System for playing a game
First Claim
1. A system for playing a multiplayer zero-sum game, comprising:
- a gaming server operable under program control to regulate the progress of at least one instance of the zero-sum game, the gaming server enabling participation in the at least one instance of the zero-sum game by a predetermined plurality of players;
a number of portals communicable with the gaming server by means of a communication network;
a user access facility corresponding to each player, each user access facility being operable by a player to access the gaming server along the communication network through a selectable one of the number of portals;
a register of players participating in the at least one instance of the game, the register including, for each participating player, data representative of a corresponding portal through which the player accessed the gaming server;
a wagering means operable by each player to place a wager on the at least one instance of the zero-sum game; and
discrimination means responsive to progress of the at least one instance of the zero-sum game to determine whether a wager placed thereon by any one of the participating players is successful or unsuccessful.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for playing a zero-sum game includes a gaming server operable under program control to regulate the progress one or more instances of the zero-sum game such as multiplayer poker, and a number of portal websites on the World Wide Web of the Internet. The gaming server is also accessible on World Wide Web and enables participation in the instance of the zero-sum game by a predetermined number of players. The gaming server initiates further instances of the zero-sum game when all prior instances of the game have the predetermined plurality of participating players. Each player is able to access the gaming server by means of a corresponding Internet-enabled computer workstation, access for each player occurring through a respective one of the number of portal websites. The system maintains a register of players participating in the instance of the game. The register includes, for each participating player, data representative of a corresponding portal website through which the player accessed the gaming server. The gaming server provides a wagering facility operable by each player to place a wager on the instance of the zero-sum game, as well as a discrimination facility responsive to progress of the instance of the zero-sum game to determine whether any wager placed by anyone of the participating players is successful or unsuccessful. The gaming server maintains a clearing account corresponding to each one of the number of portal websites and each portal maintains a credit account for each player who is participating in the instance of the zero-sum game through that portal. The gaming server credits the clearing account of a portal associated with a player who has made a successful wager on the instance of the game with an amount equivalent to the total of all the unsuccessful wagers in that turn.
-
Citations
86 Claims
-
1. A system for playing a multiplayer zero-sum game, comprising:
-
a gaming server operable under program control to regulate the progress of at least one instance of the zero-sum game, the gaming server enabling participation in the at least one instance of the zero-sum game by a predetermined plurality of players;
a number of portals communicable with the gaming server by means of a communication network;
a user access facility corresponding to each player, each user access facility being operable by a player to access the gaming server along the communication network through a selectable one of the number of portals;
a register of players participating in the at least one instance of the game, the register including, for each participating player, data representative of a corresponding portal through which the player accessed the gaming server;
a wagering means operable by each player to place a wager on the at least one instance of the zero-sum game; and
discrimination means responsive to progress of the at least one instance of the zero-sum game to determine whether a wager placed thereon by any one of the participating players is successful or unsuccessful. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A server system for a multiplayer zero-sum game, comprising:
-
a gaming server operable under program control to regulate the progress of at least one instance of the zero-sum game in which a predetermined plurality of players can participate, the gaming server being communicable with a number of portals by means of a communication network and accessible by any one of the plurality of players through a selectable one of the number of portals;
a register of players participating in the at least one instance of the game, the register including, for each participating player, data representative of a corresponding portal through which the player accessed the gaming server; and
discrimination means responsive to progress of the at least one instance of the zero-sum game to determine whether a wager placed thereon by any one of the participating players is successful or unsuccessful. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
-
47. A method of operation of a system for playing a multiplayer zero-sum game, comprising the steps of:
-
controlling a gaming server to regulate the progress of at least one instance of the zero-sum game, the gaming server enabling participation in the at least one instance of the zero-sum game by a predetermined plurality of players;
providing a number of portals communicable with the gaming server by means of a communication network;
establishing access to the gaming server for each player along the communication network through a corresponding one of the number of portals;
maintaining a register of players participating in the at least one instance of the game, the register including, for each participating player, data representative of the corresponding portal through which the player accessed the gaming server;
accepting a wager from any participating player on the at least one instance of the zero-sum game; and
determining whether a wager placed by any one of the participating players is successful or unsuccessful in response to progress of the at least one instance of the zero-sum game. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
-
-
67. A method of operation of a server system for playing a multiplayer zero-sum game, comprising the steps of:
-
controlling a gaming server to regulate the progress of at least one instance of the zero-sum game, the game server enabling participation in the at least one instance of the zero-sum game by a predetermined plurality of players;
providing a number of portals communicable with the gaming server by means of a communication network;
establishing access to the gaming server along the communication network through a corresponding one of the number of portals;
maintaining a register of players participating in the at least one instance of the game, the register including, for each participating player, data representative of the corresponding portal through which the player accessed the gaming server;
accepting a wager from any participating player on the at least one instance of the zero-sum game; and
determining whether a wager placed by any one of the participating players is successful or unsuccessful in response to progress of the at least one instance of the zero-sum game. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
-
Specification