Wagering game

• US 5,437,462 A
• Filed: 02/18/1994
• Issued: 08/01/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Breeding, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US08/198,368
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 273/274, 273/309, 273/292, 273/85 CP
• US Class Current: 273/292
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/0017 progressive jackpot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• 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

Abstract

A playing card wagering game method which involves placing a three part bet. Cards are dealt by the dealer, two face down to the dealer and three face down to each player. Players inspect or "sweat" their cards and the dealer asks "take it or leave it?" with regard to one part of the bet. Each player decides and the dealer then turns over one of the cards and again asks "take it or leave it?" with regard to the second part of the bet. The players decide, their cards are shown, and all remaining bets are resolved.

Claims

1. A method of playing a wagering card game using actual or representations of standard face playing cards having a standard rank, said game involving standard poker hand rankings and comprising the steps of:

a player placing a wager to participate in the game;

providing cards for the player;

giving the player the chance to examine the cards received by the player and to withdraw at least part of said wager based on the rank of the player'"'"'s cards;

showing the player at least one common card, thereby providing a hand for the player, the player'"'"'s hand comprising said shown at least one common card and the cards the player received; and

resolving the player'"'"'s remaining wager, which was not withdrawn, based on the rank of the player'"'"'s hand.

2. The method according to claim 1, said wager comprising at least two parts.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the quantity of said at least two parts is at least one more than the quantity of said at least one common card.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wager is divided into parts and wherein the number of said parts of said wager that may be withdrawn is equal to the number of said at least one common card.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said parts of said wager are equal.

6. A method of playing a wagering card game using actual or electronically generated representations of standard face playing cards having a standard rank, said game involving standard poker hand rankings and comprising the steps of:

a player placing a wager to participate in the game;

providing three cards to the player;

giving the player the chance examine the three cards received by the player and to withdraw part of said wager based on the rank of the player'"'"'s three cards;

showing the player a first common card;

giving the player another chance to withdraw part of said wager based on the rank of the player'"'"'s three cards and said first common card;

showing the player a second common card, thereby providing a five card hand for the player, the player'"'"'s five card hand comprising the first and second common cards and the three cards the player was provided; and

resolving the player'"'"'s remaining wager, which was not withdrawn, based on the ranking of the player'"'"'s five card hand.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said wager is divided into three equal parts and wherein one of said parts may not be withdrawn.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the number of parts of said wager that may be withdrawn is equal to the number of said common cards.

9. A method of playing a wagering game with a single, typical fifty-two card poker deck or an electronically generated representation thereof, the cards having standard rank and value, said game involving generally well recognized and accepted five-card poker wager-resolving hand ranking outcomes and comprising the steps of:

a player wagering an initial, three-part wager amount to participate in the game;

providing three cards to the player;

giving the player the chance to inspect the three cards that player received, and giving the player the choice of withdrawing or leaving at risk the first part of the player'"'"'s initially wagered amount based on the rank and value of the player'"'"'s three cards;

showing the player a first common card and giving the player the choice of withdrawing or leaving at risk the second part of the player'"'"'s initially wagered amount based on the rank and value of the player'"'"'s three cards and the first common card;

showing the player a second common card thereby providing a five card hand for the player, the five card hand comprising the first and second common cards and the three cards the player was dealt; and

resolving the remaining third part, the remaining first and third parts, the remaining second and third parts or the three remaining parts of the player'"'"'s initially wagered amount, which was not withdrawn, based on the poker hand ranking outcome of the player'"'"'s five card hand.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the third part of the initially wagered amount must remain at risk.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the player is not playing against another player or against a dealer.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the initial three-part wager amount wagered by each participating player comprises three equal parts and is wagered before any cards are dealt.

13. The method according to claim 9 and providing apparatus for playing the wagering game, said apparatus including a playing surface having a wager-receiving area for receiving separately the three parts of participating players'"'"' initially wagered amount, a players'"'"' cards-receiving area for receiving and showing the three cards dealt to each participating player, and a common card-receiving area for receiving and showing the two common cards.