U.S. patent application number 14/042597 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-08 for remote card game with duplicate hands.
The applicant listed for this patent is Brian Mark Shuster, Gary Stephen Shuster. Invention is credited to Brian Mark Shuster, Gary Stephen Shuster.
Application Number | 20140128139 14/042597 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39617153 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140128139 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shuster; Gary Stephen ; et
al. |
May 8, 2014 |
REMOTE CARD GAME WITH DUPLICATE HANDS
Abstract
Duplicate hands are dealt in a remote game of poker or other
card game of chance. Simulated cards or game pieces are dealt to
players with the order of suits changed for each player. A map is
maintained in a computer memory between a reference set of indices
corresponding to card suits, and differently-ordered sets of paying
suits for dealing in the game. A reference game is maintained at a
server computer to track game status according to the reference set
of indices. Game play is translated between the reference game and
individual playing suits so that players are unaware of the order
of suits used for other players.
Inventors: |
Shuster; Gary Stephen;
(Fresno, CA) ; Shuster; Brian Mark; (Vancouver,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Shuster; Gary Stephen
Shuster; Brian Mark |
Fresno
Vancouver |
CA |
US
CA |
|
|
Family ID: |
39617153 |
Appl. No.: |
14/042597 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11624150 |
Jan 17, 2007 |
8545301 |
|
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14042597 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3232 20130101;
G07F 17/3276 20130101; G07F 17/32 20130101; G07F 17/3293
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/13 |
International
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20060101
G07F017/32 |
Claims
1-21. (canceled)
22. A computer-implemented method for managing an online game of
chance, comprising: randomly allocating, by at least one computer,
simulated game pieces comprising different game symbol types to a
plurality of players in a computer memory according to rules of a
game of chance; maintaining a reference game record of simulated
game pieces during play of the game of chance in a memory coupled
to the at least one computer, wherein the reference game record
comprises information associating the simulated pieces in the
reference set with each of the plurality of players; and
translating between each type of the game pieces in the reference
set and each type of a plurality of different playing sets of game
symbol types, by the at least one computer, based on a map defining
one-to-many relationships between the reference set of game pieces
and a plurality of different playing sets of game symbol types;
providing, by the at least one computer, information to the
plurality of players during play of the game describing each
respective player's allotted game pieces expressed using only
corresponding ones of the plurality of different playing sets of
game symbol types.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising preventing the
plurality of players from having access to the reference game
record during play of the game.
24. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving inputs
from the plurality of players indicative of game play moves, and
updating the reference game record in response to the inputs.
25. The method of claim 22, further comprising randomly selecting,
for each of the plurality of players, the different ones of the
plurality of playing sets translated in the translating step.
26. The method of claim 22, wherein the allocating step further
comprises allocating duplicate sets of simulated game pieces to
different ones of the plurality of players.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the duplicate sets are
allocated at substantially the same time to the different ones of
the plurality of players playing in separate player groups.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein the duplicate sets are
allocated at substantially different times to the different ones of
the plurality of players.
29. The method of claim 26, further comprising ranking players
based on comparative results achieved by players allocated the same
sets of simulated game pieces across different groups.
30. The method of claim 29, further comprising ranking players
based on an aggregate of the comparative results across multiple
different games.
31. The method of claim 22, wherein the allocating step further
comprises allocating corresponding sets of the simulated game
pieces to different players of a player group at different
times.
32. The method of claim 31, further comprising ranking players
based on an aggregate of comparative results achieved by players
allocated the corresponding sets of the simulated game pieces
across multiple different games.
33. An apparatus for gaming, comprising: a processor coupled to a
memory, the memory holding instructions that when executed by the
processor cause the computer to perform the operations of: randomly
allocating simulated game pieces each marked with one of at set of
different game symbol types to a plurality of players in a computer
memory according to rules of a game of chance; maintaining a
reference game record of simulated game pieces during play of the
game of chance, wherein the reference game record comprises
information associating the simulated pieces in the reference set
with each of the plurality of players; and translating between each
type of the game pieces in the reference set and each type of a
plurality of different playing sets of game symbol types, based on
a map defining one-to-many relationships between the reference set
of game pieces and a plurality of different playing sets of game
symbol types; providing information to the plurality of players
during play of the game describing each respective player's
allotted game pieces expressed only using corresponding ones of the
plurality of different playing sets of game symbol types.
34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the memory holds further
instructions for preventing the plurality of players from having
access to the reference game record during game play.
35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the memory holds further
instructions for receiving inputs from the plurality of players
indicative of game play moves, and updating the reference game
record in response to the inputs.
36. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the memory holds further
instructions for randomly selecting, for each of the plurality of
players, the different ones of the plurality of playing sets
translated in the translating step.
37. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the memory holds further
instructions for allocating the game pieces at least in part by
allocating duplicate sets of simulated game pieces to different
ones of the plurality of players.
38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the memory holds further
instructions for allocating the game pieces, including allocating
the duplicate sets at substantially the same time to the different
ones of the plurality of players playing in separate player
groups.
39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the memory holds further
instructions for allocating the duplicate sets at substantially
different times to the different ones of the plurality of
players.
40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the memory holds further
instructions for ranking players based on comparative results
achieved by players allocated the same sets of simulated game
pieces across different groups.
41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the memory holds further
instructions for ranking players based on an aggregate of the
comparative results across multiple different games.
42. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the memory holds further
instructions for allocating corresponding sets of the simulated
game pieces to different players of a player group at different
times.
43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the memory holds further
instructions for ranking players based on an aggregate of
comparative results achieved by players allocated the corresponding
sets of the simulated game pieces across multiple different games.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/624,150, now Pat. No. 8,545,301, which is
specifically incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to games of chance, and more
particularly to a game played using a computer to connect multiple
remote players in a game of chance that simulates a card game.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Numerous card games are known in the art, which are played
with multiple players in competition against one another. One or
more decks of playing cards comprising a set of cards are shuffled
and dealt to the players. Each player plays using the randomly
selected portion of the deck or decks, i.e., the "hand," that she
has been dealt. The outcome of such games is not determined by luck
alone, but also involves an element of skill on the part of the
players. For example, card games such as bridge, poker, pinochle,
and other such games are generally recognized as involving both
luck and skill in competitive game play.
[0006] With the widespread adoption of public computer networks,
computer-implemented games have been developed to enable
remotely-located players to participate in games of chance that
simulate various card games. A computer-implemented engine is used
to control game play such that each player receives a
randomly-determined hand, thereby simulating a dealer dealing a
physical card hand to a group of players. No player can see the
hands dealt to the other players. Depending on the type of game
being played, certain cards are shown to all of the players from
the remaining set (e.g., deck or decks) of cards or from the
players' hands. The game engine keeps track of the players' moves,
keeps score of the game and determines winners and losers. The game
engine may also receive or keep track of wagers made by the
players, and may pay winnings by crediting player accounts. Such
computer-implemented, remote card games have become a popular
source of entertainment for many card players.
[0007] Notwithstanding the advantages of such games, they are
subject to certain limitations. For example, it may be desirable to
provide a computer-implemented game for card tournaments or the
like, in which players can compete in ways that reduce or minimize
the influence of luck on the tournament outcome, providing the most
skillful players with greater opportunities for winning. At the
same time, however, it is desirable to retain the essential
character of traditional games using randomly-determined hands. It
is desirable, therefore, to provide a new computer-implemented
gaming method to provide new and interesting ways for player
competition in such games, that overcomes the limitations of the
prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides a method of game play that
may be implemented using a computer to manage play for
remotely-located players. The method may be used to enable players
to compete with each other so as to increase the importance of the
players' skill in determining the game outcome, without altering
the essential character of popular card games based on
randomly-determined hands. The method may be implemented to enable
any desired plural number of players, and especially large numbers
of players, to compete with one another in tournament fashion. The
outcomes of multiple games may be related to determine tournament
winners. All players may participate in the tournament at the same
time, or at different times.
[0009] The game engine may be controlled to deal identical hands to
different players participating in different games of the
tournament. The extent to which identical hands are dealt may be
controlled depending on the degree to which it is desired to level
out the element of luck among the players. For example, it may be
possible to operate a tournament in which every player experiences
the same hands over the course of a tournament, albeit in a
different sequence, and against different players. As all players
are ultimately dealt the same hands, the most skilled players are
more likely to win. In the alternative, tournaments may be arranged
in which a pool of players is divided into groups. For example, a
pool of a thousand players may be divided into one hundred groups
of ten. Each group plays a round together, with different rounds
playing simultaneously, or essentially simultaneously. Identical
hands are dealt to players in different groups, who do not play
directly with each other. The hands in each round are randomly
determined. After numerous rounds of play, the player winning the
most rounds is likely to be the most skilled, because numerous
players receive identical cards in each round. For example, in a
pool of thousand players divided into groups of ten players each,
in each round ten groups of one hundred players each will receive
identical cards. As used herein "randomly determined" or "randomly
selected" includes quasi-random processes such as known in the
computer arts to generate outcomes that appear to be random.
[0010] In games where players receive identical hands, it is
important that players be prevented from discovering or recognizing
hands held by other players. Games may be structured, as in the
second example above, such that players do not receive hands that
other players in the same group have received before. Therefore, a
player will never face a hand that he has held before. However,
players in other groups do receive identical hands. Particularly in
remote game play, two or more players in different groups may share
information about hands in a group, thereby gaining an unfair
advantage over players that lack shared information. The invention
provides a method and apparatus for reducing or eliminating illicit
information sharing between players in such situations.
[0011] In an embodiment of the invention, therefore, a game engine
comprises a module that randomly changes the order of suits dealt
to the players, while keeping track of a master or reference suit
in which the game is actually played. For example, a set of cards
comprising four suits (clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds) may be
simulated. In a reference game known only to the game engine, suit
`1`, suit `2`, suit `3` and suit `4` are designated. The order of
the suits has no significance in the game play. The game engine
randomly selects one of the four named suits for playing to
correspond with a reference suit for each player. A first player
may receive cards and play a game in which suit `1` is clubs, suit
`2` is spades, suit `3` is diamonds and suit `4` is hearts. To a
second player, the playing suit may be randomly selected such that
suit `1` is hearts, suit `2` is diamonds, suit `3` is clubs and
suit `4` is spades. In the same manner, randomly selected playing
suits may be provided for any number of additional players. Each
player sees the entire game unfold in the particular playing suit
randomly selected for them, and the game engine translates between
the playing suits to maintain an underlying base (reference)
game.
[0012] Players therefore will find it much more difficult to share
information about hands that have been dealt in a game. The suit
randomization feature makes it impossible to determine the
relationship between any of the randomly-selected playing suits and
the suits in the reference game until a sufficient number of cards
in different suits have been shown to all of the players. Even when
it become theoretically possible to work out a translation map
between playing suits from publicly known cards, the additional
mental processing required to translate and make use of the
information relatively late in a game may pose a difficult if not
insurmountable barrier to cheating with illicit information.
[0013] A more complete understanding of the remote card game with
duplicate hands will be afforded to those skilled in the art, as
well as a realization of additional advantages and objects thereof,
by a consideration of the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment. Reference will be made to the appended sheets
of drawings which will first be described briefly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for playing
a remote card game with duplicate hands.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a table showing exemplary mapping between playing
suits and a reference suit for a remote simulated card game.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a state diagram showing an exemplary state of a
game engine and player client devices during play of a remote
simulated card game.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an exemplary duplicate game
distribution for a remote simulated card game.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an exemplary duplicate game
distribution for a remote simulated card game, according to an
alternative embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a method for managing a
plurality of card games.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] Various systems for playing a remote simulated card game may
be used with the invention. FIG. 1 shows an exemplary system 100. A
computer-implemented game engine is in communication with a
plurality of client devices 104, 106, 108 via a communications
network 110. Methods of game play as disclosed herein may be
implemented in software, firmware, or a combination of software and
firmware in any suitable computing platform, using any suitable
programming language and method as known in the art. Game engine
102 may be implemented using any number of computers or
processors.
[0021] System 100 may comprise any number of client devices. Client
devices may comprise, for example, personal computers, portable
computers, palm computing devices, wireless communication devices,
or the like, capable of communicating with client engine 102 via
network 110. Network 110 may comprise a public wide area network,
such as the Internet, or any other communications network.
Communications in the network and with the client devices and game
engine may comprise any suitable. wired or wireless communication
signals.
[0022] Game engine 102 may maintain a map 200 between a reference
suit 202 and a plurality of randomly-determined playing suits 220,
as shown in FIG. 2. Map 200 may be maintained in any suitable
memory operably associated with the game engine. Reference suit 202
comprises any number of arbitrary suits, for example, suit `1` 204,
suit `2` 206, suit `3` 208 and suit `4` 210. It should be apparent
that any identifier may be used to designate a reference suit. The
number of reference suits may be selected to correspond to four
suits in a traditional deck of playing cards, for example, spades
212, clubs 214, hearts 216 and diamonds 218. Map 200 may comprise
any number of randomly ordered sets 220 each comprising one playing
suit symbol, e.g., spade, club, heart and diamond.
[0023] The invention is not limited to remote simulation of
traditional Western card games. It may be applied to any game or
simulated game of cards, tiles, or other playing pieces in which
pieces are assigned different values within defined types or suits.
For example, the game of Mah Jongg may comprise seven suits, three
suits comprising nine tiles each having values of 1-9 (e.g.,
bamboos, circles, and characters), three suits comprising four
tiles each having values 1-4 or North, South, East, West (e.g.,
winds, seasons and flowers), and a dragon suit of three tiles. In
this example, maps may be maintained between a reference set and
six of the seven Mah Jongg suits, with playing suits randomly
selected within the two sets of three suits having equal numbers of
tiles. Various other arrangements are used in Mah Jongg and other
games. The invention is not limited to simulation of existing card,
tile, or piece games, and may be applied to new games of the type
described above, as well. As generally used herein, a "card" may
include other playing pieces, for example, tiles; and in the
context of a simulated electronic game, a "card" refers to
information representing a card or other playing piece, and not a
physical object.
[0024] Map 200 maps a one-to-one correspondence between symbols of
any particular playing suit and symbols of a reference suit and,
conversely, one-to-many correspondence between each symbol of the
reference suit and symbols of the various different playing suits.
Each playing suit column of the table designates a playing suit
that may be used in connection with one or more players for a
simulated card game. For example, in playing suit 222, spades 212
are mapped to suit `1` 204, hearts are mapped to suit `2` 206,
clubs are mapped to suit `3` 208, and diamonds are mapped to suit
`4` 210. For the indicated one-to-one mapping between corresponding
four-symbol sets, twenty-four unique ordered sets are possible,
nine of which are shown in map 200.
[0025] Each playing suit may be maintained in a memory and randomly
selected by a selection module. For example, any one of twenty-four
possible ordered sets may be selected using a quasi-random number
generator in a selection routine, and assigned for use with
particular players and particular games. In the alternative,
randomly ordered sets may be created for each new player and game,
using a similar routine. Preferably, a different playing suit is
selected or created in a random for each new player and game. Less
preferably, once it has been assigned, a playing suit may be
retained by the player to whom it is assigned for some duration of
time or for some number of games greater than one.
[0026] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary memory state 300 of a game engine
during play of a simulated card games with remote clients. It
should be apparent that any plural number of clients may be
involved in a game, and the invention is especially useful for,
although not limited to, games involving more players than a
traditional card game can accommodate. For example, a simulated
card game according to the invention may be played with tens,
hundreds, or even thousands of players, either simultaneously or at
different times. Each game may be played according to a defined set
of rules such as traditionally govern card play or that may be
newly defined. For example, each game may comprise a specific
variation of poker, such as "5-Card Stud, "Texas Hold'Em," or any
other desired variation.
[0027] Memory state 300 is indicated schematically as being
comprised of different blocks: a game engine block 302, player
blocks 304, 306, and 308, and a translation block 310. A separate
player block should be provided for each player. Blocks are defined
by the function and access privileges, and are not limited to any
particular configuration of physical memory. The game engine block
302 maintains the reference game and is accessible at the game
engine level only; i.e., is not directly accessible by the players.
The translation block maintains the map between the reference game
and the playing suits, and is also not directly accessible to the
players. Each player may view and interact only with her own memory
block 304, 306 or 308.
[0028] At an exemplary point during game play, game engine block
302 may hold player hands P1, P2 and P2, and one or more public
cards. In the illustrated example, the public card has the value
"Suit 1-Ace." Player One (P1) has five cards: "Suit 1-3," "Suit
1-7," "Suit 2-King," "Suit 4-10," and "Suit 4-J." Other randomly or
quasi-randomly selected hands are shown for Player Two (P2) and
Player Three (P3), the values of which should be apparent from FIG.
3.
[0029] Translation block 310 maintains maps between each player's
playing suit and the reference suit. For example, Player One may be
assigned a first playing suit 222 as shown in FIG. 2. Likewise,
Player Two may be assigned the playing suit 224 and Player Three
may be assigned suit 226. Any other or additional playing suits may
be mapped in translation block 310.
[0030] Thus, referring again to FIG. 3, block 304 holds Player
One's hand and the public card mapped to playing suit 222. Player
One sees that she holds a Three of Spades, a Seven of Spades, a
King of Hearts, a Ten of Diamonds and a Jack of Diamonds. She sees
the public card as an Ace of Hearts. Player Two, interfacing with
the game via block 306, sees the public card as the Ace of Clubs
and sees her own hand mapped to playing suit 224. Player Three sees
the public card as an Ace of Spades and sees his own hand mapped to
playing suit 226. Each player plays the entire game in his or her
own mapped suit, and remains unaware of other players' mappings.
If, for example, Player Two reveals her hand (which to Player Two
appears as the Five of Clubs, Seven of Clubs, One of Diamonds, Five
of Diamonds and Queen of Hearts), these values are mapped through
the translation block 310 such that Player One sees the Five of
Hearts, Seven of Hearts, One of Clubs, Five of Clubs and the Queen
of Diamonds. In the same way, Player Three sees Player Two's hand
if revealed to him as the Five of Spades, Seven of Spades, One of
Diamonds, Five of Diamonds and the Queen of Hearts.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary arrangement for a game 400 using
duplicate hands. The suit mapping method disclosed herein should be
used to prevent unwanted or illicit disclosures between players. An
exemplary group of nine players P1-P9 is illustrated, although it
should be apparent that any plural number of players may be grouped
in a corresponding fashion. Players P1, P2 and P3 are grouped in a
first game 402. Players P4, P5 and P6 are grouped in a second game
404. Players P7, P8, and P9 are grouped in a third game 406. Any
number of corresponding games may be played. Games 402, 404, and
406 may be played at the same time, or nearly so, and include at
least a portion of players receiving hands identical to players in
other games. Public cards may also be identical, but to prevent
decoding of suit mapping, public cards determined by the game
engine may, in the alternative, be different in different games. In
the alternative, or in addition, the games may be played at
different times. Players P1-P9 are remotely located and interact
via a game engine as described herein. The game engine should not
provide for any communication between players in different games
concerning the state of game play.
[0032] Players P1-P9 are further grouped as receiving identical
hands. For example, Players P1, P4, and P7 in row 408 may receive
identical hands, but each player receives a different player suit
transformation, which conceals the fact that the reference hands
are identical. Likewise, Players P2, P5 and P8 in row 410 may
receive identical hands, as may Players P3, P6 and P9 in row 412.
In an embodiment of the invention, one or more "horizontal" group
of players does not receive identical hands, but rather randomly
selected hands from the remaining set of undealt cards so as to
prevent complete identity between games and make it more difficult
for collaborating players in different groups to benefit from
sharing information. In the alternative, all of the players may
receive identical hands, so that games 402, 404, and 406 are
completely identical, except for different suit mapping. Even so,
when each game involves a large number of players, the chances that
a relatively small number of conspiring players will be able to
gain useful information is greatly reduced by different suit
mapping across games. If public cards provided by the dealer (game
engine), for example the "flop" cards in Texas Hold 'Em, are not
identical in different games, the benefit of information sharing
may be further reduced.
[0033] Whatever the details of the game and the extent to which
different games in the set are identical, the arrangement of play
shown in FIG. 4 should benefit players who wish to compete in a
test of playing skill, with a reduced element of luck. When
multiple games are played in this fashion, over the course of many
games the most talented players should emerge as winners.
[0034] FIG. 5 shows an alternative arrangement 500 in which
identical games are played in a randomly selected order. A
plurality of games, arbitrarily designated G1, G7, G8, G19, G27,
G36 and G12 are maintained in a memory block 506 operably
associated with a game engine 502. Each game comprises a reference
set of hands for a designated number of players, for example, five
players P1-P5 in the illustrated example. System 500 may be adapted
for any plural number of players and any plural number of games. As
described above, the retained games may be completely defined so as
always to result in the same distribution of cards, or may include
one or more hands or public cards that are selected differently in
different instances of game play.
[0035] Game engine interfaces with players 508 via a translation
module 504, providing separate suit transformations to each player
P1-P5 as described herein. Preferably, suit transformations are
changed between every game. A series of games 510 are played. At
intervals, the length of which may be randomly determined, the same
game is provided to the players, but different players receive
different hands. For example, game G! may be played in which player
P1 receives hand H1, player P2 receives hand H2, and so forth. Some
number of games later, the same group of players P1-P5 may receive
the same game G1, but this time each player receives a different
hand, or randomly receives the same hand as before. That is, hands
are selected in a new process that either guarantees a different
distribution of hands using a non-random rotation, or is likely to
result in a different distribution using a separate random
selection. The second time, player P1 receives hand H3 (or any
other different or randomly selected hand), player P2 receives hand
H5, and so forth as indicated in FIG. 5. A particular game may be
played any number of times. With a sufficient number of intervening
games and different suit transformations between identical games,
most or all players will not perceive that the same game is being
played by the group.
[0036] According to the foregoing, therefore, a method 600 of
managing a plurality of card games is defined as exemplified by
FIG. 6. The method may be applied in a computer-implemented system
for playing a game of chance using a set of simulated game pieces
associated with game symbols separable into subsets characterized
by common types. For example, the game pieces may comprise playing
cards for poker or other traditional card games.
[0037] Method 600 may comprise a step 602 of maintaining a map in a
memory operatively associated with a computer, wherein the map
defines one-to-many relationships between each type of a reference
set of game symbol types and each type of a plurality of different
playing sets of game symbol types. The simulated game pieces used
in the method may represent a set (deck or decks) of playing cards,
with the game symbol types correspond to suits in the set. The
computer may randomly select, for each of the plurality of players,
the different ones of the plurality of playing sets. The computer
may comprise a single processor or computer, or a plurality of
processors or computers in communication with one another.
[0038] At concurrent step 604, a computer in communication with the
memory in which the map is maintained may communicate with the
plurality of players to manage a game according to defined rules,
such as rules for poker or other games. Optionally, the computer
may communicate with the players, at least some of whom may be
remotely located, via a wide area network. The computer may serve a
player interface to each player, or in the alternative, may
communicate with an interface operating on remote clients, or some
combination of the foregoing. The computer may receive inputs from
the plurality of players indicative of game play moves.
[0039] At step 606, the computer randomly allocates simulated game
pieces to the plurality of players according to rules of the game
of chance, e.g., deals simulated cards for poker. The allocating
step should comprise allocating duplicate sets of simulated game
pieces to different ones of the plurality of players. As described
in more detail above, the duplicate sets may be allocated at
substantially the same time to the different ones of the plurality
of players playing in separate player groups. In the alternative,
or in addition, the duplicate sets may be allocated at
substantially different times to the different ones of the
plurality of players. These alternatives are further described by
FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively, and the accompanying discussion.
[0040] At step 608, the computer maintains a reference game record
of simulated game pieces during play of the game of chance. The
reference game record comprises information associating simulated
game pieces according to the reference set with each of the
plurality of players, as shown by the examples herein. The computer
may update the reference game record in response to the player
inputs indicative of game play moves.
[0041] At step 610, the computer translates at least a portion of
the reference game record using the map to provide different ones
of the plurality of players with information about allocated game
pieces, using corresponding different ones of the plurality of
different playing sets. For example, separate poker games may be
maintained by translating from the reference game. As noted above,
each player should receive information about her hand only in her
designated playing set of symbol. All players should be prevented
from access to the reference game record or the map, to prevent
cheating that might occur by collaborating players in different
ones of the separate games.
[0042] The foregoing disclosure exemplifies only two possible
systems or methods for distribution of identical games to a player
pool, as diagrammed by FIGS. 4 and 5. One of ordinary skill may
develop variations on these systems or methods based on the
disclosure herein. The invention may be applied to a wide variety
of card and similar games to provide new and interesting methods of
managing play, while facilitating fairer competition and
discouraging cheating. The invention is defined by the following
claims.
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