Poker game method

Abstract

A method is set forth for playing a Poker game where each player makes a wager and a dealer is dealt N cards and each player is dealt N−1 cards, where N is greater than or equal to 4. The wager placed may be split into a first wager and a second wager. Each player has the option to discard and receive replacements for his best hand of N−1 cards. Replacement cards may be dealt as community cards, with a number of sets of cards being dealt, and the player having the choice of the best set of cards to use. The dealer reveals his hand and assembles the highest ranking hand of N−1 cards which are compared to the player's hand to determine the outcome of wagers placed according to a paytable associated with each wager. Where the wager has been split, the first wager is paid at even money or better, and the second wager is paid at even money or less. If the dealer's hand does not have at least a predetermined ranking, each player is paid based upon each of their wagers at odds based upon the player's hand. The player may make an optional dealer hand wager that the dealer hand will be of a rank below a predetermined ranking. The player may also make a player hand side wager that the player's hand will be one of a predetermined schedule of winning hands.

1 . A method of conducting a card game between a dealer and at least one player using a deck of cards comprising the steps of: 
 each player making a Poker wager;    dealing a dealer hand of N cards to said dealer from said deck of cards, where N≧4, at least one of said cards of said dealer hand being dealt exposed;    dealing an initial player hand of N−1 cards to said player from said deck of cards;    each player examining said initial player hand and opting to form a final player hand by either standing on said initial player hand as said final player hand or discarding and replacing at least one card of said initial player hand to form said final player hand, said replacement received from said deck of cards;    said dealer exposing all of said dealer's cards and forming from said N cards the highest ranking hand of N−1 cards, said N cards being designated as final dealer hand; and    resolving said Poker wager, said resolution comprising: 
 if said final player hand outranks said final dealer hand, issuing an award to the player based upon said Poker wager and at least one prespecified Poker wager paytable of final player hands and associated awards, or else if said final dealer hand outranks said final player hand, said player forfeiting said Poker wager, or else if said final dealer hand has a rank equal to that of said final player hand, said player retaining said Poker wager.  
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of resolving said Poker wager further comprises if said final dealer hand has a ranking below a prespecified minimum rank, automatically paying said player an award of at least even money based upon said Poker wager.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of resolving said Poker wager further comprises if said final player hand has a ranking below a prespecified minimum rank, said player receiving at least a return of said Poker wager.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one card, but fewer than N cards, of said dealer hand is dealt exposed and the remaining cards of said dealer hand are not dealt exposed, further comprising: 
 defining a dealer hand paytable of final dealer hands and associated awards;    at least one player opting to place a dealer hand wager prior to dealing said initial player hand and said dealer's hand;    said player having the option of increasing said dealer hand wager after viewing said player's initial hand and after viewing said at least one card of said dealer's hand that was dealt exposed but before the remaining cards of said dealer hand are exposed;    exposing the remaining cards of said dealer hand after said player opts whether to increase said dealer hand wager; and    resolving said dealer hand wager according to said final dealer hand, said dealer hand wager, and said dealer hand paytable.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the player may increase said dealer hand wager by matching said initial dealer hand wager.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said player is rewarded on said dealer hand wager if said final dealer hand is below a prespecified rank.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 defining a player hand paytable of player hands and associated awards;    at least one player opting to place a player hand wager prior to dealing said initial player hand; and    rewarding said player according to said player hand, said player hand wager, and said player hand paytable.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising awarding a jackpot award based upon said player hand wager and said player hand in combination with said cards of said dealer hand that are dealt exposed.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 allocating at least a portion of said Poker wager into at least a first poker wager and a second poker wager;    defining at least one first poker wager paytable of at least one final player hand and an associated award on said first poker wager, wherein said awards are paid at odds greater than or equal to even money;    defining at least one second poker wager paytable of at least one final player hand and an associated award on said second poker wager, wherein said awards are paid at odds less than or equal to even money;    if said final player hand outranks said final dealer hand and said final player hand has a ranking above a prespecified minimum rank, issuing an award to the player based upon said first poker wager and at least one first poker wager paytable and issuing an award to the player based upon said second poker wager and at least one second poker wager paytable, wherein said award on said second poker wager is equal to even money;    if said final player hand outranks said final dealer hand and said final player hand has a ranking below a prespecified minimum rank, issuing an award to the player based upon said first poker wager and at least one first poker wager paytable and issuing an award to the player based upon said second poker wager and at least one second poker wager paytable, wherein said award on said second poker wager is less than even money; and    if said final dealer hand outranks said final player hand, said player forfeiting said first poker wager and said second poker wager.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising defining a ratio r, such that said Poker wager is allocated with said second poker wager at least r times said first poker wager.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of replacing of said at least one card includes dealing of at least one community card shared among said players.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said step of replacing of said at least one card further comprises: 
 dealing a plurality of sets of community cards each containing a quantity of cards greater than or equal to the quantity of cards to be replaced; and    utilizing at least one of said cards from only one of said sets of community cards to generate said final player hand.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said player selects the set of community cards used to generate said final player hand.  
   
   
       14 . A method of conducting a card game between a dealer and at least one player using at least a deck of cards comprising the steps of: 
 each player making a Poker wager;    dealing a dealer hand of N cards to said dealer from said deck of cards, where N≧4, at least one of said cards of said dealer hand being dealt exposed;    dealing an initial player hand of N−1 cards to said player from said deck of cards;    each player examining said initial player hand and opting to form a final player hand by either standing on said initial player hand as said final player hand or discarding and replacing at least one card of said initial player hand to form said final player hand, said replacement received from said deck of cards;    said dealer exposing all of said dealer's cards and forming from said N cards the highest ranking hand of N−1 cards, said N cards being designated as final dealer hand; and    resolving said Poker wager, said resolution comprising: 
 if said final player hand outranks said final dealer hand, issuing an award to the player based upon said Poker wager and at least one prespecified Poker wager paytable of final player hands and associated awards, or else if said final player hand has a ranking below a prespecified minimum rank, at least returning said Poker wager, or else if said final player hand has a ranking above said prespecified minimum rank and said final dealer hand outranks said final player hand, said player forfeiting said Poker wager, or else if said final player hand has a ranking above said prespecified minimum rank and said final dealer hand has a rank equal to that of said final player hand, said player retaining said Poker wager.  
   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said player may replace only one of said cards constituting said player's initial hand.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein at least one card, but fewer than N cards, of said dealer hand is dealt exposed and the remaining cards of said dealer hand are not dealt exposed, further comprising: 
 defining a dealer hand paytable of final dealer hands and associated awards;    at least one player opting to place an initial dealer hand wager prior to dealing said initial player hand and said dealer's hand;    said player having the option of increasing said dealer hand wager after viewing said player's initial hand and after viewing said at least one card of said dealer's hand that was dealt exposed but before the remaining cards of said dealer hand are exposed;    exposing the remaining cards of said dealer hand after said player opts whether to increase said dealer hand wager; and    resolving said dealer hand wager according to said final dealer hand, said dealer hand wager, and said dealer hand paytable.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the player may increase said dealer hand wager by matching said initial dealer hand wager.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said player is rewarded on said dealer hand wager if said final dealer hand is below a prespecified rank.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein only one card of said dealer hand is dealt exposed, said dealer hand wager resolved as a push if the exposed card dealt to said dealer hand after said player places said dealer hand wager is an Ace.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 defining a player hand paytable of player hands and associated awards;    at least one player opting to place a player hand wager prior to dealing said initial player hand; and    rewarding said player according to said player hand, said player hand wager, and said player hand paytable.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising awarding a jackpot award based upon said player hand wager and said player hand in combination with said cards of said dealer hand that are dealt exposed.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising paying a jackpot award on said player hand wager at odds of 5000:1 where said dealer hand includes an exposed card of the Ace of Spades and said player hand includes the Ace of Clubs, the Ace of Diamonds, and the Ace of Hearts.  
   
   
       23 . A method of conducting a card game between a dealer and at least one player using at least a deck of cards comprising the steps of: 
 each player making a Poker wager, wherein at least a portion of said Poker wager is allocated to a first poker wager and at least a portion of said Poker wager is allocated to a second poker wager;    defining a first poker wager paytable of at least one final player hand and an associated award on said first poker wager, wherein said awards are greater than or equal to even money;    defining a second poker wager paytable of at least one final player hands and an associated award on said second poker wager, wherein said awards are less than or equal to even money;    dealing a dealer hand of N cards to said dealer from said deck of cards, where N≧4, at least one of said cards of said dealer hand being dealt exposed;    dealing an initial player hand of N−1 cards to said player from said deck of cards;    each player examining said initial player hand and opting to form a final player hand by either standing on said initial player hand as said final player hand or discarding and replacing at least one card of said initial player hand to form said final player hand, said replacement received from said deck of cards;    said dealer exposing all of said dealer's cards and forming from said N cards the highest ranking hand of N−1 cards, said N cards being designated as final dealer hand; and    resolving said Poker wager, said resolution comprising: 
 if said final player hand outranks said final dealer hand and said final player hand has a ranking above a prespecified minimum rank, issuing an award to the player based upon said first poker wager and said first poker wager paytable and issuing an award to the player based upon said second poker wager and said second poker wager paytable, wherein said award on said second poker wager is equal to even money;  
 if said final player hand outranks said final dealer hand and said final player hand has a ranking below a prespecified minimum rank, issuing an award to the player based upon said first poker wager and said first poker wager paytable and issuing an award to the player based upon said second poker wager and said second poker wager paytable, wherein said award on said second poker wager is less than even money; and  
 if said final dealer hand outranks said final player hand, said player forfeiting said first poker wager and said second poker wager.  
   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising defining a ratio r, such that said Poker wager is allocated with said second poker wager at least r times said first poker wager.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said step of replacing of said at least one card includes dealing of at least one community card shared among said players.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein said step of replacing of said at least one card further comprises: 
 dealing a plurality of sets of community cards each containing a quantity of cards greater than or equal to the quantity of cards to be replaced; and    utilizing at least one of said cards from only one of said sets of community cards to generate said final player hand.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein said player selects only one set of community cards and selects only one card from the selected set to generate said final player hand.