Method of and apparatus for playing a card game

• US 6,206,373 B1
• Filed: 02/12/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chi Fat Au-Yeung
• Original Assignee: Glen E. Garrod
• Inventors: Garrod, Glen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US09/249,663
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 273/292, 463/12, 463/13
• US Class Current: 273/292
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/0017 progressive jackpot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00996 Board games available as video games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082

Abstract

Methods of and apparatuses for playing a card game. In one method, the dealer'"'"'s hand contains a specified card, such as e.g. the ace of spades, that is displayed face up. From the remainder of the deck each player is dealt two face down cards. After viewing the two face down cards, each player may act upon his or her hand. The player may be given the option to fold and receive a portion of the original wager back. Alternatively, the player may remain in the game leaving the original wager unchanged. As a further alternative, the player may be given the option to increase the wager up to a determined amount. After making a decision, the five common cards are dealt face up. The common cards are common to each of the players'"'"' hands and to the dealer'"'"'s hand. The dealer is then dealt one card face up to complete the deal. Each player compares his or her best five card hand to the dealer'"'"'s best five card hand to determine if that player is a winner. Additionally, the player may receive a bonus for certain hands. Further, the player may fold and receive a return based on some portion or all of the wager for having one or two of a predetermined card (such as a deuce) in the player'"'"'s initial two cards.

Claims

1. A method of playing a card game comprising the steps of:

specifying a first card before the cards are dealt, said first card having a predetermined known value;

dealing a hand comprising at least one card to at least one player;

dealing a hand comprising at least one card to a dealer;

dealing at least one common card, said common card being common to said dealer and to said at least one player;

wherein said dealer'"'"'s hand comprises said first card.

2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said first card is an ace.

3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said player places a wager, and wherein at at least one point during said card game said player is given at least one option selected from the group consisting of:

i) folding said player'"'"'s hand and receiving at least a portion of said wager back;

ii) folding said player'"'"'s band and being relieved of an additional wager required to stay in said game;

iii) increasing said wager; and

,

iv) any combination of two or more of options i, ii, and iii.

4. The method as described in claim 3 wherein said at least one point comprises a point selected from the group consisting of:

i) after said step of dealing said at least one card to said at least one player and prior to said step of dealing at least one common card;

ii) after said step of dealing at least one common card;

iii) after dealing a plurality of common cards during said step of dealing at least one common card; and

iv) any two or more of i, ii, and iii.

5. The method as described in claim 3 wherein a player may place an additional wager, and wherein said player may win a return on said additional wager if said player'"'"'s hand achieves an specified level irrespective of whether said player has folded.

6. The method as described in claim 3 wherein if said player does not fold during said game, said player receives a payout based upon the level of hand as determined from a determined ranking of hands.

7. The method as described in claim 1 wherein a plurality of common cards are dealt simultaneously during said step of dealing said at least one common card.

8. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said player is determined to be a winner by a method comprising determining if said player'"'"'s hand is a higher hand than said dealer'"'"'s hand according to a determined ranking of hands.

9. The method as described in claim 8 wherein said deck is substantially a standard deck of poker cards, and wherein substantially standard poker rankings are used for said method of determining if said player is a winner.

10. The method as described in claim 1 wherein a plurality of players participate, and wherein each of said players is determined to be a winner individually.

11. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said player places a wager, said wager comprises an ante and a bet, and wherein if said player forfeits, said player receives said bet back.

12. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said player places a wager and wherein if at least one of said at least one cards dealt to said player is a predetermined card, said player wins a first amount based upon at least a portion of said wager.

13. The method as described in claim 12 wherein at least two cards are dealt to said player, and wherein if two of said at least two cards dealt to said player are said predetermined card, said player wins a second amount based upon at least a portion of said wager, said second amount greater than said first amount.

14. The method as described in claim 1 where said player places a wager, and wherein said player receives a payout for achieving a specified hand, said payout being a ratio based upon at least a portion of said wager, said payout given for one or more of the following of said specified hands, said ratio in the range of approximately 1:

1-25;

1 for a full house, 2;

1 to 50;

1 for four of a kind, 5;

1 to 250;

1 for a straight flush, and 100;

1 to 1000;

1 for a royal flush.

15. The method as described in claim 14 wherein said wager comprises an ante and a bet, and wherein said portion comprises said ante.

16. A device comprising means to perform the method as described in claim 1, said device having a display to display information regarding said game, computing means to perform said method in conjunction with player input, and interface means for said player to indicate said input.

17. The device as described in claim 16 further comprising means for placing a wager, and wherein said device comprises means for said player to take an action at at least one point during said game selected from the group consisting of:

i) folding said player'"'"'s hand and receiving at least a portion of said wager back;

ii) folding said player'"'"'s hand and being relieved of an additional wager required to stay in said game;

iii) increasing said wager; and

,

iv) any combination of two or more of options i, ii, and iii.

18. The device as described in claim 17 wherein said at least one point is a point selected from the group consisting of:

i) after said step of dealing said at least one card to said at least one player and prior to said step of dealing at least one common card;

ii) after said step of dealing at least one common card;

iii) after dealing a plurality of common cards during said step of dealing at least one common card; and

iv) any two or more of i, ii, and iii.

19. A storage device storing instructions which, when executed by processing means cause said processing means to perform the method described in claim 1.

20. A method of playing a card game comprising the steps of:

dealing a hand comprising at least one card to each of a plurality of players, said at least one card being a different card for each of said plurality of players;

dealing a hand comprising at least one card to a dealer;

dealing at least one common card, said common card being common to said dealer and to said players, comparing the dealer'"'"'s hand with each of the players'"'"' hands wherein the same at least one common card must be used by each of said plurality of players in determining each of said players'"'"' hands when comparing each of the players'"'"' hands to the dealer'"'"'s hand;

determining if each of said players is a winner individually.

21. The method as described in claim 20 further comprising specifying a first card, and wherein said dealer'"'"'s hand comprises said first card.

22. The method as described in claim 21 wherein said specified card is an ace.

23. The method as described in claim 20 wherein said deck is substantially a standard deck of poker cards, and wherein substantially standard poker rankings are used for said step of determining if said player'"'"'s hand is a winning hand.

24. The method as described in claim 23 wherein each player must use at least one of said at least on common cards in said player'"'"'s hand for said step of determining if said player'"'"'s hand is a winning hand.

25. The method as described in claim 20 wherein said player places a wager, and wherein at at least one point during said card game said player is given at least one option selected from the group consisting of:

i) folding said player'"'"'s hand and receiving at least a portion of said wager back;

ii) folding said player'"'"'s hand and being relieved of an additional wager required to stay in said game;

iii) increasing said wager; and

,

iv) any combination of two or more of options i, ii, and iii.

26. The method as described in claim 25 wherein said at least one point comprises a point selected from the group consisting of:

i) after said step of dealing said at least one card to said at least one player and prior to said step of dealing at least one common card;

ii) after said step of dealing at least one common card;

iii) after dealing a plurality of common cards during said step of dealing at least one common card; and

iv) any two or more of i, ii, and iii.

27. The method as described in claim 20 wherein a plurality of common cards are dealt simultaneously during said step of dealing said at least one common card.

28. The method as described in claim 20 wherein said method is performed on a device having a display to display information regarding said game, computing means to perform said method in conjunction with player input, and interface means for said player to indicate said input.

29. A storage device storing instructions which, when executed by processing means cause said processing means to perform the method of claim 20.

30. A method of playing a card game comprising the steps of:

specifying a first card before the cards are dealt, said first card having a predetermined known value;

dealing a hand comprising at least one card to at least one player;

dealing a hand comprising at least one card to a dealer;

wherein said dealer'"'"'s hand comprises said first card.

31. The method as described in claim 30 wherein said player places a wager, and wherein at at least one point during said card game said player is given at least one option selected from the group consisting of:

i) folding said player'"'"'s hand and receiving at least a portion of said wager back;

ii) folding said player'"'"'s hand and being relieved of an additional wager required to stay in said game;

iii) increasing said wager; and

,

iv) any combination of two or more of options i, ii, and iii.

32. The method as described in claim 30 wherein said player is determined to be a winner by a method comprising determining if said player'"'"'s hand is a higher hand than said dealer'"'"'s hand according to a determined ranking of hands.

33. The method as described in claim 32 wherein a plurality of players participate, and wherein each of said players is determined to be a winner individually by said method for determining.

34. The method as described in claim 30 where said player places a wager, and wherein said player receives a payout for achieving a specified hand, said payout being a ratio based upon at least a portion of said wager, said payout given for one or more of the following of said specified hands, said ratio in the range of approximately 1:

1-25;

1 for a full house, 2;

1 to 50;

1 for four of a kind, 5;

1 to 250;

1 for a straight flush, and 100;

1 to 1000;

1 for a royal flush.