Gaming system and method for providing improved element setting options

• US 8,795,049 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nicely, Mark C., Lafky, Ernie M., Richards, Timothy B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US13/543,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20120276971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463 11- 13, 463 17- 19, 463/25, 463 26- 28, 463 30- 32, 463 40- 42, 273/292
• US Class Current: 463/11
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players

Abstract

A gaming system configured to operate a game associated with a plurality of game elements is provided. The gaming system provides a quantity of the game elements to a player and a dealer. The gaming system forms a first dealer hand and a second dealer hand from the provided game elements according to one of a plurality of element setting rules. The gaming system enables the player to manually form a first player hand and a second player hand from the provided game elements or to instruct the gaming system to automatically do so according to one of the element setting rules. If the player manually sets the player hands, the gaming system indicates whether the player'"'"'s hands were formed in accordance with any of the element setting rules. The gaming system determines any awards based on a comparison of the player hands with the dealer hands.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices each including;

(a) at least one processor;

(b) at least one display device;

(c) at least one input device; and

(d) 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 a Pai Gow Poker game; and

a controller configured to operate with the gaming devices, for a play of the Pai Gow Poker game, to;

(a) for each of the gaming devices;

(i) display a designated quantity of player cards;

(ii) enable a player of said gaming device to form a first player hand and a second player hand using the displayed player cards; and

(iii) if the formed first player hand and the formed second player hand are inconsistent with one or more of a plurality of different card setting rules;

(A) enable said player to select one of the card setting rules; and

(B) if said player selects one of the card setting rules, automatically re-form the first player hand and the second player hand according to the selected card setting rule;

(b) display a designated quantity of dealer cards;

(c) form a first dealer hand and a second dealer hand according to a dealer card setting rule; and

(d) for each of the gaming devices, after any re-forming of the first and second player hands, determine any awards based on a comparison of the first and second player hands of the player of said gaming device with the first and second dealer hands.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, if the formed first player hand and the formed second player hand of the player of said gaming device are inconsistent with one or more of the card setting rules, enable said player to pay a fee to select one of the card setting rules.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, if the formed first player hand and the formed second player hand of the player of said gaming device are inconsistent with one or more of the card setting rules, enable said player to select one of the card setting rules if said player placed a wager of at least a minimum wager amount for said play of the Pai Gow Poker game.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, if the formed first player hand and the formed second player hand of the player of said gaming device are inconsistent with one or more of the card setting rules, enable said player to select one of the card setting rules if said player'"'"'s credit balance is at least a minimum credit balance.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, if the formed first player hand and the formed second player hand of the player of said gaming device are inconsistent with one or more of the card setting rules, enable said player to select one of the card setting rules if a player tracking card associated with said player has been inserted into said gaining device.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a rank of the second dealer hand is less than a rank of the first dealer hand and, for each of the gaming devices, a rank of the second player hand of the player of said gaming device is less than a rank of the first player hand of the player of said gaming device.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, determine any awards by determining whether the first player hand of the player of said gaming device beats the first dealer hand and whether the second player hand of the player of said gaming device beats the second dealer hand.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated quantity of player cards and the designated quantity of dealer cards are both seven cards.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, if the player of said gaming device placed a side wager, determine any bonus awards based on a subset of the player cards associated with said player and provide any determined bonus awards.

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

(a) for each of a plurality of gaming devices, causing a controller to operate with said gaming device to;

(i) display a designated quantity of player cards;

(ii) enable a player of said gaming device to form a first player hand and a second player hand using the displayed player cards; and

(iii) if the formed first player hand and the formed second player hand are inconsistent with one or more of a plurality of different card setting rules;

(A) enable said player to select one of the card setting rules; and

(B) if said player selects one of the card setting rules, automatically re-form the first player hand and the second player hand according to the selected card setting rule;

(b) causing the controller to operate with the gaming devices to display a designated quantity of dealer cards;

(c) causing the controller to form a first dealer hand and a second dealer hand according to a dealer card setting rule; and

(d) causing the controller to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, after any re-forming of the first and second player hands, determine any awards based on a comparison of the first and second player hands of the player of said gaming device with the first and second dealer hands.

11. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the controller to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, if the formed first player hand and the formed second player hand of the player of said gaming device are inconsistent with one or more of the card setting rules, enable said player to pay a fee to select one of the card setting rules.

12. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the controller to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, if the formed first player hand and the formed second player hand of the player of said gaming device are inconsistent with one or more of the card setting rules, enable said player to select one of the card setting rules if said player placed a wager of at least a minimum wager amount for said play of the Pai Gow Poker game.

13. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the controller to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, if the formed first player hand and the formed second player hand of the player of said gaming device are inconsistent with one or more of the card setting rules, enable said player to select one of the card setting rules if said player'"'"'s credit balance is at least a minimum credit balance.

14. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the controller to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, if the formed first player hand and the formed second player hand of the player of said gaming device are inconsistent with one or more of the card setting rules, enable said player to select one of the card setting rules if a player tracking card associated with said player has been inserted into said gaming device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein a rank of the second dealer hand is less than a rank of the first dealer hand and, for each of the gaming devices, a rank of the second player hand of the player of said gaming device is less than a rank of the first player hand of the player of said gaming device.

16. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the controller to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, determine any awards by determining whether the first player hand of the player of said gaming device beats the first dealer hand and whether the second player hand of the player of said gaming device beats the second dealer hand.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the designated quantity of player cards and the designated quantity of dealer cards are both seven cards.

18. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the controller to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, if the player of said gaming device placed a side wager, determine any bonus awards based on a subset of the player cards associated with said player and provide any determined bonus awards.

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

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data network is an internet.