U.S. patent application number 10/277482 was filed with the patent office on 2003-03-06 for method of playing a three-part wagering game with bonus for consecutive wins.
This patent application is currently assigned to Shuffle Master, Inc.. Invention is credited to Snow, Roger M..
Application Number | 20030042679 10/277482 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24975524 |
Filed Date | 2003-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030042679 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Snow, Roger M. |
March 6, 2003 |
Method of playing a three-part wagering game with bonus for
consecutive wins
Abstract
A method of playing a wagering game is described. The method
requires the player to place three wagers to participate in a
three-segment game. A fourth bet is played to participate in a
bonus event. A first card is dealt to the dealer and each player.
The high card wins the first bet. If the player and dealer tie,
one-half of the player's bet is returned to the player. Additional
cards are dealt according to the rules of blackjack, except a
maximum of six cards are dealt in any hand. Aces may be split, and
doubling down is allowed. The second bet is resolved according to
the rules of blackjack, with ties pushing. Additional cards are
dealt, if necessary to form a six-card hand. Hands are resolved
according to standard poker rankings, and payouts are made
according to a predetermined schedule, or pay table payout. If the
bonus wager is made, an additional bonus payout is awarded for
winning and/or pushing at least two consecutively played game
segments.
Inventors: |
Snow, Roger M.; (Las Vegas,
NV) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Mark A. Litman & Associates, P.A.
York Business Center, Suite 205
3209 West 76th Street
Edina
MN
55435
US
|
Assignee: |
Shuffle Master, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
24975524 |
Appl. No.: |
10/277482 |
Filed: |
October 21, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10277482 |
Oct 21, 2002 |
|
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09740216 |
Dec 18, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
273/292 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 3/00157
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/292 |
International
Class: |
A63F 001/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of playing a wagering game, comprising: Providing one
or more decks of standard playing cards; A player placing a first
wager on a first game segment against a dealer; A dealer dealing X
number of cards to each player and a same number of cards to the
dealer, forming player and dealer hands; Resolving the first wager
by comparing a total point value of the player and dealer hands,
and awarding a payout to the player if the player hand beats the
dealer hand according to the rules of the first game segment; A
player placing a second wager on a second game segment; A dealer
dealing additional cards to each player hand, a total number of
cards held by each player and the dealer when combined with the
previously dealt cards not to exceed six to participate in a second
game against the dealer, wherein the second game is selected from
the group consisting of blackjack and baccarat; Resolving the
second wager using standard rules of the selected second game; A
player placing a third wager on a third game segment; A dealer
dealing each player additional cards, if any, so that all players
hold six cards; Resolving the third wager by comparing each
player's hand to a pay table; Awarding a payout to the players
holding predetermined winning hands according to the pay table,
wherein the third game segment is selected from the group
consisting of poker and gin rummy; A player placing fourth wager on
a bonus game segment; and Resolving the fourth wager by paying the
player a payout for at least two wins or pushes on consecutively
played game segments.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein all four wagers are placed prior
to the dealer dealing any cards.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first three wagers are
mandatory, and the fourth bet is optional.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein X is equal to 1, and the dealer
deals one card to the player and one card to the dealer.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second game segment is 21 or
a modified version of 21.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second game segment is a
modified version of 21 and the modifications include modifications
that are selected from the group consisting of: A maximum of six
cards are dealt to player; If the player receives 6 cards without
reaching 21, and the dealer does not have a 2 card natural, the
player wins the blackjack hand; and Players can split pairs only on
Aces.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of collecting
one-half of the player's wager on the first game segment if the
player and dealer tie.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the third segment is poker.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the poker hands are resolved
according to payout rates that are at least the rates of one of the
following pay tables:
4 Pay Table 1 ROYAL FLUSH 500 TO 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH 50 TO 1 FOUR OF A
KIND 20 TO 1 FULL HOUSE 6 TO 1 FLUSH 5 TO 1 STRAIGHT 4 TO 1 THREE
OF A KIND 2 TO 1 TWO PAIR 3 TO 2 JACKS OR BETTER 1 TO 1 Hat Trick
Bonus 6 to 1 Pay Table 2 ROYAL FLUSH 200 TO 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH 60 TO
1 FOUR OF A KIND 20 TO 1 FULL HOUSE 6 TO 1 FLUSH 5 TO 1 STRAIGHT 4
TO 1 THREE OF A KIND 2 TO 1 TWO PAIR 3 TO 2 JACKS OR BETTER 1 TO 1
Hat Trick Bonus 6 to 1
10. The method of claim 1, wherein a tie in a first game is
resolved in favor of the house.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein players are not permitted to
touch cards during game play.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein a payout is paid on the fourth
wager for wins and/or pushes on three consecutively played game
segments.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the player is paid odds on the
fourth wager.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein a payout is paid on the fourth
wager for wins and/or pushes on at least two consecutively played
game segments.
15. A method of playing a wagering game, comprising: Providing a
first wagering game segment with a first set of game rules, the
first wagering game requiring a first number of cards of at least
1; Providing a second wagering game segment with a second set of
game rules that differ from the first set of game rules such that a
losing outcome in the first wagering game does not disadvantage the
player in the second game, and providing a second number of cards,
wherein the second number of cards required to play the game is
greater than or equal to the first number of cards; Providing a
third wagering game segment with a third set of game rules that
differ from the second set of game rules such that a losing outcome
in the second wagering game does not disadvantage the player in the
third game, and providing a third number of cards, wherein a number
of cards required to play the third wagering game is greater than
or equal to the second number of cards; Placing a wager on each of
the first, second and third game segments; Placing an optional
fourth wager on the occurrence of at least two player wins and/or
pushes in at least two consecutively played game segments; Playing
each of the three game segments, wherein each card used in a
previous game segment is available to be used in subsequent game
play segments; Scoring the segments whose rules of at least one of
the game segments require comparison of the hand with a plurality
of predetermined winning outcomes by utilizing only a pay table;
and Paying the player a payout for winning or pushing on at least
two consecutively played game segments.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first game segment is high
card.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second game segment is 21
or a variant of 21.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second game segment is
played according to the rules of 21, modified by at least one rule
change selected from the group consisting of: A maximum of six
cards are dealt to player; If the player receives 6 cards without
reaching 21, and the dealer does not have a 2 card natural, the
player wins the blackjack hand; and Players can split pairs only on
Aces.
19. The method of claim 14, wherein the third game segment is
poker.
5 Pay Table 1 ROYAL FLUSH 500 TO 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH 50 TO 1 FOUR OF A
KIND 20 TO 1 FULL HOUSE 6 TO 1 FLUSH 5 TO 1 STRAIGHT 4 TO 1 THREE
OF A KIND 2 TO 1 TWO PAIR 3 TO 2 JACKS OR BETTER 1 TO 1 Hat Trick
Bonus 6 to 1 Pay Table 2 ROYAL FLUSH 200 TO 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH 60 TO
1 FOUR OF A KIND 20 TO 1 FULL HOUSE 6 TO 1 FLUSH 5 TO 1 STRAIGHT 4
TO 1 THREE OF A KIND 2 TO 1 TWO PAIR 3 TO 2 JACKS OR BETTER 1 TO 1
Hat Trick Bonus 6 to 1
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the pay table is one of the
following:
21. The method of claim 15, wherein players are not permitted to
touch cards.
22. The method of claim 15, wherein a maximum number of cards dealt
to each player is 6 and the poker game uses five cards in
determining the rank of the player's hand.
23. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second segment
games require the players to play against the dealer, and the third
segment requires the player to play against a pay table.
24. The method of claim 15, wherein a payout is awarded on the
fourth wager when the player wins or pushes on each of three
consecutively played game segments.
25. A side bet method for a casino card game, comprising: placing a
wager on a multiple segment wagering game; placing a side bet on
the occurrence of a win and/or push on at least two consecutively
played game segments; resolving each segment of the multiple
segment wagering game; and awarding a payout for winning and/or
pushing at least two consecutively played game segments.
26. The side bet method of claim 25, wherein the side bet is
optional.
27. The side bet method of claim 25, wherein the wagering game has
three segments.
28. The side bet method of claim 27, wherein a payout is made for
each player winning and/or pushing all three game segments after
the player has placed the side bet.
29. The side bet method of claim 27, wherein the three segments are
a) high card, b) 21 or a variation of 21, and c) poker against a
pay table.
30. The side bet method of claim 25, wherein the player is paid
odds for winning and/or pushing three consecutively played game
segments.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation-In-Part of pending U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 09/740,216 filed Dec. 18, 2000,
entitled: Method of Playing a Three Part Wagering Game.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to wagering game play methods.
In particular, it relates to a game play method that combines
elements of several well-known games, such as high card, blackjack,
baccarat and poker, and includes a unique bonus event on the
occurrence of wins and/or pushes on consecutively played game
segments.
[0004] 2. Background of the Art
[0005] It is only within the past fifteen years that casinos have
expanded the range of table games that are available to players. In
earlier days, casino table card games were primarily limited to
blackjack and a few variations in stud poker. Now casino table card
games may be found in a wide variety of games including Let It
Ride.RTM. poker, Three Card.TM. poker, Caribbean Stud.RTM. poker,
Spanish 21.RTM. blackjack, Casino War.TM., and the like. More
recently, new casino table games have been introduced that include
a number of different games that are played consecutively at
various stages of play, with the same or different number of cards
used in each of the games.
[0006] The prior art relevant to the play of multiple games
includes a number of wagering games that include combinations of
known game elements, such as is described in Awada U.S. Pat. No.
5,988,643. This reference describes a three part wagering game,
consisting of three mandatory games of war, blackjack and
poker--all against a dealer's hand. The player places a wager for
each game segment. The player qualifies for play of each game
segment regardless of the outcome of previously played game
segments. For example, the player may lose the high card hand but
still play out the blackjack and poker hands. This game lacks a
bonus payout for consecutively won and/or pushed game segments.
This reference is described in greater detail, below. Examples of
other multi-part wagering games are described in the U.S. patents
mentioned below.
[0007] Josephs U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,993 describes a casino wagering
game in which a player places a bet and is dealt two cards to play
a modified form of blackjack. The dealer may take additional cards
according to conventional blackjack rules, but the player receives
only two cards. The player has the option of doubling his initial
bet, but in contrast to the standard rules of 21, he or she may not
receive an additional card. No additional wager is required to
participate in the second segment of the game. The dealer's two
initial cards become community cards. The community cards are
combined with the player's two cards to form a four-card poker
hand. The poker hands are compared to a pay table of predetermined
winning poker hands and corresponding odds, and payouts are made to
all players who hold winning hands. Only players who beat the
dealer in blackjack advance to the poker round. This game lacks the
feature of independently playing a sequence of games, regardless of
the outcome of each individual game segment. The game also lacks
the feature of a side bet on the occurrence of consecutive wins in
the sequentially played game segments, and requires only a single
bet for playing both game play segments.
[0008] Malek, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,882 describes a multi-part game
that allows each player to play against one another. The game is
dealt from a six-deck shoe. The players must bet on at least two
out of the three available games. Players simultaneously play 21,
draw poker, and baccarat. The dealer initially deals one card to
each player, and a card to him or herself, face down. The player
with the highest-ranking card can place an additional bet against
the other players. The remaining players can match the bets, but
must bet as a group. This game does not include a sequence of
games, and the player has the option to refrain from playing one of
the segments.
[0009] Macaisa, U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,092 describes the sequential
play of a series of five separate games. The players have the
option of playing one or more of the games. The games are: 21,
roulette, baccarat, poker and a poker jackpot game. In this game,
it is not mandatory to play all game segments. The players and the
dealer receive two cards each. If the player has a two-card point
count of 12, the dealer collects the roulette bet. If the players
hold a red and a black card, the dealer takes the roulette bet. If
the player holds two red cards or two black cards, the dealer pays
the player odds on the roulette bet.
[0010] The dealer deals additional optional cards to the player in
accordance with the standard rules of blackjack, except that a
maximum of five cards are dealt in the 21 game. If the player busts
and does not have at least three of a kind or better, the player
loses his blackjack, poker and bonus poker bet at the same time. If
the player beats the dealer's 21 hand and has a pair of tens or
higher, the player is paid only on the blackjack bet. In this game,
each game segment is not mandatory, and there is no bonus bet and
award for consecutive wins and/or pushes on the play of each game
segment.
[0011] Awada, U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,550 describes a game in which the
players place three equal wagers to participate in the game.
Players are dealt a first card. Players having a first card with a
value of 9 or higher win a payout on the first bet. Players are
then dealt a second card. If the second card is 9 or higher, or the
player holds a pair of 2's through 8's, the player is awarded a
payout on the second bet. The players each receive three additional
cards. Players combine the first two cards with the three
additional cards to form a five-card poker hand. Poker hands are
resolved against a pay table. Each game segment is against the
house, and not against a dealer's hand. There is no bonus bet or
side bet and there are no corresponding payouts for consecutively
won/pushed game segments.
[0012] Awada, U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,643 describes a three-part
wagering game, including a first high card game, a second blackjack
game, and a third poker game. An optional side bet is offered on
the poker hand only. All three games are played against a dealer,
and are played in sequence. A standard deck of cards is used to
play the game. This game is currently in a few casinos in the
United States and is marketed under the name 3 WAY ACTION.RTM.
table game. In this game, the player places three (equal or
unequal) bets in betting circles corresponding to each of the three
games, or game segments. The optional bonus action bet may be
placed on the third game segment at this time and cannot be placed
after receipt of additional cards. The first three bets are
mandatory. The dealer shuffles the cards, and deals out one card
face up to each player, and one card face up to himself. If the
player's card has a higher point value than the dealer's card, the
player wins even money on the first bet. Court cards (Jacks, Queens
and Kings) count as 10, and Aces are counted as 11 in this part of
the game. If the player and dealer tie, the house takes one-half of
the high card bet. If the player wins, he is awarded even money or
1:1 on his high card bet.
[0013] After all high card bets are resolved, the dealer deals one
additional card to each player, face up, and deals himself one
additional card, face down. The player combines his card from the
high card game with the card dealt to form a blackjack hand. If the
player has a two-card 21, also called a "Natural", the player wins,
typically at 3:2 odds. The player may take hits or stand according
to conventional blackjack rules, except that the maximum number of
cards he may hold in his hand is seven.
[0014] Additionally, the dealer must take additional cards, or
"hits" on his hand so long as his total card count is 16 or less.
If he reaches 7 cards without achieving a 17 or greater, the player
automatically wins. This rule is referred to as the "Seven Card
Charlie" rule. With the Exception of the 7 Card Charlie situation,
the player must beat the dealer in point count, without busting, to
win. Winning hands are awarded a payout that is paid 3:2 odds. If
the player and dealer hands tie, the second wager is a push, and
the wager is returned to the player.
[0015] According to the current game play rules of 3 WAY
ACTION.RTM. table game, players may split pairs on Aces only, and
may double down on 21 wagers. The "double down" rule allows players
to double the amount of the initial wager on their blackjack bet.
In exchange for enhancing the potential amount of their win, the
player must take only one more card. No additional cards can be
dealt in the play of the blackjack game after the third card if the
player opts to double down. According to one exemplary strategy,
players may choose to double down when their two-card point count
is close to or equal to eleven, or when the dealer's up card is a
five or a six. As part of the strategy, players assume that the
dealer's hole card has a count of ten, and that they are likely to
draw a 10 count card.
[0016] At the conclusion of the blackjack game, game play advances
to a poker segment. If the player holds fewer than seven cards at
the conclusion of his blackjack game, the dealer first deals cards
to each player so that all players hold seven cards. The dealer
deals additional cards to himself, if necessary to make his own
card count equal to 7. The players and dealer make their best hand
with five of the seven cards. Players win on their initial
seven-card poker wager if their best 5-card poker hand has a higher
rank than the dealer's best 5-card poker hand rank.
[0017] The side bet pays odds on the occurrence of certain
predetermined, high ranking poker hands. The side bet pays only for
outcomes in the third game segment, not outcomes in the other game
segments, or combinations of outcomes of two or more game
segments.
[0018] A common mistake that is made by the dealer is to deal too
many cards. When too many cards are delivered to the player, the
dealer must declare a misdeal. Significant delays are experienced
when the cards must be gathered, reshuffled and redealt. The dealer
must count the number of cards held by each player and provide
enough additional cards so that each player holds seven cards. In
practice, such errors are common, and always result in misdeals
because the players are allowed to set their own hands. Once the
cards are touched by the players, the order in which they are dealt
to the player is lost (since they are free to rearrange the order
of the cards), and the dealer can no longer identify the last card
dealt and take it back.
[0019] In scoring the hands, normal poker rules apply, except that
each player plays against the dealer and not the other players. In
traditional poker, only the higher hand between the dealer's hand
and the highest player's hand wins, according to standard poker
rankings (royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house,
flush, straight, three of a kind, two pairs, a pair, high card). In
bad beat poker, the second highest hand is paid a jackpot from a
"bad beat" side bet wager prize pool. Each player compares his
poker hand to the poker hand of the dealer. All players who have a
higher ranking hand than the dealer win even money, or 1:1 on the
poker bet. This payout is also different from conventional poker as
the hand pays odds of 1:1 instead of paying all or a portion of a
pot (the "pot" defined as a pool of wagers collected from each
participating player).
[0020] In the current form of play of the 3 WAY ACTION.RTM. table
game, at the beginning of the game before any cards are dealt, the
player has the option of placing a fourth bet on the occurrence of
certain high ranking poker hands that pay increasing payouts as the
conventional poker ranking increases. For purposes of this
disclosure, a "pay table side bet" is an optional side bet that
includes a set of two or more predetermined combinations (such as a
royal flush, and a straight flush, for example) with odds that
increase as the frequency of occurrence of the combination
decreases. Typically the payout odds increase with less frequently
occurring combinations. For example, a suitable pay table side bet
for the game described above would pay the following odds:
1 Pay Table I Hand Payout Royal Flush 1000:1 Straight Flush 100:1
Four of a kind 25:1 Full house 7:1 Flush 5:1 Straight 3:1 Three of
a Kind 3:1
[0021] Although this game has received some level of acceptance in
the industry, it presents several drawbacks. First, blackjack
dealers are trained to sweep cards off of the table when a player's
hand count exceeds 21, or busts. Because the game utilizes the same
cards in the poker hand, the dealer must learn to leave the cards
on the table. This obstacle has successfully been reduced through
dealer training.
[0022] Another more serious drawback is that the play of the game
is too slow to achieve widespread acceptance in the industry. It is
well known that casino managers have earnings goals for each table
on the casino floor, and if the game does not perform, it is
promptly removed.
[0023] When dealing the poker segment of the 3 WAY ACTION.RTM.
table game, the dealer deals additional cards to each player, and
waits until the players set their hands and discard two cards
before turning up his seven cards, and "setting" his own hand.
"Setting" for purposes of this disclosure is arranging cards to
form the highest possible ranking poker hand. Setting the hands is
time consuming, especially for dealers who have not been trained in
poker-type games where the player competes against the dealer such
as in Pai Gow poker and Caribbean Stud.RTM. poker. Sometimes it is
necessary to assist the player in setting his hand, or resetting
the hand if the player did not recognize a higher ranking hand that
could have been made. This leads to further delay.
[0024] Most casinos that have the game allow players to pick up
their poker hand and arrange their cards before the dealer sets his
hand. Each player must put the cards in a desired order, check for
flushes (same suit), straights (sequences of cards in descending
order), and like combinations to determine how to play the hand.
Additionally, the player must choose which cards to discard. In a
casino environment, this process is time consuming and almost
always causes delays in the game.
[0025] Although this feature is not described in the patent, in the
current form of the game being offered in Nevada casinos, the
dealer's hand must qualify by holding an Ace or higher in order for
the player to win the poker hand. In other words, after the dealer
deals out the remaining cards to make his or her seven card hand,
the dealer must hold an Ace or better (for example, a pair of 2's
beats an Ace), otherwise one-half of the player's poker bet is
returned to the player and one-half of the bet is taken by the
house.
[0026] The dealer qualification rule serves no advantage to the
player, but provides the house with a distinct advantage. If for
example, the player holds a royal flush and the dealer does not
qualify, the player wins back only one-half of his bet. In most
other poker games (with the exception of Caribbean Stud that also
requires dealer hand qualification), a royal flush is always a
winning hand. Players feel as if they have been short-changed when
they achieve a high-ranking poker hand and lose part or all of the
bet.
[0027] When the players and dealer have identified their best
hands, each hand is compared to the dealer hand. This process is
completed one hand at a time. The dealer is required to help the
player set his or her best hand, which takes additional time.
Security in a number of casinos requires the dealer to arrange his
hand so that surveillance can observe how the hand is being scored.
The arranging step takes additional time. Then the hands are
compared to determine who has the higher hand. The comparison
process is also time consuming. Payouts are made as the individual
hands are resolved, taking additional time.
[0028] The long periods of time required to play this game has
caused a number of operators to remove the game from the casino
floor. Other operators have agreed to refrain from removing the
game while the game is redesigned to speed its play. It would
therefore be desirable to modify the game so that the game play
rate is increased, making the game more profitable for casino
operators. It would also be desirable to modify the game rules so
that players always win when holding high-ranking poker hands. It
would additionally be desirable to offer additional betting
opportunities without significantly increasing play time to
increase casino revenue per a given amount of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0029] The present invention is a casino style wagering game that
is a combination of at least three consecutively played game
segments high card, "21" or a 21-like multiple card game such as
baccarat, and a poker game that is played against the house. An
additional "Hat Trick" bonus is awarded when the player places the
optional bet, and either wins or pushes in all three consecutively
played game segments. Unlike the game described in Awada U.S. Pat.
No. 5,988,643, the poker hands can be resolved quickly, increasing
the speed in which the game is dealt, and improving significantly
the earnings per unit of time on the game. The Hat Trick bonus
increases the amount of betting action, without significantly
reducing the speed of game play. The number of wagers per unit time
is therefore increased, increasing casino revenue.
[0030] The method of the present invention includes the following
steps:
[0031] providing one or more decks of standard playing cards;
[0032] a player placing a first wager on a first game segment
against a dealer;
[0033] a dealer dealing one or two cards to a player and a same
number of cards to the dealer, forming player and dealer hands;
[0034] resolving the first wager by comparing a total point value
of the player and dealer hands, and
[0035] awarding a payout to the player if the player hand beats the
dealer hand, otherwise the dealer collecting the wager;
[0036] a player placing a second wager on a second game segment
(usually at about the same time that the first wager was
placed);
[0037] a dealer dealing additional cards to each player, a total
number of cards held by each player when combined with the
previously dealt cards not to exceed six to participate in a second
game segment against the dealer, wherein the second game segment is
selected from the group consisting of blackjack, baccarat or other
game where the object is for the player to obtain a predetermined
point count or a preferred point count compared to the point count
of the dealer;
[0038] resolving the second wager using standard rules of the
selected second segment game, modified by limiting a total number
of cards dealt to the players to no more than 6;
[0039] a player placing a third wager on a third game segment
requiring no more than 6 cards to play (usually the third wager is
placed at about the same time that the first wager was placed);
[0040] a dealer dealing each player additional cards, if any, so
that all players hold six cards;
[0041] resolving the third wager by comparing each player's hand
according to a set of predetermined winning hands according to the
rules of the selected game (e.g., this is typically done with a pay
table, and usually a pay table shown on the casino table or on a
placard or sign in the vicinity of the casino table);
[0042] awarding a payout to the players holding predetermined
winning hands;
[0043] a player optionally placing a fourth wager on the occurrence
of winning or pushing on all three game segments (usually the third
wager is placed at about the same time that the first wager was
placed. This may include time frames where no player cards have
been viewed by the player or where the first cards dealt to the
player have been viewed by the player); and
[0044] awarding a bonus payout when the player either wins or
pushes on each of (all three of) the three game segments.
[0045] Although the game can be played with any number of decks of
cards, the game is preferably a single deck game, utilizing a
standard 52 card deck of playing cards. Depending upon the
individual game being played, it might be more desirable to deal
the game from two or more decks. For example, the game might be
played to award a progressive payout on a fifth optional pay table
bet on the occurrence of five aces of spades. The prize pool would
be funded from the side bet. This combination would not be possible
unless the game was dealt from a five (or more) deck shoe.
[0046] The table layout used to practice the present invention
preferably includes three betting circles detailed on each player
station. Bets would otherwise be placed in order of the wagering
events. The betting circles are preferably arranged in a straight
row, the right hand circle for the high card game, the middle
circle for the total point count game and the left hand circle for
the poker style game. Although poker against a pay table is a
preferred third segment, because it utilizes one preferred maximum
number of cards equal to six in order to play, the third segment
could be other games such as Pai Gow poker (with seven cards or a
modified Pai Gow Poker with six cards and hands of 5-1 or 4-2
cards), a modified version of Gin Rummy or other game utilizing at
least the number of cards used to play the second game.
[0047] According to one form of the game of the present invention,
the player plays high card or war against the dealer, followed by
blackjack modified by the fact that a maximum of six cards are
dealt to the player, followed by a round of poker, where the player
makes his best 5 card hand from his 6 cards. Payouts are awarded
according to a pay table.
[0048] The player in one embodiment of the invention places three
equal (or unequal) bets, on the high card, blackjack and poker
betting circles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0049] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical top plan view of a gaming table
layout useful to practice the method of the present invention.
[0050] FIG. 2 is an expanded view of one of the player stations on
the gaming table layout.
[0051] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatical top plan view of a gaming table
layout useful to practice the consecutive win/push bonus method of
the present invention.
[0052] FIG. 4 is an expanded view of one of the player stations on
the gaming table layout including a win/push bonus betting
circle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0053] The present invention is a novel casino style card game that
can be played in a casino environment, on a gaming machine, on a
personal computer for pure entertainment and practice, or in an
Internet casino in jurisdictions that allow on-line wagering.
[0054] The method of the present invention in one form can be
played on a gaming table such as the table 10 shown
diagrammatically in FIG. 1. The gaming table has a chip tray 12,
six-dealer card placement areas 14a-f, and six player positions 16,
18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 (more or fewer positions may be provided, up
to a maximum of seven positions with a single deck shoe and six
cards maximum hands for players). Dealer placement areas 14a-f are
required only when the dealer has a limit of 6 cards. In the first
example of the invention, the dealer can take an unlimited number
of cards, and placement areas 14a-f are not necessary.
[0055] The table 10 is preferably equipped with an automatic card
shuffler 28 such as the type described in Pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/688,597, filed Oct. 16, 2000, the
disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. That card
shuffler application, as well as the present application are
commonly owned by Shuffle Master, Inc.
[0056] The dealer removes one or more decks of shuffled cards from
the card shuffler 28, collects bets, awards payoffs and deals and
collects cards according to standard casino dealing procedures and
according to the procedures specified for the play of the game of
this invention. In one preferred form of the invention, the
shuffler 28 randomizes a single deck of cards. In other forms of
the invention, the shuffler randomizes two or more decks of cards.
Cards are either delivered as randomized hands, randomized decks or
randomized groups of multiple decks of cards.
[0057] Each player position 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 is
substantially identical. An exemplary player position is shown in
FIG. 2. Each player position includes an area 30 to place a first
game segment wager (in the first example, a high card wager either
against the dealer or based on an absolute value of the first card,
e.g., at least a rank of 9 or higher), an area for a second game
segment wager 32 (in the first example, a 21 wager), and an area
for a third game segment 34 (in the first example, a poker wager
against the house or a pay table bet). Beneath the third betting
area 34 is printed a pay table including a plurality of
predetermined winning hands, and corresponding payout odds. As the
frequency of occurrence of the winning hands decrease, the payout
odds increase. In the example shown in FIG. 2, there are nine
predetermined winning hands when the third segment is poker, with
payouts ranging between 1:1 and 100:1. The purpose and function of
the pay tables will be described in more detail below.
[0058] A non-limiting method of playing the wagering game may
comprise providing one or more decks of standard playing cards. A
player may place a first wager on a first game segment of rank
and/or count playing against a dealer. A dealer deals X number of
cards to each player (preferably 1 or 2 cards) and a same number of
cards to the dealer, forming player hands and a dealer hand. The
first wager is resolved by comparing a total point value or rank of
the player's hand and dealer's hands, and awarding a payout to the
player if the player hand beats the dealer hand according to the
rules of the first game segment. A player places a second wager on
a second game segment (usually at or about the same time that the
player placed a wager on the first game segment). A dealer deals
additional cards, if needed, (as when two cards were dealt in the
first game and the second game is blackjack and the player/dealer
elects or must stay) to each player hand. The deal of cards is
limited to a total number of cards held by each player and the
dealer when combined with the previously dealt cards so as not to
exceed six to participate in a second game against the dealer. The
second game, for example, is selected from the group consisting of
blackjack and baccarat. The second wager is resolved using standard
rules of the selected second game. A player places a third wager on
a third game segment (also at or about the same time that the first
and second wagers were placed). A dealer deals each player
additional cards, if any are needed, so that all players hold six
cards. The third wager is resolved by comparing each player's hand
(usually the best five card poker hand that may be set from the six
cards in the player's hand) to a pay table. A payout is awarded to
the players holding predetermined winning hands according to the
pay table. The third game segment is preferably selected from the
group consisting of poker and gin rummy. A player may have placed a
fourth wager on a bonus game segment (again at or about the time
that the first, second and third game segment wagers were placed).
This fourth wager is resolved by paying the player a payout for at
least two wins or pushes on played game segments, and preferably on
consecutively played game segments.
[0059] The method may be played, for example, where all four wagers
are placed prior to the dealer dealing any cards. The first three
wagers may be mandatory, and the fourth bet may be optional. The
method may be played, by way of non-limiting examples, where X is
equal to 1, and the dealer deals one card to the player and one
card to the dealer. One alternative of play is where the second
game segment is 21 or a modified version of 21. Non-limiting
examples of modified versions of 21 are where the modifications are
selected from the group consisting of:
[0060] a maximum of six cards are dealt to player;
[0061] if the player receives 6 cards without reaching 21, and the
dealer does not have a two card natural, the player wins the
blackjack hand; and
[0062] players can split pairs only on Aces.
[0063] The method of the present invention includes providing one
or more decks of standard playing cards to play the game. Although
this game can be dealt as a multiple deck game, in the first
example of the invention, a standard fifty-two card deck of cards
is used. The deck could also be modified by adding wild cards,
removing certain cards, etc. to suit the particular game rules
being followed. Special card decks could also be used.
[0064] According to the invention, players who participate in the
game are required to participate in each of three game play
segments. A winning outcome is not required to win a game segment
in order to advance to the next game segment. Typically, a wager is
placed on all three segments (and the optional bonus event side
wager is placed) before the first card is dealt. In other examples
of the invention, the player places a first wager only prior to the
first card being dealt, and subsequent wagers in later stages of
the game (with the side bet bonus wager placed at the time of the
first or second wager).
[0065] According to one aspect of the invention, a player places a
first wager on a first game against the dealer. In one example of
the invention, each of the three wagers is equal in value. In other
examples of the invention, unequal values may be bet, at the option
of the player. The dealer then deals to himself and each player one
card to participate in a high card game. If the player beats the
dealer by holding a card with a higher count than the dealer, the
dealer pays the player according to predetermined payout odds on
the first bet. In the first example of the invention, the payout to
the player is 1:1 for a winning high card hand. Aces count as 11
points in this segment of the game. A bonus payout for an Ace or
for both the player and dealer receiving an Ace may be made (e.g.,
a payout of 3:2 against the first wager).
[0066] In the event that the player and dealer have the same point
count, one-half of the player's bet is returned to the player. The
other one-half of the bet is collected by the house. In another
example, pushes are resolved in favor of the house. In a third
example, pushes are resolved in favor of the player.
[0067] In a first example of the invention, the player places a
second bet on the play of a 21 game or similar game whose object is
to achieve a target point count, such as baccarat. As mentioned
above, this wager is typically placed before the first card is
dealt, and is typically equal in value to the first wager. When the
selected game is 21, it is preferred that the number of cards dealt
in the first hand is limited to 1. Otherwise, the dealer's hole
card would be revealed in the first game segment and prior to the
play of the 21 hand, interfering with the normal play of the
game.
[0068] Because all cards in the first segment are carried forward
into the second segment, the game rules must be selected so that
one set of game rules does not interfere with the strategy of the
other game segments. The player receives a second card from the
dealer, and the dealer deals himself a card face down. Play
continues according to the standard rules of blackjack with the
following exceptions: 1) a maximum number of cards dealt to the
player and dealer cannot exceed 6 for reasons explained below, 2)
if the player holds six cards with a total point count less than
21, the player automatically wins unless the dealer has a 2 card 21
or a "natural", and 3) players can split pairs on Aces only.
Doubling down (doubling the initial amount of 21 bet after
receiving the first 2 cards and viewing the dealer's up card, and
then receiving only a single additional card in the play of the 21
game) under traditional 21 rules is permitted. Ties in the 21 game
are a push, and the player's wager is returned to the player. As
with traditional 21, the player may only have one more card to
complete the 21 segment of play after doubling down, but in any
event, the player cannot receive more than six cards. The number of
cards dealt to each player in the first example of the game depends
upon player preference. While some players may stand with two
cards, others may request the full permitted number of six
cards.
[0069] In another example of the invention, the dealer may take a
total of only 6 cards. In this example, if the dealer does not
achieve a point count of seventeen or higher by the time the dealer
takes his sixth card, the player automatically wins the blackjack
round.
[0070] It was discovered that by reducing the total number of cards
being dealt in each hand from the prior art amount of seven as
described in Awada, the rate of play of the second game segment, as
well as the third game segment increases. Once dealers become
accustomed to dealing only six cards total per person, the time
spent in counting player card count totals and dealing additional
cards will be reduced by having fewer cards on the table. Fewer
cards also add additional security to the game. As the number of
total cards handled by the player decreases, the chances of the
cards being marked decreases also.
[0071] In another example of the invention, players receive only
one additional card and the players combined two card point total
must exceed the point total of the dealer in order to win the
second bet. Although this is not a traditional method of playing
blackjack, it simplifies the dealing procedures because every
player holds the same number of cards in each segment of play. If
each player received one card in the first segment, and one
additional card in the second segment, each player would hold two
cards at the beginning of the third segment. In the third segment
of play, the dealer deals four additional cards until the total
number of cards in each hand is 6. If the dealer gave each player
four additional cards at the beginning of the third segment, the
need to take an inventory of existing cards and count up to 6 would
be eliminated, simplifying dealing procedures, speeding game play
and eliminating misdeals.
[0072] In yet another form of the game, baccarat is played instead
of 21 in the second gaming segment. The object of baccarat is to
achieve a point count with the last digit of 9, and to beat the
other hand by being closer to the last digit of 9. Banker and
player hands are played. The player can bet on either of the hands.
In order to win, the hand the player bet on must beat the other
hand according to the rules of the game. Ten point cards count as
zero, so in this example, the player cannot bust. The player can
only draw a total of six cards, according to the invention.
[0073] Any game would be suitable for playing the second game
segment as long as the maximum number of cards needed for
successive games is not exceeded. For example, another "high card"
game could be played with summing of the point count of three cards
dealt (one card dealt in the first high card game, and two
additional cards dealt in the second high card game). Or, a
three-card poker game could be played as the second segment
game.
[0074] It is preferable to select dissimilar games so that the
effect of a poor hand in an earlier segment does not adversely
affect the player's winning potential in playing later segments. If
the strategy of each game is different, the players are more likely
to win at least one segment, and have a positive gaming
experience.
[0075] At the conclusion of play of the blackjack or other
equivalent game, play proceeds to the third segment, regardless of
the outcome in the first and second games. The dealer must take an
inventory of the cards on the table, and deal enough additional
cards to each player to give each player a total of six cards. The
reduction in the number of cards from seven as shown in the prior
art to six speeds the play of the game. However, it is believed
that more cards can be dealt at an acceptable speed if the game
segment that requires a player to compare his hand to a plurality
of winning outcomes utilizes a pay table payout system.
[0076] In a first example of the invention, the third game segment
is poker. Poker hands (formed from the best 5 out of 6 cards) are
resolved against a pay table as shown in FIG. 2. Applicant has
discovered that the primary reason why the prior art game described
in Awada U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,643 plays too slowly, is because the
poker hand takes too much time to resolve. In order to overcome
this shortcoming, the poker hand is resolved against a pay table of
predetermined winning outcomes or combinations, and payouts are
made according to a table of corresponding payout odds. This method
of play also eliminates the need for additional cards having to be
dealt to the dealer and the time required to set the dealer's
hand.
[0077] Applicant surprisingly discovered that eliminating
competition against the dealer achieved a number of important
improvements. First, the dealer qualification requirement in the
prior art game was eliminated to speed up the game and eliminate a
negative feature of the game. It is no longer necessary to take an
inventory of dealer cards and deal additional dealer cards to make
a seven-card hand (or a six card hand in the play of the present
game). Second, reducing the number of player cards from seven to
six reduces the amount of time needed to deal the entire game.
Third, it has become possible to adjust the hit frequency and
percentage hold on the game, which was not previously possible.
Games that allow the supplier to vary the hit frequency and hold
percentage generally appeal to more operators. If an operator is
disappointed in the revenue generated off of a game, it is possible
to modify the pay table in order to increase casino revenue and
avoid having the game removed from the casino floor.
[0078] Two non-limiting examples of suitable pay tables for the
poker game segment are provided in Tables A and B, below.
2 Hand Payout Table A Royal Flush 100:1 Straight Flush 50:1 Four of
a Kind 25:1 Full House 15:1 Flush 8:1 Straight 5:1 Three of a Kind
3:1 Two Pair 2:1 Pair Aces 1:1 Hit Frequency: 23% Percent Hold:
2.84% Table B Royal Flush 100:1 Straight Flush 50:1 Four of a Kind
15:1 Full House 10:1 Flush 6:1 Straight 5:1 Three of a Kind 3:1 Two
Pair 2:1 Pair Kings or higher 1:1 Hit Frequency: 27% Percent Hold:
2.31%
[0079] As seen by comparing the theoretical outcomes of the pay
tables shown in Tables A and B, both the hit frequency and
percentage hold (the % of the wagers placed retained by the casino,
expressed as a percentage of wagers placed) can be modified by
altering the payouts on selected predetermined winning card
combinations. In the first example of the invention, players are
not permitted to pick up their cards. All cards are dealt face up.
It was discovered that misdeals can be avoided most of the time by
not letting the players touch the cards. As mentioned in the
background section, one of the training issues with the prior art
Awada game is taking a correct inventory of cards prior to dealing
out the cards for the third segment of play. In the prior art form
of play, each and every time a dealer deals too many cards, he must
declare a misdeal, wait for the pit boss to confirm it, collect the
cards, reshuffle the deck (or use a different newly shuffled deck),
and redistribute the cards. One misdeal can conceivably cause up to
5 minutes of dead time at a table.
[0080] When players are not permitted to touch the cards, many
misdeals can be resolved by the pit boss simply removing the extra
card and giving it to the next player. If the error is caught prior
to the remaining hands being dealt, a misdeal and corresponding
delay can be completely avoided.
[0081] In a first example of the invention, each player uses his
six cards to form the best possible five card poker hand. The
dealer is responsible for setting the player's hand. In another
example, the players can touch the cards and set their own hand.
"Setting" for purposes of this disclosure is arranging cards and
determining the best poker hand ranking for a given group of cards.
In one preferred form of the game, the players set their own hands,
and then the dealer is required to reset the hand to improve it, if
possible.
[0082] Payouts are awarded, for example, according to one of the
pay tables shown in Examples A and B. For example, if a player
obtains a flush and pay table A applies, the player is paid 8:1 on
the third segment bet. Although poker hand rankings and rules are
well known, the present invention contemplates that the third game
can be another game utilizing a fixed number of cards equal to or
exceeding the number of cards used in the second segment, and
having objects and rules that are substantially different from that
of the second segment. For example, a modified form of gin rummy
could be played with six cards. Players would look for pairs, three
of a kind and runs. What is important is that when the third
segment is a game that requires the player to achieve one of a
number of predetermined combinations, the payouts be according to a
pay table rather than resolved against a dealer to maintain the
speed of the game.
[0083] The examples described above are merely exemplary and are in
no way intended to limit the scope of the invention. For example,
although in one example all of the bets placed are equal, the
invention contemplates allowing players to place unequal bets. Side
bets on the occurrence of predetermined hands or events could be
added to the game, and the game could further be modified to return
greater amounts to the players, or the house, according to requests
from casino customers.
[0084] An example of one side bet that can be added to the game to
increase action and provide greater player enjoyment is a "hat
trick" bonus. In the game of hockey, when a single player scores
three goals in the same game, the achievement is referred to as a
`hat trick.` In the game of the present invention, players have the
option to place a side wager on the occurrence of multiple wins on
consecutively played game segments, preferably a win on all three
game segments.
[0085] As shown in FIG. 3, a gaming table layout 99 is provided
with multiple betting areas 101, each with three betting circles
100, 102 and 104. The layout 99 is mounted to a gaming table 103. A
chip tray 105 is mounted in the gaming table, and a card shuffler
107 is provided for delivering randomized hands, decks or multiple
deck groups of cards to the dealer.
[0086] The layout enables the player to play three separate game
segments, as well as a bonus bet circle 106 that allows the player
to optionally participate in the unique side bet feature of the
present invention. In one preferred form of the invention, each
player and the dealer receive a total of six cards by the
conclusion of play of the third game segment. Dealer card positions
108, 110, 112, 114, 116 and 118 for positioning dealer cards for
the first and/or second game segments. The third game segment is
played against a pay table 120.
[0087] In a preferred form of the game, a hat trick bonus betting
circle 106 is provided. Players may make a bet that is equal to one
or more of the three previous bets, or are unequal. When the player
either wins at least two, and preferably three consecutively played
game segments, the player wins a payout on the hat trick bet. For
example, when the first, second and third game segments are war,
blackjack and poker (against a pay table), the player is entitled
to a payout for winning the high card and blackjack games, the
blackjack and poker games, or the high card, blackjack and poker
games. In a preferred form of the invention, a payout is awarded
only for three consecutively won and/or pushed game segments. In
another preferred form of the invention, the player wins a payout
for either consecutive wins or ties (pushes) or other combinations
of wins and ties. For example, if the player and dealer tie in the
high card game, and the player wins the blackjack and poker games,
the player wins the hat trick bonus. It is preferred that the
player wins or pushes all games played against the dealer in order
to qualify to win the hat trick bonus.
[0088] A "win" in the poker game is defined as the minimum ranking
hand that pays 1:1 or greater on the pay table. In the example
shown in FIG. 4, the player must hold a pair of aces or better to
win the poker game. Below are two exemplary pay tables for the play
of one preferred form of the invention, including high card,
modified blackjack and 5 card poker against a pay table. In both
examples, the bonus bet pays 6:1 on the occurrence of a win or push
on the high card and 21 hands, and a win on the poker hand. It is
to be understood that the selection of the payout odds on the side
bet is a matter of choice and can be modified as necessary to make
the game more player friendly, or more casino friendly. It is also
possible to provide special awards for combinations of ranked wins
in the three game segments, such as providing a special award for
an Ace on the first card, a blackjack or baccarat (count of 9) on
the second game segment, and at least 3-of-a-kind or higher in the
poker segment.
Exemplary Pay Tables
[0089]
3 Pay Table 1 ROYAL FLUSH 500 TO 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH 50 TO 1 FOUR OF A
KIND 20 TO 1 FULL HOUSE 6 TO 1 FLUSH 5 TO 1 STRAIGHT 4 TO 1 THREE
OF A KIND 2 TO 1 TWO PAIR 3 TO 2 JACKS OR BETTER 1 TO 1 Hit Freq:
34.60% House edge: 5.59% Hat Trick Bonus 6 to 1 Hit Freq: 12.50%
House edge: 12.40% Pay Table 2 ROYAL FLUSH 200 TO 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH
60 TO 1 FOUR OF A KIND 20 TO 1 FULL HOUSE 6 TO 1 FLUSH 5 TO 1
STRAIGHT 4 TO 1 THREE OF A KIND 2 TO 1 TWO PAIR 3 TO 2 JACKS OR
BETTER 1 TO 1 Hit Freq: 34.60% House edge: 5.78% Hat Trick Bonus 6
to 1 Hit Freq: 12.5% House edge: 12.4%
[0090] In both exemplary pay tables, the house edge is higher on
the side bet than on the base game. This is a common feature of
bonus games. The lower hit frequency allows for higher payouts when
a player is lucky enough to win the bonus bet. The poker game pay
tables can be modified to increase or decrease the house edge, and
balance the trade-offs between attracting players and earning
revenue.
[0091] The above description provides non-limiting examples of the
practice of the invention, Many variations within the envisioned
scope of practice of the invention have been provided, but
additional variations are within the province of the ordinarily
skilled artisan and are contemplated within the scope of the
invention as claimed. The above examples are non-limiting in scope
and provide support for a generic scope of practicing the
invention.
* * * * *