System and method for providing an electronic poker game

• US 7,758,411 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everi Games Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pokertek Incorporated
• Inventors: Crawford, James T. III, White, Gehrig Henderson
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US10/993,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20060058088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 463/13, 463/30, 463/22, 463/31, 463/37
• US Class Current: 463/13
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

An electronic poker table and method provide an electronic poker game to a plurality of players. The electronic poker table includes a table having a table top with a playing surface, a plurality of electronic player interaction areas located around a periphery of the table top, and a game computer. Each electronic player interaction area provides a player interface for interaction with one of the players. Each player interface has a rabbit button. At least one hand of the electronic poker game is administered using virtual cards. A winner for the at least one hand is determined and a pot is awarded to the winner. The hand includes at least one common card and, after the winner has been determined, a player may view any undealt common cards by actuating the rabbit button.

Claims

1. A method for providing an electronic poker game on an electronic poker table to a plurality of players, the electronic poker table having a table top and a plurality of electronic player interface areas located around a periphery of the table top, and the method comprising:

associating a first player of the plurality of players with a first electronic player interface area of the plurality of electronic player interface areas;

associating a second player of the plurality of players with a second electronic player interface area of the plurality of electronic player interface areas;

automatically electronically dealing cards, including

automatically determining a noncommunity subset of the cards for respectively being electronically displayed on the plurality of electronic player interface areas during a hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table,

automatically determining a community subset of the cards for being electronically displayed at the electronic poker table during the hand of the electronic poker game,

automatically electronically displaying the noncommunity subset of the cards respectively on the electronic player interface areas during the hand of the electronic poker game, and

automatically electronically displaying at least a first community card of the community subset of the cards at the electronic poker table during the hand of the electronic poker game in response to a first predetermined event;

initially not displaying at least a second community card of the community subset of the cards at the electronic poker table during the hand of the electronic poker game, wherein during the hand of the electronic poker game while the first community card is displayed and the second community card is not displayed

a value of a hand of the first player is determined by a value of the first community card and values of the cards of the noncommunity subset that are electronically displayed on the first electronic player interface area, and the value of the hand of the first player does not include a value of the second community card, and

a value of a hand of the second player is determined by the value of the first community card and values of the cards of the noncommunity subset that are electronically displayed on the second electronic player interface area, and the value of the hand of the second player does not include the value of the second community card;

automatically electronically displaying the second community card at the electronic poker table during the hand of the electronic poker game if a second predetermined event occurs, wherein in response to any occurrence of the second predetermined event during the hand of the electronic poker game

the value of the hand of the first player further being determined by the value of the second community card, and

the value of the hand of the second player further being determined by the value of the second community card;

automatically activating a plurality of rabbit buttons, which are respectively located at the plurality of electronic player interface areas, in response to a third predetermined event, wherein

the third predetermined event comprises the hand of the electronic poker game being completed without occurrence of the second predetermined event so that the second community card is not displayed at the electronic poker table during the hand of the electronic poker game,

the hand of the electronic poker game is a preceding hand in that the preceding hand is followed by a next hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table, and

the plurality of rabbit buttons remain active into the next hand of the electronic poker game; and

electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table during the next hand of the electronic poker game in response to the first player operating an activated rabbit button located at the first electronic player interface area during the next hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table during the next hand of the electronic poker game, which occurs in response to the first player operating the activated rabbit button located at the first electronic player interface area during the next hand of the electronic poker game, comprises electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game on each electronic player interface area of the plurality of electronic player interface areas during the next hand of the electronic poker game.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table during the next hand of the electronic poker game, which occurs in response to the first player operating the activated rabbit button located at the first electronic player interface area during the next hand of the electronic poker game, comprises:

electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game on the first electronic player interface area during the next hand of the electronic poker game, and

not electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game on the second electronic player interface area during the next hand of the electronic poker game.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising the plurality of rabbit buttons remaining active until the next hand ends.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising the plurality of rabbit buttons remaining active for a predetermined period of time.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising facilitating rabbit hunting, and the facilitating of the rabbit hunting comprising:

the step of electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table during the next hand of the electronic poker game, and

the step of electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table during the next hand of the electronic poker game being in response to the first player operating the activated rabbit button located at the first electronic player interface area during the next hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table.

7. The method according to claim 2, comprising the plurality of rabbit buttons remaining active until the next hand ends.

8. The method according to claim 2, comprising facilitating rabbit hunting, and the facilitating of the rabbit hunting comprising:

the step of electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table during the next hand of the electronic poker game, and

the step of electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table during the next hand of the electronic poker game being in response to the first player operating the activated rabbit button located at the first electronic player interface area during the next hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table.

9. The method according to claim 3, comprising the plurality of rabbit buttons remaining active until the next hand ends.

10. The method according to claim 3, comprising facilitating rabbit hunting, and the facilitating of the rabbit hunting comprising:

the step of electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table during the next hand of the electronic poker game, and

the step of electronically displaying the second community card of the preceding hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table during the next hand of the electronic poker game being in response to the first player operating the activated rabbit button located at the first electronic player interface area during the next hand of the electronic poker game at the electronic poker table.