Central determination poker game

• US 8,398,472 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2009
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Bansemer, Mark W., Wolf, Bryan D., Brune, Christopher T., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Montross, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOSSER, ROBERT E
• Application Number:
  US12/407,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20090181743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12, 463/13, 463 16- 22, 463/25, 273/292, 273/307
• US Class Current: 463/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• 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

An poker game which provides a predetermined outcome to a player. In one embodiment, a plurality of playing cards are provided to a player wherein one or more of the provided playing cards are based on the predetermined game outcome. The player is enabled to select one or more of the initially dealt playing cards to hold or to discard. If a poker hand with an associated payout equal to the value associated with the predetermined game outcome may be obtained based on the held cards, the gaming device utilizes one or more backfill algorithms, to determine which card or cards, if any, need to be dealt to the player. The determined cards are provided to the player to replace the playing cards designated by the player to discard and the selected predetermined game outcome which is associated with a value equal to the payout of the player'"'"'s poker hand is provided to the player. If a poker hand with an associated payout equal to the value associated with the selected predetermined game outcome cannot be obtained by the player based on the playing cards held by the player, a subset of the held cards is selected and one or more backfill algorithms are used to determine which cards need to be dealt to the player. The discarded playing cards and at least one held playing card are replaced with the determined card. The selected predetermined game outcome which is associated with a value equal to the payout of the player'"'"'s poker hand is then provided to the player.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores 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;

(a) display a plurality of playing cards from a deck of playing cards, wherein at least one of said displayed playing cards is based on a predetermined game outcome value, and different pluralities of playing cards from the deck of playing cards form a plurality of different poker hands that are each associated with a value;

(b) enable a player to select at least one of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard;

(c) thereafter, determine whether one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold;

(d) if one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold;

(i) determine, using a backfill algorithm, which of said playing cards from the deck of playing cards need to be displayed with the playing cards the player selected to hold to result in one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value, and

(ii) display a replacement of at least one of said playing cards the player selected to discard with at least one said determined playing cards;

(e) if one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is not obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold;

(i) determine a subset of the playing cards the player selected to hold, wherein said subset of playing cards is based on the predetermined game outcome value,

(ii) determine, using the backfill algorithm, which of said playing cards from the deck of playing cards need to be displayed with the determined subset of playing cards the player selected to hold to result in one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value,

(iii) display a replacement of each of said playing cards the player selected to discard with one of said determined playing cards, and

(iv) display a replacement of at least one of said playing cards the player selected to hold which is not part of said determined subset of playing cards with at least one of said determined playing cards, and

(f) provide said predetermined game outcome value to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine the order to display any determined playing cards to the player.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined game outcome value is a progressive award value.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select a plurality of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select each of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display a suggestion to the player of which displayed playing cards the player should select to hold.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display said replacement of said playing cards the player selected to hold as a graphic display.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said replacement of said playing cards the player selected to hold occurs before any determined playing cards are displayed to replace the playing cards the player selected to discard.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said replacement of said playing cards the player selected to hold occurs after any determined playing cards are displayed to replace the playing cards the player selected to discard.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined game outcome value is zero.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to select said predetermined game outcome value from a plurality of predetermined game outcomes value.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one memory device to store said predetermined game outcome value.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to receive said predetermined game outcome value from a central controller.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine a set of determined playing cards to display if a plurality of sets of playing cards are each determined as needed to be displayed to result in one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value.

15. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, a plurality of instructions associated with the backfill algorithm cause the at least one processor to:

(a) determine, from the deck of playing cards, an available set of playing cards which have not been previously displayed to the player;

(b) select one of said available playing cards from the determined set;

(c) add the selected playing card to at least one of the playing cards the player selected to hold;

(d) determine whether one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the associated with said predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold and the selected available playing card;

(e) if one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold and the selected available playing card, retain said selected playing card with the playing cards the player selected to hold; and

(f) if one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is not obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold and the selected available playing card;

(i) remove the selected playing card from the playing cards the player selected to hold, and

(ii) repeat (b) to (f) until one available playing card is retained for each playing card the player selected to discard.

16. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores 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;

(a) display a plurality of playing cards from a deck of playing cards, wherein at least one of said displayed playing cards is based on a predetermined game outcome value, and different pluralities of playing cards from the deck of playing cards form a plurality of different poker hands that are each associated with a value;

(b) enable a player to select at least one of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard;

(c) determine whether one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold;

(d) if one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold;

(i) determine, from the deck of playing cards, an available set of said playing cards which have not been previously displayed to the player,

(ii) select one of said available playing cards from the determined set,

(iii) add the selected playing card to the playing cards the player selected to hold,

(iv) determine whether one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold and the selected available playing card,

(v) if one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold and the selected available playing card, retain said selected playing card with the playing cards the player selected to hold,

(vi) if one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is not obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold and the selected available playing card;

(1) remove the selected playing card from the playing cards the player selected to hold, and

(2) repeat (ii) to (vi) until one available playing card is retained for each playing card the player selected to discard, and

(vii) display a replacement of said playing cards the player selected to discard with said retained playing cards;

(e) if one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is not obtainable based on the playing cards the player selected to hold;

(i) determine, from the deck of playing cards, an available set of said playing cards which have not been previously displayed to the player,

(ii) determine a subset of the playing cards the player selected to hold, wherein said subset of playing cards is based on the predetermined game outcome value,

(iii) select one of said available playing cards from the determined set,

(iv) add the selected playing card to the determined subset of playing cards the player selected to hold,

(v) determine whether one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the determined subset of playing cards the player selected to hold and the selected available playing card,

(vi) if one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the determined subset of playing cards the player selected to hold and the selected available playing card, retain said selected playing card with the playing cards the player selected to hold,

(vii) if one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is not obtainable based on the determined subset of playing cards the player selected to hold and the selected available playing card;

(1) remove the selected playing card from the determined subset of playing cards the player selected to hold, and

(2) repeat (iii) to (vii) until one available playing card is retained for each playing card the player selected to discard,

(viii) display a replacement of each of said playing cards the player selected to discard with one of said retained playing cards, and

(ix) display a replacement of at least one of said playing cards the player selected to hold which is not part of said determined subset of playing cards with at least one of said retained playing cards; and

(f) provide said predetermined game outcome value to the player.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine the order to display any determined playing cards to the player.

18. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined game outcome value is a progressive award value.

19. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select a plurality of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard.

20. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select each of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard.

21. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined game outcome value is zero.

22. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to select said predetermined game outcome value from a plurality of predetermined game outcome values.

23. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one memory device to store said predetermined game outcome value.

24. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to receive said predetermined game outcome value from a central controller.

25. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores 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;

(a) display a plurality of playing cards from a deck of playing cards, wherein at least one of said displayed playing cards is based on a predetermined game outcome value, and different pluralities of playing cards from the deck of playing cards form a plurality of different poker hands that are each associated with a value;

(b) enable a player to select at least one of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard;

(c) thereafter, determine a set of zero, one or a plurality of the held playing cards for which one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable;

(d) determine which of said playing cards from the deck of playing cards need to be displayed with the determined set of held playing cards to result in one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value, wherein said determination is based on a backfill algorithm and said set of held playing cards;

(e) display a replacement of each of said playing cards the player selected to discard with one of said determined playing cards;

(f) display a replacement of any of said held playing cards which are not part of said determined set of held playing cards with any of said determined playing cards; and

(g) provide said predetermined game outcome value to the player.

26. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine the order to display any determined playing cards to the player.

27. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein the predetermined game outcome value is a progressive award value.

28. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select a plurality of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard.

29. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select each of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard.

30. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to select said predetermined game outcome value from a plurality of predetermined game outcome values.

31. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one memory device to store said predetermined game outcome value.

32. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to receive said predetermined game outcome value from a central controller.

33. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine a set of determined playing cards to display if a plurality of sets of playing cards are each determined as needed to be displayed to result in one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value.

34. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores 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;

(a) display a plurality of playing cards from a deck of playing cards, wherein at least one of said displayed playing cards is based on a predetermined game outcome value, and different pluralities of playing cards from the deck of playing cards form a plurality of different poker hands that are each associated with a value;

(b) enable a player to select at least one of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard;

(c) thereafter, determine, using a backfill algorithm, which of any playing cards from the deck of playing cards need to be displayed to result in one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value;

(d) display a replacement of any of said provided playing cards with any of said determined playing cards; and

(e) provide said predetermined game outcome value to the player.

35. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine the order to display any determined playing cards to the player.

36. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein the predetermined game outcome value is a progressive award value.

37. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select a plurality of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard.

38. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select each of said displayed playing cards to hold or to discard.

39. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to select said predetermined game outcome value from a plurality of predetermined game outcome values.

40. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one memory device to store said predetermined game outcome value.

41. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to receive said predetermined game outcome value from a central controller.

42. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine a set of determined playing cards to display if a plurality of sets of playing cards are each determined as needed to be displayed to result in one of said poker hands with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value.