Electronic video poker games

• US 6,568,680 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2000
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Action Gaming Incorporated
• Inventors: Moody, Ernest W., Wood, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin H.
• Application Number:
  US09/698,892
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 273/292, 273/274, 273/309, 463/13, 463/12
• 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 2001/005 Poker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082

Abstract

A card game is described in which a player makes a total wager prior to the initial starting hand being dealt. One hand of five cards is displayed to the player with all of the initial cards being dealt face up. The player then determines how many times the player wishes to play the initial starting hand and the total wager is divided into multiple parts, each part being allocated to a different play of the initial starting hand. The player then plays the starting hand for a FIRST PLAY and the player then selects none, one or more of the face up cards as cards to be held. Replacement cards for the non-selected cards are dealt into the hand and the poker hand ranking of the FIRST PLAY is determined. The initial deal of the starting cards is then re-used and becomes a SECOND PLAY. The player again selects none, one or more of the face up cards as cards to be held. Replacement cards for the non-selected cards are dealt and the poker hand ranking of the SECOND PLAY is determined. These steps are repeated until the player has completed play of all of the plays that the player chose at the beginning of the round of the game. The player is paid for any winning poker hands based on a pay table and the amount of the player'"'"'s wager on each play.

Claims

1. A method of playing a card game comprising:

a) a player making a total wager to be eligible to play the card game;

b) dealing an initial hand comprising five cards all face up;

c) prior to any further play of the initial hand, the player selecting two plays of the initial hand and allocating the total wager among the two plays selected by the player;

d) the player playing a FIRST PLAY of the initial hand by selecting none, one or more of the face up cards from the first hand as cards to be held;

e) discarding from the starting hand the cards that were not selected to be held and replacing each of those cards with a face up card;

f) determining the poker hand ranking of the resulting cards of the FIRST PLAY;

g) redisplaying the initial starting hand as a SECOND PLAY;

h) the player playing the SECOND PLAY of the initial hand by selecting none, one or more of the face up cards of the redisplayed cards as cards to be held;

i) discarding from the starting hand the cards that were not selected to be held and replacing each of those cards with a face up card;

j) determining the poker hand ranking of the resulting cards of the SECOND PLAY.

2. The method of claim 1 including the steps of:

a) paying the player a preestablished amount based on a pay table and the amount of the allocated wager on the FIRST PLAY if the resulting cards of the FIRST PLAY comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking; and

b) paying the player a preestablished amount based on a pay table and the amount of the allocated wager on the SECOND PLAY if the resulting cards of the SECOND PLAY comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

3. A method of playing a card game comprising:

a) a player making a total wager to be eligible to play the card game;

b) dealing an initial hand comprising five cards all face up;

c) prior to any further play of the initial hand, the player selecting at least two plays of the initial hand and allocating the total wager among the plays selected by the player;

d) the player playing a FIRST PLAY of the initial hand by selecting none, one or more of the face up cards from the first hand as cards to be held;

e) discarding from the starting hand the cards that were not selected to be held and replacing each of those cards with a face up card;

f) determining the poker hand ranking of the resulting cards of the FIRST PLAY;

g) redisplaying the initial starting hand as a SECOND PLAY;

h) the player playing the SECOND PLAY of the initial hand by selecting none, one or more of the face up cards of the redisplayed cards as cards to be held;

i) discarding from the starting hand the cards that were not selected to be held and replacing each of those cards with a face up card;

j) determining the poker hand ranking of the resulting cards of the SECOND PLAY; and

k) repeating steps g), h), i) and j) for the full number of plays selected by the player.

4. The method of claim 3 including paying the player a preestablished amount based on a pay table and the amount of the allocated wager on the each of the PLAYS whenever the resulting cards of a PLAY comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

5. A method of playing a card game comprising:

a) a player making a total wager to be eligible to play the card game;

b) dealing an initial hand comprising a predetermined number of cards all face up;

c) prior to any further play of the initial hand, the player selecting two plays of the initial hand and allocating the total wager among the two plays selected by the player;

d) the player playing a FIRST PLAY of the initial hand by selecting none, one or more of the face up cards from the first hand as cards to be held;

e) discarding from the starting hand the cards that were not selected to be held and replacing each of those cards with a face up card;

f) determining the poker hand ranking of the resulting cards of the FIRST PLAY;

g) redisplaying the initial starting hand as a SECOND PLAY;

h) the player playing the SECOND PLAY of the initial hand by selecting none, one or more of the face up cards of the redisplayed cards as cards to be held;

i) discarding from the starting hand the cards that were not selected to be held and replacing each of those cards with a face up card;

j) determining the poker hand ranking of the resulting cards of the SECOND PLAY.

6. The method of claim 5 including the steps of:

a) paying the player a preestablished amount based on a pay table and the amount of the allocated wager on the FIRST PLAY if the resulting cards of the FIRST PLAY comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking; and

b) paying the player a preestablished amount based on a pay table and the amount of the allocated wager on the SECOND PLAY if the resulting cards of the SECOND PLAY comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

7. The method of claim 5 in which the predetermined number of cards is at least three.

8. A method of playing a card game comprising:

a) a player making a total wager to be eligible to play the card game;

b) dealing an initial hand comprising a predetermined number of cards all face up;

c) prior to any further play of the initial hand, the player selecting at least two plays of the initial hand and allocating the total wager among the plays selected by the player;

d) the player playing a FIRST PLAY of the initial hand by selecting none, one or more of the face up cards from the first hand as cards to be held;

e) discarding from the starting hand the cards that were not selected to be held and replacing each of those cards with a face up card;

f) determining the poker hand ranking of the resulting cards of the FIRST PLAY;

g) redisplaying the initial starting hand as a SECOND PLAY;

h) the player playing the SECOND PLAY of the initial hand by selecting none, one or more of the face up cards of the redisplayed cards as cards to be held;

i) discarding from the starting hand the cards that were not selected to be held and replacing each of those cards with a face up card;

j) determining the poker hand ranking of the resulting cards of the SECOND PLAY; and

k) repeating steps g), h), i) and j) for the full number of plays selected by the player.

9. The method of claim 8 including paying the player a preestablished amount based on a pay table and the amount of the allocated wager on the each of the PLAYS whenever the resulting cards of a PLAY comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.

10. The method of claim 8 in which the predetermined number of cards is at least three.