Casino Game with Player Choice (U-PIK)

Abstract

In a wagering game, after receiving an initial wager from the players, at least one card is dealt to each player. At least two community cards are dealt to a community card area Subsequently, each player places a Pick wager to select among the at least two community cards. A player hand includes the at least one dealt card and the selected community card or cards, wherein the initial wager and the Pick wager are resolved based on the player hand according to game rules.

1 . A method of playing a wagering game, the method comprising: 
 (a) a player placing an initial wager;    (b) dealing at least one card to the player;    (c) dealing a first community hand including at least a first community card and a second community hand including at least a second community card, at least one card of the first and second community hands being exposed;    (d) the player placing a Pick wager to select one of the first and second community hands;    (e) forming a player hand consisting of (1) the at least one card dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the selected one of the first community hand and the second community hand; and    (f) resolving the initial wager and the Pick wager based on a hand rank of the player hand according to game rules.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the Pick wager must be equal to the initial wager.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to step (b), the player placing a proposition wager, wherein the method further comprises resolving the proposition wager according to a hand rank of at least one of the player hand and a proposition hand consisting of (1) the at least one card dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the unselected one of the first community hand and the second community hand.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the hand rank is based on Poker rankings, and wherein the proposition wager is resolved by paying a payout if the hand rank of at least one of the player hand and the proposition hand exceeds a predetermined hand rank.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the player is provided an option to wager different amounts for the initial wager and the proposition wager.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the initial wager and the proposition wager are compulsory.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said hand rank is determined based on one of Poker rankings, Pai Gow tiles rankings, a modulo-10 Baccarat counting system, a Blackjack counting system, and dice values.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first community hand comprises two cards and an initially concealed card, and wherein the second community hand comprises two cards and the initially concealed card.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the initially concealed card is revealed after step (d).  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , further comprising, prior to step (c), dealing two cards to a dealer, wherein step (b) is practiced by dealing two cards to the player, and wherein the method comprises, after revealing the initially concealed card, forming a dealer hand consisting of the two cards dealt to the dealer and the one of the first community hand and the second community that when combined with the two dealer cards make a best dealer hand rank.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein step (f) is practiced by comparing the player hand rank with the dealer hand rank.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein if the player hand rank exceeds the dealer hand rank, the player wins a payout on the initial wager and the Pick wager.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising, prior to step (b), the player placing a proposition wager, wherein the method further comprises resolving the proposition wager according to a hand rank of at least one of the player hand and a proposition hand consisting of (1) the at least one card dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the unselected one of the first community hand and the second community hand.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the hand rank is based on Poker rankings, and wherein the proposition wager is resolved by paying a payout if the hand rank of at least one of the player hand and the proposition hand exceeds a predetermined hand rank.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined hand rank is Two Pair.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the payout on the proposition wager is resolved according to a payscale for hand ranks including, in no particular order, Two Pair, Straight, Flush, Three of a Kind, Straight Flush, and Four of a Kind.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising providing the player an option to surrender the initial wager prior to placing the Pick wager and prior to revealing the concealed card.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (d) is practiced by providing the player an option to pick both the first community hand and the second community hand.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein in order to pick both the first community hand and the second community hand, the player places a Pick Both wager along with two Pick wagers, wherein the initial wager, the Pick Both wager and each of the Pick wagers are equal.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to step (c), dealing at least one card to a dealer, and after step (e), forming a dealer hand including the at least one card dealt to the dealer and one of the first community hand and the second community hand, wherein step (c) is practiced by comparing a value of the dealer hand with the value of the player hand.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein hand values comprise at least one of a hand rank and a numerical value.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein hand ranks are determined based on one of Poker rankings and Pai Gow tiles rankings, and wherein hand numerical values are determined based on one of a modulo-10 Baccarat counting system, a Blackjack counting system, and dice values.  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hand rank in step (f) is determined based on one of Poker rankings, Pai Gow tiles rankings, a modulo-10 Baccarat counting system, a Blackjack counting system, and dice values.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first community hand and the second community hand share at least one card.  
     
     
         25 . A method of playing a casino Poker game, the method comprising: 
 (a) a player placing an initial wager;    (b) dealing two cards to the player;    (c) dealing two cards to a dealer;    (d) dealing five community cards including a concealed card and four exposed cards, wherein a first community hand includes a first two of the four exposed cards and the concealed card, and wherein a second community hand includes a second two of the four exposed cards and the concealed card;    (e) the player placing a Pick wager to select one of the first and second community hands;    (f) forming a player hand consisting of (1) the two cards dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the selected one of the first community hand and the second community hand;    (g) revealing the concealed card and establishing a player hand Poker rank;    (h) after step (g), the dealer forming a dealer hand consisting of (1) the two cards dealt to the dealer in step (c), and (2) the one of the first community hand and the second community hand that when combined with the two dealer cards make a best dealer Poker hand rank; and    (i) resolving the initial wager and the Pick wager based on a comparison of the player hand rank and the dealer hand rank.    
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25 , further comprising, prior to step (b), the player placing a proposition wager, wherein the method further comprises resolving the proposition wager according to a hand rank of at least one of the player hand and a proposition hand consisting of (1) the two cards dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the unselected one of the first community hand and the second community hand.  
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the proposition wager is resolved by paying a payout if the hand rank of at least one of the player hand and the proposition hand exceeds a predetermined hand rank.  
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the player is provided an option to wager different amounts for the initial wager and the proposition wager.  
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the initial wager and the proposition wager are compulsory.  
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 25 , further comprising providing the player an option to surrender the initial wager prior to placing the Pick wager and prior to revealing the concealed card.  
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein step (e) is practiced by providing the player an option to pick both the first community hand and the second community hand.  
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein in order to pick both the first community hand and the second community hand, the player places a Pick Both wager along with two Pick wagers, wherein the initial wager, the Pick Both wager and each of the Pick wagers are equal.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein the step of establishing the player hand Poker rank is practiced by using at least three cards in the player hand.  
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the step of establishing the player hand Poker rank is practiced by using four cards in the player hand.  
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the step of establishing the player hand Poker rank is practiced by using all five cards in the player hand.  
     
     
         36 . A method of playing a casino card game with a player having a player hand and a dealer having a dealer hand, wherein the player selects one of a first community hand and a second community hand as part of the player hand, the first and second community hands including at least one shared concealed card, the dealer exposing the at least one concealed card, the dealer subsequently selecting one of the first and second community hands as part of the dealer hand, and resolving the game based on a comparison of the player hand and the dealer hand.  
     
     
         37 . A method of playing a casino card game with a player having a player hand, the method including the player placing an initial wager, the player selecting one of a first community hand and a second community hand as part of the player hand by placing a Pick wager in a designated location, and resolving the initial wager and the Pick wager based on the player hand according to game rules.  
     
     
         38 . A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer program effecting a computer to carry out a method of playing a casino card game, the method comprising: 
 (a) a player placing an initial wager;    (b) dealing at least one card to the player;    (c) dealing a first community hand including at least a first community card and a second community hand including at least a second community card, at least one of the first and second community hands being exposed;    (d) the player placing a Pick wager to select one of the first and second community hands;    (e) forming a player hand consisting of (1) the at least one card dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the selected one of the first community hand and the second community hand; and    (f) resolving the initial wager and the Pick wager based on the player hand according to game rules.    
     
     
         39 . A method of playing a wagering game, the method comprising: 
 (a) a player placing an initial wager corresponding to a player first hand;    (b) dealing at least one card to the player;    (c) dealing at least one card to a dealer;    (d) dealing three concealed community hands, wherein each community hand consists of at least one card;    (e) revealing a first of the three concealed community hands;    (f) the player electing to check or place a first Pick wager to select the first community hand;    (g) revealing a second of the three concealed community hands;    (h) the player electing to check or place a second Pick wager to select the second community hand;    (i) revealing a third of the three concealed community hands;    (j) forming the first player hand consisting of (1) the at least one card dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the third community hand;    (k) if the player placed the first Pick wager, forming a second player hand consisting of (1) the at least one card dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the first community hand;    (l) if the player placed the second Pick wager, forming a third player hand consisting of (1) the at least one card dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the second community hand;    (m) after step (1), the dealer forming a dealer hand comprising (1) the at least one card dealt to the dealer in step (c), and (2) the one of the first, second, and third community hands that when combined with the at least one dealer card makes a best dealer hand rank; and    (n) resolving the initial wager and the Pick wagers if placed based on a comparison of the hand ranks of each of the player hands and the dealer hand.    
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein step (m) is practiced by forming the dealer hand using any combination of the at least one card dealt to the dealer in step (c) and the first, second and third community hands.  
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 39 , further comprising requiring the player to place at least one of the first Pick wager and the second Pick wager.  
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 39 , further comprising providing an option for the player to place a proposition wager.  
     
     
         43 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein step (b) is practiced by dealing two cards to the player, and wherein each of the first, second and third community hands consists of one card, the step of providing the proposition wager option being practiced by providing the option for the player to wager on at least the first player hand against a predetermined pay scale.  
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein step (b) is practiced by dealing two cards to the player, and wherein each of the first, second and third community hands consists of one card, the step of providing the proposition wager option being practiced by providing the option for the player to wager on a 5-card hand against a predetermined pay scale, the 5-card hand consisting of the two cards dealt to the player and each of the first, second and third community hands.  
     
     
         45 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein step (b) is practiced by dealing three cards to the player, wherein step (c) is practiced by dealing three cards to the dealer, and wherein each of the first, second and third community hands consists of one card.  
     
     
         46 . A method of playing a wagering game, the method comprising: 
 (a) a player placing first and second initial wagers in respective first and second wager areas corresponding to first and second player hands;    (b) dealing at least one card to the player;    (c) dealing at least one card to a dealer;    (d) dealing three concealed community hands, wherein each community hand consists of at least one card;    (e) revealing a first of the three concealed community hands;    (f) the player electing to check or shift one of the first and second initial wagers to a third wager area corresponding to a third player hand;    (g) revealing a second and a third of the three concealed community hands;    (h) forming the first and second player hands each consisting of (1) the at least one card dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the respective community hand designated by the wager area in which the first and second initial wagers are placed;    (i) after step (h), the dealer forming a dealer hand comprising (1) the at least one card dealt to the dealer in step (c), and (2) the one of the first, seconds and third community hands that when combined with the at least one dealer card makes a best dealer hand rank; and    (j) resolving the initial wagers based on a comparison of the hand ranks of each of the player hands and the dealer hand.    
     
     
         47 . A method according to  claim 46 , wherein step (f) is practiced by providing an option for the player to place a Pick wager corresponding to a third player hand consisting of (1) the at least one card dealt to the player in step (b), and (2) the respective community hand designated by the wager area in which the Pick wager is placed, and wherein step (j) is practiced by resolving the Pick wager based on a comparison of the third player hand rank and the dealer hand rank.  
     
     
         48 . A method according to  claim 46 , wherein step (b) is practiced by dealing three cards to the player, wherein step (c) is practiced by dealing three cards to the dealer, and wherein each of the first, second and third community hands consists of one card.