Countdown bonus game for poker or slot machine

Abstract

A method of playing a video poker game or a slot machine game in which the key component is the ability to assign a card or cards (or symbol or symbols) to the player based on predetermined play levels. This can be as a result of completing a number of hands, spins, wager amounts or other “triggering” events.

1 . The method of playing a game of video poker comprising: 
 a) a countdown meter displays a predetermined number of hands of video poker to be played;    b) a player makes a wager to play a hand of video poker and the countdown meter decrements;    c) the player plays the hand of video poker in a conventional manner;    d) the player continues to make wagers and play hands of video poker in the conventional manner until the countdown meter decrements to zero;    e) when the countdown meter decrements to zero, the player then plays a bonus hand of video poker in a conventional manner;    f) when the player achieves a final hand of video poker during the play of the bonus hand, the player receives at least one bonus replacement card to be used in the final hand if the replacement card would result in the player having a better winning hand poker combination than the player would have in the final hand without the replacement card; and    g) awarding the player a payout for the better winning hand poker combination.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the predetermined number of hands is a fixed number.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  in which the predetermined number of hands is a randomly selected number.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  in which the player must make a wager to play the bonus hand.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  in which the player plays a “free” bonus game.