Amusement devices: games – Card or tile games – cards or tiles therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-29
2002-06-11
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Card or tile games, cards or tiles therefor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06402150
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to casino card games including additional jackpot features. More particularly, it relates to methods for playing electronic and live table versions of casino poker games such as seven card stud and five card draw poker games, such as “Caribbean Draw” poker, all of which include optional jackpot features. Various methods and apparatus for introducing a single jackpot component into live casino table games are disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,861,041; 5,078,405; 5,584,485 and 5,626,341. Electronic poker games with additional jackpot features are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,653 to Suttle and Jones, which patent is incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to methods for playing casino card games in which a set of cards are initially dealt and then additional cards are dealt, with provisions being made for a jackpot component awarded after initially dealt cards are reviewed and additional cards are dealt. Predetermined prizes are awarded to players who participate in the jackpot component by placing additional wagers, and the prizes are based upon preselected arrangements of playing cards in the hand after additional cards are dealt.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to improvements to methods for including a jackpot component as an additional feature in a casino card game which includes an initial deal of playing cards to a player, the player's review of the initial set of cards, and the player's receipt of additional cards. The jackpot component is adapted for casino games, such as the commercially available games known as “Carribean Draw” poker, “Carribean Seven Card Stud” poker, and “Let It Ride” poker.
In a conventional casino draw poker game, a player places a wager to participate in the draw poker game and then receives five cards face down. The player then views the initial set of five cards and then determines whether to stand or draw up to two additional cards. The player must discard a corresponding number of cards, such that the player's resulting hand still equals five total cards.
In accordance with the present invention, the player may participate in a jackpot component in which the player is eligible to receive a prize if the player's initial set of five cards comprises a predetermined arrangement of cards, such as a royal flush, a straight flush, a four of a kind, a full house, or a flush, and is also eligible to win a second prize if the player's hand comprises a predetermined arrangement of cards after drawing any additional cards, such as a royal flush, a straight flush, four of a kind, a full house, or a flush. The value of the prizes will typically increase for a higher ranking poker hand. Also, the prizes for the predetermined arrangement of cards after drawing additional cards will typically be less because it is easier for the player to achieve the predetermined arrangement of cards after having the advantage of reviewing the initial five cards and being afforded the option of discarding and drawing additional cards.
In order to participate in the jackpot component, the player may either be required to place at least a minimum value of wager for the underlying draw poker game, may be required to place a separate wager to participate in the jackpot component, or may be extended an option to place a separate wager in order to participate in the jackpot component. Also, the jackpot component may be subdivided into two separate jackpot components—one for the prizes associated with the initial five cards, and a second jackpot component associated with the player's cards after the player has an opportunity to review the initial five cards and to discard and draw additional cards. In this latter embodiment, the player may be required to place two separate additional separate wagers in order to participate in the jackpot component, or the player may be afforded an opportunity to place a separate wager in order to participate in a selected one of either jackpot component only if the player has placed a separate wager for the first jackpot component.
It is also contemplated that if there are two separate wagers for each of the two jackpot components, the wagers need not be identical in value, but may be differing values, for example, the wager to participate in the first jackpot component may be one dollar, whereas the wager to participate in the second jackpot component may be fifty cents.
It is within the scope of the instant invention to use a combination of any of the foregoing wagering rules. For example, there might be no minimum wager for the underlying poker game (except a minimum established by the house for playing only the draw poker game) in order to participate in the jackpot component, there might be an optional, separate one dollar wager in order to participate in the first jackpot component, and there might be an optional, separate fifty cent wager in order to participate in the second jackpot component.
Preferably, any separate wagers in order to participate in the jackpot component do not affect the play or winnings involved with the underlying draw poker game.
The term “jackpot” is used in this application in its normal sense: (1) a prize or payback for the amount wagered that is much higher relative to other prizes or paybacks commonly associated with the casino game, or (2) a special, substantial prize not available as part of the normal, conventional play of the casino game. For example, a payback of 50 to 1 might be a jackpot for many casino games, but probably not for Roulette, where 35 to 1 paybacks are common. Also, for example, if the prize were one dollar, when the amount wagered is one dollar, such prize would not be considered a jackpot. Preferably, the prize is at least 100 times the value of the wager. The term “jackpot” includes a computer generated random jackpot amount within prescribed minimum and maximum values, and also includes fixed fee amounts, so-called “mystery” amounts, and progressive amounts. The term “jackpot” also includes prizes having a known, fixed monetary value, a known, fixed ratio to the amount wagered, and other awards, such as automobiles or entry tickets to later held tournaments.
As an example, the first jackpot component might pay according to the following pay table for a one dollar separate wager:
JACKPOT PAY TABLE
PAYOUT
Royal Flush
$20,000
Straight Flush
$2,000
Four of a Kind
$200
Full House
$75
Flush
$50
The second jackpot component could pay according to a similar payout table, albeit, the monetary awards would be correspondingly lesser, because of the easier odds of obtaining the predetermined arrangement of cards.
Alternatively, each jackpot component might consist of a progressive jackpot which increases in proportion to the amount of each separate wager to participate in the respective jackpot component. Typically, a predetermined, selected percent of the value of the wager is added to the progressive jackpot amount, and nay amount not won during one round of the underlying draw poker game is carried over the next round of the game. Further, alternatively, the jackpot component may contain a mixture of a progressive jackpot as well as a fixed fee jackpot. So, for example, the first jackpot component including a mixture of a progressive jackpot and a fixed fee jackpot may provide the following payoff table for a one dollar separate wager:
JACKPOT PAY TABLE
PAYOUT
Royal Flush
100% of the progressive jackpot
Straight Flush
10% of the progressive jackpot
Four of a Kind
$100
Full House
$75
Likewise, the second jackpot component may provide a similar payout, with the values of the awards being correspondingly lesser for the same value of the separate wager.
It is also contemplated that there may be a single separate wager in order to participate in both the first and the second jackpot components, or that both separate wagers contribute to a single progressive jackpot. In either of these latter
Layno Benjamin H.
Progressive Ggames, Inc.
LandOfFree
Methods for providing a jackpot component in a casino game... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Methods for providing a jackpot component in a casino game..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Methods for providing a jackpot component in a casino game... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2932391