Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Betting or wagering board
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-31
2002-04-30
Pierce, William M. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Betting or wagering board
C273S146000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06378869
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to games of chance as historically identified with Casinos.
The applicants' methods are inclusive to a variety of live action table gaming formats, as well as electronic display applications of all types. Their inventive process engages the instrument of dice, the six-sided type to be specific. Also, the present invention utilizes a process formulated upon the use of three (3) dice being rolled at separate times through the course of each hand.
In action, this splitting of a hand's roll, first rolling two (2) dice, then rolling a third single die, bares unique consequences to the applicants' applied industry of casino gaming. Moreover, a quick simplistic method of “dice play” is provided for player(s) looking for a fun, entertaining time, wherein a reasonable chance of winning may be had.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Presently, the applicants' know of no game, either of the “Parlor” variety or any other form of “live action/video games,” including those banked by a house (casino) being managed with or without dealers that are presently under Patent enforcement or otherwise which might be construed as teaching on or reading upon their concepts and process of play.
Therefore, Public Domain games are most appropriately discussed here.
In the arena of the Public Domain, two games, Bank Craps and English Hazard, come to mind. Both games have their instruments (dice) and therefore, their root origins (process of play) originally associated together. This is not only because they are games played with dice but, more importantly because, once-upon-a-time there were two varieties of English Hazard. There was two-dice Hazard and three-dice Hazard. Two-dice Hazard ultimately became Bank Craps while three-dice Hazard ultimately became Grand Hazard or just plain Hazard.
In recent centuries, most dice games have evolved to utilize six-sided dice for their consequence of play. This is well known on the one hand regarding Bank Craps (Craps), wherein a matched-pair is used for play. On the other hand, Grand Hazard (Hazard) uses a set of three (3) six-sided dice.
Given that Craps is multifaceted in its play, and historically the grand daddy of dice games, a basic understanding of the core methodology of Pass line play, along with a compatible understanding of the core process for playing Hazard is forthcoming and primary to the arrival of the applicants' inventive process, as described and illustrated further below.
Nevertheless, casino games, be they old or new, must maintain the public's continuing participation in significant enough numbers as to support their value (hold %) in each casino. In this way, the housemasters (casino management) who are the sponsors of all forms of gaming, including their environmental surroundings, can justify their useful existence.
Also, in the gaining business, there is one particularly important issue that is held foremost in the minds of housemasters. This issue is a concept known as “Time-In-Play”. In the casino business, the house's intentions are to part their customers from as much of their money as possible, but not so fast as to leave them feeling fleeced or ripped-off. Hence, even though a game's odds must necessarily favor the casino, the lower the house's percentage edge (vigorish or vig. as it is known in the business), the better the opportunity for continuing the public's patronage, whereby the game can ultimately become a profitable asset for housemasters.
Of course, this is notwithstanding a customer doing something really stupid.
As for the game of Craps, there are 36 possible outcomes on a pair of “fair dice” with the “seven” being the most likely number to show. When playing the Pass line, the front and center core of the game, a player is wagering that a Point number (i.e., 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) will be established (thrown) and then repeated again before a “seven” shows, no matter how many no consequence rolls it takes. If the number is repeated (thrown) again before a “seven” shows, the hand is won.
Should the “seven” show first before the established “Point” number does, the hand is lost. These are the fundamentals for Pass line play in the game of Craps. In action, Craps is often very difficult to follow and therefore hard to understand. However, the “vig.” (the house's percentage edge against the player) appears tolerable on the Pass line, at −1.4%, to most that attempt its play. Additionally, Craps offers a number of aincillary wagers available to players but, they too are of little value in comparison to the core process of play relating to the applicants' game.
The game of Hazard, on the other hand, is quite simple to understand because all wagering opportunities across the board are do or die upon each roll of the dice. That is, all three dice being rolled at once.
Moreover, Hazard, by virtue of being a three (3) dice game, has 216 possible outcomes to be factored from 3~18. As such, Hazard has as its main consequence of play, a Field number selection of 4~17. For the purpose of expression, think of it like this, the 3/4-5-6-7-8-9-11-12-13-14-15-16-17/18 as viewed in the shape of a bowl.
So, as one sees this in play, the 10 & 11 are at the bottom center of the bowl, being that these two numbers are equally the most likely to show (27 ways each) and, therefore payoff the least amount of money (6 for 1) when they do show. Likewise, as we look up the sides of this bowl, we see each congruent number set (i.e., 10 & 11; 9 & 12; 8 & 13 etc.), all the way up to and including the 4 & 17, which pays the most at (60 for 1). Therefore, because these number(s) are less and less likely to show, these number(s) pay more when they do show. But, to the significant detriment of the game, Hazard maintains a very heavy vigorish (house edge) over the player through its Field number wagers at −16⅔% to −30{fraction (5/9)}%.
TABLE 1
One Roll No.'s
Payoffs
Vigorish
Ancillary Wagers:
3 & 18
180 for 1
−16 ⅔%
Field Wagers:
4 & 17
60 for 1
−16 ⅔%
5 & 16
30 for 1
−16 ⅔%
6 & 15
18 for 1
−16 ⅔%
7 & 14
12 for 1
−16 ⅔%
8 & 13
8 for 1
−22 {fraction (2/9)}%
9 & 12
6 for 1
−30 {fraction (5/9)}%
10 & 11
6 for 1
−25.00%
Since Hazard's heavy vigs. are a fixed mathematical result of three-dice being rolled all at one time, wherein a single event's outcome represents the beginning and end of a hand, it is really no wonder that Hazard's 500 plus year history has faded.
Furthermore, as in Craps, Hazard has numerous ancillary wagers that play along with the established main Field number selection 4~17. These ancillary wagers include even money payoffs like the High-/Low & Odd/Even number groups as well as long shots wagers like Three-of-a-Kind, Aces (3), Deuces (6), Trays (9), Squares (12), Flowers (15), and Boxcars (18). Although, they too are one roll wagers. Moreover, such ancillary wagers still offer little useful assistance in understanding the core process of play regarding the applicants' game as claimed.
Consequently, in years gone by, players have said about Hazard, “All you need are a few get lucky wins to get started” to give you a real chance of “hit'em big”. Of course, assuming you as a player have deep enough pockets to weather the loses in search of that “big” hit.
Craps to the contrary, is a very difficult game to grasp especially in its casino environment, which has always been a driving reality feeding its waning status of more recent years, even in view of its perceived lower vigorish working against its players.
SUMMARY
Although from the applicants' perspective, there is an alternative, the applicants' three (3) dice game ascends aside of such examples. That is, would-be dice players would no longer have only the option of playing a complicated game like Craps or a heavy vig. game like Hazard.
First, unlike Craps, the applicants' game is simple, requiring only passive mental engag
Hedge Aviva R.
Hedge, Jr. J. Richard
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