Method for playing a casino game

• US 6,279,910 B1
• Filed: 05/21/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aquarius Productions Limited
• Original Assignee: David Guy De Keller
• Inventors: de Keller, David Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mendiratta, Vishu K
• Application Number:
  US09/316,705
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 273/274, 273/236, 273/292, 273/303, 463/12, 463/13
• US Class Current: 273/292
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/003 Blackjack; Twenty one
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082

Abstract

A modified method for playing card game such as Blackjack or Baccarat is set forth wherein the players each make a first wager to participate in the game and a second wager, the second wagers accumulated to form a pot. The pot, less any levy for the casino or to fund a jackpot, is awarded to the player according to the various embodiments thereof to the player(s) (i)having a final hand count closest to the target value for the game. A portion of the pot may be allocated to form a jackpot awarded to players based upon there obtaining a predetermined holding or players who lost the pot but have a predetermined hand card combination.

Claims

1. A method for playing a modified casino card game wherein each player makes a first ante wager to participate in the game, each player and a dealer is dealt a hand of cards the values of which are summed according to the rules of the game, the player'"'"'s first ante wager resolved by comparing a player'"'"'s hand value with the hand value of the dealer and determining which hand is closest to a target value, the method comprising:

the players each making a mandatory, second, ante wager, said second wagers aggregated to form a pot;

comparing all player'"'"' hand values to determine which player'"'"' hand value is closest to the target value and declaring the player(s) with the closest values the winners; and

awarding the pot to the winner(s).

2. The method of claim 1 further including removing a levy amount prior to awarding the pot.

3. The method of claim 1 further including allocating a portion of the pot to a jackpot and awarding at least a portion of the jackpot to a player having a predetermined hand card combination.

4. The method of claim 3 further including awarding the jackpot to a player having one of a predetermined schedule of hand card combinations.

5. The method of claim 3 including awarding at least a portion of the jackpot to a non-winning player having a predetermined hand card combination.

6. The method of claim 5 where the game is a Blackjack-style game including awarding said portion to the player having a two card hand of two 10s of Spades.

7. The method of claim 5 where the game is a Baccarat-style game including awarding said portion to the player having a two card hand to two 9s of Spades.

8. The method for playing an improved game of Baccarat between a plurality of players and a dealer and where Aces have a value of one, face cards each have a value of ten and the remaining cards have their face value, the method comprising:

each player placing an first ante wager on one of a Player hand and a Banker hand and a mandatory second ante wager;

assembling the second ante wagers to form a pot;

dealing at least two playing cards to each player and to a Banker hand;

the players and dealer summing the values of their cards modulo ten to obtain for each player a Player hand value and a Banker hand value;

resolving each player'"'"'s outcome wager by,

(i) if the player has wagered upon the Player hand and player'"'"'s Player hand value exceeds the Banker'"'"'s hand value paying the player at least even money on his first ante wager, if the player has wager upon the Player hand and the Banker hand value exceeds the Player hand value, the player losing his first ante wager,

(ii) if the player has wagered upon the Banker'"'"'s hand and the Banker'"'"'s hand value exceeds the player'"'"'s Player hand value, paying the player based upon his first ante wager, if the player has wagered upon the Banker hand and the player'"'"'s Player hand value is greater than the Banker'"'"'s, the player losing his ante wager, and

(iii) if the player'"'"'s and dealer'"'"'s hand have the same value, declaring the outcome a tie, and

resolving the pot wagers by comparing the values of the player'"'"' hands and awarding the pot to the player(s) having the Player hand values closest to 9.

9. The method of claim 8 including initially dealing two cards to each player and the Banker, each assessing their two card hand values and, if desired, receiving a third card.

10. The method of claim 9 including if the Player or Banker hand has a predetermined initial two card value, dealing a third card to the hand.

11. The method of claim 10 including if the Player hand has a predetermined initial two card value providing the player with the option of receiving a third card.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein if any Player hand has a two card hand value of 7, 8 or 9 precluding the player from taking a third card.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein if the Banker hand has a two card hand value of 7, 8 or 9 precluding the Banker hand from obtaining a third card.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein if the Banker hand has a two card value of 8 or nine, precluding the players from receiving a third card.

15. The method of claim 8 including each player before receiving the cards placing a tie wager, if the player'"'"'s hand and the dealer'"'"'s hand values are equal paying the player based upon their tie wager otherwise the player losing their tie wager.

16. The method of claim 8 including designating at least one tie outcome as a losing tie outcome whereby if the Player hand and Banker hands tie, the player losing their first wager.

17. The method of claim 16 including designating ties of 1 or 2 as losing tie outcomes.

18. The method of claim 8 including funding a jackpot by assessing a levy upon the aggregate pot and paying any player hand having a jackpot outcome card combination at least a portion of said jackpot.

19. The method of claim 18 including designating at least a player hand of three 3'"'"'s as a jackpot outcome.

20. The method of claim 18 including designating at least one of the following outcomes as jackpot outcomes,

Three 3s

Three 3s of the same suit

Three 3s of spades

Three cards of the same rank

Three cards of the same suit and rank

Three spades of the same rank

Ace, Ace and 7 of any suit

Ace, Ace and 7 of spades.

21. The method of claim 8 further including assessing a levy on the aggregated pot to fund the play of the game.

22. The method of claim 8 further including assessing a levy on the aggregated pot to fund a bad beat jackpot awarded to a player losing the pot and having a hand of a first ranking to a player winning the pot having a hand of a second ranking.