Amusement devices: games – Card or tile games – cards or tiles therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-15
2004-10-26
Banks, Derris H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Card or tile games, cards or tiles therefor
C273S274000, C273S309000, C463S012000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06808173
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to card games, particularly to blackjack card games and its variants and more particularly to an underlying Blackjack card games and variants with side bets on events that do not influence the underlying strategies in the play of the underlying Blackjack game.
2. Background of the Art
Card games have always been popular as wagering games. The history of card games reaches back into biblical eras. One of the most popular card games, especially for gambling or gaming uses is the card game known as Blackjack (or “21”) wherein a blackjack player plays against a dealer and the object is to beat the dealer's hand by reaching a total point value closest to 21, without exceeding a point count of twenty-one and/or by having the dealer's point count exceed twenty-one. The player may exercise strategies including adjusting his point count either by maintaining his original cards and card count (e.g., referred to as “standing,” not drawing a card that might cause the Blackjack player to ‘bust, that is go over 21) and hope that the dealer will bust or by accepting additional cards (referred to as ‘hitting’ or ‘taking a hit’), attempting to receive a cumulative point card total higher (not exceeding a total point count of 21) than the total point count that the Dealer will ultimately attain. If both the Blackjack player and the dealer each achieve a point count total that does not exceed 21, then the highest total (as between individual players and the dealer) wins the bet. Blackjack is relatively simple to understand and is usually a faster and easier card game to play than, for example, the game of Poker, therefore Blackjack, which can be played with the dealer and only one Blackjack player, tends to be more popular than the conventional game of Poker which needs to be played with several players because each of the Poker players are competing against each other for one pot whereas each Blackjack player can win against the one dealer. Even with variants of poker being played in casinos (e.g., Let It Ride® poker, Three Card Poker®, Crazy 4 Poker™, Caribbean Stud® poker, etc.), Blackjack remains the most popular card game in casinos, with many more tables usually dedicated to blackjack than to all other card games combined.
Blackjack must include a dealer (in mechanical, electromechanical, electronic or video versions of the game, a virtual dealer's hand is provided) and there must be at least one Blackjack player. One or more Blackjack players playing against the Dealer are, in effect, individually competing to try to either obtain a better total card point count than the point count of the dealer, without exceeding a total point count in the player's hand of 21 (for the total number of multiple playing cards that they the dealer is dealt). The player may stand after receiving a minimum of 2 cards and hope that the Dealer will bust. There are many variants on strategies that are used in the play of cards that are dependent upon a consideration of the player's cards in comparison with the dealer's cards. There are preferred and optimal strategies that may be used, with some strategies possibly influenced by card counting by the player.
For example, Blackjack players seeing a dealer's exposed card as a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, will themselves elect to take no hits when the player's point count is 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 in the hopes that the dealer's hitting (which is required when the dealer's point count is 16 or less) will result in a bust. The objective of the player is that with the exposed card being generally incapable of having a starting point count where the dealer may stand (the exception being a disclosed card of a 6 and a hole card of an ace), the dealer will take hits to a point total that exceeds 21 and therefore break (or “bust”), allowing the player to win the hand. The player will win the bet if the dealer has to hit (the Dealer is required to draw if their point total is 16 or less) and the Dealer busts (goes over 21). Blackjack players also have the option of splitting any pairs (i.e., a pair of cards of identical point count value, such as two face cards, a 10 and a face card, a pair of 10s, a pair of 9s, a pair of 3's, etc.). Blackjack players have several options such as to double down (double their bet and receive only one more card), double their bet when they split a pair of cards, and can receive a 1.5 times their bet return if they receive an Ace and a 10 or picture card for their other card. A Blackjack player receiving a card score of more than 21 points has a bust hand and automatically loses to the dealer. If the dealer accumulates cards with a point count in excess of 21, the dealer busts, and every player remaining in the game (those players who have not busted themselves) wins the hand. The dealer, after receiving the first 2 cards begins drawing one or more cards (if the first 2 cards are 16 or less), but only after each of the Blackjack players at the dealer's table have played their hands to completion. Therefore, the house or casino has the advantage because the Blackjack player or players must play and complete their hand first or before the dealer plays or completes his hand. The Blackjack players at the table individually play against the dealer. The dealer must receive a minimum of 2 cards and attain a point count of at least 17 before the dealer may stop taking cards. Each of the Blackjack players individually playing against the dealer (who is a representative of the house or casino) has the option of standing after the receipt of their 2 initial cards. This means that the player will have the options of not receiving any other cards or to draw one or more other cards from the dealer and to continue drawing cards until the player is either satisfied with their card count score and stops drawing cards (stands) or the player has busted (gone over the 21 point total). As is known in the Blackjack card game, picture cards (Jacks, Queens and Kings) each have a point card value of 10 points while Aces have a point card value of either 1 point or 11 points. The other cards namely 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s and 10s have a point card value equivalent to their face card value (i.e., respectively 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10). In most gaming or casino establishments, dealers have to draw when they receive a point card value of 16 or less and, in some Casinos or gaming establishments, when they receive a point card value of 17 or less where the 17 point card value is based upon using an Ace as an 11 point card value with one or more other cards (this is known as a soft 17).
While Blackjack or 21 is a relatively fast-playing card game, it is always desirable to offer the players opportunities for variations in the game to maintain their long-term interest. Other betting options are desirable for the Blackjack player other than just varying the size of their wagers. Thus a Blackjack game is needed which would permit the Blackjack player to have a chance to win a large bet (as a regular option or an option after losing a number of conventional bets to the dealer) without the risk of losing a large bet that was the only previous option to try to promptly recoup a series of lost bets to the Dealer.
Attempts have been made to vary the game of Blackjack to a relatively minor degree wherein a Blackjack player could have more than one betting option other than the Blackjack player's bet to receive a higher card total not more than the maximum of 21 than the Dealer or to hope that the Dealer busts. However, these other attempts have not been successful because they do not provide a multitude of very exciting betting options combined with a large jackpot type of payout. U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,570 to Karal discloses a Blackjack card game method therein a Blackjack player has extended wagering opportunities after the Blackjack player's hand has reached a desired card count value. Specifically, the Blackjack player can bet on wh
Banks Derris H.
Collins D
Mark A. Litman & Associates P.A.
Shuffle Master, Inc.
LandOfFree
Blackjack game with side wager on displayed cards 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 side wager on displayed cards, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Blackjack game with side wager on displayed cards will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3272291