Apparatus and method for memorization poker

• US 8,328,623 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Stern, Kenneth O., Michaelson, Richard E., Wishart, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yoo, Jasson
• Application Number:
  US13/281,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 463 11- 13, 463 16- 22
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/02 Cards; Special shapes of cards card-printing methods B41K, B41M
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/005 Poker
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

New apparatuses and methods for introducing varying levels of skill into wagering games that have historically been games of luck or strategy are provided. A card value and suit is invisible or hidden to a player initially and associated with a value and suit dealt to the player. The game enables the player to elect to display the associated value and suit. If the player exercises the option, the associated value and suit is displayed and a poker or blackjack evaluation is made based on the displayed associated value and suit. In various embodiments, the same associations are maintained for a single hand or play, multiple hands or plays or on a long term fixed basis. Associated symbols are also implemented with the game of slot.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

for a play of a card game, the card game including a virtual deck of a plurality of playing cards, a first quantity of the playing cards each including one of a plurality of different suit and value combinations and a second quantity of the playing cards each including two of the plurality of different suit and value combinations;

(a) deal a plurality of the playing cards from the deck of playing cards;

(b) for each of the dealt playing cards that is one of the first quantity of the playing cards, display the suit and value combination of said playing card;

(c) for at least one of the dealt playing cards that is one of the second quantity of the playing cards;

(i) display a first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card and not display a second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card; and

(ii) if a designated player input is received, display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card;

(d) evaluate the displayed suit and value combinations of the dealt playing cards and determine whether any awards are associated with said displayed suit and value combinations, and

(e) display any determined awards.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to, after the designated player input is received, not display the first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to, after the designated player input is received, display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card in addition to the displayed first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to, if a preview input is received before the designated player input is received, display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card and, thereafter, enable the player to input the designated player input.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to, if the preview input is received before the designated player input is received, after receipt of the designated player input, display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card and not display the first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to enable the player to input the preview input upon placement of an additional wager.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first quantity of the playing cards is zero, and the second quantity of the playing cards is equal to a total quantity of the playing cards in the virtual deck of playing cards.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the second quantity of the playing cards includes two different suit and value combinations of the plurality of different suit and value combinations.

9. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

for a play of a card game, the card game including a virtual deck of a plurality of playing cards, a first quantity of the playing cards each including one of a plurality of different suit and value combinations and a second quantity of the playing cards each including two of the plurality of different suit and value combinations;

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to deal a plurality of the playing cards from the deck of playing cards;

(b) for each of the dealt playing cards that is one of the first quantity of the playing cards, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one display device to display the suit and value combination of said playing card;

(c) for at least one of the dealt playing cards that is one of the second quantity of the playing cards;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display a first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card and not display a second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card; and

(ii) if a designated player input is received, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card;

(d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to evaluate the displayed suit and value combinations of the dealt playing cards and determine whether any awards are associated with said displayed suit and value combinations, and

(e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any determined awards.

10. The method of claim 9, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to, after the designated player input is received, not display the first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card.

11. The method of claim 9, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to, after the designated player input is received, display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card in addition to the displayed first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card.

12. The method of claim 9, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to, if a preview input is received before the designated player input is received, display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card and, thereafter, enable the player to input the designated player input.

13. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to, if the preview input is received before the designated player input is received, after receipt of the designated player input, display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card and not display the first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card.

14. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to enable the player to input the preview input upon placement of an additional wager.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first quantity of the playing cards is zero, and the second quantity of the playing cards is equal to a total quantity of the playing cards in the virtual deck of playing cards.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the second quantity of the playing cards includes two different suit and value combinations of the plurality of different suit and value combinations.

17. The method of claim 10, which is provided through a data network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the data network is an internet.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

for a play of a card game, the card game including a virtual deck of a plurality of playing cards, a first quantity of the playing cards each including one of a plurality of different suit and value combinations and a second quantity of the playing cards each including two of the plurality of different suit and value combinations;

(a) deal a plurality of the playing cards from the deck of playing cards;

(b) for each of the dealt playing cards that is one of the first quantity of the playing cards, cause at least one display device to display the suit and value combination of said playing card;

(c) for at least one of the dealt playing cards that is one of the second quantity of the playing cards;

(i) cause the at least one display device to display a first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card and not display a second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card; and

(ii) if a designated player input is received, cause the at least one display device to display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card;

(d) evaluate the displayed suit and value combinations of the dealt playing cards and determine whether any awards are associated with said displayed suit and value combinations, and

(e) cause the at least one display device to display any determined awards.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to, after the designated player input is received, not display the first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to, after the designated player input is received, display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card in addition to the displayed first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to, if a preview input is received before the designated player input is received, display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card and, thereafter, enable the player to input the designated player input.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to, if the preview input is received before the designated player input is received, after receipt of the designated player input, display the second one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card and not display the first one of the suit and value combinations of said at least one dealt playing card.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to enable the player to input the preview input upon placement of an additional wager.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first quantity of the playing cards is zero, and the second quantity of the playing cards is equal to a total quantity of the playing cards in the virtual deck of playing cards.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein each of the second quantity of the playing cards includes two different suit and value combinations of the plurality of different suit and value combinations.