Poker-style card game

• US 5,489,101 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 02/06/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ernest Moody Revocable Trust
• Original Assignee: Ernest W. Moody
• Inventors: Moody, Ernest W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US08/470,341
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 273/292, 273/274, 273/309, 273/856 P
• US Class Current: 273/292
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082

Abstract

The object of the game is for a player to form a five card poker hand that has the highest poker hand ranking. In the house banked version, all players play against the house and not against each other. The game is played with a standard fifty-two card deck. The game consists of a dealer and from one to seven players. Each player makes a bet and a portion of each bet may be allocated to a progressive jackpot. The dealer deals five cards to each player. The dealer then deals six cards as the community cards which are arranged face down in three rows in a triangle pattern on the gaming table layout. The players may discard from none to five unwanted cards. The dealer turns up the community cards and pre-designated groups of cards from the community cards are used for each player to make a complete five card poker hand. The dealer determines the best hand each player has made according to poker hand rankings. All winning hands will be paid by the dealer according to the odds listed in the pay table. When the progressive jackpot payout is used, the dealer examines the six community cards to determine if one of the predetermined card arrangements has occurred. Any winning payouts from the progressive jackpot are distributed to the players at the table. The method may also be played as a player banked game or as a pot game.

Claims

1. A method of playing a poker-style game using a standard deck of playing cards comprising:

a) dealing an initial hand of five cards to a player;

b) arranging a group of community cards comprising six cards from the deck in a predetermined pattern in which certain of the community cards are designated as a one card replacement card;

a two card replacement cards;

a three card replacement cards;

a four card replacement cards; and

a five card replacement cards;

c) permitting the player to discard up to five cards from the player'"'"'s initial hand;

d) if the player discards one card, using the one card replacement card to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

e) if the player discards two cards, using the two card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

f) if the player discards three cards, using the three card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

g) if the player discards four cards, using the four card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

h) if the player discards five cards, using the five card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand; and

i) examining the player'"'"'s completed hand to determine a poker hand ranking thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the community cards are arranged in a triangle.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the community cards are arranged in a straight line.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the community cards are arranged in a pentagon.

5. A method of playing a poker-style game using a standard deck of playing cards comprising:

a) dealing an initial hand of five cards to a player;

b) arranging a group of community cards comprising six cards from the deck in a predetermined pattern in which a first card is designated as a one card replacement card;

a second card and a third card are designated as a two card replacement cards;

a fourth card, fifth card and sixth card are designated as a three card replacement cards;

the first card, fourth card, fifth card and sixth card are designated as a four card replacement cards; and

the second card, third card, fourth card, fifth card and sixth card are designated as a five card replacement cards;

c) permitting the player to discard up to five cards from the player'"'"'s initial hand;

d) if the player discards one card, using the one card replacement card to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

e) if the player discards two cards, using the two card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

f) if the player discards three cards, using the three card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

g) if the player discards four cards, using the four card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

h) if the player discards five cards, using the five card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand; and

i) examining the player'"'"'s completed hand to determine a poker hand ranking thereof.

6. The method of claim 5 in which the community cards are arranged in a triangle.

7. The method of claim 5 in which the community cards are arranged in a pentagon.

8. A method of playing a poker-style game using a standard deck of playing cards comprising:

a) a player making a wager to participate in the game;

b) dealing an initial hand of five cards to a player;

c) arranging a group of community cards comprising six cards from the deck in a predetermined pattern in which certain of the community cards are designated as a one card replacement card;

a two card replacement cards;

a three card replacement cards;

a four card replacement cards; and

a five card replacement cards;

d) permitting the player to discard up to five cards from the player'"'"'s initial hand;

e) if the player discards one card, using the one card replacement card to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

f) if the player discards two cards, using the two card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

g) if the player discards three cards, using the three card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

h) if the player discards four cards, using the four card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

i) if the player discards five cards, using the five card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

j) examining the player'"'"'s completed hand to determine a poker hand ranking thereof; and

k) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the poker hand ranking achieved by the player'"'"'s completed hand.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the community cards are arranged in a triangle.

10. The method of claim 8 in which the community cards are arranged in a straight line.

11. The method of claim 8 in which the community cards are arranged in a pentagon.

12. The method of claim 8 in which the pre-established amount to be paid to the player is based'"'"'on a payout table.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the payout table comprises:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ POKER HAND PAYOUT ODDS ______________________________________ ROYAL FLUSH 250 to 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH 50 to 1 FOUR-OF-A-KIND 25 to 1 FULL HOUSE 7 to 1 FLUSH 4 to 1 STRAIGHT 3 to 1 THREE-OF-A-KIND 2 to 1 TWO PAIR 1 to 1 JACKS OF BETTER 1 for 1 ______________________________________

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

a) allocating a portion of the wager to a progressive jackpot; and

b) paying the player a pre-established amount of the progressive jackpot if the community cards form a predetermined arrangement of cards.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the player is paid all of the progressive jackpot if the community cards are four kings and two other face cards.

16. The method of claim 14 in which the player is paid a portion of the progressive jackpot if the community cards are all face cards.

17. The method of claim 14 in which the player is paid all of the progressive jackpot if the community cards form a Royal Flush.

18. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

a) allocating a portion of the wager to a first progressive jackpot and a second progressive jackpot;

b) paying the player a pre-established amount of the first progressive jackpot if the community cards are all face cards; and

c) paying the player a pre-established amount of the second progressive jackpot if the community cards are four kings and two other face cards.

19. A method of playing a poker-style game using a standard deck of playing cards comprising:

a) a player making a wager to participate in the game;

b) dealing an initial hand of five cards to the player;

c) arranging a group of community cards comprising six cards from the deck in a predetermined pattern in which a first card is designated as a one card replacement card;

a second card and a third card are designated as a two card replacement cards;

a fourth card, fifth card and sixth card are designated as a three card replacement cards;

the first card, fourth card, fifth card and sixth card are designated as a four card replacement cards; and

the second card, third card, fourth card, fifth card and sixth card are designated as a five card replacement cards;

d) permitting the player to discard up to five cards from the player'"'"'s initial hand;

e) if the player discards one card, using the one card replacement card to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

f) if the player discards two cards, using the two card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

g) if the player discards three card, using the three card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

h) if the player discards four cards, using the four card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

i) if the player discards five cards, using the five card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

j) examining the player'"'"'s completed hand to determine a poker hand ranking thereof; and

k) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the poker hand ranking achieved by the player'"'"'s completed hand.

20. The method of claim 19 in which the community cards are arranged in a triangle.

21. The method of claim 19 in which the community cards are arranged in a pentagon.

22. The method of claim 19 in which the pre-established amount to be paid to the player is based on a payout table.

23. The method of claim 22 in which the payout table comprises:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ POKER HAND PAYOUT ODDS ______________________________________ ROYAL FLUSH 250 to 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH 50 to 1 FOUR-OF-A-KIND 25 to 1 FULL HOUSE 7 to 1 FLUSH 4 to 1 STRAIGHT 3 to 1 THREE-OF-A-KIND 2 to 1 TWO PAIR 1 to 1 JACKS OF BETTER 1 for 1 ______________________________________

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

a) allocating a portion of the wager to a progressive jackpot; and

b) paying the player a pre-established amount of the progressive jackpot if the community cards form a predetermined arrangement of cards.

25. The method of claim 24 in which the player is paid all of the progressive jackpot if the community cards are four kings and two other face cards.

26. The method of claim 24 in which the player is paid a portion of the progressive jackpot if the community cards are all face cards.

27. The method of claim 24 in which the player is paid all of the progressive jackpot if the community cards form a Royal Flush.

28. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

a) allocating a portion of the wager to a first progressive jackpot and a second progressive jackpot;

b) paying the player a pre-established amount of the first progressive jackpot if the community cards are all face cards; and

c) paying the player a pre-established amount of the second progressive jackpot if the community cards are four kings and two other face cards.

29. A method of playing a poker-style game using a standard deck of playing cards comprising:

a) dealing an initial hand of five cards to a player;

b) arranging a group of community cards comprising three cards from the deck in a predetermined pattern in which a first card is designated as a one card replacement card;

a second card and a third card are designated as a two card replacement cards; and

the first card, second card and third card are designated as a three card replacement cards;

c) permitting the player to discard up to three cards from the player'"'"'s initial hand;

d) if the player discards one card, using the one card replacement card to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

e) if the player discards two cards, using the two card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

f) if the player discards three cards, using the three card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand; and

g) examining the player'"'"'s completed hand to determine a poker hand ranking thereof.

30. The method of claim 29 in which the community cards are arranged in a triangle.

31. The method of claim 29 in which the community cards are arranged in a straight line.

32. A method of playing a poker-style game using a standard deck of playing cards comprising:

a) a player making a wager to participate in the game;

b) dealing an initial hand of five cards to a player;

c) arranging a group of community cards comprising three cards from the deck in a predetermined pattern in which a first card is designated as a one card replacement card;

a second card and a third card are designated as a two card replacement cards; and

the first card, second card and third card are designated as a three card replacement cards;

d) permitting the player to discard up to three cards from the player'"'"'s initial hand;

e) if the player discards one card, using the one card replacement card to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

f) if the player discards two cards, using the two card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

g) if the player discards three cards, using the three card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

h) examining the player'"'"'s completed hand to determine a poker hand ranking thereof; and

i) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the poker hand ranking achieved by the player'"'"'s completed hand.

33. The method of claim 32 in which the community cards are arranged in a triangle.

34. The method of claim 32 in which the community cards are arranged in a straight line.

35. The method of claim 32 in which the pre-established amount to be paid to the player is based on a payout table.

36. The method of claim 35 in which the payout table comprises:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ POKER HAND PAYOUT ODDS ______________________________________ ROYAL FLUSH 250 to 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH 50 to 1 FOUR-OF-A-KIND 25 to 1 FULL HOUSE 7 to 1 FLUSH 4 to 1 STRAIGHT 3 to 1 THREE-OF-A-KIND 2 to 1 TWO PAIR 1 to 1 JACKS OF BETTER 1 for 1 ______________________________________

37. A method of playing a poker-style game using a standard deck of playing cards comprising:

a) dealing an initial hand of five cards to a player;

b) arranging a group of community cards comprising ten cards from the deck in a predetermined pattern in which a first card is designated as a one card replacement card;

a second card and a third card are designated as a two card replacement cards;

a fourth card, fifth card and sixth card are designated as a three card replacement cards;

a seventh card, an eighth card, a ninth card and a tenth card are designated as a four card replacement cards; and

the second card, third card, fourth card, fifth card and sixth card are designated as a five card replacement cards;

c) permitting the player to discard up to five cards from the player'"'"'s initial hand;

d) if the player discards one card, using the one card replacement card to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

e) if the player discards two cards, using the two card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

f) if the player discards three cards, using the three card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

g) if the player discards four cards, using the four card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

h) if the player discards five cards, using the five card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand; and

i) examining the player'"'"'s completed hand to determine a poker hand ranking thereof.

38. The method of claim 37 in which the community cards are arranged in a triangle.

39. The method of claim 37 in which the community cards are arranged in a straight line.

40. A method of playing a poker-style game using a standard deck of playing cards comprising:

a) a player making a wager to participate in the game;

b) dealing an initial hand of five cards to a player;

c) arranging a group of community cards comprising ten cards from the deck in a predetermined pattern in which a first card is designated as a one card replacement card;

a second card and a third card are designated as a two card replacement cards;

a fourth card, fifth card and sixth card are designated as a three card replacement cards;

a seventh card, an eighth card, a ninth card and a tenth card are designated as a four card replacement cards; and

the second card, third card, fourth card, fifth card and sixth card are designated as a five card replacement cards;

d) permitting the player to discard up to five cards from the player'"'"'s initial hand;

e) if the player discards one card, using the one card replacement card to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

f) if the player discards two cards, using the two card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

g) if the player discards three cards, using the three card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

h) if the player discards four cards, using the four card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

i) if the player discards five cards, using the five card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

j) examining the player'"'"'s completed hand to determine a poker hand ranking thereof; and

k) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the poker hand ranking achieved by the player'"'"'s completed hand.

41. The method of claim 40 in which the community cards are arranged in a triangle.

42. The method of claim 40 in which the community cards are arranged in a straight line.

43. The method of claim 40 in which the pre-established amount to be paid to the player is based on a payout table.

44. The method of claim 43 in which the payout table comprises:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ POKER HAND PAYOUT ODDS ______________________________________ ROYAL FLUSH 250 to 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH 50 to 1 FOUR-OF-A-KIND 25 to 1 FULL HOUSE 7 to 1 FLUSH 4 to 1 STRAIGHT 3 to 1 THREE-OF-A-KIND 2 to 1 TWO PAIR 1 to 1 JACKS OF BETTER 1 for 1 ______________________________________

45. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

a) allocating a portion of the wager to a progressive jackpot; and

b) paying the player a pre-established amount of the progressive jackpot if the community cards form a predetermined arrangement of cards.

46. The method of claim 45 in which the player is paid all of the progressive jackpot if the community cards are cards all of the same suit.

47. The method of claim 45 in which the player is paid a portion of the progressive jackpot if the community cards are all face cards.

48. The method of claim 45 in which the player is paid all of the progressive jackpot if the community cards are cards all of the same color.

49. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

a) allocating a portion of the wager to a first progressive jackpot and a second progressive jackpot;

b) paying the player a pre-established amount of the first progressive jackpot if the community cards are all face cards; and

c) paying the player a pre-established amount of the second progressive jackpot if the community cards are cards all of the same suit.

50. A method of playing a poker-style game using a standard deck of playing cards comprising:

a) dealing an initial hand of five cards to a player;

b) arranging a group of community cards comprising five cards from the deck in a predetermined pattern in which certain of the community cards are designated as a one card replacement card;

a two card replacement cards;

a three card replacement cards;

a four card replacement cards; and

a five card replacement cards;

c) permitting the player to discard up to five cards from the player'"'"'s initial hand;

d) if the player discards one card, using the one card replacement card to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

e) if the player discards two cards, using the two card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

f) if the player discards three cards, using the three card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

g) if the player discards four cards, using the four card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

h) if the player discards five cards, using the five card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand; and

i) examining the player'"'"'s completed hand to determine a poker hand ranking thereof.

51. The method of claim 50 in which the community cards are arranged in a triangle.

52. The method of claim 50 in which the community cards are arranged in a straight line.

53. A method of playing a poker-style game using a standard deck of playing cards comprising:

a) a player making a wager to participate in the game;

b) dealing an initial hand of five cards to a player;

c) arranging a group of community cards comprising five cards from the deck in a predetermined pattern in which certain of the community cards are designated as a one card replacement card;

a two card replacement cards;

a three card replacement cards;

a four card replacement cards; and

a five card replacement cards;

d) permitting the player to discard up to five cards from the player'"'"'s initial hand;

e) if the player discards one card, using the one card replacement card to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

f) if the player discards two cards, using the two card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

g) if the player discards three cards, using the three card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

h) if the player discards four cards, using the four card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

i) if the player discards five cards, using the five card replacement cards to complete the player'"'"'s hand;

j) examining the player'"'"'s completed hand to determine a poker hand ranking thereof; and

k) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the poker hand ranking achieved by the player'"'"'s completed hand.

54. The method of claim 53 in which the community cards are arranged in a triangle.

55. The method of claim 53 in which the community cards are arranged in a straight line.

56. The method of claim 53 in which the pre-established amount to be paid to the player is based on a payout table.

57. The method of claim 56 in which the payout table comprises:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ POKER HAND PAYOUT ODDS ______________________________________ ROYAL FLUSH 250 to 1 STRAIGHT FLUSH 50 to 1 FOUR-OF-A-KIND 25 to 1 FULL HOUSE 7 to 1 FLUSH 4 to 1 STRAIGHT 3 to 1 THREE-OF-A-KIND 2 to 1 TWO PAIR 1 to 1 JACKS OF BETTER 1 for 1 ______________________________________

58. The method of claim 53 further comprising:

a) allocating a portion of the wager to a progressive jackpot; and

b) paying the player a pre-established amount of the progressive jackpot if the community cards form a predetermined arrangement of cards.

59. The method of claim 58 in which the player is paid all of the progressive jackpot if the community cards are a Royal Flush.