Texas Hold'em with Additional Features

• US 20110115159A1
• Filed: 11/13/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Forward Thinking, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Forward Thinking, Inc.
• Inventors: BAKER, Michael D. A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,387,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/292
• 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: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

Texas Hold'"'"'em is played between human and virtual machine players on electronic equipment. The virtual players fold up and the human does not. This allows the human to see the hold cards of the opponents and adds excitement to the game. Optionally, the human player gets a bonus for having a good hand regardless of who wins the pot. The bonus also adds excitement and interest. Perferably the virtual players have personalities. By creating a minimum number of personalities and changing personalities with players, user interest is maintained. In particular, adding these features to a Texas hold'"'"'em game with fold up procedure for virtual opponents increases user excitement.

Claims

1. A computer implemented card game method for a player and virtual opponents, comprising:

displaying positions of the player and the virtual opponents on a visual display;

accepting a wager from the player and wagers from the virtual opponents;

displaying two hole cards face up to the player;

displaying two hole cards face down to each virtual opponent;

accepting player input of at least checking or making a wager, with each virtual opponent responding with at least one of folding, checking and raising;

displaying a first, second and third community card face up;

accepting player input of at least checking or making a wager, with each virtual opponent responding with at least one of folding, checking or raising;

displaying a fourth and fifth community card face up;

accepting player input of at least checking or making a wager, with each virtual opponent responding with at least one of folding, checking or raising;

stopping play when the player inputs a fold decision;

and determining the poker hand ranking of the player'"'"'s best final five cards, and each virtual opponent'"'"'s best final five cards using each of the respective player or virtual opponent'"'"'s two hole cards and the five community cards;

wherein when a virtual opponent folds, the hole cards of the virtual opponent are displayed to the player, but the virtual opponents do not adjust betting strategy in response to fold ups.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each virtual opponent either folds or checks but does not raise in response to player input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein if the player folds after receiving the first two hole cards and before display of the first, second and third community cards, then the player gets back half of the money that the player has wagered.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the player has, after display of the first, second, and third community cards, two pair, or better, based on standard poker rules, then the player wins a bonus.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the displayed player card hand, after display of the fourth and fifth community cards, indicates two pair or better, based on standard poker rules, then the player wins a bonus that increases with the quality of the hand.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the virtual opponents is replaced with a second player input.

7. The method of claim 1, having five virtual opponents.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein after display of the first three community cards, advice to the player is displayed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the display indicates the total pot amount and the amount of bonus accumulated by the player.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a virtual player folds after receiving two hole cards and before community cards are displayed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein displayed cards are selected by use of a random number generator and the selection occurs at a site remote from the player.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the game method is played over the internet and the display is a user terminal.

13. A computer implemented Texas hold'"'"'em card game method for a human player and at least three virtual opponents comprising the steps of a Texas hold'"'"'em game, wherein when a virtual opponent folds, the hole cards are revealed to the player, and the personality of each virtual opponent changes at least every two hands.

18. A gaming machine comprising a computer having a stored program that implements the game method of claim 13.

19. The gaming machine of claim 18, comprising a slot for the user to input money.

14. A computer implemented Texas hold'"'"'em card game having virtual players and at least one human player, wherein the at least one human player folds down and the virtual players fold up.

15. The computer implemented card game of claim 14, further comprising a bonus feature that awards the human player but not the virtual players a bonus based on the best 5 card combination of the human player'"'"'s hand and awarded without regard to winning the game.

16. The computer implemented card game of claim 14, having only one human player.

17. The computer implemented card game of claim 16 further comprising a half back feature that allows the human player to surrender his hole cards and stop play before the flop, in return for half of his ante back.