Method Playing Card Game

Field of the Invention

[001] This disclosure relates in general to a method for playing a card game, and specifically, a variation of the card game Blackjack or "21". Background of the Invention

[002] Blackjack is a popular card game found in many land based casinos, and also on the internet. The rules of Blackjack are well known, and while some variations can be found in different casinos, general rules apply to all blackjack games and goal of the game is the same. In Blackjack each player at a table competes with the dealer. At least one standard deck of 52 playing cards is used to play the game and each player attempts to obtain cards to reach a value as close to 21 as possible, but not more. Each card's value is the number shown on the card, unless the card is a J Gack), Q (queen), or K (king), all three of which are worth a value of 10, or an A (ace), which is worth a value of either 1 or 11. If a player is able to reach a value of 21 with only two cards (thus requiring an ace), the player gets "Blackjack." If a player reaches a value over 21 , the player loses unconditionally. The dealer typically only obtains cards after all of the players have had a chance to obtain cards. To determine whether a player wins or loses, the total value of a player's hand of cards is compared to the value of the dealer's hand of cards. If the dealer's hand value is higher, the player loses. If the player's hand value is higher, then the player wins.

[003] Because players have the opportunity to choose whether or not to take cards to try to reach a higher value, Blackjack requires player interactions throughout the course of the game and depending on the players' choices; each game will lead to a

different result for each player. This of course, requires that each dealer serve only a limited number of players at a table. Thus, in order to expand its business for blackjack, brick and mortar casinos must open more tables and hire more dealers to man those tables. Similarly, the traditional method of playing blackjack also limits business expansion on running blackjack games online because there is a limitation on the number of players that can be served by each dealer. For example, the most common online blackjack currently available only serves 3-5 players on each table. Another example of a drawback for the traditional method of playing blackjack is that each player must wait for other players to act before the dealer acts and the result can be determined for each hand. This extends the time it takes for each hand to play out as the more players play on a table. The method of playing blackjack disclosed herein is able to overcome this and other shortcomings of the traditional method of playing blackjack.

Brief Description of the Figures

[004] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary table layout in embodiments consistent with the invention.

[005] Figure 2 shows a computer screenshot of the exemplary table set-up in embodiments consistent with the invention.

[006] Figure 3 is an exemplary flow chart showing the logic of in embodiments consistent with the present invention.

[007] Figure 4 is a visual representation of a virtual table allocation for an embodiment of the card game of the present invention.

Brief Summary of the Invention

[008] The present invention is directed to methods, systems, and machine- readable instructions for playing a card game, such as a modified form of blackjack. In particular, a system is disclosed for offering an online game, the system comprising: a host configured to provide an online service and information corresponding to a real time game, the information corresponding to the real time game includes host-specific information and participant-specific information; a host interface coupled to the host and a network, the host interface being configured to communicate with at least one remote computer each associated with a participant and to receive instructions from the participant and each configured to receive the host-specific information and participant- specific information; the host being further configured to: recognize a dealer position for the game; recognize at least one player position, each representing one or more participants for the game; assign two cards to each player in the game; assign at least one card to the dealer with the value of the card revealed to each participant; provide each player a choice of taking a community card if the total value of cards assigned to the player does not exceed 21 ; if at least one player chooses to take a community card, assign a card as a community card and reveal the value of the community card to each participant; provide each player a choice of taking additional community cards, one at a time, so long as the total value of cards assigned to the player does not exceed 21 , and for each instance when at least one player chooses to take a community card, assign an additional card as a community card and reveal each community card to each participant as it is assigned; with respect to each player, independently and separately

from other players, assign the dealer one or more community cards only if the player did not choose to take those community cards, otherwise assign additional cards as community cards to the dealer, until the value of all cards assigned to the dealer equals or exceeds 17, each additional card assigned being revealed to each participant; and for each player position, determine whether the dealer or player wins by comparing the total value of cards assigned to the player to the total value of cards assigned to the dealer according to blackjack rules.

[009] Software for playing the card game of the present invention, will, among other things: recognize a dealer position for the game; recognize at least one player position, each representing one or more participants for the game; assign two cards to each player in the game; assign at least one card to the dealer with the value of the card revealed to each participant; provide each player a choice of taking a community card if the total value of cards assigned to the player does not exceed 21; if at least one player chooses to take a community card, assign a card as a community card and reveal the value of the community card to each participant; provide each player a choice of taking additional community cards, one at a time, so long as the total value of cards assigned to the player does not exceed 21 , and for each instance when at least one player chooses to take a community card, assign an additional card as a community card and reveal each community card to each participant as it is assigned; with respect to each player, independently and separately from other players, assign the dealer one or more community cards only if the player did not choose to take those community cards, otherwise assign additional cards as community cards to the dealer, until the value of all cards assigned to the dealer equals or exceeds 17, each additional card

assigned being revealed to each participant; and for each player position, determine whether the dealer or player wins by comparing the total value of cards assigned to the player to the total value of cards assigned to the dealer according to blackjack rules. [010] Additionally, a method for playing a card game of the present invention comprises dealing two cards to each of one or more players; revealing the value of the two cards at least to each of the one or more players; dealing at least one card to a dealer with the value of the card revealed to the one or more players; offering each of the one or more players a choice of taking a community card if the total value of cards dealt to the player does not exceed 21 if at least one player chooses to take a community card dealing a community card and revealing the value of the community card to the players; provide each player a choice of taking additional community cards, one at a time, so long as the total value of cards dealt to or taken by the player does not exceed 21 , and for each instance when at least one player chooses to take a community card, dealing an additional card as a community card and revealing each community card to each participant as it is dealt; with respect to each player, independently and separately from other players, the dealer is required to take, one at a time, one or more community cards only if the player did not choose to take those community cards, otherwise a newly dealt community card, until the value of all cards dealt and taken by the dealer equals or exceeds 17, each card dealt being revealed to the player; and for each player, determining whether the dealer or player wins by comparing the total value of cards dealt or taken by the player to the total value of cards dealt or taken by the dealer according to blackjack rules.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[011] The card game of the present invention is generally a game that combines blackjack and the concept of community cards, shared by all players as well as the dealer.

[012] In one embodiment, each player and dealer of a physical table for the game will first get an initial card, and each player will then get a second initial card. After the dealer and players all receive their initial card or cards, each player is then given the opportunity to make a decision on what they want to do according to well known blackjack rules, i.e. whether to HIT, STAND, DOUBLE, SURRENDER, buy INSURANCE, or take EVEN MONEY. Consistent with standard blackjack rules, HIT means the player chooses to take one common card, which is a card that can be shared by other players or the dealer at the table; DOUBLE means the player chooses to double the bet and take only one common card; SURRENDER means the player chooses to surrender the hand and lose half his or her bet; STAND means the player does not want any additional cards, and thus will not take any more common cards; INSURANCE means that the player chooses to make an additional bet equal to half his or her original bet to avoid losing any money in the case where the Dealer has "Blackjack;" and EVEN MONEY means the player chooses to call the game immediately and get payout of odd 1 :1. Each of these choices are only available under certain circumstances, as represented in Table 1 below, while potential results of the game are represented in Table 2 below.

Table 1 - List of choices based on dealer's and players cards

Table 2 - List of Potential Results

[013] In this embodiment, all the players can consider and make their choices at the same time without waiting for the player ahead of them to finish his hand. Each player plays against the dealer without affecting other players while choosing to take one or more of the common cards to form a virtual hand of cards (Player initial cards + optional common cards). After the player decides to STAND or if the player "busts" (total value of cards held by the player is more than 21 ), the dealer will then take the next dealt common card(s) until the total value of the dealer's virtual hand of cards (Dealer initial card + common card by rule) reaches 17 or higher. Thus, according to this embodiment, it is possible for a dealer of one physical table to hold different virtual hands of cards against different players, depending on how many common cards each

player took. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary table layout according to this embodiment.

[014] In another embodiment of the invention, when the game is played over a computer network where a live video is broadcast showing a dealer dealing cards, that dealer can serve an unlimited number of players because each player is able to make choices and play against the dealer independent of any other player. Thus, an operator of an online game is able to serve as many players as available while finishing all deals in a predictable timing independently from the number of players. In this embodiment, the card game begins by each player placing a bet on his or her corresponding seat area. Optionally, players can also bet on "Pairs," where if the first two initial cards have the same number, the player may win an additional amount of money. After the betting period, the dealer will deal 11 initial cards in a set sequence, for example, seat no. 1 first, seat no. 2 second, seat no. 3 third, seat no. 4 fourth, seat no. 5 fifth, then the dealer, then seat no. 1 again, followed by seat no. 2 again, etc. After the cards are dealt, virtual players who may sit on the same seat number but different virtual tables are getting the same 2 initial cards and against the same dealer initial card. Then dealer will wait for a predetermined amount of time, for example, about 10 seconds, or any other time suitable, before he or she starts dealing the common cards. Again, the common cards may be dealt one every 10 seconds, or some other suitable time, while players are given the choices to make their decisions (HIT, STAND, DOUBLE, SURRENDER, INSURANCE or EVEN MONEY). A suitable time is one that allows each player enough time to make the choice, but at the same time, will not slow down the game to a level that is undesirable for other players.

[015] For illustrating how this embodiment works, if a player A who sits on seat no. 1 of virtual table 1 and choosees to HIT (take) the 1st common card and then STAND after taking the first common card, while another player B who sits on seat no. 2 of virtual table 1 and chooses to stand on his initial cards, then the 1st common card will fall to player A, and the dealer will get the second common card for the purposes of player A. In the case of player B, the dealer will get this 1st common card. Thus, each common card could be shared by some players and at the same time by the dealer's virtual hand of cards to play against other specific players who otherwise chose to stand.

[016] In a second illustration for this embodiment, assume a player A who sits on seat no. 3 of virtual table 1 chooses to HIT (take) the 1st common card and then STAND on the first common card, while another player B who sits on seat no. 3 of virtual table 2 chooses to stand on his initial cards. For player A, the 1st common card will fall to player A, and the second common card will be assigned to the dealer. For player B, however, the same first common card will go to the dealer. This means even 2 individual players that are seated on the same seat number of two virtual tables with the same initial cards, can still have different results depending on whether they HIT or STAND.

[017] Figure 2 shows a screenshot of the exemplary table set-up for an embodiment of the present invention, as it is being played on a computer. When the game starts according to this embodiment, all of the players will enter the gaming mode. According to the embodiment in Figure 4, the physical table is named "AA," the dealer is named "Alice," and there are 8 players, represented by P1 , P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7 and P8. The system will create two virtual tables (VT1 and VT2) where VT1 will serve P1 ~

P5 and VT2 will server P6 ~P8. Players may be randomly assigning the seat within a virtual table. Figure 3 is an exemplary flow chart showing the logic of an embodiment of the present invention.

[018] The embodiments of system of the present disclosure may be implemented in a variety of venues, such as in casinos, at stand-alone kiosk machines, and through on-line gaming operators via the internet.

[019] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.