Casino games using seven-card combinations

Abstract

Multiple hand ranks for casino poker games may be achieved in poker variations using a seven-card hand. A best five-card hand may be achieved using conventional principles, or hand ranks may be determined using all seven cards. The latter playing mode provides increased payoff options for added player excitement.

1 . A video poker game method comprising: 
 (a) a player depositing a wager into a wager acceptor;    (b) a computer dealing a hand of seven cards to a player;    (c) the player selecting zero to seven HOLD cards, thereby discarding seven to zero NON-HOLD cards, and drawing a replacement card for each discarded NON-HOLD card to establish a player final hand; and    (d) the computer determining a hand rank of the player final hand and paying a payout based on the wager if the hand rank exceeds a predetermined hand rank.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (d) is practiced by determining a hand rank based on all seven cards of the player final hand.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein step (d) is further practiced by paying a payout that varies according to hand rank, with seven card hand ranks from highest to lowest as: 
 Straight Flush    Four of a Kind+Three of a Kind    Flush    Four of a Kind+Pair    Three of a Kind+Three of a Kind    Three of a Kind+Two Pair    Straight    Four of a Kind    Three Pair    Three of a Kind+Pair    Three of Kind    Two Pair    Pair    High Card.    
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein step (b) is practiced using a single deck of cards.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined hand rank is Two Pair.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein step (b) is practiced using six decks of cards.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein step (d) is further practiced by paying a payout that varies according to hand rank, with seven card hand ranks from highest to lowest as: 
 Seven of a Kind    Straight Flush    Six of a Kind    Five of a Kind+Pair    Four of a Kind+Three of a Kind    Flush    Five of a Kind    Straight    Three of a Kind+Three of a Kind    Four of a Kind+Pair    Three of a Kind+Two Pair    Four of a Kind    Three Pair    Three of a Kind+Pair    Three of a Kind    Two Pair    Pair    High Card.    
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined hand rank is Three of a Kind.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein step (d) is practiced by paying a higher payout for the player final hand when the hand rank is a flush and another hand rank.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (b) is practiced using a single deck of cards.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined hand rank is Two Pair.  
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (b) is practiced using six decks of cards.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined hand rank is Three of a Kind.  
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (d) is practiced by paying a payout that varies according to hand rank, with a highest hand rank being one of Seven of a Kind, Straight Flush, Six of a Kind, Five of a Kind+Pair, Four of a Kind+Three of a Kind, and Flush.  
   
   
       15 . A video poker game comprising: 
 a wager acceptor that receives a player wager; and    a computer communicating with the wager acceptor, the computer including a processor, a memory, a display and a user interface, the processor carrying out a poker game program stored in the memory based on user input via the user interface to drive the display to display images of the poker game program, the processor dealing a hand of seven cards to a player,    wherein the user interface is configured to enable the player to select zero to seven HOLD cards, and thereby discard seven to zero NON-HOLD cards, and to draw a replacement card for each discarded NON-HOLD card to establish a player final hand, the processor determining a hand rank of the player final hand and paying a payout based on the wager if the hand rank exceeds a predetermined hand rank.    
   
   
       16 . A video poker game according to  claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a hand rank based on all seven cards of the player final hand.  
   
   
       17 . A video poker game comprising: 
 means for accepting a player wager;    means for dealing a hand of seven cards to a player;    means enabling the player to select zero to seven HOLD cards, thereby discarding seven to zero NON-HOLD cards, and to draw a replacement card for each discarded NON-HOLD card to establish a player final hand; and    means for determining a hand rank of the player final hand and paying a payout based on the wager if the hand rank exceeds a predetermined hand rank.    
   
   
       18 . A video poker game according to  claim 17 , wherein the determining means determines a hand rank based on all seven cards of the player final hand.  
   
   
       19 . A video poker game method comprising: 
 (a) a player depositing a wager into a wager acceptor;    (b) a computer dealing a hand of seven cards to a player;    (c) the player selecting zero to seven HOLD cards, thereby discarding seven to zero NON-HOLD cards, and drawing a replacement card for each discarded NON-HOLD card to establish a player final hand; and    (d) the computer determining a hand rank of the player final hand based on all seven cards of the player final hand and paying a payout based on the wager that varies on a scale according to the hand rank.    
   
   
       20 . A method of playing a card game comprising: 
 (a) dealing three 2-card hands to a player and at least one non-player card;    (b) forming a 7-card hand including cards from the three 2-card hands dealt to the player and the at least one non-player card;    (c) resolving the 7-card hand according to a Poker rank of the 7-card hand; and    (d) continuing with a Blackjack game.    
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the non-player card is a dealer card.  
   
   
       22 . A method of combining a Blackjack game and a 7-card Poker side game in a casino environment, the method comprising: 
 (a) receiving at least a first wager from a player to participate in the Blackjack game;    (b) receiving an optional second wager to participate in the Poker side game;    (c) dealing three 2-card Blackjack hands to the player and at least one non-player card;    (d) forming a 7-card hand including cards from the three 2-card hands dealt to the player and the at least one non-player card;    (e) if the player placed the second wager, resolving the 7-card hand according to a rank of the 7-card hand; and    (f) continuing with a Blackjack game.    
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the non-player card is a dealer card.  
   
   
       24 . A method of playing a casino game, comprising: 
 (a) receiving a first wager for a first playing mode, the first playing mode being compulsory;    (b) receiving at least a second wager for at least a second playing mode, wherein the second playing mode is without a house advantage;    (c) dealing a plurality of cards to a dealer and to at least one player so that a player hand and a dealer hand each consists of seven cards, and resolving the first wager according to a poker rank of the player hand against a payout scale, the poker rank being determined based on all seven cards of the player hand; and    (d) resolving the second wager without a house advantage according to the poker rank of the player hand against one of (1) a poker rank of the dealer hand, and (2) a poker rank of another player hand.    
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein step (c) is practiced by dealing seven cards each to the dealer and to the at least one player.  
   
   
       26 . A method of playing a card game comprising: 
 receiving a wager from a player;    dealing cards to form a 7-card player hand;    determining a hand rank of the 7-card player hand based on all seven cards; and    paying a payout based on the wager if the hand rank exceeds a predetermined hand rank.