Amusement devices: games – Card or tile games – cards or tiles therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-12
2001-06-19
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Card or tile games, cards or tiles therefor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247697
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE PRIOR ART
This invention relates to a melding card game, and more particularly to a melding card game using a special deck, wherein the sequence of play of a round includes a first turn having one set of rules and subsequent turns having a different set of rules, and wherein the deck includes multiple sets of matching (meldable) cards and includes at least one species of “special-effects” card, and wherein the rules provide that the “special-effects” card is playable according to a unique set of rules. Even more particularly, a medieval theme is described that is appealing to many players.
U.S. Pat. No. 814,996, to C. Warne, discloses a deck of cards wherein no specific card is duplicated within a deck. Each card has a “name” (e.g. King, Queen, Castle, Knight) or a number value; a “suit” (e.g. Pawn and Page); and a “division” (e.g. crowned and uncrowned). Further, the deck may include a “Jester” card, which is not associated with any suit or division. The inventor also discloses rules for playing a card game for two people (or two teams of two people), wherein the play begins with the dealer choosing his or her suit, then dealing the cards. Play then proceeds in “tricks” with mandatory following of suit. The playing of specified combinations of same-suited number cards within a trick gives rights to face cards, which are placed in the hand of the person who made the specific number card combination, When one player has exhausted his or her supply of number cards, all players discard all number cards, and all players discard all face cards that are not of their suit. Play resumes from these face-card-only hands, where the higher value of face card takes the trick, and the object is to take the greatest number of tricks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,067 to D. A. Jones discloses a gambling game that may be played with a conventional deck of cards (i.e. a deck having thirteen cards, ace through king, in each of four suits, clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades). The disclosed game contemplates a number of players against the “house.” In five card hands, the object is to have low residual points. In figuring the residual points, no card that makes up a three to five card same-suited run or a three or four card match is counted. That is, 4-5-6 of the same suit makes a three card same-suited run therefore these cards are not included in the residual point determination, similarly, 5-5-5 of different suits makes a three card match. Each player's residual point value is compared against the residual point value of the house, and when a player has fewer residual points than the house, the player wins the bet. Lower residual points result in increasing payoff amounts, according to an odds table that relates residual points to payoff odds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,873 to J. Freeman discloses a deck of cards wherein each card may be characterized with three different attributes. For example, a card may be characterized as 1) being within a suit, 2) being within a color group, and 3) having a value. The specification describes one specific deck as having three different suits, three different colors, and six different values, making a deck of 54 cards (3×3×6). Various other decks are disclosed, including the presence of auxiliary or “joker” cards (column 8, line 23).
The use of playing cards, or tiles, or their equivalent as represented on a computer screen, for entertainment is well known and widely practiced. Many games have been developed that involve the use of a standard deck of cards, and many games have been developed that involve the use of special decks of cards.
More specifically, many card games involve the melding of cards in order to arrive at a score. For example “Go Fish” is a game that rewards a player who collects all of the cards of a given value. Pinochle and Rummy (and Gin) are also examples of card games where certain collections of cards are accorded points.
Further, many card games provide for the use of a “wild” or “joker” card or cards within their rules. For example, the game of “old Maid” has one card, the “Old Maid”, that is shunned by the players. Also, it is well known to permit a “wild” or “joker” card to act as a stand-in for any other card in the deck, thereby permitting a player who is holding a “wild” card to declare the most advantageous hand.
Many card games using special decks and rules have been developed. For example, “Mille Borne” and “Rook” are games that rely on unconventional decks in order to facilitate the playing of various games.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention is a card game that is easy to learn, yet unpredictable in its play. The game according to the present invention also involves a certain amount of strategy, as there is no obligation on a player who may qualify to end a round to do so, and all players can infer a certain amount of information about every player's hand, and all players have an opportunity to engage in trading cards of all of the other players.
The game may be played with any number of players, depending on the size of the deck, but as discussed below, is intended for from two (2) to four (4) players.
The present invention discloses a melding card game that may be played using a special deck of cards. Most of the deck consists of sets of matching cards, for example, four (4) each of twelve (12) different values may be provided to make up forty-eight (48) cards of deck. The deck also includes a relatively small number of cards that may be played to “special effect.” The “special effect” card contemplated is not equivalent to the conventional “wild” card or “joker” card that is commonly used as a stand-in to represent any card in a melding or point-earning combination. For example, three (3) “special effect” cards may be added to complete the above-described deck with a total of fifty-one (51) cards. A deck may optionally include a relatively small number of “wild” cards that a player may use to qualify for ending a round of play.
The rules allow limited card trading, under the control of each player in turn, with the primary object of each round being to accumulate sets of matching cards. A player holding a “special-effects” card is permitted to exercise more extensive trading powers. In the preferred embodiment, a player may not play a “special effects” card if it is in the face-up position at the start of their turn.
One person is selected to be the first dealer, and deals a number of cards face down to each player and one card face-up to each player (n.b. the dealer is one of the players). The dealer then places the remaining deck face down near the center of the playing table, and turns the top card of the remaining deck (or any random card) face-up to begin a discard pile.
Play proceeds in rotation, in which, by card game convention, play moves “to the left.” The game proceeds in “rounds.”
Each round is characterized as having a first turn for each player, and subsequent turns for each player. The rules for the first turn of play are different from the rules for subsequent turns. In the first turn, players are permitted to trade among their face-up cards and the discard pile. In subsequent turns, players draw and discard, or, if they have a “special effects” card, instead of drawing from the remaining deck, they may perform extensive trading between their hand and the other players' cards.
A round ends when one player “melds” or declares that he or she has the requisite combination of cards to qualify for ending the round. For example, the rules may permit a player who has two pairs, or one pair and three of a kind, or four of a kind, or more (e.g. two pair plus four of a kind) to declare the end of the round. In the preferred embodiment, the rules exclude the face-up cards from the meld. At the end of a round, each player's hand is given a point value, according to the cards held.
After each round, the deal is passed to the next person in rotation, and play continues as described above. A game is intended to consist of playing a
Layno Benjamin H.
Mendiratta Vishu K.
Seyboldt Charles F.
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