Gaming machine with a hold symbol function

Abstract

A gaming machine and associated method. Symbols are selected and presented on a display in a first random selection process. Each symbol is selected independently of each other symbol and the plurality of symbols are separated into at least three distinct groups of symbols, each group containing at least two symbol. A player of the gaming machine selects one or more of the groups of symbols to be held. In a second random selection process any symbols that are not held are reselected. A prize is paid according to a pay table and the symbols presented following the second random selection process.

1 . A method for use with a gaming machine that is arranged to select symbols, present the selected symbols on a display and award an award if a winning outcome occurs, the method comprising:
 providing for a player to make a wager to enable one or more hands of plays;   selecting and displaying symbols in a game matrix at a game display defining a primary game display;   receiving a selection from a player of the gaming machine of one or more rows of the matrix including of the groups of symbols to be held;   in a second random selection process reselecting any symbols that are not selected by the player to be held and presenting the reselected symbols on the display; and   paying a prize according to a pay table and the symbols presented following the second random selection process.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the symbols are presented in a matrix having n rows and m columns, wherein m is at least 3 and n is at least 2 and wherein the at least three distinct groups of symbols are the symbols in each column of the matrix. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including providing the option to select none of the groups of symbols to be held. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , including providing the option to select all of the groups of symbols to be held. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the display is the visible portion of a plurality of physical spinning reels, one reel for each said presented symbol on the display. 
     
     
         6 . A method for use with a gaming machine that is arranged to, in response to the staking of a wager, select symbols, present the selected symbols on a display to represent a plurality of outcomes and award an award if a winning outcome occurs, the method comprising:
 receiving a selection of a plurality of outcomes on which to stake a wager;   in a first random selection process selecting a plurality of symbols and presenting the selected symbols on a display of the gaming machine in manner so that a plurality of initial outcomes are visually determinable, wherein each symbol is selected independently of each other symbol and the plurality of symbols are separated into at least three distinct groups of symbols, each group containing at least two symbols and wherein each of the plurality of outcomes includes one and only one member of each group of symbols;   receiving a selection from a player of the gaming machine of one or more of the groups of symbols to be held;   in a second random selection process reselecting any symbols that are not selected by the player to be held and presenting the reselected symbols on the display so that a plurality of final outcomes are visually determinable; and   following the second random selection process either paying a prize or not according to a pay table and the final outcomes.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the selection of a plurality of outcomes on which to stake a wager is a selection of three outcomes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein there are five said groups of symbols. 
     
     
         9 . A gaming machine that is arranged to select symbols, present the selected symbols on a display to represent a plurality of game outcomes and award an award if a winning outcome occurs in the plurality of game outcomes, the gaming machine comprising:
 a game controller in communication with a display, the game controller including a random number generator, the game controller adapted to use numbers generated by the random number generator to select symbols for presentation on the display in a process including two stages, wherein   in a first stage of the process, a first selection of a plurality of symbols is presented on the display to form a plurality of initial outcomes, wherein each symbol is selected independently of each other symbol;   in a second stage of the process, one or more subsets of symbols are reselected and presented on the display to form a plurality of final outcomes, wherein each subset includes one and only one symbol from each of the plurality of outcomes;   following the second stage paying a prize according to a pay table and the final outcomes.   
     
     
         10 . The gaming machine of  claim 9 , wherein the gaming machine includes a user interface adapted to allow a player of the gaming machine to select the number of said subsets of the first selection of symbols to be reselected. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming machine of  claim 10 , wherein the symbols are presented in a matrix having n rows and m columns, wherein n is at least 2 and m is at least 3 and wherein subsets of the first selection of symbols available for selection consist of at least two of the columns of symbols in the matrix. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming machine of  claim 11 , wherein the gaming machine and user interface is adapted so that the player can select any of the m columns to be reselected. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming machine of  claim 12 , wherein the gaming machine and user interface is adapted so that the player can select all or none of the m columns to be reselected. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming machine of  claim 11 , wherein the display is the visible portion of a plurality of physical spinning reels, one reel for each said presented symbol on the display. 
     
     
         15 . A gaming machine for play by a player comprising:
 a primary and at least one second game display matrices defined by N1-X columns and M rows;   a device for prompting play a processor to randomly select and to control the display to display symbols in the primary game matrix, to hold at least one of the columns NH of the primary game and replicate the held column NH into the second game;   an input device for the player to hold remaining columns, any held columns replicated into said second game;   a device to prompt a draw, said processor in response to said prompt configured to select and display symbols for any column N1-X not held to define final outcomes for the primary and said second game and to compare the outcomes to a schedule of winning outcomes and to issue an award for any winning outcomes.