Dynamic tournament gaming method and system

Abstract

Dynamic tournament gaming method and system, including the provision of a plurality of gaming terminals selectively interlinkable together with a host terminal so that current players of the terminals desiring to participate in group tournament play can be notified of the opportunity and provided with the choice to play or not. If a current player chooses to play, he so signifies, enters his entry fee into the terminal, and awaits start of the event. Upon start of the tournament by the host terminal, the player will play the tournament game over and over as fast as possible to accumulate as many points as possible during a particular pre-announced tournament period. The host terminal will continuously monitor the terminals of all play participants, dynamically record play status, and control termination of the game period. It will also conduct an accounting of the results, issue win results notification, and perhaps provide remote pay-out of game winnings.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of conducting a gaming tournament, comprising: 
 providing a plurality of gaming terminals each having communications capability, play capability for a particular type of game, and equivalent win probability characteristics;    communicatively linking at least some of said terminals;    communicating a “START PLAY” command to each of the linked terminals enabling them to commence tournament play;    repetitively playing the game in an attempt to earn a winning score of points vis-a-vis players playing on the others of said linked terminals;    communicating an “END PLAY” command to each said linked terminal disabling them from further game play after a predetermined play time has elapsed;    causing each terminal to report the scores of points earned by its player during the period from the START time to the END time;    processing the reported scores of points to determine a winner;    identifying the winner; and    causing the winning player to be rewarded.    
     
     
         2 . A method of conducting a gaming tournament as recited in  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 providing a master terminal communicatively linked to said linked terminals;  
 causing said master terminal to communicate said “START PLAY” command and said “END PLAY” command; and  
 causing said master terminal to receive and process the reported scores of points and to determine the winner.  
 
     
     
         3 . A method of conducting a gaming tournament as recited in  claim 1  wherein various ones of said terminals are linked to other terminals when players attendant the terminals sign on and pay an entry fee.  
     
     
         4 . A method of conducting a gaming tournament as recited in  claim 3  wherein once a predetermined number of players have signed on, further entry to the game is closed and a game start sequence is commenced.  
     
     
         5 . A method of conducting a gaming tournament as recited in  claim 1  wherein a sequence leading up to issuance of said “START PLAY” command is generated in response to an event selected from the group consisting of a particular time of day, an arbitrary operator's choice, an ad hoc start request, and the completion of the linking together of a predetermined number of terminals.  
     
     
         6 . A method of conducting a gaming tournament as recited in  claim 1  wherein the linking of said plurality of gaming terminals is accomplished by 
 broadcasting over a communicative network a request to identify those terminals qualified and available to play in the tournament;  
 sending promotional information to the identified terminals; and  
 securely linking those terminals for which an entry fee has been paid.  
 
     
     
         7 . A tournament gaming system, comprising: 
 a plurality of gaming terminals each having communications capability, play capability for a particular type of game, and equivalent win probability characteristics;    a master terminal;    a communications network communicatively linking at least some of said terminals to said master terminal, said master terminal being operative to communicate a “START PLAY” command to each of the linked terminals enabling them to commence tournament play, during which corresponding players repetitively play the tournament game in an attempt to earn a winning score of points vis-a-vis players playing on the others of said linked terminals, said master terminal being further operative to communicate an “END PLAY” command to said linked terminals disabling them from further game play, and causing each terminal to report the scores of points earned by its player during the period from the START time to the END time, and to process the reported scores of points to determine a winner.    
     
     
         8 . A tournament gaming system, comprising: 
 a plurality of gaming terminals each having communications capability, play capability for a particular type of game, and equivalent win probability characteristics;    a communications network communicatively linking said terminals together, one of said terminals being operative to communicate a “START PLAY” command to each of the other linked terminals enabling all linked terminals to commence tournament play, during which corresponding players repetitively play the game in an attempt to earn a winning score of points vis-a-vis other players playing on the others of said linked terminals, said one terminal being further operative to communicate an “END PLAY” command to said linked terminals disabling them from further game play after a predetermined event has occurred, and causing each terminal to report the scores of points earned by its player during the period from the START time to the END time, and to process the reported scores of points to determine a winner.