Amusement devices: games – Card or tile games – cards or tiles therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1997-02-18
2001-04-17
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Card or tile games, cards or tiles therefor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217024
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a card game, and more particularly to a card game based on Twenty-One but using one or more modified decks of playing cards and modified rules complimentary to said modified decks to obtain a predeterminable vigorish for the game.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional Twenty-One involves a game of chance between a dealer and one or more players using one or more standard decks having fifty-two playing cards. The object is for the player to achieve a count of his hand closer to 21 than the count of the hand of the dealer; but if the count of the player's hand goes over 21 then the player loses regardless of the final count of the dealer's hand.
The manner of play of Twenty-One according to the standard and well known rules therefor is as follows: A standard deck of fifty-two playing cards is used and each card counts its face value, except Aces which have a value of one or eleven as is most beneficial to the count of the hand and face cards, i.e. Kings, Queens and Jacks, have a count of ten. After making a wager, each player initially receives two cards. The dealer also receives two cards. One of the dealer's cards is dealt face down and the other of the dealer's cards is dealt face-up. In some gaming establishments, the dealer receives his two cards at the same time that each player is dealt his two cards. In other gaming establishments, the dealer initially only receives one card which becomes the dealer's “up” card. After each player has taken additional cards, the dealer then receives his second card.
A player may draw additional cards (take “hits”) in order to try and beat the count of the dealer's hand. If the player's count exceeds 21, the player “busts.” The player may “stand” on any count of 21 or less. When a player busts, he loses his wager regardless of whether or not the dealer busts.
After all of the players have taken hits or have stood on their hand, the dealer “stands” or “hits” based on pre-established rules for the game. Typically, if the dealer has less than 17, the dealer must take a hit. If the dealer has 17 or more, the dealer stands.
As the game of Twenty-One is played in most legalized gaming establishments, the conventional manner of play requires the dealer to take a hit whenever the dealer's hand is a “soft 17” count. However in other gaming establishments, the dealer stands on a “soft 17” count. The term “soft” means that the Ace is valued as a count of 11, instead of as a count of 1. A soft 17 occurs when the dealer has an Ace and a Six (or multiple cards that add up to 6). The dealer will stand on soft 18's, soft 19's and soft 20's.
After the dealer's final hand has been established, the numerical count of the dealer's hand is compared to the numerical count of the player's hand. If the dealer busts (his numerical hand count exceeds 21), the player wins regardless of the numerical count of the player's hand. If neither the player nor the dealer has busted, the closest hand to a numerical count of 21, without going over, wins; tie hands are a “push.”
Other rules are provided for the play of standard Twenty-One. One well-known rule relates to “Doubling Down.” If the player's first two cards have a combined value of 10 or 11, the player may “double down” on his hand. The player turns both of his cards face-up in front of him and makes a second wager equal to the amount of his initial ante. The dealer deals to the player one additional card and the resulting three card hand establishes the numerical count for the player's hand. The most widely used “Doubling Down” rules permit the player to “double down” only on initial two card 10 or 11 counts. Other variations allow players to “double down” on 9, 10 or 11; only on 11; or on any two cards.
Another well-known rule for standard Twenty-One is “Splitting Pairs.” If the player's first two cards are a pair, the player may “split” those cards into two separate hands. His original ante is applied to one of the hands and he makes an additional ante for the other hand. The player receives a new second card for each of the split hands. Each of the split hands is played separately and the player proceeds by standing or taking hits until he has achieved a hand count upon which he wishes to stand or busts. However, if a player has split a pair of Aces, the player only receives one new card on each Ace; unless the new card is another Ace, in which case the player may again split the Aces and receive one new card on each Ace. Most establishments limit the number of splits particularly of Ace pairs. Often Aces can only be split once.
The player may “double down” on either or both of his split hands if he is eligible to do so under the “Doubling Down” rules. The player may split again if he pairs up on either or both of his split hands with certain restrictions referred to above. In most gaming establishments, a player may also split his hand if both of his initial cards are ten count cards (Tens, Jacks, Queens or Kings). For example, a player can split if he receives a Ten and a Queen, or a Jack and a King, or any combination of ten count cards. Because a hand count of 20 is a good hand to have, most experienced Twenty-One players are reluctant to risk such a hand by “splitting”.
Another well-known rule for standard Twenty-One relates to “Insurance.” If the dealer's up card is an Ace, the player may make an additional “insurance” bet. The insurance bets are made after each player receives his first two cards and the dealer reveals his up card and before any additional cards are dealt. When the dealer's up card is an Ace, each player can wager one-half of the amount of his original ante as insurance against the dealer having a Blackjack, i.e. a two-card 21 count (an Ace and a 10 count card such as a King, Queen, Jack or Ten). If the dealer has a two-card 21 count, the player loses on his original ante but wins two-to-one odds on his second “insurance” bet. Also if the dealer has a two-card 21 count, that round of the game is over, players may not draw additional cards and all players lose except those who also have two-card 21 counts who tie or “push” with the dealer. If the dealer does not have a two-card 21 count, the player loses on his “insurance” bet and the round of the game continues.
A further standard rule of Twenty-One which has been used is surrender. When the player's turn to stand, take a hit or otherwise take action arrives, some establishments allow the player to surrender, i.e. concede his hand, by announcing that he is surrendering and forfeiting half of his wager. If the dealer has an Ace or a ten-count card as the up card and upon checking the down card has a Blackjack, surrender is not available to a player since the hand is over without further player action.
As used in this disclosure and the accompanying claims, the terms “conventional” or “standard Twenty-one” and “the conventional manner of play of Twenty-One” mean the game of Twenty-One as previously described and also including any of the known variations of the game of Twenty-one.
Further standard or conventional Twenty-One has rules regarding payoffs for winning hands. Blackjack winning hands are paid at 3:2. All other winning hands are paid at even money. Again, if the player and dealer both have Blackjack, the hand is a push. Further if the player has a non-Blackjack 21 and the dealer has a Blackjack, the player loses. These payoffs along with the insurance payoff are the only payoffs in conventional Twenty-One.
Twenty-One has remained remarkably unchanged over the years. There have been a few other modifications proposed to the basic game, but none of these modifications have achieved universal popularity. For example, in the conventional manner of play of a Twenty-One game, the dealer shows one (the “up” card) of his first two cards and the other card (the “hole” card) is kept hidden until all the players have drawn to their hands. One modification involves the dealer showing both
Lofink Kurt
Lofink Richard
Layno Benjamin H.
Masque Publishing, Inc.
Ross P.C. Sheridan
LandOfFree
Blackjack game with modifiable vigorish does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Blackjack game with modifiable vigorish, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Blackjack game with modifiable vigorish will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2436541