The card game is a variation of the well-known game of poker and is particularly adapted for playing in a casino environment. The invention can however be played in other environment and can also be represented on gaming machines such as poker machines or played over the Internet.

Throughout the specification where reference is made to the use of a playing card and arrangement of playing cards it explicitly includes arrangements of representations of such cards for example on computer or gaming machine screens.

The card game of this invention is a variation on the well- known game of poker. Poker is traditionally played by a dealer and a number of participants who hold"hands"of cards. Wagers are placed on the hands and an opportunity exists for purchasing additional cards. The traditional game is however relatively slow and not adapted for rapid play in a casino environment. It also has a limited opportunity for placing wagers on individual outcomes within the game.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved method of playing a card game.

Accordingly, this invention provides a method of playing a card game including the steps of arranging playing cards in four hands in which: a) a first hand includes a jack and a ten of the same suit; b) a second hand includes two queens of a suit

different to the first suit; c) a third hand includes two kings of the suit different to the first suit; d) a fourth hand includes two aces of a suit different to the first suit; providing a table card being a queen from the same suit as said first hand, and selecting one or more cards from at least part of a deck of playing cards whereby said one or more cards and said table card can be combined with each of said hands to provide a combination of cards which can be scored according to the rules of poker.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the playing of cards, the game of this invention can be played in a number of ways. The one or more additional cards can be provided sequentially and wagers adjusted during the course of that process for example by doubling the wager. Alternatively an additional four cards can be provided at once bringing the game to a conclusion. In the preferred form of the game four other cards are"flopped"from the deck on to the table. In this form of the game each of the two cards in the hand is considered with the four"flopped"cards and the table card. Five cards are selected from the seven cards to arrive at the highest score according to the rules of poker.

The same procedure is adopted for each of the hands having regard to the four"flopped"cards and the table card. The hand claiming the highest score is the winning hand.

Preferably the one or more cards are selected from a standard deck of cards from which the cards less than the numerical value seven, the cards in the four hands, and the

table card have been removed. In other variations of the game multiple decks may be used and the rules adjusted so as to provide for more than four of a kind for example.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a gaming table for a card game of the type described above on which representations of the four hands and table cards are provided. In a preferred form the table also includes regions for the placing of bets by participants in the game each region being subdivided into a number of zones respectively corresponding to one or the four hands. Odds payable in respect of each of the outcomes as represented by the zones are preferably provided on the board. The board can also include zones for the placing of side bets on other outcomes according to the rules of poker. For example odds may be given on the outcome of a"royal routine"or"a jack high straight"or any other possible outcome.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the arrangement of cards used to play the card game according to the invention ; Figure 2 shows the card arrangement of Figure 1 and four additional cards"flopped"from the deck; Figure 3 schematically shows the surface of a gaming table used for the playing of the game according to this invention.

The card game of this invention is played using a normal deck of playing cards. In the following description the

form of the invention using a deck from which cards a value lower than seven have been removed will be described. The game can be played using the whole of a playing deck or using multiple decks.

Figure 1 shows the arrangement of cards for the commencement of the game according to this invention. The cards are arranged in four hands 1, 2,3, 4 each of the hands is formed according to the following criteria : a) The first hand 1 has a ten and a jack from the same suit. In this example the suit is hearts. b) The second hand 2 has a pair of queens that are ~not of the same suit as the first hand. In this example the queen of hearts and the queen of spades are used. c) The third hand 3 is formed by a pair of kings not being of the same suit as the first hand 1. In this example a king of spades and a king of diamonds are used. d) The fourth hand is formed by a pair of aces not being of the same suit as the first hand 1. In this example an ace of spades and an ace of diamonds are used.

A table card 5 provided which is a queen of the same suit as the first hand 1. In this example the table card is a queen of hearts.

In the preferred form of the game the remaining cards in a pack from which cards smaller than seven have been removed is shuffled and four cards are dealt face up from the pack.

This is represented in Figure 2 where the four cards dealt or"flopped"from the pack are shown as a nine of clubs, ten of spades, seven of hearts and king of hearts.

The winning one of hands 1 to 4 is determined by individually considering each hand with the table card 5 and the four flopped cards. Thus in this example there are seven cards for consideration in relation to the first hand 1. Five of these cards are selected to form the highest score according to the rules of poker. In this case the first hand highest score is a"straight"made up of nine of clubs, ten of hearts, jack of hearts, queen of hearts and king of hearts. The same process is followed combining the table card 5 and the flopped cards with the second hand, third hand and fourth hand in turn. The hand with the five cards achieving the highest score according to the rules of poker is the winning hand.

In a normal gaming situation, players place a wager on which one of the four hands will be the winning hand prior to the additional cards being dealt or flopped. Wagering odds according to the probability of each hand winning can be provided. Typical odds would be as follows: first hand 1 : 1 second hand 2: 1 third hand 3: 1 fourth hand 4: 1 Other variations of the odds are possible according to the determination of probability and incentive to be provided to the players.

Figure 3 schematically shows the surface of a gaming table

10 used for playing the above described game. The arrangement of cards shown in Figure 1 is represented on the surface of the gaming table. This can be achieved by physically fixing cards in some way or by painting or otherwise marking the table to represent the cards. Regions 11 are marked on the table 10 and are numbered 1 to 8 corresponding to various players of the game. The regions 11 are divided into four zones 12,13, 14,15 which respectively correspond to the hands 1 to 4 shown on the Table. Appropriate indicia (not shown) of any suitable kind can be used to associate each of the zones 12,13, 14,15 with the hands 1, 2,3, 4. Additionally the odds associated with each zone (not shown) can be marked in or adjacent the zone.

The table 10 can also include additional regions for placing of"side bets"for outcomes in respect of the winning hand corresponding to the rules of poker. For example a patron may place a side bet on the outcomes being a"royal routine". Suitable odds associated with the probability of this outcome can also be provided on the board in or adjacent the respective zone (not shown).

It will be apparent that the card game according to this invention is particularly adapted for playing in a casino environment. It readily provides for a number of players to simultaneously play the game. Additionally the game proceeds very quickly because the dealer simply deals or flops the four cards. The outcome is determined very quickly and the game is played again.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the invention and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.