Patent Application
20150321076
The invention relates to the card game. More particularly, the invention relates to card-type games suitable for casino operators and other gaming environments. As used herein, The term “card” is used in the present application to indicate a playing card or any facsimile thereof. For example, a card can be a paper playing card or an image of a card on a video display. Any representation of a card is contemplated. The term “card game”, is intended to include conventional table/board type games wherein one or more persons deal actual playing cards to one or more players, as well as any type of mechanical or electronic device which displays indicia of playing cards. Thus, the card game may be played as a live table card game, a video card game, or other computer format card game (e.g., over the Internet).
Casinos and gaming establishments continually require new games to offer their clientele. Players typically enjoy games which are easy to understand, and which offer players a plurality of choices and thrill of higher jackpots. A plurality of wagering options and higher jackpots heightens player interest in the game. It would therefore be desirable to provide card game having multiple wagering options and higher jackpot, and which can be practiced on existing casino tables and thus provides casino operators with additional revenue generating features.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a card game that is easy to understand and has many features of an exciting gambling game. The game can be enjoyed by all classes of players, including novices and less experienced players because there is a large element of luck involved. A beginner has a good chance of winning in the short term, even against experienced opponents.
Another object of this invention is to provide such a card game which would heighten player interest by offering multiple wagering options and higher jackpots.
Still another object of this invention is to provide such a card game which can be practiced on existing casino tables without requiring extra casino tables, space, or game surveillance, and which can provide casino operators with additional revenue generating features.
Accordingly, a card game is provided, utilizing a standard deck of playing cards (52 cards) and one joker. The Joker universality is limited: it can only be used to represent a card having a value of three (3), six (6) or nine (9) on three-cards qualifying hand and two-cards showdown hand. After players make a bet, the dealer deals each player and himself five cards. Players and dealer then has to arrange their five cards into a three-cards qualifying hand, and a two-card showdown hand. After the cards are arranged, the hands of the player and the dealer are mutually compared. At first, player-dealer three-cards qualifying hands are compared to see whether either hand meets the qualifying requirement of having the values of the cards selected add up to a total sum equals to one of a predetermined qualification numbers. If neither player nor dealer's qualifying hand meets the qualification of adding up to the predetermined value, then the bet shall push. If the player-dealer qualifying hands, both meet the qualifying requirement, then the player-dealer showdown hands will be compared and the hand having the highest total points ranking win the bet. If dealer qualifying hands meet the qualification and player not, then the player loses the bet. On the other hand, if the player qualifying hand meets the qualification and the dealer not, the player will receive even money only when the remaining two cards do not add up to a predetermined total points ranking. The player will win half of the bet if the sum of the remaining two cards does add up to the predetermined total point ranking.
Optionally, a bonus bet may be played as an adjunct to the regular game. The bonus bet is won when the five cards dealt matches one of a plurality of poker hand posted on the playing surface. The Joker universality is also limited on the bonus bet: it can be used only to represent a card to complete a royal flush, straight flush or straight. It also can be used to represent only as an Ace to attain 5 Aces, 4 Aces (Four of A Kind), 3 Aces (Three of A Kind) or 2 Aces hand.
A side pot is also contemplated that may be played as an adjunct to the regular game with or without the bonus bet. All players contribute to the side pot and the player having the best hand wins the side pot.
A tie hands bet is further contemplated that may be played as an adjunct to the regular game with or without the bonus bet and/or side pot. The tie hands bet is won by the player when the player and dealer's showdown hand each attain the same total points ranking. The tie hands bet shall push if both player and dealer qualifying hands fail to meet the qualifying requirement.
The FIGURE illustrates a top view of the inventive playing surface (layout) of a casino-type table with exemplary poker hands and corresponding payout odds for resolving the bonus bet in accordance with the invention.
The game is played with one Deck of playing cards (52 cards) and one joker. After players make a bet, the dealer will deal the players and himself five cards each. The players will separate their five cards into a three-card qualifying hand, and a two-card showdown hand. The three-card qualifying hand must add up to a total value of 10, 20 or 30 in order for player-dealer showdown hand competes to win the bet. The joker universality is limited and can only be used to represent a card having a value of three (3), six (6) or nine (9) on the three-card hand or two-card hand. In the event that neither the player nor the dealer's qualifying hand meets the qualifying requirement of adding up to a total value of 10, 20 or 30, then the bet shall push in which case neither player nor the dealer wins the bet or wager. If the dealer's qualifying hand meets the qualifying requirement of adding up to a total value of 10, 20 or 30 and the player qualifying hand fails to meet the qualifying requirement, then the dealer wins the bet. On the other hand, if the player qualifying hand meets the qualifying requirement and the dealer's qualifying hand fails to meet the qualifying requirement, the player will receive even money only when the remaining two cards do not add up to a total value of 5. The player will win half of the bet if the remaining two cards do add up to a total value of 5. If the player-dealer qualifying hands, both meet the qualifying requirement of adding up to a total value of 10, 20 or 30, then the player-dealer showdown hands will be compared for the highest total points ranking of the remaining two cards. The total points rankings of the remaining two cards ranged from one to ten, with ten being the highest. The showdown hand, having the highest total points ranking win the bet.
The card value point(s) and showdown hand total points rankings are listed below:
There are a number of optional variations which may be combined as desired. The use of three cards for qualifying hand and two cards for showdown hand are merely a convenience. However, other number of cards are contemplated for qualifying hand and showdown hand combinations. For example, it is contemplated that combinations such as four cards qualifying hand and two cards showdown hand, five cards qualifying hand and two cards showdown hand, four cards qualifying hand and three cards showdown hand may be used. To qualify, the sum of the four cards that constitute player's qualifying hand must add up to 10, 20, 30 or 40; and for five cards player's qualifying hand, it must add up to 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50. The total points rankings for the two cards showdown hand and three cards showdown hand remain the same, ten being the highest and 1 is the lowest. The total points rankings for the showdown hand is merely a convenience and is not limited in this respect and can vary as desired.
Optionally, a bonus bet may be played as an adjunct to the regular game. In addition to the regular bet placed on the designated ANTE placement circle on the playing surface, Players may optionally place a separate wager in the designated BONUS placement circle on the playing surface to bet on the five cards dealt to attain one of a predetermined poker hands shown on the playing surface with or without the presence of joker card. Regular bet hand and bonus bet hand, are played separately. The player automatically receives the bonus payouts listed on the playing surface for attaining a posted bonus hand on the playing surface. The amount of payouts for the bonus bet is typically determined by the odds of getting a particular poker hand. There are several ways to determine how much is paid out for a particular hand. In the preferred payouts listed below, the player receives a set multiple of the amount that the player originally wagered. For example, if a player gets a full house, he receives 20 times the amount that he wagered. The universality of the Joker is limited on the bonus bet: it can be used only to represent a card to complete a royal flush, straight flush or straight. It also can be used to represent only as an Ace to attain 5 Aces, 4 Aces (Four of A Kind), 3 Aces (Three of A Kind) or 2 Aces hand.
There are a number of optional enhancements which may be combined as desired. The use of standard poker rankings to determine the payouts in the bonus bet is merely a convenience. It is used primarily because most people know the rankings and know that it is more difficult to get a straight than to get a pair. However, other card combinations are contemplated for determining payouts, for example, a hand of all even/odd numbered cards or a hand with at least one card from each suit.
Another variation of the game is to create a side pot where all players contribute to the side pot and the player having the best hand wins the side pot.
Optionally, a Tie Hands bet may also be played as an adjunct to the regular game. In addition to the regular bet placed on the designated ANTE placement circle on the playing surface, Players may optionally place a separate wager in the designated Tie Hands bet placement circle on the playing surface to bet on both player and dealer's showdown hands will attain the same total points ranking. The amount of payouts for the Tie Hands bet in the preferred payouts is eight times the amount that the player wagered.
Whilst the card game is described particularly for play as a table game in a gaming establishment, it is not limited in this respect. It may also be adapted to video play format to be played for example, in a domestic or mobile environment, electronic gaming machines, internet or in the format of a video game, slot machine, parlor game or the like. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications may be made without department from the scope of the present invention. For example, the number of standard card decks and jokers, the predetermined number of cards dealt to each player-dealer, the number of cards in a qualifying hand and a showdown hand, the predetermined qualifying numbers in the qualifying hand, the representations of the joker(s) in a hand, the payout schedule, the multiples of player's wager listed in the Bonus Bet Payout Schedule, maximum payout per hand, minimum dollar bet and maximum dollar bet may be varied without departure from the scope of the present invention. Since certain changes may be made in the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is intended that all matter described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
