Gaming device with optimal auto-hold tables

• US 7,198,569 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan D., Nelson, Dwayne R., Brune, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Xuan M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel; Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US10/255,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20040063483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12, 463/23, 463/16, 463/20, 463/21, 463/22, 463/26, 463/31, 463/9, 463/13, 463/25, 273/292
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming device which displays to a player the mathematically optimal or best way to play a game with minimal processing and memory usage. The game can be any version of video poker, slot game with a hold-a-reel feature, blackjack or other game with a finite number of outcomes after requiring the player to make choice of how to proceed. The present invention also includes the methods of how to make and use the auto-hold tables.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a game;

a plurality of game situations, wherein at least one of said game situations occurs after the start of play of said game which requires player input to continue the game;

a plurality of hold codes, wherein each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game at the occurrence of one of the game situations to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each said game situation;

a hold code index associated with each game situation, wherein said game situations with a redundant plurality of possible outcomes have the same hold code index;

a data storage device which stores the plurality of hold codes and hold code indexes;

a player input device; and

a processor operable with the data storage device and the player input device to;

(a) generate at least one of the game situations;

(b) enable a player to make an input;

(c) determine the hold code index associated with the generated game situation;

(d) determine the hold code associated with said hold code index;

(e) indicate said hold code to the player; and

(f) enable the player to accept or reject the hold code.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each game situation includes a plurality of elements and the processor is operable with the data storage device to order the elements of the generated game situation prior to determining the hold code.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least two game situations occur during a single play of the game.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one pay table is associated with the game, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation and pay table.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least two games, a plurality of game situations associated with each game, and wherein each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation and said game.

6. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein at least one pay table is associated with each game, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation, game and pay table.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor enables the player to choose one of at least two sets of hold codes to apply to each game situation, wherein each set of hold codes corresponds to a different hold strategy.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game is poker and the game situation is a set of cards displayed to the player, wherein the player must choose which of said cards to hold and which of said cards to discard.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game is a slot-type game and the game situation occurs after a spin of the reels, wherein the player must choose which reels, if any, to hold before re-spinning the other reels.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game is blackjack and the game situation is a set of cards displayed to the player, wherein the player must choose whether or not to take an additional card.

11. A gaming device comprising:

at least one game apparatus;

a game associated with each game apparatus;

a plurality of game situations associated with each game, wherein at least one of the plurality of game situations occurs after the start of play of said game which requires player input to continue the game;

a plurality of hold codes, wherein each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue a played game at the occurrence of one of the game situations to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each said game situation;

a hold code index associated with each game situation, wherein said game situations with a redundant plurality of possible outcomes have the same hold code index;

a data storage device which stores the plurality of hold codes and the hold code indexes;

a player input device; and

a processor operable with the data storage device and the player input device to;

(a) generate one of the game situations;

(b) enable a player to make an input;

(c) determine the hold code index associated with the generated game situation;

(d) determine the hold code associated with said hold code index;

(e) indicate the hold code to the player; and

(f) enable the player to accept or reject the hold code.

12. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the at least one game apparatus is at least one virtual deck of cards.

13. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the at least one game apparatus is at least one set of slot reels.

14. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein each game situation includes a plurality of elements and the processor is operable with the data storage device to order the elements of the generated game situation prior to determining the hold code.

15. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein at least two game situations occur during a single play of one game.

16. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein at least two games are associated with each game apparatus, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation, game, and game apparatus.

17. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein at least one pay table is associated with each game, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation, game, game apparatus, and pay table.

18. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein at least one pay table is associated with each game, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation, game apparatus and pay table.

19. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the processor enables the player to choose one of at least two sets of hold codes to apply to each game situation, wherein each set of hold codes corresponds to a different hold strategy.

20. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the game is poker and the game situation is a set of cards displayed to the player, wherein the player must choose which cards to hold and which cards to discard.

21. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the game is blackjack and the game situation is a set of cards displayed to the player, wherein the player must choose whether or not to take an additional card.

22. A gaming device comprising:

a game;

a plurality of game situations, wherein at least one of said game situations occurs after the start of play of said game which requires player input to continue the game;

a plurality of possible outcomes associated with each game situation;

a hold code index associated with each game situation, wherein said game situations with a redundant plurality of possible outcomes have the same hold code index;

a plurality of hold codes, wherein each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game at the occurrence of each game situation to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each said game situation;

a data storage device which stores the plurality of hold codes and the hold code indexes;

a player input device; and

a processor operable with the data storage device and the player input device to;

(a) generate at least one of the game situations;

(b) enable a player to make an input;

(c) determine the hold code index associated with the generated game situation;

(d) determine the hold code associated with said hold code index;

(e) indicate said hold code to the player; and

(f) enable the player to accept or reject the hold code.

23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein each game situation includes a plurality of elements and the processor is operable with the data storage device to order the elements of the generated game situation prior to determining the hold code index.

24. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein at least two game situations occur during a single play of the game.

25. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein at least one pay table is associated with the game, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation and pay table.

26. The gaming device of claim 22, which includes at least two games, a plurality of game situations associated with each game, and wherein each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation and game.

27. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein at least one pay table is associated with each game, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation, game and pay table.

28. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the processor enables the player to choose one of at least two sets of hold codes to apply to each game situation, wherein each set of hold codes corresponds to a different hold strategy.

29. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the game is poker and the game situation is a set of cards displayed to the player, wherein the player must choose which of said cards to hold and which of said cards to discard.

30. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the game is a slot-type game and the game situation occurs after a spin of the reels, wherein the player must choose which reels, if any, to hold before re-spinning the other reels.

31. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the game is blackjack and the game situation is a set of cards displayed to the player, wherein the player must choose whether or not to take an additional card.

32. A gaming device comprising:

at least one virtual deck of cards;

a game associated with each virtual deck of cards;

a plurality of game situations associated with each game, wherein at least one of the plurality of game situations occurs after the start of play of said game which requires player input to continue the game;

a plurality of possible outcomes associated with each game situation;

a hold code index associated with each game situation, wherein said game situations with a redundant plurality of possible outcomes have the same hold code index;

a plurality of hold codes wherein each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue a played game at the occurrence of each game situation to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each said game situation;

a data storage device which stores the plurality of hold codes and the hold code indexes;

a player input device; and

a processor operable with the data storage device and the player input device to;

(a) generate one of the game situations;

(b) enable a player to make an input;

(c) determine the hold code index associated with the generated game situation;

(d) determine the hold code associated with said hold code index;

(e) indicate the hold code to the player; and

(f) enable the player to accept or reject the hold code.

33. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein each game situation includes a plurality of elements and the processor is operable with the data storage device to order the elements of the generated game situation prior to determining the hold code index.

34. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein at least two game situations occur during a single play of one game.

35. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein at least two games are associated with each virtual deck of cards, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation, game, and deck of cards.

36. The gaming device of claim 35, which includes at least one pay table associated with each game, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation, game, deck of cards, and pay table.

37. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the processor enables the player to choose one of at least two sets of hold codes to apply to each game situation wherein each set of hold codes corresponds to a different hold strategy.

38. The gaming device of claim 32, which includes at least one pay table associated with each game, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation, deck of cards and pay table.

39. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the game is poker and the game situation is a set of cards displayed to the player, wherein the player must choose which cards to hold and which cards to discard.

40. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the game is blackjack and the game situation is a set of cards displayed to the player, wherein the player must choose whether or not to take an additional card.

41. A gaming device comprising:

a game having at least one set of slot reels;

at least one pay table associated with each set of slot reels;

a plurality of game situations associated with each set of slot reels, wherein at least one of the plurality of game situations occurs after the start of play of said game which requires player input to continue the game;

a plurality of possible outcomes associated with each game situation;

a hold code index associated with each game situation, wherein said game situations with a redundant plurality of possible outcomes have the same hold code index;

a plurality of hold codes wherein each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue a played game at the occurrence of each game situation to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each said game situation and pay table;

a data storage device which stores the plurality of hold codes and the hold code indexes;

a player input device; and

a processor operable with the data storage device and the player input device to;

(a) generate one of the game situations;

(b) enable a player to make an input;

(c) determine the hold code index associated with the generated game situation;

(d) determine the hold code associated with said hold code index;

(e) indicate the hold code to the player; and

(f) enable the player to accept or reject the hold code.

42. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein each game situation includes a plurality of elements and the processor is operable with the data storage device to order the elements of the generated game situation prior to determining the hold code index.

43. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein at least two game situations occur during a single play of the game.

44. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein at least two games are associated with each set of slot reels, and each hold code provides a mathematically optimal suggestion of how to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of outcomes associated with each game situation, game, pay table, and set of slot reels.

45. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the processor enables the player to choose one of at least two sets of hold codes to apply to each game situation wherein each set of hold codes corresponds to a different hold strategy.

46. A method of operating a gaming device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) enabling a player to play at least one game;

(b) generating at least one game situation from a plurality of different game situations after the start of a single play of said game which requires player input to continue said game;

(c) converting the game situation into a unique number;

(d) determining an auto-hold table index associated with the unique number;

(e) determining from an auto-hold table a hold code associated with the auto-hold table index wherein the hold code indicates a mathematically optimal input for the player to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes, wherein the game situations with a redundant plurality of possible outcomes have the same auto-hold table index; and

(f) displaying the hold code to the player.

47. The method of claim 46, which includes a plurality of elements associated with each game situation, and includes the step of ordering the elements of the game situation in a data storage device before converting the game situation into a unique number.

48. The method of claim 46, including the step of enabling the player to accept or reject the hold code.

49. The method of claim 46, including the step of enabling the player to select which game to play, which of at least one pay table to apply and which type of at least one hold strategy to utilize for the hold code.

50. A method of operating a gaming device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) enabling a player to play a game;

(b) generating at least one game situation after the start of a single play of said game where player input is necessary to continue said game;

(c) converting the game situation into a unique number;

(d) retrieving from a master table an auto-hold table index associated with the unique number;

(e) retrieving from the auto-hold table using the auto-hold table index a hold code that indicates a mathematically optimal input for the player to continue the game to obtain an optimal outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes, wherein the game situations with a redundant plurality of possible outcomes have the same auto-hold table index; and

(f) displaying the hold code to the player.

51. The method of claim 50, which includes a plurality of elements associated with the game situation, and includes the step of ordering the elements of the game situation in a data storage device before converting the game situation into a unique number.

52. The method of claim 50, including the step of enabling the player to accept or reject the hold code.

53. The method of claim 50, including the step of enabling the player to select which game to play, which of at least one pay table to apply and which type of at least one hold strategy to utilize for the hold code.

54. A method of creating an auto-hold table that stores a plurality of hold codes that indicate a mathematically optimal suggestion for playing each of a plurality of possible game situations during a game to obtain the optimal of a plurality of game outcomes, wherein the game situations with a redundant plurality of possible outcomes have a same auto-hold table index, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) converting an index number of the auto-hold table into one of the game situations associated with the game;

(b) calculating a value for each hold code when said hold code is applied to said game situation;

(c) storing the hold code with the highest value in the auto-hold table under the index number

(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) until each of the possible game situations has a corresponding index number in the auto-hold table; and

(e) storing the auto-hold table in a data storage device.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein calculating the value for each hold code but a hold code indicating to hold nothing includes the steps of assigning a payout to every possible game outcome, calculating every possible game outcome for the hold code and said game situation, adding the payouts for every possible game outcome for the hold code and said game situation creating a Total Possible Payouts, and dividing the Total Possible Payouts by the total number of possible game outcomes for the hold code.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein calculating the value for the hold code indicating to hold nothing includes the steps of assigning a payout to every possible game outcome, adding the payouts of all the possible game outcomes, adding the total payouts for all the other hold codes, subtracting the total payouts for all the other hold codes from the total payouts of all possible game outcomes creating a Total Payouts Value, and dividing the Total Payouts Value by the total number of outcomes for the hold code indicating to hold nothing.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein each of the possible hold codes but one includes the steps of assigning a payout to every possible game outcome, adding the number of possible outcomes that create a winning combination for the hold code to create a Total Winning Outcomes Value, and dividing the Total Winning Outcomes Value by the total number of possible outcomes for the hold code.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein calculating the value for the hold code indicating to hold nothing includes the steps of adding the number of winning combinations for all the other hold codes, subtracting the total number of possible winning outcomes creating an Other Winning Outcomes Value, and dividing the Other Winning Outcomes Value by the total number of possible winning outcomes.

59. A method of creating a master table for use with an auto-hold table to provide a plurality of hold codes for use during the play of a game, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) setting a current index number of the master table to zero;

(b) setting a current index number of the auto-hold table to zero;

(c) converting the current index number of the master table into one of a plurality of game situations associated with the game wherein a set of possible outcomes is associated with each game situation;

(d) changing said game situation to obtain a different game situation that has a redundant set of possible outcomes in relation to said game situation;

(e) computing a new master table index for each said different game situation created by step (d);

(f) if the new master table index is less than the current index number of the master table, retrieving an auto-hold table index associated with the new master table index and entering said auto-hold table index in the master table at the current index number of the master table;

(g) if the new master table index is not less than the current index number of the master table, entering the current index number of the auto-hold table into the master table at the current index number of the master table and incrementing the current index number of the auto-hold table;

(h) incrementing the current index number of the master table; and

(i) repeating steps (c) through (h) until the current index number of the master table matches the total possible number of game situations.