System and method for playing a game including a mortgaging option

• US 20030218303A1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Kim, Peter, Gelman, Geoffrey M., Downs, Michael D., Walker, Jay S., Vogel, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,111,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/292
• 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 2001/003 Blackjack; Twenty one
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/08 Raffle games that can be played by a fairly large number of people A63F3/0625, A63F3/065 take precedence; lottery apparatus G07C15/00; lottery gaming stations, online lottery or bingo G07F17/329
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A method and apparatus of playing a game provides a player with at least one option for playing at least one round of the game in accordance with at least one advantage and/or disadvantage. For example, a player may agree to play a current round of play and/or at least one future round of play in accordance with a revised rule.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an initial bet from a player for a current round of play of a poker game;

dealing at least one card to the player to form a starting hand; and

after dealing the starting hand but before determining an outcome of the current round of play, entering into an agreement with the player to bet on at least one future round of play to be played in accordance with a revised rule.

2. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of an initial bet by a player for a current round of play of a card game;

displaying an initial set of indicia to the player, the initial set of indicia including at least one card symbol; and

after displaying the initial set of indicia but before determining an outcome of the current round of play, entering into an agreement with the player to play at least one future round of the card game in accordance with a revised rule.

3. A method comprising:

receiving an initial bet from a player for a current round of play of a slot machine game;

displaying an initial set of indicia to the player, the initial set of indicia including at least one reel symbol; and

after displaying the initial set of indicia but before determining an outcome of the current round of play, entering into an agreement with the player to play at least one future round of the slot machine game in accordance with a revised rule.

4. A method comprising:

receiving an initial bet from a player for a current round of play;

displaying to the player a set of selectable options in a bonus game of the current round of play; and

after displaying the set of selectable options but before determining an outcome of the bonus game, entering into an agreement with the player to play at least one future round in accordance with a revised rule.

5. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a wager by a player for a current round of a game;

determining a set of indicia for the player; and

after determining the set of indicia, before determining an outcome of the current round,

entering into an agreement with the player to play at least one future round of the game in accordance with a revised rule of the game.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the game is a slot machine game.

7. The method of claim 5, in which the game is a card game.

8. The method of claim 5, in which the game is a blackjack game.

9. The method of claim 5, in which the game is a poker game.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing the player with a disadvantage during the current round of play.

11. The method of claim 10, in which the revised rule is favorable to the player.

12. The method of claim 5, in which the revised rule is a disadvantage for the player with respect to a conventional rule of the game.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing the player with an advantage during the current round.

14. The method of claim 5, in which entering in the agreement comprises:

entering into the agreement after determining a first set of indicia and before determining a second set of indicia.

15. The method of claim 5, in which the agreement comprises an agreement by the player to play at a rate that is not less than a predetermined rate of play.

16. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining a first rate of play of the player; and

determining a second rate of play based on the first rate of play,

in which the agreement comprises an agreement by the player to play at the second rate of play.

17. The method of claim 16, in which the second rate of play is greater than the first rate of play.

18. The method of claim 5, in which the agreement comprises an agreement by the player to play at least one round of the game during a predetermined period of time.

19. The method of claim 5, in which the agreement comprises an agreement by the player to play the game for at least a predetermined period of time.

20. The method of claim 5, in which the agreement comprises an agreement by the player to cash out after a predetermined period of time.

21. The method of claim 5, in which the agreement comprises an agreement by the player to cash out during a predetermined period of time.

22. The method of claim 5, in which the agreement comprises an agreement by the player to cash out after a predetermined time.

23. The method of claim 5,

in which the agreement comprises an agreement by the player to make a second bet for the at least one future round;

and

in which an amount of the second bet is not less than a predetermined bet amount.

24. The method of claim 5,

in which the agreement comprises an agreement by the player to make a second bet for the at least one future round;

and

in which an amount of the second bet is greater than the initial bet.

25. The method of claim 5, in which play of the game in accordance with the revised rule comprises:

determining a payout amount;

determining whether the payout amount is greater than a predetermined payout amount; and

if the payout amount is greater than the predetermined payout amount, decreasing the payout amount.

26. The method of claim 25, in which decreasing comprises:

subtracting a predetermined penalty amount from the payout amount.

27. The method of claim 5, in which the revised rule corresponds to a reduced chance of winning in the at least one future round of play.

28. The method of claim 5, in which the revised rule requires the player to make a payment.

29. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing the player with an advantage in the current round.

30. The method of claim 29, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

facilitating play of the current round in accordance with a revised rule that is favorable to the player.

31. The method of claim 29, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

terminating the current round without causing the player to lose all of the initial bet.

32. The method of claim 29, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

providing an enhanced payout for a winning hand.

33. The method of claim 29, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

providing the player with an increased chance of winning during the current round of play.

34. The method of claim 29, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

transmitting information about at least one strategy for play to the player.

35. A method comprising:

receiving a wager from a player for a current round of a game;

determining a set of at least one game symbol;

determining a set of at least one mortgage option;

providing an indication of the set of at least one mortgaging option to the player; and

receiving an indication of acceptance by the player of a mortgaging option from the set,

in which the accepted mortgaging option is associated with an agreement by the player to play at least one future round of the game in accordance with at least one revised rule of the game.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

determining a benefit that is associated with the accepted mortgaging option; and

providing the benefit to the player.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

determining a penalty that is associated with the accepted mortgaging option; and

providing the penalty to the player.

38. The method of claim 35, in which receiving the indication of acceptance comprises:

receiving the indication of acceptance after determining a first set of at least one game symbol and before determining a second set of at least one game symbol.

39. The method of claim 35, in which the game is a blackjack game.

40. The method of claim 35, in which the game is a video blackjack game.

41. The method of claim 35, in which the game is a blackjack game at a table.

42. The method of claim 35, in which the game is a poker game.

43. The method of claim 35, in which the game is a video poker game.

44. The method of claim 35, in which the game is a poker game at a table.

45. The method of claim 35, in which the game is a slot machine game.

46. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a wager by a player for a current round of a game;

determining a first set of indicia of the current round;

offering to the player an advantage in at least one round of the game in exchange for an agreement by the player to play at least one round of the game in accordance with a disadvantage; and

after determining the first set of indicia, before determining a second set of indicia of the current round,

receiving an indication that the player agrees to play at least one round of the game in accordance with the disadvantage.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

facilitating play of at least one round of the game in accordance with the advantage.

48. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

facilitating play of at least one round of the game in accordance with the disadvantage.

49. The method of claim 46, in which the player agrees to play at least one future round of the game in accordance with a revised rule that is unfavorable to the player.

50. The method of claim 46, in which the player agrees to continue play of the current round in accordance with a revised rule that is unfavorable to the player.

51. The method of claim 46, in which providing the advantage comprises:

providing the advantage during the current round.

52. The method of claim 46, in which providing the advantage comprises:

providing the advantage during at least one future round.

53. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of an initial bet by a player for a current round of a poker game;

dealing at least one card to the player to form a starting hand; and

after dealing the starting hand, before determining a final hand,

entering into an agreement with the player to play at least one future round of the poker game in accordance with a revised rule of the poker game.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

providing the player an advantage.

55. The method of claim 54, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

receiving an indication of a first card;

discarding the first card;

dealing a second card to replace the first card;

displaying the second card to the player; and

after displaying the second card to the player, allowing the player to discard a third card.

56. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

receiving an indication of at least one card the player wishes to discard from the starting poker hand, and

discarding the at least one card; and

in which providing the player with the advantage comprises;

allowing the player to retrieve the at least one discarded card.

57. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

receiving an indication of at least one card the player wishes to discard from the starting poker hand,

discarding the at least one card; and

in which providing the player with the advantage comprises;

determining a deck of cards from which the player may draw during the current round, the deck including the at least one discarded card.

58. The method of claim 54, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

determining a poker hand ranking; and

increasing a payout amount associated with the poker hand ranking.

59. The method of claim 54, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

increasing a probability of drawing a card having a first rank.

60. The method of claim 54, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

increasing a probability of drawing a card having a first suit.

61. The method of claim 54, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

allowing the player to receive an additional card and, if desired, to discard the additional card.

62. The method of claim 54, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

allowing the player to receive a plurality of additional cards and, if desired, to discard at least one of the plurality of additional cards.

63. The method of claim 54, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

determining a deck of cards, the deck comprising at least one representation of a card that is associated with a first rank and is associated with a second rank.

64. The method of claim 63, in which the at least one representation of a card represents a “

wild”

card.

65. The method of claim 54, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

determining a deck of cards,

the deck including a first card, and

the deck including a second card that is identical to the first card.

66. The method of claim 65, in which the deck of cards comprises two or more standard decks of cards.

67. The method of claim 54, in which providing the player with the advantage comprises:

receiving a first instruction from the player, the first instruction indicating how to generate a first final poker hand based on the starting poker hand;

receiving a second instruction from the player, the second instruction indicating how to generate a second final poker hand based on the starting poker hand,

in which the second instruction is different from the first instruction;

generating the first final poker hand;

generating the second final poker hand; and

determining a payout amount based on;

the first final poker hand, and

the second final poker hand.

68. The method of claim 53, in which the revised rule comprises at least one of:

a first revised rule specifying that the player loses with a final poker hand having a rank of one pair,

a second revised rule specifying that the player loses with a final poker hand having a rank of one pair of jacks,

a third revised rule specifying that a player must discard at least a first predetermined number of cards, and

a fourth revised rule specifying that a player must hold at least a second predetermined number of cards.

69. The method of claim 53,

in which the poker game is associated with a first probability of drawing a card having a predetermined rank;

and

in which the revised rule is associated with a second probability of drawing a card having the predetermined rank.

70. The method of claim 69, in which the second probability is less than the first probability.

71. The method of claim 53,

in which the poker game is associated with a first probability of achieving a hand having a predetermined rank;

and

in which the revised rule is associated with a second probability of achieving a hand having the predetermined rank.

72. The method of claim 71, in which the second probability is less than the first probability.

73. The method of claim 53, in which the agreement comprises an agreement by the player to play at least a predetermined number of rounds of the poker game.

74. The method of claim 53,

in which play of the poker game is associated with a first comp rate;

and

in which play of the poker game in accordance with the revised rule is associated with a second comp rate.

75. The method of claim 74, in which the second comp rate is less than the first comp rate.

76. The method of claim 53,

in which the player is associated with a first comp rate;

and

in which play of the poker game in accordance with the revised rule is associated with a second comp rate.

77. The method of claim 76, in which the second comp rate is less than the first comp rate.

78. The method of claim 53,

in which the poker game is associated with a first payout table;

and

in which the revised rule is associated with a second payout table.

79. The method of claim 53, in which the revised rule adversely affects a payout for a winning hand.

80. The method of claim 53,

in which a predetermined poker rank is associated with a first payout;

and

in which in accordance with the revised rule the predetermined poker rank is associated with a second payout.

81. The method of claim 80, in which the second payout is less than the first payout.

82. The method of claim 80,

in which the first payout is greater than zero;

and

in which the second payout is zero.

83. The method of claim 53,

in which the poker game is associated with a first set of at least one winning hand;

in which the revised rule is associated with a second set of at least one winning; and

in which at least one winning hand of the first set is not in the second set.