Method and device for playing a game with elimination

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for playing a card game with elimination in which players play against each other and can interact with one another to determine a player to be eliminated from the game. A predetermined number of game pieces are dealt to players of the game. Each player is given an opportunity to exchange at least one game piece with one of the players or with game pieces in a common area to form a hand with the dealt game pieces. The game pieces can be exchanged by buying, selling, auctioning or trading game pieces to or from one of the players. Players can play either against each other or the dealer with a hand having the highest value and the lowest value being determined by the dealer or the players. Play against more than one player can continue in a survivor fashion with the loser's hand leaving the game on each round until only one player remains.

1 . A method for playing a game comprising the steps of:
 a) dealing a predetermined number of game pieces to three or more players;   b) providing an opportunity for each of said players for exchanging at least one of said game pieces with one of said players or with game pieces in a common area to form a respective hand with at least one of said dealt game pieces;   c) determining said hand having a lowest value; and   d) eliminating said player from the game having said determined hand having a lowest value.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein one of said game pieces is dealt in a common area as a common game piece, said game piece being used in forming said hand for each of said players. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 each said player placing one or more bets before determining the hand having the lowest value.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein a player having said hand having the lowest value pays a payout to each of a said other players. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the payout is equal to an amount of the bet. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the payout is greater than an amount of the bet. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 determining a hand having a value which is highest and paying a payout to said player having said hand having a value which is the highest.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein two game pieces and said common game piece are dealt and the game is three card poker. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 2  wherein four game pieces and said common game piece are dealt and the game is five card poker. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 2  wherein six game pieces and said common game piece are dealt and the game is seven card poker. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the game pieces are one or more cards of a deck of 52 cards, the lowest value of the hand being matched to a lowest value of a conventional card game. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the game pieces are one or more die, each face of the die is assigned a point value equaling the dots, the lowest value of the hand being determined from a total of the assigned point values for an upward face of each of the one or more die. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the game pieces are one or more Mah Jongg tiles, each type of Mah Jongg tile is assigned a point value being determined from symbols on the Mah Jongg tile, the value of the hand being a total of the assigned point values. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said game pieces is placed in a face-up position and at least one of said game pieces is placed in a face-down position. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of before step a):
 selecting a hand of game pieces to have a bonus feature; and   after step a) determining if the selected hand of game pieces to have a bonus feature has said bonus feature.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of operating the game on a video machine. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising operation the game through a data network. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the data network is the Internet. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein steps a)-d) are repeated until only one player remains. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of exchanging at least one of said game pieces comprises buying, selling, auctioning, or trading said at least one of said game pieces to or from another of said players. 
   
   
       21 . A device for playing a game comprising:
 a playing area having one or more first betting locations configured to receive one or more bets;   a dealer station having a position for receiving a predetermined number of game pieces for three or more players;   a common area for receiving one or more game pieces;   optionally a common game piece area for receiving one common game pieces; and   means for providing an opportunity for each of said players for exchanging at least one of said game pieces with one of said players or with game pieces in said common area to form a respective hand with at least one of said received game pieces.   
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 21  further comprising:
 a controller for selecting one or more of said game pieces.   
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 21  wherein said controller comprises a video display having a touch surface marked with positions of game pieces and after one of said game pieces is selected with said controller, said corresponding one of said positions of game pieces is displayed on said touch surface. 
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 21  further comprising one or more second betting locations configured to receive one or more bets of a bonus feature. 
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the betting locations and said dealer station are located on a gaming table. 
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the game is played in a casino. 
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the game is played on a video machine. 
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the game is played over a data network. 
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 28  wherein the data network is the Internet.