U.S. patent application number 12/984294 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-13 for gaming method for playing a card game, and gaming apparatus for performing the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to ASTRO CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Arden YANG.
Application Number | 20110250941 12/984294 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44761312 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110250941 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YANG; Arden |
October 13, 2011 |
GAMING METHOD FOR PLAYING A CARD GAME, AND GAMING APPARATUS FOR
PERFORMING THE SAME
Abstract
A gaming method for playing a card game includes the steps of:
configuring a gaming apparatus to generate a gaming screen that
includes a predetermined number of player areas and a virtual card
dealing wheel surrounded by the player areas; configuring the
gaming apparatus to distribute virtual playing cards on the virtual
card dealing wheel; configuring the gaming apparatus to spin the
virtual card dealing wheel for a limited time and, after the
virtual card dealing wheel stops spinning, to deal at least a
portion of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing
wheel to the player areas having active players associated
therewith; and configuring the gaming apparatus to determine a
winner of the card game based on the virtual playing cards dealt to
the player areas having active players associated therewith.
Inventors: |
YANG; Arden; (Rosemead,
CA) |
Assignee: |
; ASTRO CORPORATION
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
44761312 |
Appl. No.: |
12/984294 |
Filed: |
January 4, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3293 20130101;
G07F 17/322 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/11 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 12, 2010 |
TW |
099111239 |
Claims
1. A gaming method for playing a card game, said gaming method
being adapted to be implemented by a gaming apparatus and
comprising the steps of: a) configuring the gaming apparatus to
generate a gaming screen that includes a predetermined number of
player areas and a virtual card dealing wheel surrounded by the
player areas; b) configuring the gaming apparatus to distribute
virtual playing cards from a predetermined virtual playing card
deck on the virtual card dealing wheel, the virtual playing cards
corresponding in number to the player areas and being shown on the
gaming screen; c) configuring the gaming apparatus to spin the
virtual card dealing wheel for a limited time and, after the
virtual card dealing wheel stops spinning, to deal at least a
portion of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing
wheel to the player areas having active players associated
therewith, the virtual playing cards being dealt to the player
areas that are registered in position therewith when spinning of
the virtual card dealing wheel stops; and d) configuring the gaming
apparatus to determine at least one winner of the card game based
on the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas that have
active players associated therewith.
2. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising,
between steps a) and b), the step of configuring the gaming
apparatus to deal an initial number of the virtual playing cards
from the predetermined virtual playing card deck to each of the
player areas that has an active player associated therewith, and to
show on the gaming screen the virtual playing cards dealt to the
player areas.
3. The gaming method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the initial
number of the virtual playing cards is two, one of the virtual
playing cards in the initial number being shown face up on the
gaming screen, the other one of the virtual playing cards in the
initial number being shown face down on the gaming screen.
4. The gaming method as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of the
virtual playing cards in the initial number is shown face down on
the gaming screen, said gaming method further comprising the step
of configuring the gaming apparatus to show a corner of said one of
the virtual playing cards that is shown face down on the gaming
screen in response to a peek command from the active player
associated with the player area dealt with said one of the virtual
playing cards.
5. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step b),
the virtual playing cards are shown face up on the gaming
screen.
6. The gaming method as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the
player areas is associated with a button set including at least one
of a bet button, a call button, a fold button, a check button, a
raise button, a re-raise button and an all-in button, said gaming
method further comprising, between steps b) and c), the step of
configuring the gaming apparatus to accept input from the active
players associated with the player areas through the button sets
associated with the player areas, to calculate and record a total
amount of bets in the pot, to mark the player areas associated with
inactive players who opted to fold through the fold button, and to
not deal the virtual playing cards to the player areas associated
with the inactive players.
7. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step c)
includes configuring the gaming apparatus to receive a spin trigger
input from one of the active players associated with the player
area dealt with a greatest hand value of the virtual playing cards
relative to the other player areas and to start spinning the
virtual card dealing wheel upon receipt of the spin trigger
input.
8. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising,
between steps c) and d), the step of configuring the gaming
apparatus to repeat steps b) and c) until each of the player areas
having an active player associated therewith has been dealt with a
predetermined number of the virtual playing cards, the
predetermined number of the virtual playing cards forming a card
hand from which the gaming apparatus determines said at least one
winner of the card game in step d).
9. The gaming method as claimed in claim 8, wherein: when the
gaming apparatus performs step b) fora final round of the card
game, the gaming apparatus is configured to add a set of joker
playing cards into the predetermined virtual playing card deck, and
in step d), the gaming apparatus is configured to treat the value
of each of the joker playing cards as that of one of the virtual
playing cards that would result in a greatest card hand value for
the player area dealt with the joker playing card.
10. A computer program product comprising a machine readable
storage medium having program instructions stored therein which
when executed cause a computer to perform a gaming method for
playing a card game according to claim 1.
11. A gaming apparatus for playing a card game, comprising: a
display unit; a memory device storing program instructions for
playing a card game; and a processing unit coupled to said display
unit and said memory device, and operable to execute the program
instructions to perform a gaming method for playing the card game,
the gaming method including the steps of: a) generating a gaming
screen that includes a predetermined number of player areas and a
virtual card dealing wheel surrounded by the player areas, and
showing the gaming screen on the display unit; b) distributing
virtual playing cards from a predetermined virtual playing card
deck on the virtual card dealing wheel, the virtual playing cards
corresponding in number to the player areas and being shown on the
gaming screen; c) spinning the virtual card dealing wheel for a
limited time and, after the virtual card dealing wheel stops
spinning, dealing at least a portion of the virtual playing cards
on the virtual card dealing wheel to the player areas having active
players associated therewith, the virtual playing cards being dealt
to the player areas that are registered in position therewith when
spinning of the virtual card dealing wheel stops; and d)
determining at least one winner of the card game based on the
virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas that have active
players associated therewith.
12. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein, in step
b), the virtual playing cards are shown face up on the gaming
screen.
13. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising
an input unit coupled to said processing unit, said input unit
providing a plurality of button sets, each of the button sets being
associated with a respective one of the player areas and including
at least one of a bet button, a call button, a fold button, a check
button, a raise button, a re-raise button and an all-in button, the
gaming method further including, between steps b) and c), the steps
of accepting input from the active players associated with the
player areas through the button sets, calculating and recording a
total amount of bets in the pot, marking the player areas
associated with inactive players who opted to fold through the fold
button, and not dealing the virtual playing cards to the player
areas associated with the inactive players.
14. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said input
unit and said display unit are integrated into a touch screen.
15. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said
gaming method further includes, between steps c) and d), the step
of repeating steps b) and c) until each of the player areas having
an active player associated therewith has been dealt with a
predetermined number of the virtual playing cards, the
predetermined number of the virtual playing cards forming a card
hand from which the processing unit determines said at least one
winner of the card game in step d).
16. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein: when the
processing unit performs step b) for a final round of the card
game, the processing unit is configured to add a set of joker
playing cards into the predetermined virtual playing card deck, and
in step d), the processing unit is configured to treat the value of
each of the joker playing cards as that of one of the virtual
playing cards that would result in a greatest card hand value for
the player area dealt with the joker playing card.
17. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising
a plurality of payment sensors coupled to said processing unit and
respectively associated with the player areas, each of the payment
sensors being operable to send a payment signal to said processing
unit, said processing unit being operable to start the card game
when at least two payment signals from at least two of said payment
sensors are received thereby.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application
No. 099111239, filed on Apr. 12, 2010.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a gaming apparatus, more
particularly to a gaming apparatus adapted for performing a gaming
method for playing a card game.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] A conventional card game, such as a five-card stud, can be
played by two to ten players. Typically, in the conventional card
game, all players have to place an equal amount of forced bet
(ante) into the pot before playing cards are dealt. After the ante,
each of the players is dealt one playing card shown face down,
followed by one playing card shown face up. A first betting round
begins with one of the players who was dealt with the face-up
playing card having a greatest value, and said one of the players
may opt to place a bet, to check or to fold. The other players may
then decide to call, raise, check or fold. After the first betting
round is completed, another playing card shown face up is dealt to
each of the active players, followed by a second betting round
beginning with one of the active players who was dealt with a
greatest hand value of the two face-up playing cards. Then, each of
the active players is dealt with a fourth playing card shown face
up, followed by a third betting round. After dealing a fifth
playing card shown face up to each of the active players, a fourth
betting round begins with one of the active players who was dealt
with a greatest hand value of the four face-up playing cards and
who may opt to call, fold or declare all in, and the other players
may decide to call or fold. Finally, one of the active players who
was dealt with a greatest hand value of the five playing cards is
deemed the winner of the conventional card game, and the winner may
take all the bets placed in the pot during the betting rounds.
Typically, the order of a ranking of a hand value of five playing
cards is royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house,
flush, straight, three of a kind, tow pairs, one pair, and
zilch.
[0006] Although the conventional card game (i.e., five-card stud)
and other similar card games (such as Texas hold 'em) are still
popular, rules thereof have remained the same for some time.
Therefore, players may be interested in a card game with some
variation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a gaming method for playing a card game that may interest
players.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
computer program product comprising a machine readable storage
medium having program instructions stored therein which when
executed cause a computer to perform the gaming method for playing
the card game.
[0009] A further object of the present invention is to provide a
gaming apparatus for playing the card game.
[0010] Accordingly, a gaming method for playing a card game of this
invention is adapted to be implemented by a gaming apparatus that
includes a display unit, a memory device storing program
instructions for playing a card game, and a processing unit coupled
to the display unit and the memory device. The processing unit is
operable to execute the program instructions to perform the gaming
method for playing the card game. The gaming method comprises the
steps of:
[0011] a) generating a gaming screen that includes a predetermined
number of player areas and a virtual card dealing wheel surrounded
by the player areas, and showing the gaming screen on the display
unit;
[0012] b) distributing virtual playing cards from a predetermined
virtual playing card deck on the virtual card dealing wheel, the
virtual playing cards corresponding in number to the player areas
and being shown on the gaming screen;
[0013] c) spinning the virtual card dealing wheel for a limited
time and, after the virtual card dealing wheel stops spinning,
dealing at least a portion of the virtual playing cards on the
virtual card dealing wheel to the player areas having active
players associated therewith, the virtual playing cards being dealt
to the player areas that are registered in position therewith when
spinning of the virtual card dealing wheel stops; and
[0014] d) determining at least one winner of the card game based on
the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas that have
active players associated therewith.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a
gaming apparatus for playing a card game according to the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a block diagram for illustrating components of the
gaming apparatus of the preferred embodiment;
[0018] FIGS. 3 to 5 are flow charts for illustrating a gaming
method for playing a card game implemented by the gaming apparatus
of the preferred embodiment; and
[0019] FIGS. 6 to 15 are schematic diagrams of gaming screens to
illustrate the gaming method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of a
gaming apparatus 100 for playing a card game according to this
invention includes a machine body 1 provided with a plurality of
payment mechanisms 3, a display unit 6, an input unit 7, and a
memory device 4 and a processing unit 5 that are disposed in the
machine body 1.
[0021] In this embodiment, the display unit 6 and the input unit 7
are integrated into a touch screen 2 mounted on a top surface of
the machine body 1, and the memory device 4 includes a random
access memory (RAM). The payment mechanisms 3 can be coin slots or
card readers, and the gaming apparatus 100 further includes a
plurality of payment sensors 30 corresponding to the payment
mechanisms 3 and coupled to the processing unit 5. Each of the
payment sensors 30 is operable to send a payment signal to the
processing unit 5 when a player makes a payment through a
corresponding one of the payment mechanisms 3. A number of the
payment mechanisms 3 is equal to six in this embodiment, that is to
say, the gaming apparatus 100 is configured to allow a maximum of
six players to play the card game at the same time. It should be
noted that the block diagram in FIG. 2 only shows one of the
payment mechanisms 3 and a corresponding one of the payment sensors
30 for illustration. The memory device 4 stores program
instructions for playing the card game. The processing unit 5 is
coupled to the display unit 6, the input unit 7 and the memory
device 4, and is operable to execute the program instructions to
perform a gaming method for playing the card game.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, the gaming method implemented
by the gaming apparatus 100 includes the following steps.
[0023] The gaming apparatus 100 is configured to generate a gaming
screen and to show the gaming screen on the touch screen 2 when in
a standby state. The gaming screen includes six player areas 21 and
a virtual card dealing wheel 23 surrounded by the player areas 21.
In step S11, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine whether
a payment signal from one of the payment sensors 30 has been
received.
[0024] When a first player makes a payment through one of the
payment mechanisms 3, the processing unit 5 will receive the
payment signal from the corresponding one of the payment sensors
30. In response to the payment signal, the processing unit 5 is
operable to configure the touch screen 2 to display a virtual
playing card deck 22 on the gaming screen in step S12, and execute
step S13. In this embodiment, the virtual playing card deck 22
includes twenty-eight virtual playing cards, i.e., four different
suits each of which includes 8 to King and Ace, and a pair of joker
playing cards that are not added into the virtual playing card deck
22 in this step. The number of the virtual playing cards in the
virtual playing card deck 22 is not limited to the disclosure, and
may be varied according to the number of players or other
requirements. Upon determining that the first player made a payment
that is greater than a predetermined ante value, the processing
unit 5 is operable to configure the touch screen 2 to display a
confirm button on one of the player areas 21 that is associated
with the first player. The first player will participate in the
card game as an active player when the player presses the confirm
button through the touch screen 2.
[0025] In step S13, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine
whether another payment signal from a different one of the payment
sensors 30 has been received. Similarly, when the processing unit 5
determines that a second player made a payment that is greater than
the predetermined ante value, the processing unit 5 is operable to
configure the touch screen 2 to display a confirm button on another
one of the player areas 21 that is associated with the second
player.
[0026] In step S14, after determining that there are at least two
active players participating in the card game, the processing unit
5 is operable to start countdown to a predetermined time limit and
to configure the touch screen 2 to display the predetermined time
limit on the other player areas 21 that are associated with the
payment mechanisms 3 that were not used to make a payment. The
processing unit 5 is further operable to determine whether the
predetermined time limit has lapsed. When the predetermined time
limit has lapsed, the processing unit 5 is operable to start the
card game.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, it is assumed that there are six
active players participating in the card game, and each of the
active players has made a payment equal to the predetermined ante
value that is equal to ten in this embodiment. Therefore, a total
amount of bets in the pot is equal to sixty.
[0028] In step S21, beginning with one of the active players who
has made the payment first, the processing unit 5 is operable to
deal a virtual playing card shown face down from the virtual
playing card deck 22 to each of the player areas 21 associated with
each of the active players, followed by step S22 to deal another
virtual playing card shown face up to each of the player areas 21,
and to show on the gaming screen the virtual playing cards dealt to
the player areas 21 as shown in FIG. 7. In step S23, the processing
unit 5 is operable to distribute six virtual playing cards on the
virtual card dealing wheel 23 as shown in FIG. 8. The virtual
playing cards distributed on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 are
angularly spaced apart from each other by 360.degree./6 (i.e.,
60.degree.), and are arranged along a circumference of the virtual
card dealing wheel 23.
[0029] In step S24, the processing unit 5 is operable to configure
the input unit 7 to provide a peek button (not shown), and to shown
the peek button on each of the player areas 21. When the processing
unit 5 receives a peek command from one of the active players
through the peek button shown on one of the player areas 21
associated therewith, the processing unit 5 is operable to
configure the touch screen 2 to show a corner of the virtual
playing card that is shown face down on the gaming screen in step
S25. The active player may use his/her hands as a cover when
peeking at the corner of the face-down virtual playing card so as
to prevent other active players from seeing the corner of this
face-down virtual playing card. In other embodiments, the gaming
apparatus 100 may include a mechanism for obstructing view of other
active players at a position on the touch screen 2 where the
face-down virtual playing card is shown.
[0030] In step S26, according to conventional card game rules, the
processing unit 5 is operable to determine a hand value of the
face-up virtual playing card on each of the player areas 21
associated with each of the active players. Then, the processing
unit 5 is operable to configure the input unit 7 to provide a
button set 24 (see FIG. 8) associated with one of the player areas
21 dealt with a greatest hand value of the face-up virtual playing
card relative to the other player areas 21. Subsequently, after
receipt of input from one of the active players associated with
said one of the player areas 21 through the button set 24, the
processing unit 5 is operable to provide the button set 24
associated with each of the other player areas 21 in sequence.
According to the rules of the card game, the button set 24 may
include a bet button, a call button, a fold button, a check button,
a raise button, a re-raise button and an all-in button. In other
embodiments, the processing unit 5 may be operable to configure the
input unit 7 to provide the button sets 24 in sequence according to
positions of the player areas 21.
[0031] The processing unit 5 is operable to calculate and record
the total amount of the bets in the pot, to mark the player areas
associated with inactive players who opted to fold through the fold
button, and to not deal the virtual playing cards to the player
areas associated with the inactive players. It is assumed that all
of the active players opted to check without betting through the
check button in this betting round. Accordingly, the processing
unit 5 is operable to record the bet placed by each of the active
players as ten and to show the bets on the player areas 21, and the
total amount of the bets in the pot is still equal to sixty.
[0032] After the betting round, in step 27, the processing unit 5
is operable to provide and show a spin button on said one of the
player areas 21 dealt with the greatest hand value of the face-up
virtual playing cards. The processing unit 5 is configured to
receive a spin trigger input from one of the active players
associated with said one of the players through the spin
button.
[0033] In response to the spin trigger input, in step S28, the
processing unit 5 is operable to start spinning the virtual card
dealing wheel 23 for a limited time, as shown in FIG. 9. After the
virtual card dealing wheel 23 stops spinning, the virtual playing
cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 are oriented toward the
player areas 21, respectively, as shown in FIG. 10. In this
embodiment, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine the
limited time and a spinning speed of spinning motion of the virtual
card dealing wheel 23 based upon an amount and duration of force
applied to the spin button.
[0034] In step S29, the processing unit 5 is operable to deal the
virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 to the
player areas 21 having active players associated therewith. In
particular, the virtual playing cards are dealt to the player areas
that are registered in position therewith when spinning of the
virtual card dealing wheel 23 stops.
[0035] It can be appreciated from the foregoing that a feature of
the card game implemented using the gaming apparatus 100 of this
invention is that the virtual playing cards are shown face up on
the virtual card dealing wheel 23 such that the active players may
expect to get one of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card
dealing wheel 23. Therefore, the active players may be interested
in placing a relatively higher bet during the next betting
round.
[0036] In step S30, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine
whether a final round of dealing the virtual playing cards has been
reached. According to the rules of the card game in this
embodiment, it is predetermined to deal five virtual playing cards
to each active player, and only three virtual playing cards have
been dealt to each active player in step S29. Thus, the flow goes
to step S31.
[0037] Similar to step S23, the processing unit 5 is operable to
distribute six other virtual playing cards on the virtual card
dealing wheel 23 in step S31. Then, the flow goes back to step
S26.
[0038] It is assumed that one of the active players raises the bet
by ten, and the other active players opt to call in this betting
round. As shown in FIG. 11, the processing unit 5 is operable to
calculate and record the total amount of the bets in the pot as
120.
[0039] After the second time to execute step S29, each of the
active players has been dealt four of the virtual playing cards.
Thus, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine that the final
round of dealing the virtual playing cards will be performed in
step S30, and to execute the following steps shown in FIG. 5.
[0040] In step S32, the processing unit 5 is operable to configure
the touch screen 2 to display a pair of joker playing cards as
shown in FIG. 12, and to add the joker playing cards into the
predetermined virtual playing card deck 22. The value of each of
the joker playing cards is treated as that of one of the virtual
playing cards that would result in a greatest hand value for the
player area 22 dealt with the joker playing card. Therefore, a
probability of a relatively greater hand value of the virtual
playing cards dealt to the player areas 21 is increased, and player
interest in the card game may be sustained.
[0041] In step S33, as shown in FIG. 13, the processing unit 5 is
operable to distribute six other virtual playing cards on the
virtual card dealing wheel 23.
[0042] Steps S34 to S37 are similar to steps S26 to S29. It assumed
that one of the active players (hereinafter referred to as player
A) associated with the player area 21 dealt with the greatest hand
value of the face-up virtual playing cards raises the bet by ten in
step S34, that is to say, the bet placed by player A is thirty at
this time. Other active players hereinafter are referred to as
players B, C, D, E and F in sequence. Players B and C both opt to
call the bet in this betting round, and player D opts to re-raise
the bet by ten, that is to say, the bet placed by player D is forty
at this time. Player E opts to fold and thus becomes an inactive
player in this round of the card game, and players F, A, B and C
decide to call the bet. Therefore, this betting round is completed,
and the processing unit 5 is operable to calculate and record the
total amount of the bets in the pot as 220 (see FIG. 13), to mark
the player area 21E associated with the inactive player (player E),
and to not deal the virtual playing cards to the player area 21E
associated with player E. In step S35, the processing unit 5 is
operable to provide and show the spin button on the player area 21
associated with player A. In step S37, the processing unit 5 is
operable to deal the virtual playing cards on the virtual card
dealing wheel 23 respectively to the player areas 21 associated
with players A, B, C, D and F. Since player E has opted to fold in
step S34, one of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card
dealing wheel 23 that is at a position registered with the player
area 21 associated with player E will remain on the virtual card
dealing wheel 23.
[0043] In step S38, the processing unit 5 is operable to provide a
final betting round before showing the face-down virtual playing
cards dealt in step S21 on the gaming screen. It is assumed that
one of the player areas 21 associated with player B was dealt with
the greatest hand value of the face-up virtual playing cards at
this time. Therefore, the processing unit 5 is operable to perform
the final betting round beginning with player B. Player B raises
the bet by fifty (the bet placed by player B is equal to ninety),
player C opts to call the bet, and player D decides to re-raise the
bet by fifty (the bet placed by player D is equal to 140). Since
player E is now an inactive player, player E is not involved in the
final betting round. Player F opts to fold in this betting round
and becomes an inactive player, players A and B call the bet, and
player C also opts to fold. Player D decides to not re-raise again,
and the final betting round is completed. As shown in FIG. 14, the
processing unit 5 is operable to calculate and record the total
amount of the bets in the pot as 570.
[0044] In step S39, the processing unit 5 is operable to show face
up the virtual playing cards that were dealt in step S21 on the
gaming screen (see FIG. 15). In particular, the processing unit 5
is operable to show face up the virtual playing cards dealt to the
player areas 21 that are associated with active players at this
time. Since players C, E and F are inactive players at this time,
the processing unit 5 is operable to show face up the virtual
playing cards dealt to the player areas 21A, 21B and 21D that are
associated with players A, B and D.
[0045] In step S40, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine
a winner of the card game based on the hand values of the virtual
playing cards dealt to the player areas 21. In particular, the
processing unit 5 is operable to compare, with a predetermined
ranking table, a combination of the virtual playing cards dealt to
each of the player areas 21 having an active player associated
therewith. The predetermined ranking table includes every possible
combination of the virtual playing cards and the hand value
thereof. For example, royal flush of spade has the greatest hand
value relative to other combinations in the predetermined ranking
table. As shown in FIG. 15, the combination of the virtual playing
cards and the joker playing card dealt to the player area 21B
associated with player B is royal flush of diamond. Since the royal
flush of diamond has the greatest hand value in the card game,
player B is the winner of the card game.
[0046] In step S41, the processing unit 5 is operable to grant an
award to the winner of the card game according to the total amount
of the bets in the pot. For example, the processing unit 5 is
operable to retain 10% of the bets in the pot and to grant 90% of
the bets as the award to the winner.
[0047] In summary, by virtue of distribution of the virtual playing
cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23, the active players can
know the virtual playing cards that will be dealt in the next round
for reference in deciding whether to call or raise the bet.
Therefore, the active players may be interested in continuing to
play the card game and may be enticed to place a relatively higher
bet.
[0048] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *