Patent Application
20080042352
Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.
For example, game pieces can be from a conventional deck of cards or ten cards or subset thereof, such as an ace, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten. In an alternate embodiment, Mah Jongg tiles can be used as game pieces. A number of Mah Jongg tiles are dealt to a player. Each of the Mah Jongg tiles is assigned the same point value as the values on the face of the Mah Jongg tiles.
Alternatively, the game pieces can be one or more dominoes or die. The assigned point values of the game pieces are determined by the corresponding numbers of dots or numbers on the game pieces. In one embodiment, a predetermined number of dice are rolled for each player. For example, the number of dice can be two through six die.
Optionally, a common game piece for all players is dealt. The common game piece is used in each of the players' hand as one of the game pieces determining a hand of each player. The common game piece can be dealt before or after dealing of game pieces to the players.
In one embodiment, each of the game pieces are dealt face up to reveal the value of the game pieces. In an alternate embodiment, at least one of the game pieces are dealt face down so as not to reveal the value of the game piece.
In block 13, a predetermined number of game pieces are placed in a common area. The game pieces can be placed face up to reveal the value of the game piece or face down to not reveal the value of the game piece. The game pieces can be placed in the common area before or after the game pieces are dealt to the one or more players.
In block 14, the one or more players in a predetermined order can trade one of their game pieces with a game piece from the common area. For example, the order can be determined to allow the player with a dealt hand of lowest value to select from the common area first. Thereafter, the selection from the common area continues from the hand with the lowest value to the hand with the highest value until all game players have had the opportunity to select from the common area if desired. Alternatively, a spinner or dice could be used to determine the order of players to select game pieces from the common area.
In block 15, the game players in a predetermined order exchange one or more game pieces to or from another player for improving their hand and/or reducing the value of another player's hand. The game pieces can be exchanged by trading, buying, selling or auctioning.
In block 16, a determination is made of the hand with the lowest value. In block 17, the game player corresponding to the hand with the lowest value is eliminated from the game. Blocks 12-17 can be repeated in a survivor fashion with the loser's hand leaving the game on each round until only one player remains.
Thereafter, players can buy, sell, auction or trade a predetermined number of respective game pieces 24a-24n and respective game pieces 25a-25n to or from another player for improving their hand or reducing the value of another player's hand. For example, each player can buy, sell, auction or trade one of their respective game pieces 24a-24n and respective game pieces 25a-25n to or from one of the players. Thereafter, a determination is made of the hand with the lowest value and the game player corresponding to the hand with the lowest value is eliminated from the game.
Betting can take place using betting board 20. Betting board 20 can be a gaming table. A dealer places a predetermined number of game pieces on betting board 20 at position 23, as described above according to block 12. Optionally, a predetermined number of game pieces are placed in common area 31, according to block 14. In one embodiment, betting board 20 is mechanically and/or electronically activated. Alternatively, betting board 20 can be a video display and the game pieces are randomly selected and displayed on the video display. A player places a bet in betting location 32a-32n before, during or after selection of a hand. In one embodiment, a bonus wager can be placed in betting locations 34a-34n before block 12. One of the hands can be selected to have a bonus feature before selection of the hand for play. Alternatively, a bonus wager can be made on a certain combination of game pieces which can be determined from one of hands. For example, the certain combination of game pieces can be three of a kind. If the selected hand includes the bonus feature, the player is a winner. The bonus feature can be selected before the dealer places the game pieces on betting board 20. Block 15 is performed to allow players to buy, sell, auction or trade a predetermined number of respective game pieces 24a-24n and respective game pieces 25a-25n to or from another player for improving their hand or reducing the value of another player's hand. Block 16 is performed to determine a value for each hand. In one embodiment, betting board 20 includes processing capability for determining the value of hands. A player wins if their hand has the highest determined point value and the player earns a predetermined payout. A player loses if their hand has the lowest determined point value and their bet is removed from the table. In one embodiment, the player that is determined to be the loser pays a payout to all other players. The bets in betting locations 32a-32n having hands not eliminated from the game remain in the respective betting locations 32a-32n. Betting continues and blocks 12-17 are repeated.
For example, the payout can be equal to the amount bet or can be greater than the amount bet, such as paying out 3 to 1 odds. In one embodiment, the payout is based on the value of the hand. In one embodiment, the odds of winning the game may be made more in favor of the house. For example, a winning player will be paid less than the true odds of the bet in order to allow the house or casino to profit from hosting the game. In another embodiment, the house can take a commission on all winning players, for example, 5% of the winnings. In one embodiment, the game is played in a casino. Alternatively the game can be played on a video machine or over the Internet.
In an alternative embodiment, for a game of 5-card poker, shown in
In alternate embodiments, hands can be made up of two, four, or six or any combination of game pieces. In alternate embodiments, other card games, for example, a game of hearts or bridge can be played using game table 20 and predetermined number of game pieces.
In one embodiment, trades of game pieces cost a payment to the other players or the dealer. In one embodiment, selection of cards from the common area costs a payment to the other players or dealer.
In one embodiment, an auction is set up between a plurality of players which desire a game piece. A player indicating a highest payment for the game piece is awarded the game piece. The awarded game piece can be traded for one of the dealt game pieces.
It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments, which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
