Blackjack game with side wager on displayed cards

• US 6,808,173 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Snow, Roger M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, DOLORES R
• Application Number:
  US10/272,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20040070146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 273/292, 273/274, 273/309, 273/138.2, 463/12
• 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

An underlying game of Blackjack or a variant of Blackjack is played with an initial wager by a player on the underlying game and an optional wager on a side game can be made. The side wager is made before any cards are displayed. The side wager is made on whether a specific rank of card will be shown in either of the two player'"'"'s cards (the player who has made the wager) or in the dealer'"'"'s exposed card. The probabilities of a specific rank of a card (as opposed to value of card, which would render 10'"'"'s, Jacks, Queens and Kings equivalent) is the same, whichever card is selected, but a preferred game from an advertising standpoint, marketing standpoint or the like is the use of Jacks, with the game titled Jack Magic™ blackjack or Jacks Magic™ blackjack. The player places a wager on an identified wager area, and after the player'"'"'s cards and the dealer'"'"'s cards have been dealt, the wager is resolved according to the rules of the game. The regular play of the Blackjack game is then continued, with no change in the underlying strategy of the game.

Claims

1. A method of playing a wagering card game comprising an underlying card game and an auxiliary card game comprising:

placing at least one wager on the underlying card game;

optionally placing a wager on the auxiliary card game;

dealing a first number of cards to a player;

dealing a second number of cards to the dealer;

displaying at least one of the player'"'"'s cards;

displaying at least one of the dealer'"'"'s cards;

wherein if at least one of the displayed player'"'"'s cards or at least one of the displayed dealer'"'"'s cards is a card of a specific predetermined rank, paying a player who has placed the optional wager for the occurrence of the at least one card of a specific predetermined rank being displayed in either the exposed card(s) of the dealer'"'"'s hand and/or the player'"'"'s hand; and

then

continuing deal of cards according to the rules of the underlying game and continuing play of the underlying game.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the underlying game comprises blackjack.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first two cards dealt to the player are displayed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein only one card dealt to the dealer is displayed.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the first two cards dealt to the player are displayed.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein only one card dealt to the dealer is displayed.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein paying a player who has placed the optional wager is performed and paying is based on a pay table based on the appearance of cards of specific rank on only displayed player'"'"'s cards and a first displayed dealer'"'"'s card.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein a pay table having awards that are no greater than those in the following table is used:

9. The method of claim 5 wherein only one card dealt to the dealer is displayed.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein paying a player who has placed the optional wager is performed and paving is based on a pay table based on the appearance of cards of specific rank on only displayed player'"'"'s cards and a first displayed dealer'"'"'s card.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein paying a player who has placed the optional wager is performed and paying is based on a pay table based on the appearance of cards of specific rank on only displayed player'"'"'s cards and a first displayed dealer'"'"'s card.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein paying a player who has placed the optional wager is performed and paving is based on a pay table based on the appearance of cards of specific rank on only displayed player'"'"'s cards and a first displayed dealer'"'"'s card.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein paying a player who has placed the optional wager is performed and paying is based on a pay table based on the appearance of cards of specific rank on only displayed player'"'"'s cards and a first displayed dealer'"'"'s card.

14. The method of claim 4 wherein paying a player who has placed the optional wager is performed and paying is based on a pay table based on the appearance of cards of specific rank on only displayed player'"'"'s cards and a first displayed dealer'"'"'s card.