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[0001] The present invention relates generally to video poker, and more particularly to a system and method for playing video poker played with a user selectable diminishing number of cards.
[0002] Video poker games are frequently played in a casino on a video poker machine or over an online network of computers (e.g., the Internet). A significant advantage of the video poker machine is that there no need for a dealer, a table, cheques, cards and/or a plethora of other items that are used in playing traditional poker. Therefore, video poker utilizes little of the casino's infrastructure. Because little of the casino's infrastructure is used, video poker is often favored by the casino operators.
[0003] Video poker games are well known in the art. Traditionally, these video poker games appeal to hard-core poker players, but these video poker games become stale very quickly to advanced players. Additionally, the occasional poker player also finds these traditional video poker games unappealing.
[0004] Also, as players become more sophisticated regarding electronic video poker gaming machines, players prefer to play those poker machines that have pay tables with higher payouts for the types of poker hand rankings that are achievable. There is a need for new video poker gaming machines that are capable of encouraging a high volume of play while at the same time offering what the players consider to be good pay tables.
[0005] Many types of electronic video poker gaming machines have been developed in response to this phenomenon and are used in the casino gaming industry. Some of these video poker games are stud poker games and some are draw poker games. Each of these types of electronic video poker gaming machines is designed to replicate the play of a hand of poker. The player attempts to achieve the highest ranking poker hand possible from the cards dealt or displayed to the player.
[0006] The first electronic video poker gaming machines were standard draw poker games that dealt the player a hand of cards from a standard 52 card poker deck and displayed a single five card hand to the player. This was a conventional “player's hand only” game since the player did not play against a dealer's hand, but was only trying to achieve the highest poker hand ranking he could for his five card hand. In the conventional embodiment, the cards are electronically shuffled and an initial deal of five cards are displayed to the player. The player then selects which of the five cards he wants to hold. The non-selected cards are then removed and the replacement or drawn cards are displayed in place of the cards the player chose to discard. The player then wins or loses based on conventional poker hand rankings (as discussed infra) for the resulting five card hand.
[0007] The classic video draw poker machine has been modified over time to use Deuces (or other cards) as wild cards. Also, one or more Jokers may also be added to the standard fifty-two card deck and the Jokers are also used as wild cards. “Deuces Wild” and “Jokers Wild” draw poker still display to the player a single five card hand and allow the player to discard unwanted cards and receive replacement cards. The pay table is modified to recognize the differing odds for achieving various poker hands when wild cards are involved. When wild cards are used, other winning poker hand rankings can be used such as Five of a Kind or Wild Royal Flushes.
[0008] As video poker has evolved, the various gaming machines that have been disclosed in the related art generally continue to use an electronic video gaming machine that uses a video screen display to show the cards to the player. Computer controls carried on a printed circuit board mounted on the interior of the gaming machine electronically shuffles the deck of cards, activates the dealing sequence in response to input by a player, causes the initial five cards to be displayed on the video screen display, and deals replacement cards after the player has selected which cards to hold and discard and analyze the final five card hand to determine winning and losing hands. The computer controls also effect the payouts to the player based on the amount of the player's wager and the poker hand ranking of the final five card hand.
[0009] An invariant of most poker games is that a traditional poker hand is comprised of five cards. Most video poker machines use conventional poker hand rankings. The player with the highest ranking hand is usually the winner. The traditional rankings of poker hands, in descending order, are given as:
[0010] ROYAL FLUSH, (Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of the same suit);
[0011] STRAIGHT FLUSH, (five cards in sequence in any suit, i.e. Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, of the same suit);
[0012] FOUR OF A KIND, (four Aces is highest);
[0013] FULL HOUSE, (THREE OF A KIND plus a PAIR, i.e., 10, 10, 10, King King);
[0014] FLUSH (Five cards of the same suit);
[0015] STRAIGHT (five cards in sequence but of different suits, i.e., (Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7);
[0016] THREE OF A KIND (Three cards of the same rank, i.e., three Aces);
[0017] TWO PAIRS (i.e., two Kings and two 10's);
[0018] ONE PAIR (two 5's); and
[0019] NO PAIR
[0020] Since players have become bored with traditional video draw poker, and gaming casino operators are desirous of having different types of electronic video poker games to offer to the players, there is a need to provide new and interesting electronic video poker games that attract players and that can increase the volume of wagering in each gaming machine.
[0021] It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and interesting form of video poker which will attract players and increase the number of hands that can be played in a given time period while at the same time offering the player a good pay table.
[0022] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.
[0023] The present invention is aimed at one or more of the problems set forth above.
[0024] The subject invention provides a gaming machine and a method of playing the game. The gaming machine includes a processing unit (game controller) for controlling and processing the order of game play through one or more rounds as described below, input means for player wagering and player game play input/selections, and a display and a display processor for displaying representations of a plurality of playing cards, game information and options, and paytables to a player.
[0025] The subject invention provides a method of playing a video card-based game. The game, in its general form, includes the steps of:
[0026] (1) a player placing a wager
[0027] (2) displaying a randomly selected plurality of playing cards in number at least one greater than the standard hand (i.e., a hand being comprised of a predetermined number of cards) of the game being played,
[0028] (3) identifying (according to a list of predetermined combinations, as typically reflected in a “paytable”) any “winning combinations” that can be formed using subset(s) of the plurality of cards,
[0029] (4) giving the player the opportunity to selectively:
[0030] (a) stop the game and receive a payout of winnings according to the currently active paytable and winning combination, or
[0031] (b) allow the game controller to randomly delete a number of the plurality of cards in exchange for providing the player enhanced payout odds if winning combinations can still be formed following the random reduction,
[0032] (4) repeating the sequence of steps
[0033] (a) the player electing to stop play and being paid any payout awarded at the current round,
[0034] (b) the deletion results in the non-existence of any winning combinations, or
[0035] (c) the plurality of cards is reduced to a predetermined lowest number.
[0036] Accordingly, the game of the subject invention overcomes the deficiencies of the related art games by providing a very fast-paced, easily understood game which encourages play by both experts and non-expert gamers alike, encouragement of repeated additional wagering and/or wagering of amounts previously won in exchange for the opportunity to win enhanced amounts.
[0037] It is a feature and an advantage to the present invention to provide an improved modified video card game that creates a higher perceived sense of winning than conventional video card games.
[0038] It is another feature and advantage to the present invention to provide an improved modified video card game that enables the player to exhibit some control over the risk versus reward balance by deciding how many rounds to advance in the game.
[0039] It is another feature and advantage of the present invention in providing an improved modified card game which may be implemented in a stand-alone environment.
[0040] It is another feature and advantage of the present invention in providing an improved modified video card game that is exciting and fast to play.
[0041] It is another feature and advantage of the present invention in providing a modified video card game which provides the player or players the opportunity to increase their winnings.
[0042] In addition, the present invention optionally and advantageously provides the player with the feature of increasing their winnings with additional risk of loss, including any winnings in prior rounds. Thus, in the present invention, an opportunity is provided to the player to increase his or her winnings, making the modified card game unexpectedly and substantially more exciting than other games.
[0043] In addition, the game is simple to learn, fast-paced, and may encourage players to wager additional amounts, thereby attracting a variety of players of differing skill levels and interests, while potentially increasing revenues for the game's owner.
[0044] The subject invention provides a gaming machine and a method of playing the game. The gaming machine includes a processing unit (game controller) for controlling and processing the order of game play.
[0045] Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0046]
[0047]
[0048]
[0049]
[0050]
[0051] To achieve the features and advantages of the present invention, an improved video card game apparatus and method of game play is provided. In the preferred embodiment, the game is based upon five card poker.
[0052] With reference to
[0053] The screen display
[0054] As is also conventional, a player interface
[0055] The method of play of the preferred embodiment is illustrated in the flowchart in
[0056] Step
[0057] Step
[0058] Step
[0059] Step
[0060] ROYAL FLUSH, (Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of the same suit);
[0061] STRAIGHT FLUSH, (five cards in sequence in any suit, i.e. Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, of the same suit);
[0062] FOUR OF A KIND, (four Aces is highest);
[0063] FULL HOUSE, (THREE OF A KIND plus a PAIR, i. e., 10, 10, 10, King King); FLUSH (Five cards of the same suit);
[0064] STRAIGHT (five cards in sequence but of different suits, i.e., (Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7);
[0065] THREE OF A KIND (Three cards of the same rank, i.e., three Aces);
[0066] TWO PAIRS (i.e., two Kings and two 6's);
[0067] ONE PAIR, JACKS OR BETTER (two Jacks, two Queens, two Kings, or two Aces).
[0068] As will be recognized, often multiple winning combination subsets of the Px cards may be formable. Tx represents the paytable active in round x, an example of which is depicted in
[0069] Step
[0070] Step
[0071] Step
[0072] Step
[0073] (
[0074] (
[0075] Step
[0076] Step
[0077] In one embodiment, the initial number of plurality of playing cards P
[0078] In the preferred embodiment, the player is required to make an additional wager (e.g., one credit) to proceed to the next round, although it is envisioned that in some embodiments such an additional wager may not be required of the player in order to proceed to the next round.
[0079] In addition, in the preferred embodiment, one card is randomly deleted each round at Step
[0080] In addition, in the preferred embodiment, one virtual standard 52-card deck is used, although it is envisioned that alternative decks, multiple decks or partial decks could alternatively be used in the game, including those with Joker(s) or other designated “wild cards.”
[0081] In addition, in the preferred embodiment, the paytables
[0082] In addition, it is envisioned that many typical variations on the standard video poker game may easily be incorporated into the game as described herein. These include incorporation of one or more “Jokers” in the virtual deck, treating certain predetermined cards as “wild” cards, and/or providing the player with the option to selectively delete/“discard” and “draw” one or more replacement cards from those remaining in the deck between Steps
[0083] In addition, the game method as described herein is adaptable to a variety of other games where final combinations of one or more elements are utilized to establish the existence of predetermined winning combinations.
[0084] In addition, it is envisioned that between Steps
[0085] In addition, it is envisioned that between Steps
[0086] In addition, while in the preferred embodiment the game has the potential to continue until the minimum number of cards remain sufficient to form a normal hand (as reflected in Steps
[0087] In addition, while in the preferred embodiment the game has the potential to only continue until the minimum number of cards remain sufficient to form a normal hand (as reflected in Steps
[0088] In addition, while in the preferred embodiment the game method is described for use in a physical casino environment, it is envisioned that games in accordance with the method of this invention could easily be adapted for use in an online casino gaming context and/or over a networked system of computers such as the Internet.
[0089] In addition, while in the preferred embodiment the minimum winning combination is a pair of jacks, it is envisioned that other lesser combinations (including no pairs) could constitute a winning combination(s) on one or more of the paytables.
[0090] In addition, in the preferred embodiment, the game controller selects and displays the initial plurality of cards. It is envisioned, however, that the player may select the initial plurality from a display of the 52 randomly arranged face-down cards via the touchscreen.
[0091] In addition, while in the preferred embodiment the deleted cards are not used as an element of the game after they are deleted from the plurality of cards, it is envisioned that the deleted cards could be displayed as and form an alternative hand/plurality of playing cards
[0092] Other aspects and features of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.