Patent Application
20090039601
With the ever growing popularity of football, various types of fantasy football games have become prevalent. For example, patent application publication US 2007/0015562 discloses a fantasy football poker game. It would be desirable if some form of fantasy football game could be provided, particularly one in which both a certain degree of skill and a degree of luck are required to win the game. The game could be enhanced where some form of betting could take place during stages of the game.
An object of this invention is to provide a fantasy football game which should have universal appeal to football fans.
A further object of this invention is to provide a fantasy football deck of cards which could be used in the playing of a fantasy football game.
A further object of this invention is to provide variations of different forms of fantasy football games using the same deck of cards.
In a preferred practice of this invention, a fantasy football deck of cards comprises a plurality of sets of cards. Each of the cards has indicia which would correspond to a position of a participant on a football team, such as a player. Each of the cards would also be assigned a number value which could be considered as reflective of a salary cap value. The number value would correspond to the position of the participant. At least some of the cards in each of the sets has a different number value than other of the cards in the same set.
The deck of cards could include 26 cards in each set. Thirteen of the cards could correspond to players in an offensive unit and the remaining 13 cards could correspond to the players in a defensive unit. Since an actual football team would have only 11 offensive players or 11 defensive players on the field at a time, the two additional players on the offensive unit could be a kicker and could be a wide receiver used instead of a running back where a standard lineup would include five offensive lineman, one tight-end, two receivers, one quarterback and two running backs. Similarly, on the defensive side two additional players could be a fourth linebacker where three defensive linemen are used or a fourth defensive lineman where three linebackers are used and could also include an additional defensive back commonly referred to as a nickel back.
One practice of the invention is that the backsides of all cards would look the same. The front sides, however, would differ. A deck of cards could include a set of cards identifying specific players from a specific team such as the offensive unit and the defensive unit from the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles with the same deck including a set of cards from the offensive and defensive units of the 2007 Philadelphia Eagles. The individual cards, however, would be indistinguishable from each other when viewed from the backside.
The deck of cards could be used in different variations of play. A common theme in some of the variations is that a player would be given or have access to 11 or more cards and would then select the 11 cards to be used for the player's team in a particular hand. The value of that team would be determined by a preset ranking such as rules similar to poker including variations similar to poker variations, such as five card stud, deuces wild, etc.
The deck of cards used in a preferred practice of this invention would comprise a plurality of sets of cards. Bach of the cards would have indicia corresponding to a position of a participant on a football team. Preferably the participants are the players. The invention could be practiced, however, where the participants include one or more coaches. Each of the cards would be assigned a number value corresponding to the position of the participant. At least some of the cards in each of the sets would have a different number value than other of the cards in the same set.
In the preferred practice of the invention there are at least two sets of cards with the precise number being determined by the number of game players. Where there are three or four game players, the deck of card could include two sets comprising 52 cards. Where there are five or six game players, the deck of cards could include 78 cards. Where there are seven or eight players, the deck of cards could include 104 cards which would comprise four sets. In the preferred practice of this invention the standard deck of cards would comprise 104 individual cards, regardless of the number of players which is preferably from two to six.
Where a deck of 104 individual cards is used it is preferred to have two standard decks of 52 cards. Both of the decks would be composed of two offensive units and two defensive units. One of the playing options would be to play with a deck comprised of only offensive units or defensive units.
Cards 17-20 reflect the receivers when four different types of receivers are used. Card 17 is the wide receiver with the number value of 10 and an indication that it is one of four players at the receiver position. Card 18 is a flanker with the number value of 9 and an indication that it is the second of four receivers. Card 19 is a slot receiver with a number value of 8 and an indication that it is the third of the four receivers. Finally, card 20 is the tight end with the number value of 7 and an indication that it is the fourth of the four receivers.
Cards 21-25 represent the offensive line when five different types of offensive linemen are used. Card 21 represents the left tackle with the number value of 6 and an indication that it is one of five offensive linemen. Card 22 represents the right tackle with the number value of 5 and an indication that it is the second of five offensive linemen. Card 23 represents the left guard with the number value of 4 and an indication that it is the third of five offensive linemen. Card 24 represents the right guard with the number value of 3 and an indication that it is the fourth of five offensive linemen. Card 25 represents the center with the number value of 2 and an indication that it is the fifth of the offensive linemen.
The grouping of players in different positions, such as five offensive linemen being in one group or four receivers in one group or three backfield players in one group can be used to define and identify the variations of hand possibilities. Where, for example, rules similar to poker are used, the types of groupings would be similar to the groupings used when playing poker with a conventional deck of playing cards. Thus, if a game player had all five offensive linemen in the player's hand that might be equivalent to a straight in poker. Similarly, the existence of multiple players at each specific position, such as the existence of four of every specific position in a standard 104 card deck, can also be used to define and identify the variations of hand possibilities. Thus, if a game player had three slot receivers in the player's hand that might be equivalent to three of a kind in poker; having two tight-ends and one slot receiver, however, would not be considered three of a kind. The terminology that would preferably be used would differ from poker in that, for example, instead of referring to three of a kind reference might be made to “3-deep at slot receiver”.
In the preferred practice of this invention wherein the deck contains 104 cards, various types of fantasy football games could be played having, for example, from two to six game players. A deck of 104 cards could result in there being four identical sets of offensive units and four identical sets of defensive units with 13 players in each unit. Alternatively, players could mix sets/units from different teams and different years/release dates without adversely affecting game play (assuming the underlying basics of the game do not change). For example, a 104-card deck might include two identical sets of the offensive and defensive units of the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles along with two identical sets of the offensive and defensive units of the 2007 Philadelphia Eagles (or another team). Because the backside of all of the cards are identical one would not be able to tell which of the specific players is representative of a card without looking at the face of the card.
Through use of the deck of cards previously described, the same deck of cards could be used for playing different variations of fantasy football games. In general, because the cards have different number values a winner of a game could be determined in accordance with some predetermined ranking system. Such a ranking system could follow the rules of poker, as an example, or could be any other arbitrary ranking system which would be apparent when having knowledge of the present invention.
In a preferred practice of the invention in order to heighten the interest in the game, some reward, such as by betting or wagering with money, chips or other items of value could be used. Preferably, a game would begin with an initial ante/wager of money/chips that is placed in the “pot” and made available to be won by the winner of the game. At the end of the game, each player has a hand that could be considered as a fantasy formations card hand. The player with the best fantasy formations card hand wins the ante and all of the bets that have been added to the pot. A fantasy formations card hand is preferably a hand of 11 cards for football participants.
The following are some examples of different variations of fantasy football games that could be played with the deck of cards. One form of play could be considered a “Free Agent” fantasy formations card game which includes community cards. A version of that game might be considered as 1st and Goal where the players are given more than 11 cards to select from, but the winning result goes to the game player with the best 11 card hand. In this variation of the game, each game player would select the 11 best cards from 15 cards. These 15 cards would comprise 10 player specific cards which are specific to each game player plus five community cards that are available to be used or designated by all players. In the playing of this game, each game player is dealt a grouping of cards that the game player holds and does not show to or share with other game players. After this initial grouping of cards has been dealt, the game players have an opportunity place supplemental bets that they will win the hand by ending up with the best hand. Any game player who does not want to bet on that hand can retire and withdraw from that contest, but would forfeit the player's ante. All other bets would be added to the pot. Thus, the game might be played by all of the game players placing an ante in the pot, then the first down would be played where each game player is dealt 10 cards. This would be followed by a betting round then the second down would be played where the dealer adds three cards to a free agent pool which would comprise the community cards that are available for use by each game player. After the second down there would be another betting round. Then would come the third down where an additional card would be added to the free agent pool. This would be followed by another betting round. Then would come the fourth down where a fifth card is added to the free agent pool and this would be followed by a further betting round. Each game player would then select the 11 best cards to form the fantasy formations card hand. These 11 cards would be selected from the game players' own 10 cards and up to five of the community cards or free agent pool. A winner would then be determined by using the preselected rankings.
Although the above description specifically refers to the number of cards that would be initially dealt and then would be later added as community cards, other variations of those numbers could be used. In general, this version of the game would be played by dealing each player a plurality of cards during the first round and adding at least one card to an exposed community pool in a second round. At least one card would be added to the community pool in a third round and finally at least one card would be added to the community pool in a fourth round. Other variations would include using a greater or lesser number of rounds in which there would be the adding of cards and/or betting.
A further variation of a fantasy football game could be considered as a “Draft Rules” fantasy formations card game. In this game after the ante, the players are each dealt a grouping of cards that they hold in their hands and do not show to or share with the other players; additionally, the dealer fills a Draft Pool (a grouping of publicly displayed community cards that will be available for drafting over the course of the game). After this initial grouping of cards has been dealt, the players have an opportunity to place supplemental bets that they will win the hand (end up with the best hand). The players that don't want to bet on their hands can “retire” their hands; get out of the contest and forfeit their ante. All other bets are added to the pot. After this initial betting round, the players take turns drafting cards (selecting from a group of publicly displayed and available cards) one card at a time. After each round of selections, the players either s make additional bets of money/chips or decide to retire from the game. The drafting starts with the player immediately to the dealer's left, then goes around the table to the dealer (one round) and then back around the table beginning with the dealer and so on. In a typical 4 round draft game between four players, the dealer makes the following selections—the 4th selection in round one, the 1st selection in round two, the 4th selection in round three, and the 1st selection in round 4. After the drafting and betting is complete, the players lay their cards on the table, determine who has the best hand and distribute the pot to the winner. Draft Rules Games include:
The predetermined ranking system could be an arbitrary ranking such as indicated below which lists in order 103 rankings that are listed by number and also list the ranking unit such as offensive or defense. The following listing also includes a formation code such as A, B, C etc. and a formation's name such as I-formation (big); i.e., all 11 positions or small where there are less than 11 positions. Finally, the listing identifies the particular players in a formation.
It is to be understood that the above ranking system is given for exemplary purposes and different ranking systems could be used, including adding or deleting some of the hands and changing the names and terminology used.
The deck of cards could be used with the information available on the cards for providing different variations in the game playing. For example, the number value on each card could represent a salary cap for a player. The higher the cap number is, the higher the ranking or importance of the player is within that unit of players. Preferably, the salary caps for each player are reflected on the front side of each of the different player cards.
In the preferred practice of the invention, such as illustrated in the individual cards, there are two units in the game, offense and defense. Preferably, the offense always has a higher ranking/importance than the defense. For example, a kicker with an offensive cap number of 1 would be ranked higher than the strong side defensive end with a defensive cap number of 13. The game could alternatively be played where only offensive units are in the cards or only defensive units, but preferably is played with both units.
The deck of cards comprises a plurality of sets with each card representative of a participant on a football team. Each set comprises an offensive and/or a defensive unit. In a preferred practice of the invention there are 13 cards in each unit. The full deck would thereby be a multiple of 13. In the preferred practice of the invention, a standard 104 card deck would be used.
Instead of having 13 cards in each unit, a greater or lesser number could be used. For example, there could be additional cards representative of coaches, owners, etc. There could be a lesser number of cards by eliminating some of the player positions. Where each unit includes a number other than 13 the full deck would be a multiple of that number.
The player cards could be differentiated from each other by their color scheme, by player abbreviation and by salary cap figure. The player cards could also include codes to indicate what set the particular card is a part of
If two or more players have identical top hands, the tie breaker system could be as follows:
The following describes alternative forms of game play:
Combine the game play points with the “best hand” points to determine the game winner.
It should be appreciated that the above description sets forth exemplary practices of the invention. The invention could be practiced with other variations such as the following:
It should be apparent, based on the above description that the present invention provides a unique set of fantasy football cards which is capable of permitting a wide variety of different fantasy football games to be played A particular advantage is that many of such game variations could be played using the same deck of fantasy football cards.
