Electronic video poker games

• US 9,111,422 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Moody, Ernest W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US14/133,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20140106838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 273/292, 273/274, 273/309, 273/138.2, 463/13, 463/12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/005 Poker
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A video poker machine configured to allow a player to play a card game includes at least one display device, at least one input device, and at least one computer configured to display at least a first hand and a second hand of at least five cards all face up, each hand including the same five cards. A player is provided an option to play a hand by selecting none, one or more than one of the face up cards from the first hand and the second hand and any additional hands as cards to be held. Each of the cards not selected to be held are discarded from each hand and replaced with a face up card. The player is provided a pre-established amount based on the amount of a wager made on the hand if the resulting cards of the hand comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a housing;

a display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input device including a touch screen, a deal button, a plurality of hold buttons, and at least one wager button; and

a processor,

wherein the processor, the display device, and the plurality of input devices are configured to operate with one another, for a single play of a card game, to;

(a) receive an actuation of the at least one wager button and place a wager on said single play of the card game;

(b) randomly select a first hand of five cards;

(c) display, on the display device, the first hand of five randomly selected cards face up to a player, where each of one or more of the cards may be designated as a wild card;

(d) receive at least one actuation of at least one of the touch screen, the plurality of hold buttons, and the deal button indicating none, one, or more than one of the displayed face up cards from the first hand to be held by the same player;

(e) display to the same player and on the display device any held cards from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands;

(f) if fewer than five cards were held from the first hand, complete each additional hand with one or more randomly selected cards such that each additional hand has five displayed cards;

(g) determine a poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand; and

(f) provide the same player any awards based on the determined poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the display device is configured to display, for each hand, a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker hand ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to use separate decks of cards to complete each additional hand.

4. A method of operating a gaming machine for a single play of a card game, said method comprising:

(a) receiving an actuation of at least one wager button and causing a processor to place a wager on said single play of the card game;

(b) causing the processor to randomly select a first hand of five cards;

(c) displaying, on causing one display device, the first hand of five randomly selected cards face up to a player, where each of one or more of the cards may be designated as a wild card;

(d) receiving at least one actuation of at least one of a touch screen, a plurality of hold buttons, and a deal button indicating none, one, or more than one of the displayed face up cards from the first hand to be held by the same player;

(e) displaying, on the display device and to the same player, any held cards from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands;

(f) if fewer than five cards were held from the first hand, causing the processor to complete each additional hand with one or more randomly selected cards such that each additional hand has five displayed cards;

(g) causing the processor to determine a poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand; and

(h) providing the same player any awards based on the determined poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

5. The method of claim 4, which includes, for each hand, displaying, on the display device, a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker hand ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

6. The method of claim 4, which includes causing the processor to use separate decks of cards to complete each additional hand.

7. A gaming machine comprising:

a housing;

a display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including a touch screen, a deal button, a plurality of hold buttons, and at least one wager button; and

a processor, wherein the processor, the display device, and the plurality of input devices are configured to operate with one another, for a single play of a card game, to;

(a) receive an actuation of the at least one wager button and place a wager on said single play of the card game;

(b) randomly select a first hand of a plurality of cards;

(c) display, on the display device, the first hand of the plurality of randomly selected cards face up to a player, where each of one or more of the cards may be designated as a wild card;

(d) receive at least one actuation of at least one of the touch screen, the plurality of hold buttons, and the deal button indicating none, one or more than one of the displayed face up cards from the first hand to be held by the same player;

(e) display to the same player and on the display device any held cards from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands;

(f) if fewer than a designated quantity of cards were held from the first hand, complete each additional hand with one or more randomly selected cards such that each additional hand has the designated quantity of displayed cards;

(g) determine a poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand; and

(h) provide the same player any awards based on the determined poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein the display device is configured to display, for each hand, a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker hand ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

9. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to use separate decks of cards to complete each additional hand.

10. A method of operating a gaming machine for a single play of a card game, said method comprising:

(a) receiving an actuation of at least one wager button and causing a processor to place a wager on said single play of the card game;

(b) causing the processor to randomly select a first hand of a plurality of cards;

(c) displaying, on one display device, the first hand of the plurality of randomly selected cards face up to a player, where each of one or more of the cards may be designated as a wild card;

(d) receiving at least one actuation of at least one of a touch screen, a plurality of hold buttons, and a deal button indicating none, one, or more than one of the displayed face up cards from the first hand to be held by the same player;

(e) displaying, on the display device and to the same player, any held cards from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands;

(f) if fewer than a designated quantity of cards were held from the first hand, causing the processor to complete each additional hand such that each additional hand has the designated quantity of displayed cards;

(g) causing the processor computer to determine a poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand; and

(h) providing the same player any awards based on the determined poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

11. The method of claim 10, which includes, for each hand, displaying, on the display device, a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker hand ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

12. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the processor to use separate decks of cards to complete each additional hand.

13. A gaming machine comprising:

a housing;

a display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing the plurality of input devices including a touch screen, a deal button, a plurality of hold buttons, and at least one wager button; and

a processor,

wherein the processor, the display device, and the plurality of input devices are configured to operate with one another, for a single play of a card game, to;

(a) receive an actuation of the at least one wager button and place a wager on said single play of the card game;

(b) randomly select a first hand of a plurality of cards;

(c) display, on the display device, the first hand of the plurality of randomly selected cards face up to a player, where each of one or more of the cards may be designated as a wild card;

(d) receive at least one actuation of at least one of the touch screen, the plurality of hold buttons, and the deal button indicating none, one, or more than one of the displayed face up cards from the first hand to be held by the same player;

(e) display to the same player and on the display device any held cards from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands;

(f) if fewer than a predetermined quantity of cards were held from the first hand, complete each additional hand with one or more randomly selected cards such that each additional hand has the predetermined quantity of displayed cards;

(g) determine a poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand; and

(h) provide the same player any awards based on the determined poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

14. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the display device is configured to display, for each hand, a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker hand ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

15. The computer of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to use separate decks to complete each additional hand.

16. A method of operating a gaming machine for a single play of a card game, said method comprising:

(a) receiving an actuation of at least one wager button and causing a processor to place a wager on said single play of the card game;

(b) causing the processor to randomly select a first hand of a plurality of cards;

(c) displaying, on causing one display device, the first hand of the plurality of randomly selected cards face up to a player, where each of one or more of the cards may be designated as a wild card;

(d) receiving at least one actuation of at least one of a touch screen, a plurality of hold buttons, and a deal button indicating none, one, or more than one of the displayed face up cards from the first hand to be held by the same player;

(e) displaying, on the display device and to the same player, any held cards from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands;

(f) if fewer than a predetermined quantity of cards were held from the first hand, causing the processor to complete each additional hand with one or more randomly selected cards such that each additional hand has a predetermined quantity of displayed cards;

(g) causing the processor computer to determine a poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand; and

(h) providing the same player any awards based on the determined poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

17. The method of claim 16, which includes, for each hand, displaying, on the display device, a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker hand ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

18. The method of claim 16, which includes causing the processor to use separate decks of cards to complete each additional hand.

19. A gaming machine comprising:

a housing;

a display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including a touch screen, a deal button, a plurality of hold buttons, and at least one wager button; and

a processor,

wherein the processor, the display device and the plurality of input devices are configured to operate with one another, for a single play of a card game, to;

(a) receive an actuation of the at least one wager button and place a wager on said single play of the card game;

(b) randomly select a first hand of a plurality of cards;

(c) cause the display device to display, on the display device, the first hand of the plurality of randomly selected cards face up to a player, where each of one or more of the cards may be designated as a wild card;

(d) receive at least one actuation of at least one of the touch screen, the plurality of hold buttons, and the deal button indicating one or more than one of the displayed face up cards from the first hand to be held by the same player;

(e) display to the same player and on the display device each held card from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands;

(f) complete each additional hand with one or more randomly selected cards such that each additional hand has a plurality of displayed cards;

(g) determine a poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand; and

(h) provide the same player any awards based on the determined poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

20. The gaming machine of claim 19, wherein the display device is configured to display, for each hand, a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker hand ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

21. The gaming machine of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to use separate decks to complete each additional hand.

22. A method of operating a gaming machine for a single play of a card game, said method comprising:

(a) receiving an actuation of at least one wager button and causing a processor to place a wager on said single play of the card game;

(b) causing the processor to randomly select a first hand of a plurality of cards;

(c) displaying, on causing one display device, the to display a first hand of the plurality of randomly selected cards face up to a player, where each of one or more of the cards may be designated as a wild card;

(d) receiving at least one actuation of at least one of a touch screen, a plurality of hold buttons, and a deal button input indicating one or more than one of the displayed face up cards from the first hand to be held by the same player;

(e) displaying, on the display device and to the same player, each held card from the first hand in each of a plurality of additional hands;

(f) causing the processor to complete each additional hand with one or more randomly selected cards such that each additional hand has a plurality of displayed cards;

(g) causing the processor to determine a poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand; and

(h) providing the same player any awards based on the determined poker hand ranking of the cards of each additional hand.

23. The method of claim 22, which includes, for each hand, displaying, on the display device, a pre-established amount based at least in part on the poker hand ranking of the cards of said hand if said cards comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

24. The method of claim 22, which includes causing the processor to use separate decks of cards to complete each additional hand.