Electronic video poker games

• US 9,235,963 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• 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:
  US14/811,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20150332562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 168 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. An electronic video poker gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including a physical item acceptor and at least one of;

a touch screen and at least one button; and

an electronic processing device supported by the housing, said electronic processing device configured to operate with the display device and the plurality of input devices to;

receive currency via the physical item acceptor, the currency having a monetary value,

receive, via at least one of the plurality of input devices, a wager based at least in part on the monetary value, and

for a single play of a video poker card game;

(a) randomly select, via the electronic processing device, a first hand of a designated quantity of cards from a first virtual deck of at least fifty-two cards, the designated quantity being more than one,

(b) display, via the display device, the randomly selected first hand of cards face-up in a first row,

(c) enable a player to select, via at least one of the plurality of input devices, which, if any, of the displayed face-up cards of the first hand to hold,

(d) discard, via the electronic processing device, any displayed face-up cards of the first hand not held,

(e) complete the first hand by, for each of any discarded cards of the first hand;

(i) randomly selecting, via the electronic processing device, one of the cards remaining in the first virtual deck of cards, and

(ii) displaying, via the display device, that randomly selected card in the first hand,

(f) evaluate, via the electronic processing device, the completed first hand for any of a plurality of different winning card combinations of a paytable,

(g) for each of at least two additional rows, display, via the display device;

(i) at least two additional hands in that additional row, and

(ii) in each displayed additional hand in that additional row, each of any held cards of the first hand,

(h) complete each additional hand in each additional row via the electronic processing device such that each additional hand includes the designated quantity of displayed cards including each of any held cards of the first hand,

(i) evaluate, via the electronic processing device, each of the completed additional hands in each of the additional rows for any of the plurality of different winning card combinations of the paytable, and

(j) display, via the display device, any awards associated with any winning card combinations formed by any of the completed hands.

2. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 1, wherein separate virtual decks of cards are used to complete each additional hand.

3. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 1, wherein the displayed cards in each additional hand are smaller than the displayed cards in the first hand.

4. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first virtual deck includes at least fifty-two different cards.

5. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 1, wherein for each completed hand which forms any one of the plurality of different winning card combinations of the paytable, the electronic processing device is configured to operate with the display device to display, in association with that completed hand, an award associated with the formed winning card combination.

6. An electronic video poker gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including a physical item acceptor and at least one of;

a touch screen and at least one button; and

an electronic processing device supported by the housing, said electronic processing device configured to operate with the display device and the plurality of input devices to;

receive currency via the physical item acceptor, the currency having a monetary value,

receive, via at least one of the plurality of input devices, a wager based at least in part on the monetary value, and

for a single play of a video poker card game;

(a) randomly select, via the electronic processing device, a first hand of a designated quantity of cards from a first virtual deck of at least fifty-two cards, the designated quantity being more than one,

(b) display, via the display device, the randomly selected first hand of cards face-up in a first row,

(c) enable a player to select, via at least one of the plurality of input devices, which, if any, of the displayed face-up cards of the first hand to hold,

(d) discard, via the electronic processing device, any displayed face-up cards of the first hand not held,

(e) complete the first hand by, for each of any discarded cards of the first hand;

(i) randomly selecting, via the electronic processing device, one of the cards remaining in the first virtual deck of cards, and

(ii) displaying, via the display device, that randomly selected card in the first hand,

(f) evaluate, via the electronic processing device, the completed first hand for any of a plurality of different winning card combinations of a paytable,

(g) display, via the display device, at least two additional hands in a second row, each displayed additional hand in the second row including each of any held cards of the first hand,

(h) display, via the display device, at least two additional hands in a third row, each displayed additional hand in the third row including each of any held cards of the first hand,

(i) complete each additional hand in the second row via the electronic processing device such that each additional hand in the second row includes the designated quantity of displayed cards including each of any held cards of the first hand,

(j) complete each additional hand in the third row via the electronic processing device such that each additional hand in the third row includes the designated quantity of displayed cards including each of any held cards of the first hand,

(k) evaluate, via the electronic processing device, each of the completed additional hands in the second row for any of the plurality of different winning card combinations of the paytable,

(l) evaluate, via the electronic processing device, each of the completed additional hands in the third row for any of the plurality of different winning card combinations of the paytable, and

(m) display, via the display device, any awards associated with any winning card combinations formed by any of the completed hands.

7. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 6, wherein separate decks of cards are used to complete each additional hand.

8. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 6, wherein the displayed cards in each additional hand are smaller than the displayed cards in the first hand.

9. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 6, wherein the first virtual deck includes at least fifty-two different cards.

10. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 6, wherein for each completed hand which forms any one of the plurality of different winning card combinations of the paytable, the electronic processing device is configured to operate with the display device to display, in association with that completed hand, an award associated with the formed winning card combination.

11. An electronic video poker gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including a physical item acceptor and at least one of;

a touch screen and at least one button; and

an electronic processing device supported by the housing, said electronic processing device configured to operate with the display device and the plurality of input devices to;

receive currency via the physical item acceptor, the currency having a monetary value,

receive, via at least one of the plurality of input devices, a wager based at least in part on the monetary value, and

for a single play of a video poker card game;

(a) for a first hand in one of a quantity of rows, said quantity of rows being at least two and at least one of the quantity of rows having at least two hands, randomly select, via the electronic processing device, and display face-up, via the display device, a designated quantity of cards from a first virtual deck of at least fifty-two cards in said first hand, the designated quantity of cards being more than one,

(b) enable a player to select, via at least one of the plurality of input devices, which, if any, of the displayed face-up cards of the first hand to hold,

(c) for each of the other hands in the rows, display, via the display device, each of any held cards of the first hand,

(d) discard, via the electronic processing device, each of any cards of the first hand not held,

(e) complete the first hand by, for each of any discarded cards of the first hand;

(i) randomly selecting, via the electronic processing device, one of the cards remaining in the first virtual deck of cards, and

(ii) displaying, via the display device, that randomly selected card in the first hand,

(f) complete each of the other hands in the rows via the electronic processing device such that each other hand includes the designated quantity of displayed cards including each of any held cards of the first hand,

(g) evaluate, via the electronic processing device, the completed first hand for any of a plurality of different winning card combinations of a paytable,

(h) evaluate, via the electronic processing device, each of the completed other hands in each of the rows for any of the plurality of different winning card combinations of the paytable, and

(i) display, via the display device, any awards associated with any winning card combinations formed by any of the completed hands.

12. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 11, wherein separate virtual decks of cards are used to complete each hand.

13. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 11, wherein the displayed cards in one of the rows are smaller than the displayed cards in the first hand.

14. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 11, wherein the first virtual deck includes at least fifty-two different cards.

15. The electronic video poker gaming device of claim 11, wherein for each completed hand which forms any one of the plurality of different winning card combinations of the paytable, the electronic processing device is configured to operate with the display device to display, in association with that completed hand, an award associated with the formed winning card combination.