Combination wagering game

• US 7,175,522 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Hartl, Josef Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Xuan M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel; Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US09/815,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20030008697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,154 Days
• Field of Search: 273/292, 273/274, 273/303, 273/309, 463/12, 463/13, 463/25, 463/26, 463/27, 463/28, 463/11
• US Class Current: 463/11
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082

Abstract

A combination card game allows players to play 3 distinct games using one hand of cards. In a preferred embodiment, players place wagers on an Ante spot to play THREE CARD POKER®, a TRIPOLEY® spot to win odds, and a Best 2 Blackjack spot to play blackjack. A player can bet one, two or all three spots. Next, a three card hand is dealt to each player and to the dealer. If, after viewing his cards, a player has made the Ante wager, that player must make the Play wager or forfeit the Ante wager. A player who beats the dealer'"'"'s three-card poker hand of Queen high is paid 1 to 1.

Claims

1. A method of playing a combination wagering game using a standard deck of cards, comprising:

a player making at least one of a) an Ante wager on a first game, the first game being Poker, b) a wager on a second game that a player'"'"'s hand has designated cards within a suit, the second game being Three-in-One, and c) a wager on a third game, the third game being Blackjack;

a dealer dealing at least two cards to the player and at least two cards face down to the dealer;

playing the games of Poker, Three-in-One, and Blackjack in a preselected order; and

resolving all wagers in play, according to respective rules of Poker, Three-in-One, and Blackjack.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the player has made an Ante wager on the Poker game, after the player and the dealer each views his cards, the player makes a Play wager on the Poker game if the player wishes to stay in the Poker game, wherein the Ante and Play wagers together comprise a Poker wager, the player otherwise losing the Ante wager to the dealer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein exactly two or three cards total are dealt to each of the dealer and the player.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the game of Blackjack is a game of Best 2 Blackjack, the step of dealing at least two cards to each of the player and the dealer comprises dealing three cards each to the player and the dealer, and a step of resolving a Blackjack Wager includes resolving the Blackjack wager in favor of the dealer if the dealer has a two-card hand count that is equal to 21.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of dealing at least two cards to each of the player and the dealer comprises dealing exactly three cards to each of the player and the dealer, and a step of resolving a Blackjack wager includes resolving the Blackjack wager in favor of the dealer if the player has a two-card hand count that is less than a two-card hand count of the dealer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of dealing at least two cards to each of the player and the dealer comprises dealing exactly only three cards to each of the player and the dealer, and a step of resolving a Blackjack wager includes resolving the Blackjack wager in favor of the player if the player has a two-card hand count that is greater a two-card hand count of the dealer and the player'"'"'s two-card hand count does not exceed 21.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the player is paid an amount at least equal to the Blackjack wager when the player wins the Blackjack game, the Blackjack game being Best 2 Blackjack.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the player is paid 3 to 2 if the player has a two-card hand count equal to 21.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a step of resolving a Blackjack wager, wherein the Blackjack game is Best 2 Blackjack, from a hand with a maximum of three cards includes resolving the Blackjack wager as a push if the player has a two-card hand count that is equal to a two-card hand count of the dealer, except when the dealer has a two-card hand count that is equal to 21, wherein the Blackjack wager is resolved in favor of the dealer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a step of resolving a Three-in-One wager includes resolving the Three-in-One wager by comparing the cards of the player to a predetermined payout schedule.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined payout schedule provides that a Three-in-One payout is at least 20 to 1 for any suited 8, 9, and 10, or for a King of Hearts and a Queen of Hearts;

is at least 4 to 1 for the Ace of Hearts;

is at least 2 to 1 for a King, Queen, or Jack of Hearts; and

is at least 1 to 1 for a 10 of Hearts.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of resolving the Poker wager includes paying the player one to one on the Ante wager and regarding the Play wager as a push when the dealer holds a Poker hand count that is less than Queen High.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of resolving the Poker wager includes paying the player one to one on the Ante wager and the Play wager if the dealer has a Poker hand count that is Queen High or greater and the player has a Poker hand count that is greater than the Poker hand count of the dealer.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of resolving the Poker wager includes the dealer taking the Ante wager and the Play wager if the dealer has a Poker hand count that is Queen High or greater and the player has a Poker hand count that is less than the Poker hand count of the dealer.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising an additional step of comparing the cards of the player to a bonus pay schedule to determine if the player wins a bonus.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the bonus pay schedule provides that a straight flush pays 5 to 1, three of a kind pays 3 to 1, and a straight pays 1 to 1.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein an amount of a Blackjack wager cannot exceed an amount of a Three-in-One wager.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two cards comprise three cards, wherein the Poker game is a game of Three-Card Poker, and wherein the Blackjack game is a game of Best 2 Blackjack.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the three games are played in the order of Blackjack first, Three-in-One second, and Poker third.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the three games are played in the order of Poker first, Three-in-One second, and Blackjack third.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein if the dealer has a Blackjack, all Blackjack wagers are resolved prior to playing Three-in-One or Poker.

22. A video gaming apparatus, comprising a microprocessor with memory, wherein the memory comprises means for enabling a player to play a game, the means further comprising:

means for the player making at least one of a) an Ante wager on a first game, the first game being Poker, b) a wager on a second game that a player'"'"'s hand will have predetermined cards, the second game being Three-in-One, and c) a wager on a third game, the third game being Blackjack;

means for displaying at least two cards and no more than three cards representing a player hand and at least two cards and no more than three cards representing a dealer hand;

means for playing the games of Poker, Three-in-One, and Blackjack in a preselected order; and

means for resolving all wagers in play, according to respective rules of Poker, Three-in-One, and Blackjack.

23. The video gaming apparatus of claim 22, wherein, if the player has made an Ante wager on the Poker game, the means for enabling a player to play a game further comprises means for allowing the player to make a Play wager to stay in the Poker game, wherein the Ante and Play wagers together comprise a Poker wager.

24. The video gaming apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for enabling a player to play a game further comprises means for forfeiting the Ante wager, if one was made, if the player elects not to make the Play wager.

25. The video gaming apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for allowing a player to play a game further comprises means for turning the dealer'"'"'s cards face up prior to resolving any wagers.

26. The video gaming apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for resolving all wagers in play further comprises means for resolving a Blackjack wager, including means for resolving the Blackjack wager in favor of the dealer if the dealer has a two-card hand count that is equal to 21.

27. The video gaming apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for resolving all wagers in play further comprises means for resolving a Blackjack wager, including means for resolving the Blackjack wager in favor of the dealer if the player has a two-card hand count that is less than a two-card hand count of the dealer.

28. The video gaming apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for resolving all wagers in play further comprises means for resolving a Blackjack wager, including means for resolving the Blackjack wager in favor of the player if the player has a two-card hand count that is greater than a two-card hand count of the dealer, without exceeding 21.

29. The video gaming apparatus of claim 28, wherein the means for resolving the Blackjack wager further comprises means for paying the player an amount at least equal to the Blackjack wager.

30. The video gaming apparatus of claim 28, wherein the means for resolving the Blackjack wager further comprises means for paying the player 3 to 2 if the player has a two-card hand count equal to 21.

31. The video gaming apparatus of claim 28, wherein the means for resolving the Blackjack wager, further comprises means for resolving the Blackjack wager as a push if the player has a hand count that is equal to a hand count of the dealer, except when the dealer has a hand count that is equal to 21, wherein the Blackjack wager is resolved in favor of the dealer.

32. The video gaming apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for resolving all wagers in play further comprises means for resolving a Three-in-One wager, including means for resolving the Three-in-One wager by comparing the cards of the player to a predetermined payout schedule.

33. The video gaming apparatus of claim 32, wherein the predetermined payout schedule provides that a Three-in-One payout is 20 to 1 for a suited 8, 9, and 10, or for a King of Hearts and a Queen of Hearts;

is 4 to 1 for an Ace of Hearts;

is 2 to 1 for a King, Queen, or Jack of Hearts; and

is 1 to 1 for a 10 of Hearts.

34. The video gaming apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for resolving all wagers in play further comprises means for resolving a Poker wager, including means for paying the player one to one on the Ante wager and regarding the Play wager as a push when the dealer holds a Poker hand count that is less than Queen High.

35. The video gaming apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for resolving all wagers in play further comprises means for resolving a Poker wager, including means for paying the player one to one on the Ante wager and the Play wager if the dealer has a Poker hand count that is Queen High or greater and the player has a Poker hand count that is greater than the Poker hand count of the dealer.

36. The video gaming apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for resolving all wagers in play further comprises means for resolving a Poker wager, including means for the dealer taking the Ante wager and the Play wager if the dealer has a Poker hand count that is Queen High or greater and the player has a Poker hand count that is less than the Poker hand count of the dealer.

37. The video gaming apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for resolving all wagers in play further comprises means for comparing the cards of the player to a bonus pay schedule to determine if the player wins a bonus.

38. The video gaming apparatus of claim 37, wherein the bonus pay schedule provides that a straight flush pays 5 to 1, three of a kind pays 3 to 1, and a straight pays 1 to 1.

39. The video gaming apparatus of claim 22, wherein a Blackjack wager cannot exceed a Three-in-One wager.

40. The video gaming apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two cards comprise three cards, wherein the Poker game comprises a game of Three-Card Poker, and wherein the Blackjack game comprises a game of Best 2 Blackjack.

41. A method of playing a combination wagering game using a standard deck of cards, comprising:

a player making at least one of a) an Ante wager on a first game, the first game being Poker, b) a wager on a second game that a player'"'"'s hand will have predetermined cards, the second game being Three-in-One, and c) a wager on a third game, the third game being Best 2 Blackjack;

a dealer dealing exactly and only three cards to the player and exactly and only three cards face down to the dealer;

playing the games of Poker, Three-in-One, and Best 2 Blackjack in a predetermined order; and

resolving all bets in play, according to respective rules of Poker, Three-in-One, and Best 2 Blackjack.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein, if the player has made an Ante wager on the Poker game, after the player and the dealer each views his own cards, the player makes a Play wager when he wishes to stay in the Poker game, wherein the Ante and Play wagers together comprise a Poker wager, otherwise the player loses the Ante wager to the dealer.