| 20070145682 | Reconfigurable game pad | June, 2007 | Rowe et al. |
| 20060066048 | Magnetic jam detection in a card shuffler | March, 2006 | Krenn et al. |
| 20020024180 | Tower game | February, 2002 | Dalton |
| 20080284104 | CHEMISTRY CARD GAME | November, 2008 | Samar |
| 20060249897 | Lottery game played on a geometric figure using indicia with variable point values | November, 2006 | Jubinville et al. |
| 20070182094 | Solid puzzle block | August, 2007 | Lee |
| 20060181026 | Chinese poker deck | August, 2006 | Wong |
| 20090020950 | Poker Wagering Game with Forced Discard | January, 2009 | Faulkner |
| 20090121429 | Card delivery shoe and methods of fabricating the card delivery shoe | May, 2009 | Walsh |
| 20100068681 | Game apparatus and method for teaching core replacement behaviors | March, 2010 | Rekort |
| 20060068868 | System and method for providing an electronic card game | March, 2006 | Crawford III et al. |
The present invention relates to games of chance. Specifically, the present invention is a method for conducting a card game including an optional tiebreaker procedure selectable by the player to eliminate “push” hands.
Card games such as pai gow poker have become increasingly popular in casinos. Pai gow poker, for example, is played with a standard deck of cards with a joker added. Typically the game is started with each player placing an “ante” wager. The dealer deals seven cards to each player position and to himself. Unoccupied player positions are dealt cards, even though the cards are never used in the actual play of the game. Since the typical pai gow poker table has six player positions, there are normally forty-nine cards dealt (seven hands, six players plus the dealer, of seven cards each) with four cards remaining undealt. After all cards have been dealt, face down, the dealer collects the cards from the unoccupied player positions, and places them along with remaining undealt into a discard stack.
Each player arranges his seven card hand into a five-card component hand and a two-card component hand, using each card in one component hand only, and places the component hands, face down, in designated locations on the table. While attempting to maximize the likelihood of winning at least one of the two hands, the player's only restriction in arranging his cards is that the five-card hand must have a higher poker ranking than the two-card hand.
The dealer likewise arranges his seven card hand into a five-card component hand and a two-card component hand, using each card in one component hand only, and places the component hands, face up, in designated locations on the table. The dealer typically arranges his seven card hand according to a set of house rules that are intended to standardize the setting of hands and remove any discretion on the part of the dealer.
In conventional pai gow poker rules, the joker may represent an ace or may be used to complete a straight or a flush. Typically five aces is the highest ranking hand, below which other hands follow standard poker rankings.
If the player's five-card hand and two-card hand outrank the dealer's five-card hand and two-card hand, respectively, the player wins, and is awarded an amount equaling his ante wager, often less a house commission of typically 5%. If the dealer's five-card hand and two-card hand outrank the player's five-card hand and two-card hand, respectively, the player loses, and his ante wager is collected by the dealer. If only one of the player's component hands outranks the corresponding dealer's component hand, the result is a “push” and neither the player nor the dealer wins. In comparing either the five-card hands or the two-card hands, copy hands, hands which are of equal rank, are won by the dealer.
Approximately forty percent of all pai gow poker hands result in a push, and nobody wins. These are typically unsatisfying to the player, although many players adopt a “push” strategy, attempting to divide their cards so as to achieve at least a push, i.e. playing to avoid a loss, rather than taking risks to attempt a win. However, a method of breaking ties, where such method is of no worse probability than the primary game, are highly desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,302 entitled “Pai Gow Poker with Tiebreaker Cards,” discloses a method of breaking ties. Of the four undealt cards, two are dealt into a tiebreaker section of the table, one for the dealer and one for the players. Any pushes that may occur are resolved by revealing the tiebreakers, with the player winning where the player card is higher than the dealer card, and the house winning where the dealer card is higher than, or equal to, the player card. At tables which feature this tiebreaker, its use is mandatory to resolve pushes, and totally outside of the player's control. Furthermore, by using only a single card, and having the house win in the event of a tie, the player's overall odds are actually worsened.
The method of the present invention is directed to games in which a player is dealt a player hand, and arranges the player hand into sub-hands or component hands. Such games include pai gow poker, but could also include many other games.
In an optional embodiment of the present game, the player places one or more wager. The player also opts whether the hand will be eligible for tiebreaker resolution. In an optional embodiment, the tiebreaker resolution is optional and the player may select whether or not the tiebreaker is used for that particular player's hand.
In one optional embodiment of the present invention, the player may also place an optional proposition wager. While the specific winning hands and pay outs for the proposition wagers may vary, it is contemplated that in an optional embodiment, the quantity of winning hands and/or the eligibility of the player to one or more supplemental pay outs may depend upon the amount wagered by the player.
A hand of cards is dealt to each player and the banker. Optionally, each hand contains seven cards. In a further optional embodiment, six player hands and one banker hand is dealt without regard to whether the all player positions are occupied. Optionally, the hands are dealt from a standard fifty-two card deck with an added joker.
Each of the players and the banker arrange their hands into a first set and a mutually exclusive second set. Optionally, the first set contains five cards and the second set contains two cards.
The player's hand is compared to the banker's hand by comparing the first set and second set of the player's hand to the first set and second set, respectively, of the banker's hand. If both the player's sets outrank the corresponding banker's sets, the player is rewarded. If both the banker's sets outrank the corresponding player's sets, the player's wager is collected.
If only one of the player's sets outranks the corresponding banker set, resolution depends upon whether the player elected tiebreaker resolution. If the player did not elect tiebreaker resolution, the result is a push and the player's wager is returned.
If the player did elect tiebreaker resolution, a third set is assigned to the player and to the banker. Optionally, the third set is shared among all players electing tiebreaker resolution. In one optional version of such an embodiment, cards are dealt to two sets and the sets are randomly assigned to the banker third set and the player third set. Optionally, the two sets contain two cards each.
If two of the three player sets outrank the corresponding banker sets, the player is rewarded based on the player's wager. Conversely, if two of the three banker sets outrank the corresponding player sets, the player's wager is collected. Optionally, in comparing the third set, the player third set outranks the banker third set if the player third set is of equal or greater rank to the banker third set.
In an optional embodiment including proposition wagers, the proposition wagers are resolved by comparing the player hand to a predefined table of winning hands and associated pay outs. If the player's hand comprises a winning hand, the player is rewarded based on his proposition wager. As noted above, the hands that comprise a winning hand for purposes of receiving a pay out on the proposition wager may optionally increase as the size of the player's proposition wager increases. Additionally or alternatively, a supplemental payout, such as a jackpot or progressive, may be available only to players placing a proposition wager of certain predefined quantity.
FIG. 1 is a top view of a layout of a gaming table for play of a card game according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention is a method and device for playing and conducting a card game. It is contemplated that the present game could be conducted in any form including, for example, at a table using physical playing cards, or at a table, at a personal computer, at a kiosk, or at a gaming machine using electronic playing cards.
For example, in the optional embodiment illustrated, a table layout 100 is provided. The table layout 100 consists of six player locations 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160 and a dealer location 170.
In the optional embodiment shown, the dealer location 170 consists of dealer hand placement locations 171, 172 and a tiebreaker area consisting of tiebreaker card locations 181, 182. In the optional embodiment illustrated, each player location 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160 consists of a location to place a first player set 201, a location to place a second player set 202, a location to place the player's wager 203, and a location 205 for the player to designate whether the player elects tiebreaker resolution of the player's hand. In an optional embodiment including a proposition wager, each player location 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160 may also include a location (not shown) for the player to place the proposition wager.
Turning to the method of the present invention, one optional embodiment of which is illustrated in FIG. 2, each player places 300 one or more wager. It is noted that the game may be banked by the house, or in an optional embodiment, a player-banker. It is contemplated that, according to house rule, a player-banker may not be permitted. However, in an optional embodiment in which a player-banker is permitted, it is further contemplated that a single player may serve as player-banker or the bank may rotate among those players desiring to act as banker, with an optional rule that the house may reclaim the bank at any time, such as between each player-banker. In an optional embodiment in which a player-banker is permitted, the player-banker may be identified at the table using a “Banker” marker. In any event, the term “banker” refers to the person or entity that is paying wining wagers and collecting losing wagers and could refer to a house-banker or a player-banker.
In one optional embodiment, each player also opts whether the player desires tiebreaker resolution of the player's hand. In such an optional embodiment, the election of tiebreaker resolution could take place at any point during the game. For example, it is contemplated that the player may opt for tiebreaker resolution of the player's hand before commencing game play, i.e. before any hands are dealt; before the player's hand is dealt; after the player's hand is dealt but before the player's hand is compared to the banker's hand; after comparing the player's hand to the banker's hand; or any other point during the game.
In an optional embodiment, a player electing tiebreaker resolution of the player's hand indicates his or her selection using a marker or button in front of the player's location. By turning the marker or button in one direction, the player has elected tiebreaker resolution, by reversing the marker or button, the player has declined tiebreaker resolution.
In another embodiment, tiebreaker resolution is not optional and each player hand may resolved using a form of tiebreaker resolution if the player hand and banker hand cannot be resolved using the first and second sets of the respective hands, as described below.
An optional embodiment of the present method may also include an optional proposition wager. In such an embodiment, players electing to place the optional proposition wager place the desired amount into a proposition wager location. As discussed in greater detail below, the amount or quantity staked by the player for a proposition wager may determine the criteria for the player winning the proposition wager and/or the eligibility of the player for certain pay outs or supplemental pay outs.
Each of the player and the banker are dealt 302 a hand of cards. In the event that a player is acting as banker, the dealer may optionally be included among the players. Optionally, the present method is conducted using a standard deck of fifty-two playing cards (deuce through Ace in each of four suits) plus a single joker for a total of fifty-three playing cards. As known in conventional pai gow and pai gow poker, the hands may be dealt to a “wood pile” and a random determination, such as a dice roll or the like, determines the distribution of the hands.
Optionally, each hand dealt consists of seven playing cards. That is, in such an optional embodiment, each player and the banker is dealt seven cards to a hand. Each player and the dealer arrange 304 his or her hand into two sets, a first set and a second set. As noted above, the present method could be applied to any game. However, in an optional embodiment similar to pai gow poker, the players and banker arrange their hands into a first set of five cards and a second set of two cards, where the sets are mutually exclusive. Optionally, the player may arrange the first set and second set in any manner desired, although the player may be restricted to arranging the sets so that the rank of the five-card hand is greater than the rank of the two-card hand. While there may be any, or no, rules governing how players set their hands, the banker may be required to set his or her hand according to a “house way” or “house rules.” In an optional embodiment in which a player-banker banks the game, the dealer may function as a player and resolve his or her hand against the player-banker. For example, in one such embodiment, the dealer places a “wager” equal to the most recent wager placed by the player acting as banker. Once the cards are dealt, the player-banker establishes the first set and second set for the player-banker hand. The dealer then reveals and arranges his or her hand. If the player-banker's sets outrank both corresponding sets of the dealer hand, the player-banker collects the dealer's “wager,” optionally less a commission. If both the dealer's sets outrank the corresponding player-banker's sets, the player-banker pays the dealer's wager. The player-banker's hand may then be moved to the dealer hand placement locations 171, 172.
Each player's wager is resolved by comparing 306 the first set and second set of the player hand to the first set and second set, respectively, of the banker hand. If both the first set and second set of the player hand outrank the corresponding first set and second set of the banker hand, the banker rewards 310 the player based on the player's wager. Optionally, the player is rewarded at even money. While the player may be paid full even money, in a further optional embodiment, the player is assessed a commission, such as 5%, on winning hands.
Conversely, if both the first and second set of the banker hand outrank the corresponding first set and second set of the player hand, the banker collects the player's wager. Optionally, a copy set, that is, where the player and banker have a set of equal rank, are resolved in favor of the banker in comparing the first and second sets. As discussed in greater detail below, this rule may be different for a third set dealt in a tiebreaker.
In the event 308 that only one of the player sets outranks a corresponding banker set and the other banker set outranks the corresponding player set (commonly referred to as a push), in one optional embodiment, resolution of the player's wager depends upon whether tiebreaker resolution applies 312 to the particular hand. As noted above, in one optional embodiment, tiebreaker resolution may always apply to every hand, i.e. tiebreaker resolution is not optional. In another optional embodiment, tiebreaker resolution is optional and applies if the player elected tiebreaker resolution of the player's hand. If the player did not elect 314 tiebreaker resolution of the player's hand, the player's hand is a push and the player's wager or wagers are returned.
If the player did elect tiebreaker resolution of the player's hand, additional tiebreaker sets are dealt 316 to the player and dealer. In one optional embodiment, a third set is dealt for the player and a third set is dealt for the banker. Optionally, all players electing tiebreaker resolution share the same third set. In an optional embodiment, each of the player and banker third sets contain two cards. For example, in one optional embodiment the four cards remaining after dealing the seven, seven-card hands are allocated to two sets. The sets are then randomly designated a player third set and a dealer third set. The random designation could occur in many different ways, but in an optional embodiment, a die or other random generating means could be used.
The tiebreaker resolution continues by comparing the player's sets, including the player's tiebreaker set, to the banker's sets, including the banker's tiebreaker set. If a majority of the player's sets outrank a majority of the dealer's sets, the player wins and is rewarded 318. Thus, in an example in which each player arranges his or her hand into two sets, and tiebreaker resolution consists of dealing one additional set, the player's three sets are compared to the banker's three sets. If two of the three player sets outrank the corresponding banker sets, the player wins and is rewarded on his or her one or more wager. In comparing the third sets, optionally, the copy third sets, that is sets of equal rank, are resolved in favor of the player. That is, in such an optional embodiment, for the player third set to outrank the banker third set, the player third set must have an equal or greater rank than the banker third set. Such an optional rule may be used when a commission is charged to the player for winning hands. In another optional embodiment, typically where a commission is not charged to the player for winning hands, copy third sets may be resolved in favor of the banker.
In another optional embodiment, as noted above, tiebreaker resolution is not optional and any player hand in which only one of the player sets outranks a corresponding banker set is resolved using a tiebreaker. In such an optional embodiment, tiebreaker resolution would proceed substantially as previously described.
In an optional embodiment including proposition wagers, the player's hand is compared to a predefined pay table of winning hands and associated pay outs. If the player's hand includes a winning hand, the player is rewarded on his or her proposition wager. For example, the winning hands may include various five-card hands. If the player's original seven cards, i.e. the cards used to form the first set and second set, contain any of the five-card winning hands, the player is paid on his or her proposition wager. An example pay table is shown in Table 1 below:
| TABLE 1 | ||
| Winning Hands | Pay Out | |
| Five Aces | 400:1 | |
| Royal Flush | 150:1 | |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 | |
| Four of a Kind | 25:1 | |
| Full House | 5:1 | |
| Flush | 4:1 | |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 | |
| Straight | 2:1 | |
In an optional embodiment, the amount staked by the player, i.e. the amount of the player's proposition wager, may determine the pay table. For example, by placing a wager of predetermined quantity, the player may be eligible to be paid a supplemental pay out in addition to the pay out listed on the pay table. Thus, in such an example, a player wagering a first amount, less than a threshold, who receives five aces is paid 400:1, whereas another player wagering a second amount, greater than a threshold, who receives five aces is paid 400:1 plus a bonus or progressive jackpot.
In an optional embodiment, the quantity of a player's proposition wager may change the quantity of winning hands. For example, by placing a wager of predetermined quantity, the player may be eligible to be paid for additional winning hands that are not available to players not wagering the predetermined quantity. Thus, in such an example, a player wagering a first amount, less than a threshold, may be paid based on Table 1, whereas another player wagering a second amount, greater than a threshold, may be paid based on Table 1 supplemented by the hands of Table 2 below:
| Winning Hands | Pay Out | |
| Nine-High Pai Gow | 40:1 | |
| Ten-High Pai Gow | 5:1 | |
| Jack-High Pai Gow | 1:1 | |
| Queen-High Pai Gow | Push | |
While certain embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described it is to be understood that the present invention is subject to many modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims presented herein.