Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a game requiring strategy or problem solving by a...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2003-07-01
Martin-Wallace, Valencia (Department: 3714)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a game requiring strategy or problem solving by a...
C463S010000, C463S011000, C273S274000, C273S292000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06585586
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a variation of the card game baccarat and further to an automated, computerized gaming assembly variant which enhances the appeal and entertainment potential of an automated game to the player, while maintaining a house advantage and providing for a bonus payout to be awarded to the player in the event of two or more consecutive hands, each having a total number count equal to a predetermined number count, such as but not limited to, the number nine, which defines the best hand achievable in a conventional game of baccarat.
2. Description of the Related Art
The word baccarat is derived from the Italian word “baccarat”, which means zero. The term refers to the face cards and the ten cards, all of which have a zero value in the conventional game of baccarat. In Europe, baccarat and a similar game or variation of conventional baccarat is called “chemin de fer” and these games are among the most popular casino games.
Since baccarat's introduction in Nevada casinos, the game has assumed and aura of glamour and in most casinos baccarat is played in a designated, at least partially segregated area. The intention is to attract the more sophisticated, monied player or “high roller”. However, for all the intrigue and/or mystery surrounding the game of baccarat, which has been significantly enhanced by its depiction in numerous popular “spy movies”, baccarat is primarily a very simple game. Normally, but not always, there are no decisions or options for the player to be made and generally speaking there is no degree of skill required for either the players or the dealer except in the area of wagering. In most casinos a player may be seated in any open seat at the table and the seating position does not affect the play in any manner. In conventional, casino baccarat the number of players may vary from one through fifteen. Naturally, as in all casino run games “house rules” dictate and the number of players allowed to concurrently participate in a game of baccarat may be determined by the house and may be smaller or larger than the conventional number fifteen.
During play, each player gets a turn to handle the “shoe”, which contains typically six to eight decks of cards and is specifically structured to facilitate the dealing of individual cards in a face down orientation. When a player has the shoe he is designated as the banker, but any player may decline the shoe and allow it to be passed, typically to a player's right, along the line of players. There is no advantage or disadvantage in dealing the cards and it is generally considered a formality which contributes to the game's ambiance, in that most sophisticated players enjoy being active in the dealing. A dealer, who is a representative of the casino, normally does not remove the cards from the shoe, but receives the cards from the banker/player. The dealer places the cards in an appropriate box or section on the playing surface, which is designated for a “player's hand” and a “banker's hand”. Each of the plurality of players bet by placing their chips in a designated location on the playing surface, which is accessible to the plurality of players. Each player, except the player designated the banker, may place bets either on the player's hand, the banker's hand or both. The banker must bet on the banker's hand and all bets are paid off at even money. In most casino controlled games betting parameters range from a minimum wager of twenty dollars to a maximum wager of two thousand dollars. After the winner is announced by dealer, additional dealers, when more than one dealer is present at the table, pay off the winning bets and collect the losing bets. If the banker's hand was a winner, all the players wagering on the winning banker hand must pay a commission, typically in the amount of approximately five percent (5%) of their respective winning wagers. Accordingly, if a player had a hundred dollar bet on the banker's hand and won, five dollars would be owed to the house. Rather than collecting the “vigorish” after each game, a record of what is owed by each player is kept in a designated location on the playing surface by one or more dealers. Players then pay the accumulated amount owed to the house or casino after the completion of a shoe. Each time the shoe is depleted of cards, the total amount of cards are thoroughly shuffled and replaced in the shoe. Furthermore, in some variations, restrictions are placed on the banker's ability to immediately add to, remove and/or withdraw their wager after a winning hand. Specifically, once the initial wager is made, the house rule may require that if the first hand is won, a second hand must be played essentially letting the winning wager “ride”. After that point the banker can then withdraw all or part of the winning bet amount. Additions to the winning bet can generally be made at any time.
The playing of each game of baccarat typically involves the dealing of two hands by the banker/player or by the house when no player accepts the shoe. Before the hands are dealt bets may be placed on either the banker's hand or the player hand at designated areas on the betting portion of the playing surface. In addition some casino's allow the wager on the occurrence of tie between the player's hands and the banker's hand. All bets, if there is a tie, between the banker's and player's hand, are returned. Once a bet has been placed there are no opportunities for the player to make a decision in most casino run games of baccarat. More specifically, the banker's hand and the player's hand are dealt according to fixed rules resulting in final hands of either two or three cards for each.
The value of a hand is determined by adding the values of its individual cards. Tens and face cards are counted as zero, while other cards are counted at their face values. Only the last digit of the total number count of each hand is used so that all baccarat hands have values in the range of zero to nine inclusive. For example, a hand comprised of a six card and a seven card, normally totaling thirteen would only be counted as a total number count of three, since, as set forth above, only the last digit of the total is used as the total number count for any given hand.
A conventional game of baccarat is started by dealing two cards for the player's hand and two cards for the banker's hand, normally in alternate fashion. An initial hand having a total number count of eight or nine is called a “natural”. If either hand is a natural its holder must expose it and the game ends. Otherwise the play continues first with the player's hand and subsequently with the banker's hand, according to the rules designated by the individual casino or house. Rules for the player's hand comprise: if the player's first two cards total six or more then the player must stand without drawing a third card; if the player's first two cards total five or less the player must draw an additional one card only. Rules for the banker's hand comprise: if the banker's first two cards total seven or more, the banker must stand without drawing a third card; if the banker's first two cards total zero, one or two, then the banker must draw one card; if the banker's first two cards total three, four, five, or six, then whether the banker draws an additional card is determined by whether the player drew an additional card and if so, the value of the player's additional draw card. The simple objective of conventional, casino baccarat is to draw a two or three card hand that totals closer to nine than the other hand. It is to be remembered that only two hands are dealt; the player's hand and the banker's hand.
In order to increase the interest in baccarat which, as set forth above, normally is surrounded by an air of mystique, a number of casinos have installed smaller more compact baccarat tables and located these smaller
Baccarat Plus Enterprises, Inc.
Malloy & Malloy P.A.
Martin-Wallace Valencia
White Carmen D.
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