Gaming system and method for providing automatic wild card assignment in video poker games

• US 20080113704A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Precedent Gaming, Inc.
• Inventors: Jackson, Kathleen Nylund
• Granted Patent: US 8,449,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/13
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A video poker-type wagering game in which a wager is made to play an underlying draw poker game consisting of at least a single hand of poker. An additional bet is required to utilize a wild card play option. A predetermined amount of initial cards are randomly dealt from a standard deck of 52 cards to form the initial player'"'"'s hand. If the player has made a side bet wager, at least one up to the predetermined amount of player'"'"'s hand cards are simultaneously dealt from a separate deck to a house hand. Any cards in the player'"'"'s hand that match any cards in the house hand by rank, suit and/or position are automatically changed to be wild cards. The player chooses which cards to hold and which cards to discard from the player'"'"'s hand. Replacement cards for the discarded cards are dealt from the remainder of cards in the player'"'"'s hand deck. The outcome for this final hand is evaluated according to a predetermined paytable and any wins are provided to the player.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device configured to display a poker game operable upon a wager by a player;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to control a play of the poker game by;

(a) enabling the player to place an additional wager;

(b) displaying a first hand of playing cards from a first set of playing cards;

(c) if the player placed the additional wager;

(i) displaying a second hand of playing cards from a second set of playing cards;

(ii) determining if any playing cards in the first hand of playing cards match any playing cards in the second hand of playing cards; and

(iii) for each playing card in the first hand of playing cards which matches one of the playing cards in the second hand of playing cards, changing said matched playing card in the first hand to a wild playing card;

(d) enabling the player to select zero, one or a plurality of the playing cards in the first hand of playing cards to discard;

(e) discarding any selected playing cards from the first hand;

(f) replacing any discarded playing cards with replacement playing cards from the playing cards remaining in the first set of playing cards to form a final hand of playing cards;

(g) determining and displaying any award associated with the determined final hand of playing cards; and

(h) providing any determined award to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank, exact suit and exact position.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank and exact suit.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank and exact position.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein wild playing cards are playing cards that can be considered to be any card in the first set of playing cards.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to control the play of the poker game by comparing the replacement playing cards to the playing cards in the second hand to determine if a match occurs.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor resides remote from a housing which supports said at least one display device and said at least one input device.

8. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device configured to display a poker game operable upon a wager by a player;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to control a play of the poker game by;

(a) enabling the player to place an additional wager;

(b) displaying a first hand of playing cards from a first set of playing cards;

(c) if the player placed the additional wager;

(i) displaying a second hand of playing cards from a second set of playing cards;

(ii) determining if any playing cards in the first hand of playing cards match any playing cards in the second hand of playing cards; and

(iii) for each playing card in the first hand of playing cards which matches one of the playing cards in the second hand of playing cards, changing said matched playing card in the first hand to a multiplier;

(d) enabling the player to select zero, one or a plurality of the playing cards in the first hand of playing cards to discard;

(e) discarding any selected playing cards from the first hand;

(f) replacing any discarded playing cards with replacement playing cards from the playing cards remaining in the first set of playing cards to form a final hand of playing cards;

(g) determining and displaying any award associated with the determined final hand of playing cards; and

(h) providing any determined award to the player.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank, exact suit and exact position.

10. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank and exact suit.

11. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank and exact position.

12. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to control the play of the poker game by comparing the replacement playing cards to the playing cards in the second hand to determine if a match occurs.

13. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor resides remote from a housing which supports said at least one display device and said at least one input device.

14. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to place a wager on a poker game;

(b) enabling the player to place an additional wager;

(c) displaying a first hand of playing cards from a first set of playing cards;

(d) if the player placed the additional wager;

(i) displaying a second hand of playing cards from a second set of playing cards;

(ii) determining if any playing cards in the first hand of playing cards match any playing cards in the second hand of playing cards; and

(iii) for each playing card in the first hand of playing cards which matches one of the playing cards in the second hand of playing cards, changing said matched playing card in the first hand to a wild playing card;

(e) enabling the player to select zero, one or a plurality of the playing cards in the first hand of playing cards to discard;

(f) discarding any selected playing cards from the first hand;

(g) replacing any discarded playing cards with replacement playing cards from the playing cards remaining in the first set of playing cards to form a final hand of playing cards;

(h) determining and displaying any award associated with the determined final hand of playing cards; and

(i) providing any determined award to the player.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank, exact suit and exact position.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank and exact suit.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank and exact position.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein wild playing cards are playing cards that can be considered to be any card in the first set of playing cards.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein replacement playing cards are compared to the playing cards in the second hand to determine if a match occurs.

20. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to place a wager on a poker game;

(b) enabling the player to place an additional wager;

(c) displaying a first hand of playing cards from a first set of playing cards;

(d) if the player placed the additional wager;

(i) displaying a second hand of playing cards from a second set of playing cards;

(ii) determining if any playing cards in the first hand of playing cards match any playing cards in the second hand of playing cards; and

(iii) for each playing card in the first hand of playing cards which matches one of the playing cards in the second hand of playing cards, changing said matched playing card in the first hand to a modifier;

(e) enabling the player to select zero, one or a plurality of the playing cards in the first hand of playing cards to discard;

(f) discarding any selected playing cards from the first hand;

(g) replacing any discarded playing cards with replacement playing cards from the playing cards remaining in the first set of playing cards to form a final hand of playing cards;

(h) determining and displaying any award associated with the determined final hand of playing cards; and

(i) providing any determined award to the player.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank, exact suit and exact position.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank and exact suit.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein a match between the playing cards in the first hand and the playing cards in the second hand is determined by exact rank and exact position.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein replacement playing cards are compared to the playing cards in the second hand to determine if a match occurs.