U.S. patent application number 15/889041 was filed with the patent office on 2018-08-09 for four-card poker game with variable wager.
The applicant listed for this patent is Bally Gaming, Inc.. Invention is credited to Roger M. Snow.
Application Number | 20180221756 15/889041 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37693472 |
Filed Date | 2018-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180221756 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Snow; Roger M. |
August 9, 2018 |
FOUR-CARD POKER GAME WITH VARIABLE WAGER
Abstract
A casino game utilizes at least one deck of playing cards, the
game comprising: each player placing at least one wager to
participate in the casino game; dealing a first number of cards to
a dealer, the first number of cards being greater than the number
of cards to be used in determination of a poker rank hand for the
dealer; dealing a second number of cards to each player, the second
number of cards being greater than the number of cards to be used
in determination of a poker rank hand for each player; the dealer
discarding at least one card to form a resulting single dealer
hand; each player discarding at least one card to form a resulting
player's hand for each player, wherein the number of cards in the
resulting player's hands and the resulting dealer's hand are equal;
and resolving each player hand against the dealer's hand according
to predetermined game rules. The initial player's wagers must be at
least matched with a Game Bet (or play bet) to remain in the game
after players have received their cards. The Game Bet may be
multiples of the initial player's wagers, for example, 1.times. to
5.times. the initial wager, or more.
Inventors: |
Snow; Roger M.; (Las Vegas,
NV) |
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Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Bally Gaming, Inc. |
Las Vegas |
NV |
US |
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Family ID: |
37693472 |
Appl. No.: |
15/889041 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11499864 |
Aug 4, 2006 |
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15889041 |
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10152325 |
May 20, 2002 |
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11499864 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 3/00157 20130101;
A63F 2001/005 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63F 3/00 20060101
A63F003/00 |
Claims
1. A method of operating a table with at least one physical deck of
cards and a limited set of ante multipliers, the table bearing a
layout illustrated to define at least one player position with an
Ante area, a Play area, and a Bonus area, the Bonus area labeled
for visual association with a reward table posted at the table, the
method comprising: operating the table in a round of the method
according to a set of rules defining an ordered combination of
steps, the ordered combination of steps comprising: receiving at
the Ante area at least one physical token for an Ante and to
indicate participation in the round of the method; distributing,
from at least one deck of intermixed cards and to a card receiving
area designated on the layout of the table, five cards to form a
complete set of player cards and at least five additional cards to
form a complete set of dealer cards, the complete set of player
cards consisting of four playable player cards and one excess
player card, the complete set of dealer cards consisting of four
playable dealer cards and at least one excess dealer card;
receiving a player-made election from an election set consisting
of: a fold, and a limited set of ante multipliers comprising
consisting of 1.times., 2.times., and 3.times. the Ante, and after
receiving the player-made election of one of the limited set of
ante multipliers in the form of receiving at least one other
physical token occupying the Play area to indicate participation in
a Play event, resolving the Ante and the Play event according to
the set of rules, comprising: forming a final set of dealer cards
consisting of the four playable dealer cards from the complete set
of dealer cards; and after forming the final set of dealer cards:
upon a determination that the final set of dealer cards is
outranked by a final set of player cards consisting of the four
playable player cards from the complete set of player cards,
distributing at least one additional physical token to a player
position, of the at least one player position, associated with the
Ante area occupied by the at least one physical token and
associated with the Play area occupied by the at least one other
physical token; or upon a determination that the final set of
dealer cards outranks the final set of player cards consisting of
the four playable player cards, removing the at least one physical
token from the Ante area and removing the at least one other
physical token from the Play area.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing at least five
additional cards to form a complete set of dealer cards comprises
distributing six additional cards to form the complete set of
dealer cards.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing at least five
additional cards to form a complete set of dealer cards comprises
distributing five additional cards to form the complete set of
dealer cards.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing at least five
additional cards to form a complete set of dealer cards comprises:
distributing, from the at least one deck of intermixed cards and to
the card receiving area designated on the layout of the table, at
least five additional cards to form an initial set of dealer cards;
after distributing the at least five additional cards to form the
initial set of dealer cards, applying a predetermined minimum rank
to the initial set of dealer cards; and after applying the
predetermined minimum rank to the initial set of dealer cards: with
the initial set of dealer cards not at least meeting the
predetermined minimum rank, distributing, from the at least one
deck of intermixed cards and to the card receiving area designated
on the layout of the table, at least five more cards to replace the
initial set of dealer cards and to form the complete set of dealer
cards; or with the initial set of dealer cards at least meeting the
predetermined minimum rank, distributing no additional cards from
the at least one deck of intermixed cards, the initial set of
dealer cards forming the complete set of dealer cards.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before receiving the
player-made election, applying a predetermined minimum ranking to
the complete set of player cards to identify the complete set of
player cards at least meets the predetermined minimum ranking.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before the
distributing, receiving, in the Bonus area, at least one more
physical token designating participation in a Bonus event.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, after receiving the
player-made election of the one of the limited set of ante
multipliers in the form of receiving at least one other physical
token occupying the Play area to indicate participation in the Play
event, resolving the Bonus event, comprising applying the reward
table to the final set of player cards consisting of the four
playable player cards from the complete set of player cards.
8. A method of operating a table game with at least one physical
deck of cards and a limited set of ante multipliers, the method
comprising: providing a physical layout designating a plurality of
player positions each bearing indicia designating an Ante area, a
Play area, and a Bonus area, each of the player positions imprinted
with a Bonus award table, wherein the Bonus area, the Ante area,
the Play area, and the Bonus award table are arranged vertically,
from nearest a player seat to nearest a dealer position, in the
order of the Bonus award table, the Play area, the Ante area, and
the Bonus area, respectively; and operating the table game in a
round of the method according to a set of rules, the round
comprising: receiving, from a player, a token in the Ante area as
an Ante and to indicate participation by the player in the round;
receiving, from the player, another token in the Bonus area to
indicate participation by the player in a Bonus feature of the
round; distributing cards from a resource of intermixed playing
cards, the intermixed playing cards comprising at least one
physical deck of cards, the distributing comprising: distributing
five cards to form a complete set of player cards, the complete set
of player cards consisting of four playable player cards and one
excess player card; and distributing at least five cards to form a
complete set of dealer cards, the complete set of dealer cards
consisting of four playable dealer cards and at least one excess
dealer card; receiving a player-made election from an election set
consisting of: a fold, and a limited set of ante multipliers
consisting of 1.times., 2.times., and 3.times. the Ante; and after
receiving the player-made election, resolving at least the Ante
based at least in part on a rank comparison of the four playable
player cards to the four playable dealer cards.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein distributing at least five cards
to form a complete set of dealer cards comprises distributing six
cards to form the complete set of dealer cards, the complete set of
dealer cards consisting of the four playable dealer cards and two
excess dealer cards.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein distributing at least five cards
to form a complete set of dealer cards comprises distributing five
cards to form the complete set of dealer cards, the complete set of
dealer cards consisting of the four playable dealer cards and one
excess dealer card.
11. The method of claim 8, further comprising resolving the Bonus
feature, comprising applying the Bonus award table to the four
playable player cards.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein providing a physical layout
comprises providing the physical layout designating the plurality
of player positions each bearing the indicia, the indicia further
comprising a Super Bonus area, each of the player positions further
imprinted with a Super Bonus award table laterally disposed to the
Ante area.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving, from the
player, an additional token in the Super Bonus area to indicate
participation by the player in a Super Bonus feature.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, after receiving the
player-made election, resolving the Super Bonus feature, comprising
distributing an award to the player for the four playable player
cards meeting an hand ranking defined in the Super Bonus award
table.
15. The method of claim 8, wherein distributing at least five cards
to form a complete set of dealer cards comprises: distributing,
from the resource of intermixed playing cards, an initial set of at
least five cards; after distributing the initial set of at least
five cards, applying a predetermined minimum rank to the initial
set of at least five cards; and after applying the predetermined
minimum rank to the initial set of at least five cards: with the
initial set of at least five cards at least meeting the
predetermined minimum rank, forming the complete set of dealer
cards from only the initial set of at least five cards; or with the
initial set of at least five cards not at least meeting the
predetermined minimum rank, distributing, from the resource of
intermixed playing cards, another set of at least five cards to
replace the initial set of at least five cards and to form the
complete set of dealer cards.
16. The method of claim 8, further comprising, after distributing
the cards from the resource of intermixed playing cards and before
receiving the player-made election, applying a predetermined
minimum ranking to the complete set of player cards to identify the
complete set of player cards at least meets the predetermined
minimum ranking.
17. The method of claim 8, further comprising, after distributing
the five cards to form the complete set of player cards, resolving
the Bonus feature, comprising applying the Bonus award table to the
four playable player cards.
18. A method of operating a token collecting game with at least one
physical deck of cards and a limited set of ante multipliers, the
method comprising: providing a physical game layout designating
player positions and a dealer position, each of the player
positions visually defining an Ante area and a Play area; and
operating the token collecting game in a round of the method
according to a rules set, the round comprising: receiving, from a
player and at the Ante area, one or more physical tokens as an Ante
and to indicate participation in the round, dealing, on the layout
and from an inventory of intermixed, physical, playing cards, a
complete set of player cards and a complete set of dealer cards,
the complete set of player cards consisting of four playable player
cards and one excess player card, the complete set of dealer cards
consisting of four playable dealer cards and two excess dealer
cards; accepting from the player an election selected during
administration of the round from an election set consisting of: a
fold, leaving the Play area unoccupied, and a limited set of ante
multipliers consisting of 1.times. to 3.times. the Ante designated
in the form of at least one additional physical token occupying the
Play area; and after accepting from the player the election,
resolving the round based at least in part on a comparison of a
ranking of the four playable player cards to a ranking of the four
playable dealer cards.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/499,864, filed Aug. 4, 2006, abandoned,
which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/152,325, filed May 20, 2002, abandoned, the disclosure of each
of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein by this
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of games, card
games, wagering card games and especially poker-type casino
wagering games.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The present invention generally relates to a card game that
can be played in a casino or in a card room. More particularly, it
relates to a modified version of a stud poker game.
[0004] As a leisure time activity, poker and other card games have
been popular for many years. The capital requirements for playing
poker and other table card games are very low. All that are needed
are one or more decks of cards, a playing surface and a few
participants. Five-card poker is a game that most people know how
to play and many games have been developed using the same basic
priority or rank order of winning poker hands: royal flush,
straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three
of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card(s) in hand.
[0005] For some time, it had been difficult to adapt the rules of
poker into a casino table game in which each player plays against
the house, rather than against other players. Although club-type
games with players wagering against each other have been popular,
it was desirable for a game to be played where the house received a
more direct payback from the game. In a conventional poker game, a
number of players (greater than one) are each dealt a poker hand by
one player (or the house dealer who does not play in the game) who
acts as the dealer. The player with the highest ranking hand based
on the established priority ranking of poker hands wins. Each
player in turn deals a hand as the game continues. It is usually
essential to have wagering steps in the game to maintain the
interest and excitement of the game. In the absence of wagering,
there is little to commend the play of poker.
[0006] Many places, both within and without the United States, have
legalized gaming. Poker is one of the games of chance offered in
both casinos and card rooms. In a conventional card room poker
game, the house provides a dealer, the playing cards, the table and
chairs, but the house does not play a hand. The house collects a
nominal percentage of each player's bet ("the rake") that
compensates the house for providing the facilities to the players.
Alternatively, the house may charge each player a set amount per
hand or for a specified length of time of play. Each player is
competing not against the house, but against all the other players,
with the highest hand winning the total of all the wagers made on
that hand.
[0007] Many people do not like to play card room poker because each
player is competing against his fellow players, not against the
house. Many people would rather attempt win money from an
impersonal source, e.g., the house or the casino, rather than from
their fellow players, with whom they may be acquainted. Card room
poker also tends to not offer any bonus payments for particularly
good hands, although bonuses are sometimes paid for highest hands
in tournaments or for specific combinations of hands at poker
tables (e.g., a losing hand of at least a full house). While a
royal flush is a rare occurrence and generates a thrill for any
poker player, the player collects the same total wager that he
would have collected if the hand was won with a three of a
kind.
[0008] In the past fifteen years, a number of card games have been
introduced to provide poker-type card games as house-banked casino
table games. These games have focused on a number of elements in
providing excitement and staying power for the games. The games
must be quickly understood by players. The rules must be simple and
clear. The resolution of wagers by the dealer must be easily
accomplished. The reading of hands by a dealer must not be complex.
In addition, the games must provide a high enough hit frequency to
appeal to players, yet allow the house to retain a profitable
portion of the wagers. These needs have limited the number of
successful games that have been designed and successfully
introduced into the casino gaming market.
[0009] Among the successful games are LET IT RIDE BONUS.RTM. poker,
THREE CARD POKER.TM. game, and CARIBBEAN STUD.RTM. poker. These
games have each achieved a high level of commercial success with
different formats and attributes.
[0010] LET IT RIDE BONUS.RTM. stud poker is described in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,288,081. In this game, the player makes a wager in three
parts, three cards are dealt to each player (there may be only a
single player), and two common cards are dealt face down in front
of the dealer. The player examines his/her three cards, evaluates
the likelihood of a ranked hand (e.g., at least a pair of tens)
being achieved with those three cards and the as yet unseen common
cards. The player, based on judgment of that likelihood, may elect
to withdraw the first of the three-part wager or keep the wager at
risk. Upon the player making that decision, and withdrawing or
allowing the first wager to remain at risk, a first of the common
cards is turned face up. The player then can make another decision
with regard to the play of the hand and whether there is a changed
potential for a ranked hand. A second portion of the three-part
wager is then withdrawn or allowed to remain at risk. After this
decision, the last common card is exposed, and the rank of each
player's hand, including the common cards, is evaluated. Payments
are made to each player based on only the rank of hand achieved and
the number of wagers left on the table from the original three-part
wager. As noted, at least one wager must remain, as only two parts
can have been withdrawn. Wagers are paid off at rates (or odds),
for example, of 1:1 for pairs of at least tens, 2:1 for two pairs,
3:1 for three of a kind, 5:1 for straights, 7:1 for flushes, 12:1
for full houses, 50:1 for four of a kind, 250:1 for straight
flushes, and 1000:1 for royal flushes. The specific payout odds can
be varied and often casinos choose payout tables that help them
achieve a desired percentage hold. Side bonus wagers may also be
placed in which ranked hands over three of a kind receive fixed or
progressive bonuses, such as $25,000 for a royal flush. The bonus
payouts and hand combinations are typically displayed on a payout
table on the table surface.
[0011] The THREE CARD POKER.TM. game (as described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,685,774) deals three cards to each player and three cards to the
dealer, all face down. Initially, one or two optional wagers may be
made by the player. One such wager is for the "Pair Plus" bonus
bet, a bet on achieving a winning combination included in a payout
table. Another wager is the game ante on which the player competes
against the dealer. The Pair Plus bet, in one example of the
invention, is a wager that the three-card hand will have a rank of
at least one pair or more. The hand is paid off in multiples of the
bet, depending upon the rank of the hand, with up to 40:1 or more
paid out for three of a kind. In the ante wager, if the player
wants to compete against the dealer's hand (after viewing the rank
of the player's hand), an additional wager equal to one or two
times the ante must be placed by the player. The dealer's hand is
then exposed. If the dealer does not have a hand of at least a
certain qualifying rank (e.g., at least queen high), the dealer's
hand is not in play. If the player has not made the additional
wager, the ante is collected by the dealer at some point in the
play of the game. If the player has made the additional wager, the
ante is paid off to the player if the dealer's hand has not
qualified or if the dealer's hand is not as high a rank as the
player's hand. If the dealer's hand has qualified, and the dealer's
hand is higher than the player's hand, then the ante and the
additional wager are collected by the house. If the dealer's hand
qualifies (e.g., at least queen high) and is lower than the
player's hand rank, both the ante and additional wager are paid
off, with multiples payable to the ante wager for certain high
ranking hands (e.g., straights, flushes, straight flushes, three of
a kind, etc.). The ranking of the various poker hands is different
than in five-card poker games.
[0012] In CARIBBEAN STUD.RTM. poker, described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,836,553, a player makes an initial ante wager, and five cards are
dealt to each player and to a dealer. The dealer exposes one of the
five cards to influence the player. The player decides if the dealt
player hand is of sufficient rank to compete against the dealer's
hand. The player may fold the player's hand at that time, or
continue the game by placing an additional wager (referred to as
the "Bet") that is usually required to be twice the value of the
ante. The dealer's hand qualifies for active play against the Bet
with a rank of at least ace-king. If the dealer qualifies, the
ranks of the players' hands are compared with the rank of the
dealer's hand. Players with hands of higher rank than the dealer's
hand win both the ante and the Bet. Players with hands of lower
rank than the dealer's hand lose both the ante and the Bet. If an
initial side bet (often referred to as the Jackpot side bet) has
been made by the player, ranked hands of particularly high values
(e.g., at least a flush) are paid absolute bonus amounts or may be
paid out of a progressive jackpot. This bonus side bet is paid
whether or not the rank of the player's hand exceeds the rank of
the dealer's hand.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,827 describes another poker-type casino
table card game. This game may be played at a table with as many as
seven players competing against a dealer. The play of the game is
fairly complex, with each player having both multiple hands and
utilization of a dealer's card. One method of play is to provide
each player with three cards and to provide the dealer with four
cards. The dealer's play of cards is predetermined, while the
players may select their desired holding. Player's hands are
competing directly against the dealer's hand in each of the hands
made by the player and the dealer.
[0014] It is always desirable to explore alternative games for play
in the field of gaming tables to provide players with varied
experiences and alternatives to known games.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0015] A casino table poker game is played with poker hands of
players competing against a poker hand of a dealer. A player enters
the game by placing one or both of a Bonus Bet (also referred to as
an Aces-Up wager), for competition against a pay table, and an
Ante, for direct competition against the dealer. The player is
dealt more cards than needed to form a poker hand. The dealer is
also provided with more than the required number of cards, from
which a number of cards are selected for the dealer's hand to play.
The player is provided with bonus payouts (e.g., multiple returns)
on the Aces-Up bet for ranked hands or a pair of aces or better.
The players' hands also compete directly against the rank of the
dealer's hand if an additional play bet is placed to supplement the
ante. The additional play bet may be varied by the player to be
1.times., 2.times., 3.times., 4.times., or 5.times. the amount of
the ante. Bonuses may also be paid on the Aces-Up or ante wager
with unusually high-ranking player's hands (such as a straight
flush or four of a kind), whether or not the rank of the player's
hand exceeds the rank of the dealer's hand.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE
[0016] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a gaming table layout suitable for
play of the game of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] A casino table card game is played on a table by at least
one player and a dealer. The dealer usually represents the house or
the casino in the play of the game. As shown in FIG. 1, wagering
areas 10 are provided for each player, and card-receiving areas 12
are available for each of the players and the dealer. The wagering
areas 10 may include three distinct wagering zones for each player
comprising a Bonus wager area 14 (e.g., the Aces-Up wager), an Ante
area 16, and a Bet area 18. To initiate play of the game, at least
one (and usually only one) deck of standard or variant playing
cards is provided. In other forms of the game, multiple intermixed
decks of cards, decks with wild cards, or special decks (i.e.,
decks with certain cards removed) are used. Each player who wishes
to enter the play of the game makes at least one wager selected
from the Bonus Bet (or Aces-Up wager) and the Ante. One or both of
these wagers may be made. The player may also play the hand blind
(also referred to as the "House Way") by placing both an Ante and
an additional Game Bet (referred to in FIG. 1 as the "Play Bet").
After placement of the at least one wager, each player who has made
an at least one wager is provided with a number of cards,
preferably five, from which to select a best four-card poker hand.
The cards may be dealt as a complete set of five cards or in
portions of one or more cards. At about the same time, the dealer
is dealt a number of cards exceeding four. In one example of the
invention, six cards are dealt. One or more additional cards can be
dealt to the player, the dealer or both.
[0018] Although in one example of the invention the dealer receives
one more card than each player, the number of cards dealt can be
equal. What is important is that enough cards are dealt so that at
least one discard can be made.
[0019] In a preferred form of the invention, a four-card poker hand
is played. The player reviews the five cards received at that
player position and determines what best four-card poker hand can
be made from the five cards. If the player believes that the cards
cannot form a four-card poker rank of sufficiently high rank to
warrant competition against the dealer's hand (even without that
hand or any portion of that hand having been displayed), the player
may fold the hand, refusing to place an additional wager. At this
time, or, usually, a later time, the Ante would be collected by the
dealer. In one example of the invention, if the player made the
Aces-Up bet and the Ante bet and decides to fold, the Aces-Up bet
is swept along with the Ante. In another form of the invention, if
the player remains in the game by making the Play Bet and the
player's hand does not contain a hand ranking of a pair of aces or
higher, and a bet was made on the Ace-Up wager, the Ace-Up wager
may be now or later collected by the dealer. If the player
determines that the rank of the best four-card poker hand that can
be made from the five cards dealt to the player is sufficiently
high so as to warrant competition against the dealer (or if the
player wants to "bluff" against the dealer, particularly if the
dealer must qualify), the player may make an additional wager,
referred to as a "Play Bet" or "Game Bet." That additional wager
may be multiples of the Ante, such as 1.times., 2.times., 3.times.,
4.times. or 5.times. the amount of the original Ante, at the option
of the player. In some examples of the invention, the game bet is
1.times. the ante unless the player has a qualifying hand, such as
a pair of kings or better, for example. If the player's hand
qualifies, he has the option of increasing his bet.
[0020] Fractional amounts or larger amounts may be allowed, but
they may complicate the payout or alter the hold for the house, so
such changes are at the discretion of the casino.
[0021] After discarding excess cards and placing the Game Bet, or
placing the fifth card face down, or merely leaving the fifth card
in the hand so that the hand may be arranged and ranked by the
dealer or player when exposed, the player's hand is placed on the
table for display. The dealer's hand is then revealed after each
and every player has determined whether or not the Game Bet is to
be made. The dealer compares the value or rank of his hand against
the value or rank of each player's hand, usually in succession
around the table, and each series of wagers (the Aces-Up wager, the
Ante and the Game Bet) is resolved. Ties on the rank of player's
hands and the dealer's hands may be either paid to the player,
called a push, or collected by the dealer, depending upon the
desired house advantage the casino wants to build into the game.
The dealer may either always qualify (a preferred method of play),
or a level of qualification may be built into the game (such as, at
least queen high, at least king high, at least queen-jack, at least
king-jack, at least ace-king, or at least one pair).
[0022] Resolution on the wagers may be based upon pay tables for
the Aces-Up wager, pay tables on the Ante, and/or the Game Bet.
Preferred play of the game provides pay tables for one or more of
the Aces-Up wager, the Ante and an automatic bonus payout on the
ante. The Game Bet pays one-to-one with a player win. This
differentiation is based upon the fact that with certain very
high-ranking hands, the player would be at an extreme advantage in
placing a 5.times. Game Bet, assuring a very high multiple payout,
with essentially no risk or little risk involved in the placement
of the 5.times. Game Bet wager. The payout of wagers may be
tailored by the casino by selecting pay tables designed for greater
player payouts or greater casino earnings.
[0023] Although a four-card poker game is a preferred form of the
invention, the game could also be played with three, five or seven
cards, with necessary adjustments to the pay tables.
[0024] For example, in a four-card game, the hierarchy of hands is
as follows: [0025] Four of a Kind [0026] Straight Flush [0027]
Three of a Kind [0028] Flush [0029] Straight [0030] Two Pair [0031]
Pair [0032] High Card. A three- or five-card game would require a
different hierarchy of hand rankings.
[0033] There are many variations of the game that may be played
within the scope of the present invention. The following variations
on the format described above shall be described in a manner that
should enable those skilled in the art to appreciate the expanded
scope of play available, rather than considering any single
described method as limiting the intended scope of the game.
[0034] Version I--Each player receives five cards, and the dealer
receives six cards. The players and the dealer identify their best
four-card poker hands, and the players may rely upon the house for
assistance, if needed. The dealer always qualifies; that is, the
dealer's hand and any players' hands are always in play if the ante
bet is made. Players have the choice of placing one or both of the
Ante Bet and a Bonus Bet (i.e., the Aces-Up wager). House rules may
require the player to make the Ante Bet, the Bonus Bet, or both the
Ante Bet and Bonus Bet. The Ante Bet is a wager directly against
the rank of the dealer's hand, and the Aces-Up Bonus Bet is a bet
against a pay table. If after viewing his/her hand, a player
chooses to stay in the game against the dealer (keeping the Ante
wager in play), the player must make an additional Game Bet to stay
in the game. This Game Bet may be, for example, between one and
five (or between one and four, or between one and three) times the
amount of the initial Ante wager at the opinion of the player. In
other forms of the game, the player's Game Bet must be 1.times. the
Ante unless the player holds a qualifying hand of a pair of aces or
better. If the player has a qualifying hand, he can bet up to
3.times. the Ante. Preferably, the player must hold a pair of aces
or better to win on the Bonus Bet (hence the name "Aces-Up"). The
Bonus Bet preferably pays a maximum return of 50:1, but payouts may
theoretically be as high as 500:1 for certain hands, such as for
four aces.
[0035] The Bonus Bet side bet game may or may not be present in the
rules of the game. In this example of the invention, the game pays
an automatic bonus for certain high-ranking hands according to a
payout schedule. This bonus is paid on the Ante wager, and does not
require the player to make a separate bet to qualify for this
payout. For example, automatic bonuses are paid on three of a kind,
straight flushes, and four of a kind.
[0036] Version II--Each player and the dealer get five cards to
make the best four-card poker hand. If the dealer's hand does not
equal or exceed a certain rank (e.g., a pair of twos or better), he
discards all cards and draws a new five-card hand, and then makes a
four-card poker hand from the five cards. The player must make the
Ante wager to be in the game against the dealer. The dealer always
qualifies to play against the player. It is possible to allow the
player or require the player to make the Ante wager 1) before the
deal of cards, 2) after the deal of cards but before any cards are
revealed, 3) after the deal of cards and after the players have
reviewed their cards but before the dealer has exposed cards, 4)
after the deal of cards and a partial or complete revelation of the
dealer's five cards (but before review of the players' cards), or
5) after the deal of cards and a review of the players' cards and a
partial revelation or complete revelation of the dealer's five
cards, which play might be restricted to where the dealer has not
qualified (but not after revelation of any sixth card). The
player's hand may be required to exceed a minimum rank to bet more
than 1.times. the Ante. For example, if the player has a qualifying
hand of a pair of kings or better, the player can make a Game Bet
of 1.times., 2.times. or 3.times. the Ante. As with Version I, the
rules can provide that the Bonus Bet (side bet) is mandatory or
that both initial bets (the Ante and the Bonus Bet) are mandatory.
The automatic bonus against a pay table on the Ante bet may or may
not be present in the rules of the game. The Bonus Bet game may or
may not be present in the rules of the game. In this example, a
pair of aces or better qualifies the player for an Aces-Up payout
of 1:1. The automatic bonus pays even if the player's hand is lower
in rank than the dealer's hand.
[0037] Version III--The players and dealer each receive five cards
to make their best four-card poker hand. The betting/wagering rules
and procedures are the same as in the previous versions, except for
those listed below. Either the Ante is mandatory, the Ante or the
Bonus Bet is mandatory, or both initial wagers are mandatory. The
dealer must qualify to play (for example, with a hand of Ace high
or better, King-Queen or higher, Ace-King or higher, pair of deuces
or higher, etc.). The automatic bonus side bet game against a pay
table is present in the rules of this example of the game.
[0038] If the player stays in the game, the player can bet 1.times.
to 3.times. the Ante if the player has a qualifying hand of a pair
of Kings or better. Otherwise, the maximum Game Bet is 1.times. the
Ante. The lowest ranking hand that qualifies for the bonus payout
is a pair of Aces or better.
[0039] Version IV--Four-Card Poker with Super Bonus--The dealer and
each player are dealt five cards each. The cards are used to make
the best four-card poker hand by the players and the dealer. The
hands are ranked according to the following four-card poker ranking
schedule:
[0040] Four of a Kind
[0041] Straight Flush
[0042] Three of a Kind
[0043] Flush
[0044] Straight
[0045] Two Pair
[0046] Pair
[0047] High Card.
[0048] Players can make a bet against the dealer (Ante), a bet
against the pay table (Aces-Up Bonus Bet) or both. House rules may
require one or both bets to be mandatory. In addition, the players
are required to make a "Super Bonus" bet in an amount equal to the
Ante in this example of the invention.
[0049] Players place equal bets on the Ante and/or Super Bonus
and/or Bonus spots on the layout. After viewing the cards, the
player must fold or place an additional Bet (play wager). If the
player's hand does not qualify with a pair of kings or better, the
player must bet 1.times. the Ante to stay in the game. With a
qualifying hand of a pair of kings or better, the player can bet an
amount equal to or in multiples of the Ante, such as 1.times.,
2.times., or 3.times. the Ante.
[0050] If the player has a higher-ranking hand than the dealer's
hand, the player is paid 1:1 on the Ante and the Play Bet. If the
dealer's hand outranks the player's hand, the player loses the Ante
and the Play Bet.
[0051] The player has the option (or may be required) at the
beginning of the game to place an Aces-Up bonus bet. In this
example of the invention, the player wins a bonus payout for a pair
of Aces or better. If the player makes the Ante and Play bets and
beats the dealer, but does not have a pair of Aces or better, the
player pushes on the bonus bet. The player is always paid on the
Aces-Up bonus bet, regardless of whether or not the player's hand
beats the dealer's hand.
[0052] In addition, this example of the invention includes a
mandatory Super Bonus bet that is made in an amount equal to the
ante. The player wins a payout for certain high ranking hands such
as a straight flush or four of a kind. A pay table is provided on
the layout to identify winning hands and payout amounts.
[0053] A failure to obtain a Super Bonus hand does not result in an
automatic loss of the bet.
[0054] For example, when the player's hand against the dealer does
not qualify with a pair of kings or a straight flush or better, but
the hand still beats the dealer, the Super Bonus bet pushes. But,
if the player folds on the Ante or loses the Ante and the Play Bets
against the dealer, the Super Bonus bet is also lost.
[0055] The Super Bonus bet is desirable in some instances where it
is desired to provide the house with a greater advantage. In this
example of the game, removing the mandatory Super Bonus bet causes
the game to favor the player. However, other rule changes, such as
requiring the dealer to qualify, or raising the minimum
qualification hand ranking when making the Play Bet are other means
to shift the odds to favor the house.
[0056] There are a number of advantages in the game of the present
invention. The fold rate on this game is approximately 21%, which
is lower than the fold rate in other known games, such as THREE
CARD POKER.TM.. This feature is believed to attract and retain
players, making the game more appealing to casinos.
[0057] Players win this game approximately 48% of the time, which
exceeds the expectation of many players, and increases player
appeal.
[0058] In some situations, e.g., when the player has a qualifying
hand, additional betting opportunities are available, such as
tripling down on the Ante, increasing player appeal.
[0059] By varying the number of cards made available to the dealer
and/or players, in forming the hands, by requiring the dealer's
hand to qualify or by eliminating dealer qualification, by
modifying the payouts and winning hand combinations possible on the
Bonus Bet, by adding the Super Bonus bet, etc., the payouts can be
made to pay as high as 500:1, e.g., for four of a kind hands. This
feature is believed to attract and retain more poker players.
[0060] The play of the game may be completed manually on a
non-electronic game table, with the dealer using a physical deck
(or decks) of cards, visually identifying the amounts and positions
of wagers, manually collecting and paying out wagers, etc. It is
possible to incorporate some degree or nearly an entire electronic
system into the game table or into the play of the game. Such
partial or complete electronic systems may perform such tasks as
identifying the existence of a wager (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,299,534; 5,377,973; and 5,377,994), or providing virtual cards
from an electronically stored deck of cards (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,255,915 and 5,897,436). The capabilities of technology are
constantly expanding, and the improvements in technology should not
be considered to avoid the underlying invention of the play of this
game. For example, player-monitoring systems, security systems,
integrated systems whereby shufflers identify the number of cards
and/or identify the specific cards and their positions in the play
of the game are contemplated in the practice of the present
invention.
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