U.S. patent application number 11/377865 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-21 for video poker wagering game for playing multi-level hands.
Invention is credited to John D. Flint, Joel R. Jaffe, Michael W. Mastropietro, Larry J. Pacey.
Application Number | 20060211468 11/377865 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37011051 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060211468 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Flint; John D. ; et
al. |
September 21, 2006 |
Video poker wagering game for playing multi-level hands
Abstract
A gaming system for playing a video poker game includes a
wager-input device, a display, and a controller. The wager-input
receives a wager input from a player to purchase a plurality of
poker hands, wherein the poker hands include a first hand and a
second hand. The display displays a plurality of first cards as a
first played hand of the first hand. The controller is coupled to
the display and is programmed to create the second hand initially
consisting of the plurality of first cards, if the first played
hand is a predetermined ranked winning card combination. The
controller is further programmed to allow the player to create a
second played hand of the second hand. The second played hand
includes at least one player-selected card of the first cards and
at least one randomly selected card from a deck of cards.
Inventors: |
Flint; John D.; (Winthrop,
MA) ; Jaffe; Joel R.; (Glenview, IL) ;
Mastropietro; Michael W.; (Chicago, IL) ; Pacey;
Larry J.; (Northbrook, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Daniel J. Burnham;JENKENS & GILCHRIST, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
Suite 2600
225 West Washington
Chicago
IL
60606-3418
US
|
Family ID: |
37011051 |
Appl. No.: |
11/377865 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60662445 |
Mar 16, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3211 20130101;
G07F 17/3293 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/016 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A gaming system for playing a video poker game having a
plurality of ranked winning card combinations from a deck of cards,
comprising: a wager-input device for receiving a wager input from a
player to purchase a plurality of poker hands for playing said
video poker game from a deck of cards, said poker hands including a
first hand and a second hand to be played by the player; a display
for displaying a plurality of first cards as a first played hand of
said first hand; and a controller coupled to said display and
programmed to create said second hand initially consisting of said
plurality of first cards in response to said first played hand
being at least a predetermined one of said plurality of ranked
winning card combinations, and allow the player to create a second
played hand of said second hand, said second played hand including
at least one player-selected card of said plurality of first cards
and at least one randomly selected card from said deck of
cards.
2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the displaying of said
plurality of first cards includes the player replacing undesired
cards with other cards from said deck of cards.
3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said display further
displays a pay table having at least one award associated with said
plurality of ranked winning card combinations.
4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein said display further
includes multiplier values for said first and second hands, said
multiplier values being used to multiply said at least one award
associated with at said at least one ranked winning card
combination.
5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said pay table further
includes said plurality of multiplier values.
6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said display is internal
to a gaming terminal, said controller being external to said gaming
terminal.
7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said display shows each
one of said plurality of poker hands generally simultaneously on a
single gaming screen.
8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said controller is further
programmed to award a total award, said total award including a
plurality of awards, each one of said plurality of awards being
associated with a ranked winning card combination of said first
hand and said second hand.
9. A method of conducting a video poker game on a gaming machine,
the method comprising: receiving a wager input from a player to
purchase a plurality of poker hands for playing said video poker
game from a deck of cards, said poker hands including a first hand
and a second hand to be played by the player; displaying a
plurality of first cards as a first played hand of said first hand,
said first played hand indicating an outcome; in response to said
first played hand being at least a predetermined one of a plurality
of ranked winning card combinations, creating said second hand
initially consisting of said plurality of first cards; and allowing
the player to create a second played hand of said second hand, said
second played hand including at least one player-selected card of
said plurality of first cards and at least one randomly selected
card from said deck of cards.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said displaying of said
plurality of first cards includes the player replacing undesired
cards with other cards from said deck of cards.
11. The method of claim 9 further comprising: listing a plurality
of awards in a pay table, each of said plurality of awards
corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of ranked
winning card combinations; and multiplying said awards according to
a multiplier value corresponding to each one of said poker
hands.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a
plurality of second cards as said second played hand; in response
to said second played hand being at least another predetermined one
of said plurality of ranked winning card combinations, creating
another hand consisting initially of said plurality of second
cards; and allowing the player to create another played hand of
said another hand, said another played hand including at least one
player-selected card of said plurality of second cards and at least
one randomly selected card from said deck of cards.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said another predetermined one
of said plurality of ranked winning card combinations is a
corresponding hand ranking that is higher than a hand ranking
corresponding to said predetermined one of said plurality of ranked
winning card combinations.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein said predetermined one of said
plurality of ranked winning card combinations is a ranking of
Jacks-Or-Better and said another predetermined one of said
plurality of ranked winning card combinations is a ranking that is
at least equal to a Three-Of-A-Kind ranking.
15. The method of claim 12, further comprising: awarding a first
award for said first played hand if said second played hand does
not meet said predetermined one of a plurality of ranked winning
card combinations; and awarding a second award for said second
played hand if said another played hand does not meet said another
predetermined one of said plurality of ranked winning card
combinations, said second award being awarded instead of said first
award and being larger than said first award.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein said second award is twice
larger than said first award.
17. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions
for directing a gaming device to perform the method of claim 9.
18. A method of conducting a video poker game on a gaming machine,
the method comprising: receiving a wager input from a player to
purchase a plurality of poker hands for playing said video poker
game from a deck of cards, said poker hands including a qualifying
hand and a subsequent qualifying hand to be played by the player;
displaying a plurality of initial cards for playing said qualifying
hand, said initial cards being randomly selected from said deck of
cards; allowing the player to create a qualifying played hand of
said qualifying hand, said qualifying played hand indicating an
outcome; and in response to said qualifying played hand being at
least a predetermined one of a plurality of ranked winning card
combinations, creating a subsequent qualifying hand initially
consisting of said initial cards.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising awarding an award if
said qualifying played hand is a winning hand.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising increasing said
award if a subsequent qualifying played hand of said subsequent
qualifying hand is a subsequent winning hand.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to and claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/662,445 filed Mar. 16,
2005, titled "Video Poker Wagering Game For Playing Multi-Level
Hands," which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
COPYRIGHT
[0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of
the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark
Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all
copyright rights whatsoever.
Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to gaming machines,
and methods for playing wagering games, and more particularly, to a
gaming machine for playing a plurality of successive gaming levels
that are arranged according to a predetermined hierarchy.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines
and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for
several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with
players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of
winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value
of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where
the available gaming options include a number of competing machines
and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same
(or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to
the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators
consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting
machines, features, and enhancements available because such
machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to
the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming
machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and
improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play
through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
[0005] One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance
the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a "secondary"
or "bonus" game that may be played in conjunction with a "basic"
game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar
to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered
upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome in the basic
game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater expectation of
winning than the basic game and may also be accompanied with more
attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio. Bonus games may
additionally award players with "progressive jackpot" awards that
are funded, at least in part, by a percentage of coin-in from the
gaming machine or a plurality of participating gaming machines.
[0006] Because the bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages
in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games, and
because such games are attractive to both players and operators,
there is a continuing need to develop gaming machines with new
types of bonus games or other feature to satisfy the demands of
players and operators.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a gaming
system for playing a video poker game includes a wager-input
device, a display, and a controller. The wager-input receives a
wager input from a player to purchase a plurality of poker hands,
wherein the poker hands include a first hand and a second hand. The
display displays a plurality of first cards as a first played hand
of the first hand. The controller is coupled to the display and is
programmed to create the second hand initially consisting of the
plurality of first cards, if the first played hand is a
predetermined ranked winning card combination. The controller is
further programmed to allow the player to create a second played
hand of the second hand. The second played hand includes at least
one player-selected card of the first cards and at least one
randomly selected card from a deck of cards.
[0008] According to another aspect of the invention, a method of
conducting a video poker game on a gaming machine includes
receiving a wager input from a player to purchase a plurality of
poker hands for playing the video poker game from a deck of cards.
The poker hands include a first hand and a second hand to be played
by the player. The method further includes displaying a plurality
of first cards as a first played hand of the first hand, wherein
the first played hand indicates an outcome. In response to the
first played hand being at least a predetermined one of a plurality
of ranked winning card combinations, the second hand is created
initially consisting of the plurality of first cards. The player is
allowed to create a second played hand of the second hand, wherein
the second played hand includes at least one player-selected card
of the plurality of first cards and at least one randomly selected
card from the deck of cards.
[0009] According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method
of conducting a video poker game on a gaming machine includes
receiving a wager input from a player to purchase a plurality of
poker hands for playing the video poker game from a deck of cards.
The poker hands include a qualifying hand and a subsequent
qualifying hand to be played by the player. The method further
includes displaying a plurality of initial cards for playing the
qualifying hand, wherein the initial cards are randomly selected
from the deck of cards. The player is allowed to create a
qualifying played hand of the qualifying hand, wherein the
qualifying played hand indicates an outcome. In response to the
qualifying played hand being at least a predetermined one of a
plurality of ranked winning card combinations, a subsequent
qualifying hand is created initially consisting of the initial
cards.
[0010] According to yet another aspect of the invention, a computer
readable storage medium is encoded with instructions for directing
a gaming device to perform the above methods.
[0011] Additional aspects of the invention will be apparent to
those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed
description of various embodiments, which is made with reference to
the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gaming machine embodying
the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system suitable for
operating the gaming machine;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an illustration of the primary display of the
gaming machine in FIGS. 1-2, showing a plurality of poker hands in
a hierarchy arrangement, according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 4 is an illustration of the primary display of FIG. 3
showing a different plurality of poker hands;
[0016] FIG. 5 is an illustration of the primary display showing a
plurality of poker hands in a hierarchy arrangement, according to
another embodiment of the present invention; and
[0017] FIG. 6 is an illustration of the primary display of FIG. 5
showing a different plurality of poker hands.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many
different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be
described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the
understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an
exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not
intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the
embodiments illustrated.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, a gaming machine 10 is used in gaming
establishments such as casinos. With regard to the present
invention, the gaming machine 10 may be any type of gaming machine
and may have varying structures and methods of operation. For
example, the gaming machine 10 may be an electromechanical gaming
machine configured to play mechanical slots, or it may be an
electronic gaming machine configured to play a video casino game,
such as blackjack, slots, keno, poker, blackjack, roulette, etc. In
particular, the present invention is directed to poker games.
[0020] The gaming machine 10 comprises a housing 12 and includes
input devices, including a value input device 18 and a player input
device 24. For output the gaming machine 10 includes a primary
display 14 for displaying information about the basic wagering
game. The primary display 14 can also display information about a
bonus wagering game and a progressive wagering game. The gaming
machine 10 may also include a secondary display 16 for displaying
game events, game outcomes, and/or signage information. While these
typical components found in the gaming machine 10 are described
below, it should be understood that numerous other elements may
exist and may be used in any number of combinations to create
various forms of a gaming machine 10.
[0021] The value input device 18 may be provided in many forms,
individually or in combination, and is preferably located on the
front of the housing 12. The value input device 18 receives
currency and/or credits that are inserted by a player. The value
input device 18 may include a coin acceptor 20 for receiving coin
currency (see FIG. 1). Alternatively, or in addition, the value
input device 18 may include a bill acceptor 22 for receiving paper
currency. Furthermore, the value input device 18 may include a
ticket reader, or barcode scanner, for reading information stored
on a credit ticket, a card, or other tangible portable credit
storage device. The credit ticket or card may also authorize access
to a central account, which can transfer money to the gaming
machine 10.
[0022] The player input device 24 comprises a plurality of push
buttons 26 on a button panel for operating the gaming machine 10.
In addition, or alternatively, the player input device 24 may
comprise a touch screen 28 mounted by adhesive, tape, or the like
over the primary display 14 and/or secondary display 16. The touch
screen 28 contains soft touch keys 30 denoted by graphics on the
underlying primary display 14 and used to operate the gaming
machine 10. The touch screen 28 provides players with an
alternative method of input. A player enables a desired function
either by touching the touch screen 28 at an appropriate touch key
30 or by pressing an appropriate push button 26 on the button
panel. The touch keys 30 may be used to implement the same
functions as push buttons 26. Alternatively, the push buttons 26
may provide inputs for one aspect of the operating the game, while
the touch keys 30 may allow for input needed for another aspect of
the game.
[0023] The various components of the gaming machine 10 may be
connected directly to, or contained within, the housing 12, as seen
in FIG. 1, or may be located outboard of the housing 12 and
connected to the housing 12 via a variety of different wired or
wireless connection methods. Thus, the gaming machine 10 comprises
these components whether housed in the housing 12, or outboard of
the housing 12 and connected remotely.
[0024] The operation of the basic wagering game is displayed to the
player on the primary display 14. The primary display 14 can also
display the bonus game associated with the basic wagering game. The
primary display 14 may take the form of a cathode ray tube (CRT), a
high resolution LCD, a plasma display, an LED, or any other type of
display suitable for use in the gaming machine 10. As shown, the
primary display 14 includes the touch screen 28 overlaying the
entire monitor (or a portion thereof) to allow players to make
game-related selections. Alternatively, the primary display 14 of
the gaming machine 10 may include a number of mechanical reels to
display the outcome in visual association to at least one payline
32. In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming machine 10 is an
"upright" version in which the primary display 14 is oriented
vertically relative to the player. Alternatively, the gaming
machine may be a "slant-top" version in which the primary display
14 is slanted at about a thirty-degree angle toward the player of
the gaming machine 10.
[0025] A player begins play of the basic wagering game by making a
wager via the value input device 18 of the gaming machine 10. A
player can select play by using the player input device 24, via the
buttons 26 or the touch screen keys 30. The basic game consists of
a plurality of symbols arranged in an array, and includes at least
one payline 32 that indicates one or more outcomes of the basic
game. Such outcomes are randomly selected in response to the
wagering input by the player. At least one of the plurality of
randomly selected outcomes may be a start-bonus outcome, which can
include any variations of symbols or symbol combinations triggering
a bonus game.
[0026] In some embodiments, the gaming machine 10 may also include
a player information reader 52 that allows for identification of a
player by reading a card with information indicating his or her
true identity. The player information reader 52 is shown in FIG. 1
as a card reader, but may take on many forms including a ticket
reader, bar code scanner, RFID transceiver or computer readable
storage medium interface. Currently, identification is generally
used by casinos for rewarding certain players with complimentary
services or special offers. For example, a player may be enrolled
in the gaming establishment's loyalty club and may be awarded
certain complimentary services as that player collects points in
his or her player-tracking account. The player inserts his or her
card into the player information reader 52, which allows the
casino's computers to register that player's wagering at the gaming
machine 10. The gaming machine 10 may use the secondary display 16
or other dedicated player-tracking display for providing the player
with information about his or her account or other player-specific
information. Also, in some embodiments, the information reader 52
may be used to restore game assets that the player achieved and
saved during a previous game session.
[0027] Turning now to FIG. 2, the various components of the gaming
machine 10 are controlled by a central processing unit (CPU) 34,
also referred to herein as a controller or processor (such as a
microcontroller or microprocessor). To provide gaming functions,
the controller 34 executes one or more game programs stored in a
computer readable storage medium, in the form of memory 36. The
controller 34 performs the random selection (using a random number
generator (RNG)) of an outcome from the plurality of possible
outcomes of the wagering game. Alternatively, the random event may
be determined at a remote controller. The remote controller may use
either an RNG or pooling scheme for its central determination of a
game outcome. It should be appreciated that the controller 34 may
include one or more microprocessors, including but not limited to a
master processor, a slave processor, and a secondary or parallel
processor.
[0028] The controller 34 is also coupled to the system memory 36
and a money/credit detector 38. The system memory 36 may comprise a
volatile memory (e.g., a random-access memory (RAM)) and a
non-volatile memory (e.g., an EEPROM). The system memory 36 may
include multiple RAM and multiple program memories. The
money/credit detector 38 signals the processor that money and/or
credits have been input via the value input device 18. Preferably,
these components are located within the housing 12 of the gaming
machine 10. However, as explained above, these components may be
located outboard of the housing 12 and connected to the remainder
of the components of the gaming machine 10 via a variety of
different wired or wireless connection methods.
[0029] As seen in FIG. 2, the controller 34 is also connected to,
and controls, the primary display 14, the player input device 24,
and a payoff mechanism 40. The payoff mechanism 40 is operable in
response to instructions from the controller 34 to award a payoff
to the player in response to certain winning outcomes that might
occur in the basic game or the bonus game(s). The payoff may be
provided in the form of points, bills, tickets, coupons, cards,
etc. For example, in FIG. 1, the payoff mechanism 40 includes both
a ticket printer 42 and a coin outlet 44. However, any of a variety
of payoff mechanisms 40 well known in the art may be implemented,
including cards, coins, tickets, smartcards, cash, etc. The payoff
amounts distributed by the payoff mechanism 40 are determined by
one or more pay tables stored in the system memory 36.
[0030] Communications between the controller 34 and both the
peripheral components of the gaming machine 10 and external systems
50 occur through input/output (I/O) circuits 46, 48. More
specifically, the controller 34 controls and receives inputs from
the peripheral components of the gaming machine 10 through the
input/output circuits 46. Further, the controller 34 communicates
with the external systems 50 via the I/O circuits 48 and a
communication path (e.g., serial, parallel, IR, RC, 10bT, etc.).
The external systems 50 may include a gaming network, other gaming
machines, a gaming server, communications hardware, or a variety of
other interfaced systems or components. Although the I/O circuits
46, 48 may be shown as a single block, it should be appreciated
that each of the I/O circuits 46, 48 may include a number of
different types of I/O circuits.
[0031] Controller 34, as used herein, comprises any combination of
hardware, software, and/or firmware that may be disposed or
resident inside and/or outside of the gaming machine 10 that may
communicate with and/or control the transfer of data between the
gaming machine 10 and a bus, another computer, processor, or device
and/or a service and/or a network. The controller 34 may comprise
one or more controllers or processors. In FIG. 2, the controller 34
in the gaming machine 10 is depicted as comprising a CPU, but the
controller 34 may alternatively comprise a CPU in combination with
other components, such as the I/O circuits 46, 48 and the system
memory 36.
[0032] Turning now to FIG. 3, a player of a video poker game
purchases a block of poker hands, which includes a first hand 60a,
a second hand 60b, a third hand 60c, and a fourth hand 60d, on the
primary display 14. Each of the hands 60a-60d is shown in a state
after the player has played his or her hand. Each of the poker
hands 60a-60d includes a dealt hand (e.g., the first hand 60a is
derived from a first dealt hand 61), a played (or final) hand, and
a plurality of playing cards 62. The played hand for each of the
poker hands 60a-60d includes the cards 62 as shown, including the
cards 62 that are crossed-out with an "X" mark. As described in
more detail below, an initial poker hand (e.g., the first hand 60a)
acts as a qualifying hand for playing a subsequent hand (e.g., the
second hand 60b) if a predetermined poker ranking is met for the
initial poker hand. If the predetermined poker ranking is met, then
the played hand in the qualifying hand becomes the dealt hand in
the subsequent hand. For example, the played hand for the first
hand 60a becomes the dealt hand for the second hand 60b.
[0033] A pay table 64 indicates the corresponding awards for
winning ranked hands. For example, a Jacks-Or-Better ranking pays
one credit, a Two Pairs ranking pays two credits, a Three-Of-A-Kind
ranking pays three credits, etc.
[0034] The pay table 64 further indicates which qualifying hands
are needed to move up to each of the levels for the hands 60a-60d.
Initially, the player plays the first hand 60a, which corresponds
to a First Level of the poker game. If the played hand of the first
hand 60a has a ranking of at least Jacks-Or-Better then the player
qualifies for a Second Level, during which the player plays the
second hand 60b. If the played hand for the second hand 60b has a
ranking of at least Three-Of-A-Kind, then the player qualifies for
a Third Level, during which the player plays the third hand 60c. If
the played hand for the third hand 60c has a ranking of at least a
Flush, then the player qualifies for a Fourth level, during which
the player plays the fourth hand 60d. If the played hand for the
fourth hand 60d has a ranking of at least a Four-Of-A-Kind, then
the player wins a corresponding award and, optionally, a
corresponding multiplier (e.g., 8.times. multiplier). In other
embodiments, if the played hand of the fourth hand 60d meets a
predetermined criterion, then it can trigger other game outcomes
(e.g., a game bonus, a game award, etc.). Optionally, the pay table
64 indicates the multipliers corresponding to each one of the four
levels.
[0035] For each of the four levels, First Level to the Fourth
Level, a multiplier is awarded if the played hand meets the
predetermined ranking corresponding to that particular level. The
1.times.-8.times. multipliers shown in the gaming screen of the
primary display 14 are associated with the First Level to the
Fourth Level, correspondingly. As shown, a 1.times. multiplier is
awarded at the First Level if the first hand 60a has at least a
Jacks-Or-Better ranking. A 2.times. multiplier is awarded at the
Second Level (i.e., it pays double the award) if the second hand
60b has at least a Three-Of-A-Kind ranking. A 4.times. multiplier
is awarded at the Third Level if the third hand 60c has at least a
Flush ranking. An 8.times. multiplier is awarded at the Fourth
Level if the fourth hand 60d has at least a Four-Of-A-Kind ranking.
Optionally, the award multipliers can be indicated in the pay table
64.
[0036] A number of indicators are included on the primary display
14 for visually displaying game-related information to the player.
Specifically, the primary display 14 includes a credits indicator
66, a wager indicator 68, a block of hands indicator 70, and an
award indicator 72.
[0037] To purchase the block of hands 60a-60d, the player makes an
extra bet or a side bet. Thus, assuming that a single hand of poker
costs one credit, the player pays, for example, three extra credits
to purchase the block of hands 60a-60d. The wager indicator 68
shows that four credits have been wagered, and the block of hands
indicator 70 shows that one block has been purchased. Optionally,
the block of hands 60a-60d can be awarded as a bonus.
[0038] After the player has purchased the block of hands 60a-60d,
the player is dealt the first dealt hand 61, which includes the
Jack of Diamonds, the 3 of Spades, the 10 of Hearts, the 5 of
Hearts, and the Ace of Spades. The first dealt hand 61 is not a
winning hand. The player selects for replacement the 3 of Spades
and the 5 of Hearts, which are shown crossed-out with an "X" mark
on each card. The cards are then replaced with the Jack of Hearts
and the 7 of Spades, which are shown above the first dealt hand 61,
in the row of cards 62 indicating the played hand of the first hand
60a.
[0039] The played hand of the first hand 60a meets the
predetermined criteria because it includes a pair of Jacks, i.e.,
the Jack of Diamonds, which was present in the dealt hand of the
first hand 60a, and the Jack of Hearts, which replaced the 3 of
Spades. The pay table 64 indicates that the played hand of the
first hand 60a is a winning hand because a Jacks-Or-Better ranking
pays one credit. Further, because a Jacks-Or-Better ranking is the
minimum required ranking for qualifying the player for the next
level, or hand, a determination has been made that the winning pair
of Jacks of the first hand 60a qualifies the player for playing the
second hand 60b. The award for the first hand 60a is 1 credit,
wherein the multiplier for this level is 1.times..
[0040] The dealt hand of the second hand 60b is the played hand of
the first hand 60a. Specifically, the dealt hand of the second hand
60b includes the Jack of Diamonds, the Jack of Hearts, the 10 of
Hearts, the 7 of Spades, and the Ace of Spades. The player selects
for replacement the 10 of Hearts and the 7 of Spades, as shown by
the crossed-out "X" mark on each of the two cards. The two cards
are replaced by the Jack of Spades and the 6 of Diamonds. Thus, the
played hand of the second hand 60b has a Three-Of-A-Kind ranking,
which consists of the three Jacks--the Jack of Diamonds, the Jack
of Hearts, and the Jack of Spades. As indicated, the
Three-Of-A-Kind ranking earns the player an award of 3 credits and
a 2.times. multiplier, for a total of 6 credits. Thus, the player's
award from the first hand 60a has now been increased by 6 credits
to 7 total credits. In addition, the player has qualified for
playing the next level of the game, which is the third hand
60c.
[0041] The dealt hand (i.e., starting hand) of the third hand 60c
is the played hand of the second hand 60b. Specifically, the dealt
hand of the third hand 60c includes the Jack of Diamonds, the Jack
of Hearts, the Jack of Spades, the 6 of Diamonds, and the Ace of
Spades. The player selects for replacement a single card--the 6 of
Diamonds, which is replaced by the Ace of Clubs. Thus, the played
hand of the third hand 60c has a Full House ranking. As indicated,
the Full House ranking earns the player an award of 9 credits and a
4.times. multiplier, for a total of 36 credits. The player's total
award has, thus, increased by 36 from 7 credits to 43 credits. In
addition, the player has qualified for playing the next level of
the game, which is the fourth hand 60d.
[0042] The dealt hand of the fourth hand 60d is the played hand of
the third hand 60c. Specifically, the dealt hand of the fourth hand
60c includes the Jack of Diamonds, the Jack of Hearts, the Jack of
Spades, the Ace of Clubs, and the Ace of Spades. The player selects
for replacement the three Jacks, which are replaced by the King of
Diamonds, the Ace of Hearts, and the Ace of Diamonds. Thus, the
played hand of the fourth hand 60d has a Four-Of-A-Kind ranking. As
indicated, the Four-Of-A-Kind ranking earns the player an award of
25 credits and an 8.times. multiplier, for a total of 200 credits
for the fourth hand 60c. The total award has now increased from 43
credits to 243 credits.
[0043] If the player does not qualify for a subsequent hand, then
the player has finished playing the game. Specifically, the player
has lost the chance to play any of the higher level hands. For
example, if the player does not achieve a Three-Of-A-Kind ranking
while playing the second hand 60b, then the player cannot play the
third hand 60c or the fourth hand 60d. Thus, if the player does not
qualify for the predetermined ranking associated with the second
hand 60b, the award will not receive a 2.times. multiplier.
Nevertheless, the player may still receive an award for the second
hand 60b if the player achieves a ranking of Two Pairs or
Jacks-Or-Better. Alternatively, by making it to the Second Level,
but not qualifying for the Third Level, the winning hand (e.g., Two
Pairs) can still be paid with a 2.times. multiplier in the second
hand 60b. In a further alternative, if the player does not meet the
predetermined ranking criterion associated with a particular hand,
the player can have the option to continue playing the subsequent
hand by making an extra wager.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 4, in accordance with an alternative
embodiment of the present invention, the player automatically wins
an award that is associated with a higher-level if the ranking of a
lower played hand meets the predetermined criterion for the higher
award. For example, the player can win a Fourth Level award while
playing a Second Level hand if the played hand of the Second Level
meets the predetermined criteria required to win the Fourth Level
award.
[0045] In this example, the player has purchased a block of hands,
which includes a first hand 160a and a second hand 160b. A dealt
hand 161 for the first hand 160a is identical to the dealt hand 61
described above in reference to FIG. 3. As before, the player
selects for replacement the 3 of Spades and the 5 of Hearts. The
replacement cards are the Jack of Hearts and the Ace of Hearts.
Thus, the played hand of the first hand 160a has Two Pairs, a pair
including the Jack of Diamonds and the Jack of Hearts and a pair
including the Ace of Hearts and the Ace of Spades. A ranking of Two
Pairs is a winning ranking that meets the Jacks-Or-Better criteria.
Accordingly, for the first hand 160a the player wins an award of 2
credits that has a 1.times. multiplier. Further, the Two Pair
ranking qualifies the player for playing a second hand 160b.
[0046] The dealt hand for the second hand 160b includes all the
cards from the played hand of the first hand 160a, i.e., the Jack
of Diamonds, the Jack of Hearts, the 10 of Hearts, the Ace of
Hearts, and the Ace of Spades. The player selects for replacement
the Jack of Diamonds and the Ace of Spades. The replacement cards
are the Queen of Hearts and the King of Hearts. The ranking of the
second hand 160b is a Royal Flush, which is associated with a
Fourth Level winning hand. The Royal Flush earns the player an
award of 250 credits having an 8.times. multiplier, resulting in a
total award of 2,000 credits for the second hand 160b. Thus, unlike
FIG. 3 which results in a cumulative award to the player for each
level, the player is only paid an award equal to the highest award
achieved.
[0047] FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative play mechanic for the card
game whereby an identical poker hand 261 is dealt for each one of a
plurality of hierarchical poker hands 260a-260d. Although for
convenience purposes all the poker hands 260-260d and the dealt
hand 261 are shown on the primary display 14 at the same time, it
should be recognized that the poker hands 260-260d and the dealt
hand 261 can be shown on the primary display 14 one at a time, or
in any other combination. Unlike the dealt hand described in
reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, which was the played hand in a previous
hand, the dealt hand in this embodiment is the same for each hand
regardless of the hand hierarchy level. Thus, the strategy that the
player uses will be different than in the embodiments described in
reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 because the player essentially has a
fresh, but identical, start every time a new hand is played.
[0048] Similar to the previous embodiments, it is assumed in this
example that there are four hierarchy levels for a block of four
poker hands. The player needs a Jacks-Or-Better ranking to qualify
for the second level, which pays 2.times. the normal award; a
Three-Of-A-Kind ranking or better to qualify for the third level,
which pays 4.times. the normal award; a Flush ranking or better to
qualify for the fourth level, which pays 8.times. the normal award;
and a Four-Of-A-Kind ranking or better to win the 8.times.
multiplier associated with the fourth level.
[0049] The player has purchased a block of hands, which includes a
first hand 260a, a second hand 260b, a third hand 260c, and a
fourth hand 260d. A dealt hand 261 is received for playing the
first hand 260a. The dealt hand 261 includes the Jack of Diamonds,
the 3 of Spades, the 10 of Hearts, the 5 of Hearts, and the Ace of
Spades. The player selects for replacement the 3 of Spades and the
5 of Hearts, and the replacement cards are the Jack of Hearts and
the Ace of Hearts. The ranking of the played hand of the first hand
260a is Two Pairs, which includes the pair of Jacks and the pair of
Aces. The Two Pairs ranking meets the predetermined criterion of
Jacks-Or-Better and, thus, the player qualifies for playing the
next hand. The award for Two Pairs is 2 credits and a multiplier of
1.times..
[0050] The dealt hand 261 is now received for playing the second
hand 260b. The player selects for replacement the 3 of Spades and
the 5 of Hearts, as in the previous hand, and the replacement cards
are the Ace of Diamonds and the Ace of Hearts. The ranking of the
played hand of the second hand 260b is Three-Of-A-Kind, which
includes the three Aces. The Three-Of-A-Kind ranking meets the
predetermined criterion of Three-Of-A-Kind that is associated with
the second level, and the player qualifies for playing the next
hand. The award corresponding to the Three-Of-A-Kind ranking is 3
credits and the multiplier is 2.times., for an award of 6
credits.
[0051] The dealt hand 261 is now received for playing the third
hand 260c. The player selects for replacement the 3 of Spades, the
5 of Hearts, and the Ace of Spades, and the replacement cards are
the Jack of Hearts, the 10 of Diamonds, and the 10 of Clubs. The
ranking of the played hand of the third hand 260c is a Full House,
which meets the predetermined criterion of at least a Flush ranking
that is associated with the third level. The player qualifies for
the next hand and is awarded, as of now, an award of 9 credits
having a multiplier of 4.times., for an award of 36 credits.
[0052] The dealt hand 261 is now received for playing the fourth
hand 260d. The player selects for replacement four cards, the Jack
of Spades, the 3 of Spades, the 10 of Hearts, and the 5 of Hearts.
The replacement cards are the Queen of Hearts, the Queen of
Diamonds, the Queen of Clubs, and the Queen of Spades. The ranking
of the played hand of the fourth hand 260d is Four-Of-A-Kind and,
therefore, the player is awarded an award of 25 credits having a
multiplier of 8.times., for an award of 200 credits. Thus, the
total award for the player is 244 credits.
[0053] Referring to FIG. 6, the player qualifies for a higher level
hand, which is not subsequent to a lower level hand, by meeting the
predetermined criterion associated with the higher level hand.
After purchasing a block of hands, which includes a first hand
360a, a second hand 360b, a third hand 360c, and a fourth hand
360d, the player receives a dealt hand 361 for the first hand 360a.
The cards of the dealt hand 361 are the Jack of Diamonds, the 2 of
Spades, the 3 of Clubs, the 5 of Hearts, and the 4 of Diamonds. The
player selects for replacement three cards, the Jack of Diamonds,
the 3 of Clubs, and the 5 of Hearts. The replacement cards are the
2 of Hearts, the 2 of Diamonds, and the 4 of Hearts. Thus, the
player has achieved a ranking of a Full House, which qualifies the
player for playing the fourth hand 360d. Specifically, the player
does not have to play the second hand 360b and the third hand 360c.
The player is awarded 9 credits with a multiplier of 4.times., for
a total of 36 credits.
[0054] The player now plays the fourth hand 360d and receives the
dealt hand 361. The player selects for replacement all the cards
except the 4 of Diamonds. The replacement cards are the 8 of
Diamonds, the 7 of Diamonds, the 6 of Diamonds, and the 5 of
Diamonds, which results in a ranking of a Straight Flush. Thus, the
player has won the fourth hand 360d, winning a total award of 400
credits (50 credits multiplied by the 8.times. multiplier).
[0055] In the embodiments describe above in reference to FIGS. 3-6,
forty-seven cards (assuming a standard deck of fifty-two cards) are
randomly available for each subsequent hand, even if dealt in a
previous hand to replace selected cards. Thus, discarded cards can
be randomly selected in one or more hands by placing the discarded
cards back in the available deck of cards after each level.
Alternatively, after the cards are used, or discarded, only
remaining cards are available. Thus, discarded cards are not placed
back in the deck of cards such that there are less available cards
in the deck for the higher levels. The decision of the player may
be affected by knowing whether the discarded cards are placed back
in the deck of cards.
[0056] In other embodiments, a block of hands can include any
number of poker hands, which can have a hierarchy determined
according to any poker rankings. Optionally, multiplier values and
their corresponding poker hands can vary according to any
predetermined manner. For example, a multiplier value can be
awarded for every other poker hand. Thus, a multiplier value can be
awarded for a first hand, a third hand, a fifth hand, etc., but not
for a second hand, a fourth hand, a sixth hand, etc. In yet other
embodiments, the multiplier values can be any type of bonus award.
For example, the bonus award can be a free block of hands, a
predetermined credit amount, etc. In another example, the awards of
the pay table 64 can vary for each of the poker hands of a block of
hands.
[0057] In the above-described embodiments, all the hands of a
purchased block of hands are shown on the primary display 14.
Optionally, only one hand can be shown on the primary display 14 at
one time.
[0058] Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof is
contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed
invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
* * * * *