Method of playing a card game involving a dealer

• US 7,389,990 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raphael Mourad
• Original Assignee: Raphael Mourad
• Inventors: Mourad, Raphael
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US11/327,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20070158906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 273/292, 273/274, 273/309, 463/13, 463/12, 463/20
• US Class Current: 273/292
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/005 Poker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082

Abstract

A method of playing a card game involves a dealer and at least one player. Each player makes at least first and second stage wagers against a gaming house conducting the game. The first card is dealt to each player for the first stage and a payout is made to each player having a winning card according to a predetermined payout schedule or rule. A second card is dealt to each player for a second stage and then a payout is made to each player having a winning hand of two cards by comparing each hand to the payout schedule of winning two card hands. In the event that there is at least one player who has won at the second stage so as to qualify for a third stage, a third card is dealt to each player who is qualified and a payout based on the third stage wager is made to each player having a winning hand at three cards by comparing the hand to a payout schedule for a winning three card hand. The card game may also include fourth and fifth stages for qualifying players who have made additional wagers for these stages.

Claims

1. A method of playing a card game involving a dealer and at least one player, said game comprising the steps of:

having the or each player make at least a first stage wager and a second stage wager against a gaming house conducting the card game;

dealing a first card to the or each player for a first stage of the game;

making a payment to the or each player having a winning card according to a predetermined payout schedule or rule for determination of a winning first card;

dealing a second card to the or each player for a second stage of the game, said first card and said second card forming a hand of only two cards;

making a payment to the or each player having a winning hand of two cards by comparing the or each two card hand to a predetermined payout schedule of winning two card hands;

in the event that there is at least one player who has won at the second stage and placed a third wager so as to qualify for a third stage of the game, dealing a third card to the or each qualified player for the third stage of the game, said first card, said second card and said third card forming a hand of only three cards;

making a payment based on the third stage wager to the or each player having a winning hand of three cards by comparing the or each three card hand to a predetermined payment schedule of winning three card hands;

in the event that there is at least one player who has both won at the third stage of the game and placed a fourth stage wager so as to qualify for a fourth stage of the game, dealing a fourth card to the or each so qualified player for a fourth stage of the game;

said first card, said second card, said third card and said fourth card forming a hand of only four cards;

making a payment based on said fourth stage wager to the or each player having a winning hand of four cards by comparing the or each four card hand to a predetermined payment schedule of winning four card hands;

in the event that there is at least one player who has both won at the fourth stage of the game and placed a fifth stage wager so as to qualify for a fifth stage of the game, dealing a fifth card to the or each player so qualified for a fifth stage of the game, said first card, said second card, said third card, said fourth card and said fifth card forming a hand of only five cards; and

making a payment based on said fifth stage wager to the or each player having a winning hand of five cards by comparing the or each five card hand to a predetermined payment schedule of winning five card hands.

2. A method of playing a card game according to claim 1 wherein the cards used in the game are from a conventional deck having four suits with thirteen cards in each suit and, in the first stage of the game, there is a single winning card according to the predetermined payment schedule or rule, said single winning card being a highest ranked card of all cards dealt in the first stage according to the payment schedule or rule.

3. A method of playing a card game according to claim 1 wherein at the start of each round of the card game the or each player is required to make five wagers, one for each of the five definite and possible stages of the round.

4. A method of playing a card game according to claim 1 wherein the amount of each wager made by the or each player can vary both with respect to the other wagers made by the respective player and with respect to the wagers made by the other player or players, if any, in the card game.

5. A method of playing a card game according to claim 1 wherein the cards used in the game are from a conventional deck having four suits with thirteen cards in each suit and none of the cards in the game are wild cards.

6. A method of playing a card game according to claim 1 wherein at least the first and second cards dealt to the or each player are dealt face up.

7. A method of playing a card game according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined schedule of winning card hands provides for a plurality of different winning hands based on recognized poker combinations including a flush and a straight.

8. A method of playing a card game according to claim 7 wherein said predetermined payout schedule of winning three card hands provides for a plurality of different winning hands based on recognized poker combinations including a flush and a straight, the payment for each winning poker combination being substantially higher for said third stage compared to the payment for a corresponding winning poker combination in the second stage.

9. A method of playing a card game according to claim 1 wherein the or each player who does not have a winning hand of two cards has any wager made by him or her beyond the first and second wagers returned to him or her.

10. A method of playing a card game according to claim 1 wherein at the start of each round of the game each player is required to make said third, fourth and said fifth stage wagers in addition to said first and second stage wagers and wherein winning the third stage wager requires the or each player to obtain said winning hand of three cards, winning the fourth stage wager requires the or each player to obtain said winning hand of four cards, and winning the fifth stage wager requires the or each player to obtain said winning hand of five cards.

11. A method of playing a card game according to claim 1 wherein the or each player at the third stage of the game who does not have a winning hand of three cards has any wager made by him or her beyond the third stage wager returned to him or her and the or each player at the fourth stage who does not have a winning hand of four cards has any fifth stage wager returned to him or her.

12. A method of playing a card game according to claim 1 wherein the cards used in the game are from a conventional deck having four suits with thirteen cards in each suit and, in the first stage of the game the predetermined payment schedule at least provides for a winning hand for the or any player having a card at least as high as a designated card number.

13. A method of playing a card game with a conventional card deck having four suits and different ranking cards within each suit, said game involving a dealer and at least one player, said game comprising the steps of:

having the or each player make at least first stage and second stage wagers against a gaming house conducting the card game using said dealer;

dealing a first card to the or each player for a first stage of the game and, in the event there is only one player, dealing an additional card to the dealer or a dummy player;

making a possible first payout to the player or one of said players based on said player'"'"'s or said one player'"'"'s first stage wager, the player or said one player having the highest ranked card of all cards dealt to said at least one player and the dealer or dummy player in the first stage according to a payout schedule or rule;

dealing a second card to said at least one player for a second stage of the game, said first card and said second card forming a hand of only two cards;

making a second payout to any or each player having a winning hand of two cards by comparing the or each two card hand to a predetermined payout schedule of winning two card hands, said second payout being based on the second stage wager made by the or each player;

in the event that there is at least one player who has won at the second stage and placed a third stage wager so as to qualify for a third stage of the game, dealing a third card to the or each qualified player for the third stage of the game, said first card, said second card and said third card forming a hand of only three cards; and

making a payout based on the third stage wager to the or each player having a winning hand of three cards by comparing the or each three card hand to a predetermined payout schedule of winning three card hands.

14. A method of playing a card game according to claim 13 wherein provided there is at least one player who has both won at the third stage of the game and placed a fourth stage wager, thereby qualifying for a fourth stage of the game, dealing a fourth card to the or each so qualified player for the fourth stage of the game and making a payout based on said fourth stage wager to the or each player having a winning hand of four cards by comparing the or each hand to a predetermined payout schedule of winning four card hands.

15. A method of playing a card game according to claim 14 wherein, provided there is at least one player who has both won at the fourth stage of the game and placed a fifth stage wager, thereby qualifying for a fifth stage of the game, dealing a fifth card to the or each player qualifying for the fifth stage and making a payout based on said fifth stage wager to the or each player having a winning hand of five cards by comparing the or each hand to a predetermined payout schedule of winning five card hands.

16. A method of playing a card game according to claim 15 wherein at the start of each round of the card game, the at least one player is required to make three wagers for possible third, fourth and fifth stages of the game in addition to said first and second stage wagers.

17. A method of playing a card game according to claim 15 wherein none of the cards in the game are wild cards.

18. A method of playing a card game according to claim 13 wherein the amount of each wager made by the or each player can vary with respect to any other wager made by the respective player and, in the event there is more than one player in the card game, with respect to the wagers made by the other player or players in the card game.

19. A method of playing a card game according to claim 13 wherein said predetermined payout schedule of winning two curd hands provides for a plurality of different winning hands based on recognized poker combinations including a flush and a straight.

20. A method of playing a card game according to claim 19 wherein said predetermined payment schedule of winning three curd hands provides for a plurality of different winning hands based on recognized poker combinations including a flush and a straight, the payout for each winning poker combination being substantially higher for said third stage compared to the payout for a corresponding winning poker combination in the second stage.

21. A method of playing a curd game involving a dealer and at least one player and having three to five stages or possible stages, said game comprising the steps of:

having the or each player initially make a wager for each stage and possible stage of the card game;

dealing a first card to the or each player for a first stage of the game;

making a payout from the dealer to the or each player having a winning card according to a predetermined payout schedule or rule for determination of a winning first card;

dealing a second card to the or each player for a second stage of the game, said first card and said second card forming a hand of only two cards;

making a payout to the or each player having a winning hand of two cards by comparing the or each two card hand to a predetermined payout schedule of winning two card hands;

in the event that there is at least one player who has won at the second stage so as to qualify for a third stage of the game, dealing a third card to the or each qualified player for the third stage of the game, said first card, said second card and said third card forming a hand of only three cards;

making a payout based on the third stage wager to the or each player having a winning hand of three cards by comparing the or each three card hand to a predetermined payout schedule of winning three card hands;

in the event that the card game being played has a fourth possible stage and there is at least one player who has won at the third stage so as to qualify for the fourth possible stage of the game, dealing a fourth card to the or each so qualified player for a fourth stage of the game, said first card, said second card, said third card and said fourth card forming a hand of only four cards;

making a payout based on said fourth stage wager to the or each player having a winning hand of four cards by comparing the or each four card hand to a predetermined payout schedule of winning four card hands;

in the event that the card game being played has a fifth possible stage and there is at least one player who has won at the fourth stage so as to qualify for the fifth possible stage of the game, dealing a fifth card to the or each player so qualified for a fifth stage of the game, said first card, said second card, said third card, said fourth card and said fifth card forming a hand of only five cards; and

making a payout based on said fifth stage wager to the or each player having a winning hand of five cards by comparing the or each five card hand to a predetermined payout schedule of winning five card hands.

22. A method of playing a card game according to claim 21 wherein the cards used in the game are from a conventional deck having four suits with thirteen cards in each suit and, in the first stage of the game, there is a single winning card according to the predetermined payment schedule or rule, said single winning card being a highest ranked card of all cards dealt in the first stage according to the payout schedule or rule.

23. A method of playing a card game according to claim 21 wherein said game has at least first and second stages and three possible subsequent stages and, at the start of each round of the card game, the or each player is required to make five wagers, one wager for each stage and possible stage.

24. A method of playing a card game according to claim 21 wherein the amount of each wager made by the or each player can vary both with respect to the other wagers made by the respective player and with respect to the wagers made by the other player or players, if any, in the card game.

25. A method of playing a card game according to claim 21 wherein the cards used in the game are from a conventional card deck having four suits with thirteen cards in each suit and, in the first stage of the game, the predetermined payout schedule at least provides for a winning hand for the or any player having a card at least as high as a designated card number.