System and method for playing a team gaming tournament

• US 20050102047A1
• Filed: 11/10/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glyn Ottofy
• Original Assignee: Glyn Ottofy
• Inventors: Ottofy, Glyn
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A system and method for playing a team gaming tournament that allows players to form teams of one or more players in order to allow a team'"'"'s performance in a gaming tournament to be dependent on both the performance of each individual member of the team as well as the number of players on each team.

Claims

1. A method for playing a team gaming tournament comprising, in combination, the steps of:

permitting a plurality of players to enter a gaming tournament;

forming a plurality of teams of at least one player from said plurality of players entered in said gaming tournament; and

calculating a placement finish for each of said plurality of teams in said gaming tournament in conformity with a predetermined formula having a dependence on both a number of players on each of said plurality of teams and a performance of each said plurality of players.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said calculation of said placement finish comprising the steps of:

assigning a finish number to each said plurality of players, said finish number being equivalent to an order that each said plurality of players is eliminated from said tournament relative to other said plurality of players;

assigning a finish equalization number to each said plurality of teams, said finish equalization number being equivalent to a maximum number of players allowed per each said plurality of teams divided by an actual number of players per each said plurality of teams;

assigning an equalization number to each said plurality of players, said equalization number being equivalent to a multiplication of said finish number of each said plurality of players of a team and said finish equalization number of said team; and

calculating a team placement finish, wherein each said plurality of teams having a placement finish equivalent to a sum of said equalization number for each of said plurality of players of each said plurality of teams, wherein a higher number corresponds to a higher team placement finish.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of assigning said finish number only to each said plurality of players finishing in a predetermined number of places in said gaming tournament.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving an entrance fee from at least on of said plurality of players and said plurality of teams in order for each said plurality of teams to enter said gaming tournament; and

paying at least one of at least one of said plurality of teams and at least of said plurality of players an award in conformity with at least one of a performance of each said plurality of teams and a performance of each said plurality of players, said award in conformity with a percentage of a total amount of said entrance fees received.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of;

paying a predetermined amount of said percentage as an award to teams having at least two players; and

paying a predetermined amount of said percentage as an award to teams having one player.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said gaming tournament being a poker tournament.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said poker tournament comprises at least one poker game of at least one of Texas Hold'"'"'em, Seven Card Stud Hi, Seven Card Stud Hi/Low, Five Card Stud, Omaha Hi, and Omaha Hi/Low.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of limiting a number of said plurality of players to enter said gaming tournament to a predetermined number.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of requiring each said plurality of teams to comprise a predetermined minimum number of players.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of limiting each said plurality of teams to a predetermined maximum number of players.

11. A method for playing a team gaming tournament comprising, in combination, the steps of:

providing a computer network including a server and at least one end-user computer coupled to said server via a network connection;

wherein said end-user computer has a graphical display portion adapted to display a browser window;

displaying a game of a gaming tournament in said browser window;

permitting a plurality of users to enter said game of said gaming tournament;

forming a plurality of teams of at least one user from said plurality of users entered in said gaming tournament;

sending user input from said plurality of users to said server; and

calculating a placement finish for each of said plurality of teams in said gaming tournament in conformity with a predetermined formula having dependence on both a number of users on each of said plurality of teams and a performance of each said plurality of users.

12. A server for providing a computer gaming tournament, comprising, in combination:

a memory for storing program instructions and data;

a processor coupled to said memory for executing said program instructions, wherein said program instructions include program instructions for;

displaying a browser window;

displaying a game of a gaming tournament in said browser window;

permitting a plurality of users to enter said game of said gaming tournament;

forming a plurality of teams of at least one user from said plurality of users entered in said gaming tournament;

receiving indications of user input from a plurality of user computers; and

calculating a placement finish for each said plurality of teams in said gaming tournament in conformity with a predetermined formula having dependence on both a number of users on each said plurality of teams and a performance of each said plurality of users.

13. The server of claim 12 wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

assigning a finish number to each said plurality of players, said finish number being equivalent to an order that each said plurality of users is eliminated from said tournament relative to other said plurality of users;

assigning a finish equalization number to each said plurality of teams, said finish equalization number being equivalent to a maximum number of users allowed per each said plurality of teams divided by an actual number of users per each said plurality of teams;

assigning an equalization number to each said plurality of users, said equalization number being equivalent to a multiplication of said finish number of each said plurality of users of a team and said finish equalization number of said team; and

calculating a placement finish, wherein each said plurality of teams having a placement finish equivalent to a sum of said equalization number for each of said plurality of users of each said plurality of teams, wherein a higher number corresponds to a higher team placement finish.

14. The server of claim 13 wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for assigning said finish number only to each said plurality of users finishing in a predetermined number of places in said gaming tournament.

15. The server of claim 12 wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

receiving an entrance fee from at least one of said plurality of users and said plurality of teams in order for each said plurality of teams to enter said gaming tournament; and

paying at least one of at least one of said plurality of teams and at least one of said plurality of users an award in conformity with at least one of a performance of each said plurality of teams and a performance of each said plurality of users, said award in conformity with a percentage of a total amount of said entrance fees received.

16. The server of claim 15 wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

paying a predetermined amount of said percentage as an award to teams having at least two users; and

paying a predetermined amount of said percentage as an award to teams having one user.

17. The server of claim 12 wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for said gaming tournament being a poker tournament.

18. The server of claim 17 wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for said poker tournament comprising at least one poker game of at least one of Texas Hold'"'"'em, Seven Card Stud Hi, Seven Card Stud Hi/Low, Five Card Stud, Omaha Hi, and Omaha Hi/Low.

19. The server of claim 12 wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for requiring each said plurality of teams to comprise a predetermined minimum number of users.

20. The server of claim 12 wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for limiting each said plurality of teams to a predetermined maximum number of users.