by the player and the dealer.
[0016] It is always desirable to explore alternative games for play
in the field of gaming tables to provide players with varied
experiences and alternatives to known games.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] A casino table poker game is played with poker hands of
players competing against a poker hand of a dealer. A player enters
the game by placing one or both of a Bonus Bet (also referred to as
an Aces-Up wager) for competition against a pay table and an Ante
for direct competition against the dealer. The player is dealt more
cards than needed to form a poker hand. The dealer is also provided
with more than the required number of cards, from which a number of
cards are selected for the dealer's hand to play. The player is
provided with bonus payouts (e.g., multiple returns) on the Aces-Up
bet for ranked hands or a pair of Aces or better. The players'
hands also compete directly against the rank of the dealer's hand
if an additional play bet is placed to supplement the ante. The
additional play bet may be varied by the player to be 1.times.,
2.times., 3.times., 4.times., or 5.times. the amount of the ante.
Bonuses may also be paid on the Aces-Up or ante wager with
unusually high ranking player's hands (such as a straight flush or
four of a kind), whether or not the rank of the player's hand
exceeds the rank of the dealer's hand.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0018] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a gaming table layout suitable for
play of the game of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] A casino table card game is played on a table by at least
one player and a dealer. The dealer usually represents the house or
the casino in the play of the game. As shown in FIG. 1, wagering
areas 10 are provided for each player, and card receiving areas 12
are available for each of the players and the dealer. The wagering
area may include three distinct wagering zones for each player
comprising a Bonus wager area 14 (e.g., the Aces-Up wager), an Ante
area 16, and a Bet area 18. To initiate play of the game, at least
one (and usually only one) deck of standard or variant playing
cards is provided. In other forms of the game, multiple intermixed
decks of cards, decks with wild cards or special decks (i.e. decks
with certain cards removed) are used. Each player who wishes to
enter the play of the game makes at least one wager selected from
the Bonus Bet (or Aces-Up bet) and the Ante. One or both of these
wagers may be made. The player may also play the hand blind (also
referred to as the "House Way") by placing both an Ante and an
additional Game Bet (referred to in FIG. 1 as the "Play Bet").
After placement of the at least one wager, each player who has made
an at least one wager is provided with a number of cards,
preferably five, from which to select a best four-card poker hand.
The cards may be dealt as a complete set of five cards or in
portions of one or more cards. At about the same time, the dealer
is dealt a number of cards exceeding four. In one example of the
invention, six cards are dealt. One or more additional cards can be
dealt to the player, the dealer or both.
[0020] Although in one example of the invention the dealer receives
one more card than each player, the number of cards dealt can be
equal. What is important is that enough cards are dealt so that at
least one discard can be made.
[0021] In a preferred form of the invention, a four card poker hand
is played. The player reviews the five cards received at that
player position and determines what best four-card poker hand can
be made from the five cards. If the player believes that the cards
cannot form a four-card poker rank of sufficiently high rank to
warrant competition against the dealer's hand (even without that
hand or any portion of that hand having been displayed), the player
may fold the hand, refusing to place an additional wager. At this
time or usually a later time, the Ante would be collected by the
dealer. In one example of the invention, if the player made the
Aces-Up bet and the Ante bet and decides to fold, the Aces-Up bet
is swept along with the Ante. In another form of the invention, if
the player remains in the game by making the Play Bet and the
player's hand does not contain a hand ranking of a pair of Aces or
higher, and a bet was made on the Ace-Up wager, that wager may be
now or later collected by the dealer. If the player determines that
the rank of the best four-card poker hand that can be made from the
five cards dealt to the player is sufficiently high as to warrant
competition against the dealer (or if the player wants to `bluff`
against the dealer, particularly if the dealer must qualify), the
player makes an additional wager, referred to as a play bet or game
bet. That additional wager may be multiples of the Ante, such as
1.times., 2.times., 3.times., 4.times. or 5.times. the amount of
the original Ante, at the option of the player. In some examples of
the invention, the game bet is 1.times. the ante unless the player
has a qualifying hand such as a pair of kings or better for
example. If the player's hand qualifies he has the option of
increasing his bet. Fractional amounts or larger amounts may be
allowed, but they can complicate the payout or alter the hold for
the house, so those changes are in the discretion of the casino.
After discarding excess cards and placing the Game Bet, or placing
the fifth card face down, or merely leaving the fifth card in the
hand so that the hand may be arranged and ranked by the dealer or
player when exposed, the player's hand is placed on the table for
display. The dealer's hand is then revealed after each and every
player has determined whether or not the Game Bet is to be made.
The dealer compares the value or rank of his hand against the value
or rank of each player's hand, usually in succession around the
table, and each series of wagers (the Aces-Up wager, the Ante and
the Game Bet) is resolved. Ties on the rank of player's hands and
dealers hands may be either paid to the player, called a push, or
collected by the dealer, depending upon the desired house advantage
the casino wants to build into the game. The dealer may either
always qualify (a preferred method of play), or a level of
qualification may be built into the game (such as at least Queen
high, at least King high, at least Queen-Jack, At least King-Jack,
at least Ace-King, or at least one pair).
[0022] Resolution on the wagers may be based upon pay tables for
the Aces-Up wager, pay tables on the Ante, and/or the Game Bet.
Preferred play of the game provides pay tables for one or more of
the Aces-Up wager, the Ante and an automatic bonus payout on the
ante. The Game Bet pays one-to-one with a player win. This
differentiation is based upon the fact that with certain very high
ranking hands, the player would be at an extreme advantage in
placing a 5.times. Game Bet, assuring a very high multiple payout,
with essentially no risk or little risk involved in the placement
of the 5.times. Game Bet wager. The payout of wagers may be
tailored by the casino by selecting pay tables designed for greater
player payouts or greater casino earnings.
[0023] Although a four card poker game is a preferred form of the
invention, the game could also be played with three, five or seven
cards, with necessary adjustments to the pay tables.
[0024] For example, in a four card game, the hierarchy of hands is
as follows:
[0025] Four of a Kind
[0026] Straight Flush
[0027] Three of a Kind
[0028] Flush
[0029] Straight
[0030] Two Pair
[0031] Pair
[0032] High Card.
[0033] A three or five card game would require a different
hierarchy of hand rankings.
[0034] There are many variations of the game that may be played
within the scope of the present invention. The following variations
on the format described above shall be described in a manner that
should enable those skilled in the art to appreciate the expanded
scope of play available, rather than considering any single
described method as limiting the intended scope of the game.
[0035] Version I--Each player receives 5 cards, and the dealer
receives 6 cards. The players and the dealer identify their best
four card poker hands, the players may rely upon the house for
assistance, if needed. The dealer always qualifies, that is the
dealer's hand and any players' hands are always in play if the ante
bet is made. Players have the choice of placing one or both of the
Ante Bet and a Bonus Bet (e.g., the Aces-Up wager). House rules may
require the player to make the Ante Bet, the Bonus Bet, or both the
Ante and Bonus Bet. The Ante wager is a wager directly against the
rank of the dealer's hand, and the Aces Up Bonus Bet is a bet
against a pay table. If after viewing his/her hand, a player
chooses to stay in the game against the dealer (keeping the Ante
wager in play), the player must make an additional Game Bet to stay
in the game. This Game Bet may be, for example, between 1 and 5 (or
between 1 and 4, or between 1 and 3) times the amount of the
initial Ante wager at the opinion of the player. In other forms of
the game, the player's Game Bet must be 1.times. the ante unless
the player holds a qualifying hand of a pair of Aces or better. If
the player has a qualifying hand, he can bet up to 3.times. the
Ante. Preferably, the player must hold a pair of aces or better to
win on the Bonus Bet (hence the name `Aces-Up`). The Bonus Bet
preferably pays a maximum return of 50:1, but payouts may
theoretically be as high as 500:1 for certain hands, such as for
four Aces. The Bonus Bet side bet game may or may not be present in
the rules of the game. In this example of the invention, the game
pays an automatic bonus for certain high ranking hands according to
a payout schedule. This bonus is paid on the Ante wager, and does
not require the player to make a separate bet to qualify for this
payout. For example, automatic bonuses are paid on three of a kind,
straight flushes and four of a kind.
[0036] Version II--Each player and the dealer gets five cards to
make the best four-card poker hand. If the dealer's hand does not
equal or exceed a certain rank (e.g., a pair of 2's or better), he
discards all cards and draws a new five card hand, and then makes a
four-card poker hand from the five cards. The player must make the
Ante wager to be in the game against the dealer. The dealer always
qualifies to play against the player. It is possible to allow the
player or require the player to make the Ante wager 1) before the
deal of cards, 2) after the deal of cards but before any cards are
revealed, 3) after the deal of cards and after the players has
reviewed his cards but before the dealer has exposed cards, 4)
after the deal of cards and a partial or complete revelation of the
dealer's five cards (but before review of the player's cards), or
5) after the deal of cards and a review of the players' cards and a
partial revelation or complete revelation of the dealer's five
cards, which play might be restricted to where the dealer has not
qualified (but not after revelation of any sixth card). The
player's hand may be required to exceed a minimum rank to bet more
than 1.times. the Ante. For example, if the player has a qualifying
hand of a pair of Kings or better, the player can make a Game Bet
of 1.times., 2.times. or 3.times. the Ante. As with Version I, the
rules can provide that the Bonus Bet (side bet) is mandatory or
both initial bets (the Ante and the Bonus Bet) are mandatory. The
automatic bonus against a pay table on the Ante bet may or may not
be present in the rules of the game. The Bonus Bet game may or may
not be present, also in the rules of the game. In this example, a
pair of aces or better qualifies the player for an Aces-Up payout
of 1:1. The automatic bonus pays even if the player's hand is lower
in rank than the dealer's hand.
[0037] Version III--The players and dealer each receive five cards
to make their best four-card poker hand. The betting/wagering rules
and procedures are the same as in the previous versions, except for
those listed below. Either the Ante is mandatory, the Ante or the
Bonus Bet is mandatory, or both initial wagers are mandatory. The
dealer must qualify to play (for example, with a hand of Ace high
or better, King-Queen or higher, Ace-King or higher, pair of deuces
or higher, etc.). The automatic bonus side bet game against a pay
table is present in the rules of this example of the game.
[0038] If the player stays in the game, the player can bet 1.times.
to 3.times. the Ante if the player has a qualifying hand of a pair
of Kings or better. Otherwise, the maximum Game Bet is 1.times. the
Ante. The lowest ranking hand that qualifies for the bonus payout
is a pair of Aces or better.
[0039] Version IV--Four Card Poker with Super Bonus--The dealer and
each player are dealt five cards each. The cards are used to make
the best four card poker hand by the players and the dealer. The
hands are ranked according to the following four card poker ranking
schedule:
[0040] Four of a Kind
[0041] Straight Flush
[0042] Three of a Kind
[0043] Flush
[0044] Straight
[0045] Two Pair
[0046] Pair
[0047] High Card.
[0048] Players can make a bet against the dealer (Ante), a bet
against the pay table (Aces-Up Bonus Bet) or both. House rules may
require one or both bets to be mandatory. In addition, the players
are required to make a Super Bonus bet in an amount equal to the
Ante in this example of the invention.
[0049] Players place equal bets on the Ante and/or Super Bonus
and/or Bonus spots on the layout. After viewing the cards, the
player must fold or place an additional Bet (play wager). If the
player's hand does not qualify with a pair of Kings or better, he
must bet 1.times. the ante to an in the game. With a qualifying
hand of a pair of Kings or better, he can bet an amount equal to or
multiples of the Ante, such as 1.times., 2.times. or 3.times. the
Ante.
[0050] If the player has a higher ranking hand than the dealer's
hand, the player is paid 1:1 on the ante and the play bet. If the
dealer's hand outranks the player's hand, the player loses the ante
and the play bet.
[0051] The player has the option (or may be required) at the
beginning of the game to place an Aces-Up bonus bet. In this
example of the invention, the player wins a bonus payout for a pair
of Aces or better. If the player makes the Ante and Play bets and
beats the dealer, but does not have a pair of Aces or better, the
player pushes on the bonus bet. The player is always paid on the
Aces-Up bonus bet, regardless of whether or not the player's hand
beats the dealer's hand.
[0052] In addition, this example of the invention includes a
mandatory Super Bonus bet that is made in an amount equal to the
ante. The player wins a payout for certain high ranking hands such
as a straight flush or four of a kind. A pay table is provided on
the layout to identify winning hands and payout amounts.
[0053] A failure to obtain a "Super Bonus" hand does not result in
an automatic loss of the bet.
[0054] For example, when the player's hand against the dealer does
not qualify with a pair of kings or a straight flush or better, but
the hand still beats the dealer, the Super Bonus bet pushes. But,
if you fold on the ante or lose the ante and play bets against the
dealer, the Super Bonus bet is also lost.
[0055] The Super Bonus bet is desirable in some instances where it
is desired to provide the house with more of an advantage. In this
example of the game, removing the mandatory Super Bonus bet causes
the game to favor the player. However, other rule changes such as
requiring the dealer to qualify, or raising the minimum
qualification hand ranking when making the play bet are other means
to shift the odds to favor the house.
[0056] There are a number of advantages in the game of the present
invention. The fold rate on this game is approximately 21%, which
is lower than the fold rate in other known games, such as Three
Card Poker.RTM.. This feature is believed to attract and retain
players, making the game more appealing to casinos.
[0057] Players win this game approximately 48% of the time, which
exceeds the expectation of many players, and increases player
appeal.
[0058] In some situations, e.g., when the player has a qualifying
hand, additional betting opportunities are available, such as
tripling down on the Ante, increasing player appeal.
[0059] By varying the number of cards made available to the dealer
and/or players, in forming the hands, by requiring the dealer's
hand to qualify or by eliminating dealer qualification, by
modifying the payouts and winning hand combinations possible on the
bonus bet, by adding the Super Bonus bet etc., the payouts can be
made to pay as high as 500:1 e.g., for four of a kind hands. This
feature is believed to attract and retain more poker players.
[0060] The play of the game may be completed manually on a
non-electronic game table, with the dealer using a physical deck(s)
of cards, visually identifying the amounts and positions of wagers,
manually collecting and paying out wagers, etc. It is possible to
incorporate some degree or nearly an entire electronic system into
the game table or into the play of the game. Such partial or
complete electronic systems may perform such tasks as identifying
the existence of a wager (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6, 229,534;
5,337,973; and 5,377,994), or may provide virtual cards from an
electronically stored deck of cards (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,255,915; and 5,897,436). The capabilities of technology are
constantly expanding, and the improvements in technology should not
be considered to avoid the underlying invention of the play of this
game. For example, player monitoring systems, security systems,
integrated systems where shufflers identify the number of cards
and/or identify the specific cards and their positions in the play
of the game are contemplated in the practice of the present
invention.
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