Asia poker with three hands per player and bonus payout

Abstract

The standard game of Asia Poker is modified by dividing the seven cards dealt to each participant into three groups or hands rather than two, with the three groups containing four cards, two cards or one card, respectively. To win, a player must win on at least two of three hands, and because there are three hands rather than two, the number of tied hands or “pushes” is greatly reduced. Each player is also allowed to place a separate bonus wager that the cards of the hand of the player will include one hand of a posted table of payout hands. The payout hands for the separate bonus wager include at least a hand with a four of a kind and a three a kind. Following the step of dealing the cards, the game includes paying, according to predetermined odds, each player (i) who has placed a bonus wager and (ii) who has a hand including one of the payout hands.

1 . A method of playing a game of chance involving up to six players and a dealer, wherein each player plays against the dealer, and using a deck of cards including at least the 52 cards of a standard deck, said method comprising:
 placing an “ante” wager by each of the up to six players;   dealing, by the dealer, a total of seven cards to the dealer and a total of seven cards to each of the up to six players;   arranging of the cards, by the dealer and each player, into a low hand of one card, a medium hand of two cards and a high hand of four cards, wherein the medium hand must be higher in rank than the low hand and the high hand must be higher in rank than the medium hand,   individually comparing each of the low, medium and high hands of each player with the low, medium and high hands of the dealer;   determining a winner for the “ante” wager between each player and the dealer when at least two out of the three hands of one is of higher rank than the corresponding hands of the other;   taking the “ante” wager of the player by the dealer when the dealer is determined to be the winner, and paying, by the dealer, the amount of the “ante” wager by a player to a player determined to be the winner;   providing, prior to the step of dealing the cards, an opportunity for each player to place a bonus wager that the hand of the player will include one of a plurality of payout hands, said plurality of payout hands including at least a hand with a four of a kind and a three a kind; and   following the step of dealing the cards, paying, according to predetermined odds, each player (i) who has placed a bonus wager and (ii) who has a hand including one of the payout hands.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the four of a kind of the payout hand with the four of a kind and the three of a kind is four eights. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the deck of cards includes at least one joker, and wherein the three of a kind of the payout hand with the four eights and the three of a kind includes two aces and a joker. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined odds for the hand with the four eights and the three of a kind are 5000 to 1. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein there is a $50,000 maximum bonus payout per hand. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of payout hands include a hand with a nine, an eight, a seven, a four, a three, a two, and one of a six and a five. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined odds for the hand with a nine, an eight, a seven, a four, a three, a two, and one of a six and a five are 10 to 1. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of payout hands further include at least one of:
 a hand with four aces and a joker;   a hand with a royal flush;   a hand with a natural straight flush;   a hand with a straight flush with a joker;   a hand with a four of a kind;   a hand with a full house;   a hand with a flush;   a hand with a three of a kind; and   a hand with a straight.