ELECTRONIC VIDEO POKER GAMES

• US 20090005144A1
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Moody, Ernest W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,235,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/13
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/005 Poker
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• 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 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A video poker machine configured to allow a player to play a card game is provided. The video poker machine includes at least one display device, at least one input device, and at least one computer configured to display at least a first hand and a second hand of at least five cards all face up, each hand including the same five cards. A player can be provided an option to play a hand by selecting none, one or more than one of the face up cards from the first hand and the second hand and any additional hands as cards to be held. Each of the cards not selected to be held are discarded from each hand and replaced with a face up card. The player can be provided a pre-established amount based on the amount of a wager made on the hand if the resulting cards of the hand comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

Claims

1. A video poker machine configured to allow a single player to play a card game, said video poker machine comprising:

a display device;

at least one input device; and

a computer, wherein said computer is configured with the display device and the at least one input device to, for at least one play of a game;

(a) enable the player to make a first wager,

(b) enable the player to make a second wager,

(c) after the player makes the first wager and the second wager, cause the display device to display to the player;

(i) a plurality of first cards face up in association with the first wager, and

(ii) a plurality of second cards face up in association with the second wager, the plurality of second cards and the plurality of first cards being the same plurality of cards,

(d) after receiving an input by the player, cause the display device to display to the player;

(i) a card face up in association with the first wager, and

(ii) a same card face up in association with the second wager,

(e) cause the display device to display to the player;

(i) two more cards face up in association with the first wager, and

(ii) two more cards face up in association with the second wager, which may be different than said two more cards associated with the first wager,

(f) determine a poker ranking of the cards associated with the first wager,

(g) determine a poker ranking of the cards associated with the second wager,

(h) pay the player a pre-established amount based on the amount of the first wager and the poker ranking of the cards associated with the first wager if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking, and

(i) pay the player a pre-established amount based on the amount of the second wager and the poker ranking of the cards associated with the second wager if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

2. The video poker machine of claim 1, wherein separate decks of cards are used to determine the two more cards in association with the first wager and the two more cards in association with the second wager.

3. A video poker machine configured to allow a single player to play a card game, said video poker machine comprising:

a display device;

at least one input device; and

a computer, wherein said computer is configured with the display device and the at least one input device to, for at least one play of a game;

(a) enable the player to make a plurality of wagers,

(b) after the player makes the plurality of wagers, cause the display device to display to the player, for each wager, a plurality of same cards face up associated with said wager,

(c) after receiving an input by the player, cause the display device to display to the player, for each wager, a same card face up in association with said wager,

(d) cause the display device to display to the player, for each wager, two more cards face up in association with said wager, wherein for each wager the two more cards associated with each wager may be different,

(e) for each wager, determine a poker ranking of the cards associated with said wager, and

(f) for each wager, pay the player a pre-established amount based on the amount of said wager and the poker ranking of the cards associated with said wager if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

4. The video poker machine of claim 3, wherein separate decks of cards are used to determine the two more cards in association with each wager.

5. A video poker machine configured to allow only a single player to play a card game, said video poker machine comprising:

a display device;

at least one input device; and

a computer, wherein the computer is configured with the display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) cause the display device to display a first hand of five cards face up,

(b) enable none, one or more than one of the face up cards from the first hand to be held,

(c) display each held card from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands,

(d) complete each additional hand such that each additional hand has five displayed cards, and

(e) determine the poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

6. The video poker machine of claim 5, wherein the computer is configured with the display device to display for each hand, a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

7. The video poker machine of claim 5, wherein separate decks of cards are used to complete each additional hand.

8. A method of operating a video poker machine configured to allow a single player to play a card game, said method comprising:

(a) enabling the player to make a first wager;

(b) enabling the player to make a second wager;

(c) after the player makes the first wager and the second wager, causing one display device to display to the player;

(i) a plurality of first cards face up in association with the first wager, and

(ii) a plurality of second cards face up in association with the second wager, the plurality of second cards and the plurality of first cards being the same plurality of cards;

(d) after receiving an input by the player, causing the one display device to display to the player;

(i) a card face up in association with the first wager, and

(ii) a same card face up in association with the second wager;

(e) causing the one display device to display to the player;

(i) two more cards face up in association with the first wager, and

(ii) two more cards face up in association with the second wager, which may be different than said two more cards associated with the first wager;

(f) determining a poker ranking of the cards associated with the first wager;

(g) determining a poker ranking of the cards associated with the second wager;

(h) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the amount of the first wager and the poker ranking of the cards associated with the first wager if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking; and

(i) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the amount of the second wager and the poker ranking of the cards associated with the second wager if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

9. The method of operating a video poker machine of claim 8, which includes using separate decks of cards to determine the two more cards in association with the first wager and the two more cards in association with the second wager.

10. A method of operating a video poker machine configured to allow a single player to play a card game, said method comprising:

(a) enabling the player to make a plurality of wagers;

(b) after the player makes the plurality of wagers, causing one display device to display to the player, for each wager, a plurality of same cards face up associated with said wager;

(c) after receiving an input by the player, causing the one display device to display to the player, for each wager, a same card face up in association with said wager;

(d) causing the one display device to display to the player, for each wager, two more cards face up in association with said wager, wherein for each wager the two more cards associated with each wager may be different;

(e) for each wager, determining a poker ranking of the cards associated with said wager; and

(f) for each wager, paying the player a pre-established amount based on the amount of said wager and the poker ranking of the cards associated with said wager if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

11. The method of operating a video poker machine of claim 10, which includes using separate decks of cards to determine the two more cards in association with each wager.

12. A method of operating a video poker machine configured to allow only a single player to play a card game, said method comprising:

(a) causing one display device to display a first hand of five cards face up;

(b) enabling none, one or more than one of the face up cards from the first hand to be held;

(c) displaying each held card from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands;

(d) completing each additional hand such that each additional hand has five displayed cards; and

(e) determining the poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

13. The method of operating a video poker machine of claim 12, which includes for each hand, displaying a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

14. The method of operating a video poker machine of claim 12, which includes using separate decks of cards to complete each additional hand.

15. A video poker machine configured to allow a single player to play a card game, said video poker machine comprising:

a display device;

at least one input device; and

a computer, wherein said computer is configured with the display device and the at least one input device to, for at least one play of a game;

(a) enable the player to make a first wager,

(b) enable the player to make a second wager,

(c) after the player makes the first wager and the second wager, cause the display device to display to the player a plurality of first cards face up in association with the first wager,

(d) after receiving an input by the player, cause the display device to display to the player;

(i) a plurality of second cards face up in association with the second wager, the plurality of second cards and the plurality of first cards being the same plurality of cards,

(ii) a card face up in association with the first wager, and

(iii) a same card face up in association with the second wager,

(e) cause the display device to display to the player;

(i) two more cards face up in association with the first wager, and

(ii) two more cards face up in association with the second wager, which may be different than said two more cards associated with the first wager,

(f) determine a poker ranking of the cards associated with the first wager,

(g) determine a poker ranking of the cards associated with the second wager,

(h) pay the player a pre-established amount based on the amount of the first wager and the poker ranking of the cards associated with the first wager if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking, and

(i) pay the player a pre-established amount based on the amount of the second wager and the poker ranking of the cards associated with the second wager if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

16. The video poker machine of claim 15, wherein separate decks of cards are used to determine the two more cards in association with the first wager and the two more cards in association with the second wager.

17. A video poker machine configured to allow only a single player to play a card game, said video poker machine comprising:

a display device;

at least one input device; and

a computer, wherein the computer is configured with the display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) cause the display device to display a first hand of a plurality of cards face up,

(b) enable none, one or more than one of the face up cards from the first hand to be held,

(c) display each held card from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands,

(d) complete each additional hand such that each additional hand has a predetermined quantity of displayed cards, and

(e) determine the poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

18. The video poker machine of claim 17, wherein the computer is configured with the display device to display for each hand, a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

19. The video poker machine of claim 17, wherein separate decks of cards are used to complete each additional hand.

20. A method of operating a video poker machine configured to allow a single player to play a card game, said method comprising:

(a) enabling the player to make a first wager;

(b) enabling the player to make a second wager;

(c) after the player makes the first wager and the second wager, causing one display device to display to the player a plurality of first cards face up in association with the first wager;

(d) after receiving an input by the player, causing the one display device to display to the player;

(i) a plurality of second cards face up in association with the second wager, the plurality of second cards and the plurality of first cards being the same plurality of card,

(ii) a card face up in association with the first wager, and

(iii) a same card face up in association with the second wager;

(e) causing the one display device to display to the player;

(i) two more cards face up in association with the first wager, and

(ii) two more cards face up in association with the second wager, which may be different than said two more cards associated with the first wager;

(f) determining a poker ranking of the cards associated with the first wager;

(g) determining a poker ranking of the cards associated with the second wager;

(h) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the amount of the first wager and the poker ranking of the cards associated with the first wager if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking; and

(i) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the amount of the second wager and the poker ranking of the cards associated with the second wager if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

21. The method of operating a video poker machine of claim 20, which includes using separate decks of cards to determine the two more cards in association with the first wager and the two more cards in association with the second wager.

22. A method of operating a video poker machine configured to allow only a single player to play a card game, said method comprising:

(a) causing one display device to display a first hand of a plurality of cards face up;

(b) enabling none, one or more than one of the face up cards from the first hand to be held;

(c) displaying each held card from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands;

(d) completing each additional hand such that each additional hand has a plurality of displayed cards; and

(e) determining the poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

23. The method of operating a video poker machine of claim 22, which includes for each hand, displaying a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

24. The method of operating a video poker machine of claim 22, which includes using separate decks of cards to complete each additional hand.