Saving state between sessions

Abstract

A method and/or device is set forth for playing a game. In some embodiments, an inventory of data representing playing cards is arranged in a random but established, serial order. In some embodiments, for each hand of play the player makes a wager and cards are displayed, according to the rules of the game, in order from the inventory to define a winning or losing outcome. In some embodiments, a display, as hands are played, displays the remaining constituency of the inventory and the player, before any hand, can order re-shuffling and re-constitute of the inventory. In some embodiments, re-shuffling may be triggered by a card or hand count or certain pre-defined triggers. Other embodiments are described.

1 . An electronic device for playing a hands of a card game according to the rules thereof utilizing data representing a deck of N playing cards: a first data structure storing data representing each playing card of said deck; a processor, said processor configured to include means for randomly arranging said playing card data into a random, serial order; a video display; means for a player to make a wager and prompt play of the game; said processor, in response to prompting, configured to select and display at said display data from said first data structure representing a predetermined number of cards selected in order from said arranged data inventory to define an initial holding; a control device for completing said initial holding according to the rules thereof by at least one of (1) replacing at least one card of the initial holding or (2) selecting additional cards, said processor configured to select and display at said display from said first data structure data representing each replacement or additional cards selected in order from said arranged data to define a final outcome for the hand of play; said processor configured to display at said display data corresponding to the remaining constituency of said deck data depleted of said displayed card data; said processor further configured to display data that said depletion has eliminated a final outcome; said processor configured to determine if said final outcome is a winning or losing outcome and to issue an award for a winning combination; and said processor configured to conduct at least one additional sequential game hand using said depleted deck data until an automatic restoration event, using the depleted deck data until the automatic restoration event includes saving a state of the finite set after a first gaming session ends and restoring the state at the state of a second gaming session. 
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , in which the processor is configured to end a gaming program to end the first gaming session and start the gaming program to start the second gaming session. 
   
   
       3 . A method for playing an electronic Video Poker game utilizing data representing a deck of N playing cards comprising: providing a data processor including a first data structure storing data representing at least one deck of N playing cards according to the rules of the game: configuring the playing card dab into a random, serial order; a player making wagers and playing a series of hands; for each hand of play, selecting data from the first data structure and displaying at an electronic display data representing an initial holding of playing cards defining an initial holding, said data selected in order from the serially arranged deck data; selecting a card of the initial holding to replace, said processor for any selected card to replace selecting and displaying one or more cards selected in order for the serially arranged deck data to define a final outcome, card combination; displaying the constituency of the deck data depleted of said displayed cards; comparing said final outcome card combination to data stored in a second data structure representing winning outcome combinations and if a winning outcome combination has been obtained issuing an award; if said deletion of said deck has eliminated the availability of any winning outcome, displaying information of said elimination; and conducting at least one additional sequential game hand using said depleted deck data until an automatic restoration event, using said depleted deck data until the automatic restoration event includes saving a state of the finite set after a first gaming session ends and restoring the state at the state of a second gaming session. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , in which the first gaming session takes place on a first gaming device and the second gaming session takes place on a second gaming device. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising ending a gaming program to end the first gaming session; and starting the gaming program to start the second gaming session. 
   
   
       6 . An electronic device for playing a hands of a Video Poker game utilizing data representing a deck of N playing cards: a first data structure storing data representing each playing card of said deck; a processor, said processor configured to include means for randomly arranging said playing card data into a random, serial order; a video display; means for a player to make a wager and prompt play of the game; said processor, in response to prompting, configured to select and display at said display data from said first data structure representing a predetermined number of cards selected in order from said arranged data inventory to define an initial holding; a control device for the player to select from said initial holding at least one card to discard, said processor configured to select and display at said display from said first data structure data representing the cards selected in order from said arranged data a card to replace each discarded card and to define a final outcome for the hand of play; said processor configured to display at said display data corresponding to the remaining constituency of said deck data depleted of said displayed card data; said processor configured to compare said outcome to a schedule of winning outcomes stored in a second data structure and to issue an award for a winning combination; said processor further configured to display data that said depletion has eliminated a final outcome; and said processor configured to conduct at least one additional sequential game hand using said depleted deck data until an automatic restoration event, using said depleted deck data until the automatic restoration event includes saving a state of the finite set after a first gaming session ends and restoring the state at the state of a second gaming session. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , in which the processor is configured to end a gaming program to end the first gaming session and start the gaming program to start the second gaming session. 
   
   
       8 . A method for playing a card game according to the rules thereof comprising: (a) providing a data processor having a first data structure storing data representing each playing card of at least one deck of N playing cards used according to the rules of the game; (b) a player making a wager to play a hand of the game and prompting play; (c) according to the rules of the game, displaying cards randomly selected by the processor from the data structure to define an outcome for the hand; (d) assessing the outcome for the hand to determine if the outcome is a winning outcome according to the predetermined rules of the game and if the outcome is a winning outcome issuing an award to the player; (e) depleting the card data available for selection and display for subsequent selection and display of card data which has been previously selected and displayed; (f) displaying information to the player of any winning outcomes eliminated by said depletion; and (g) conducting at least one additional sequential game hand repeating steps (b) (f) using said depleted deck data until an automatic restoration event, using said depleted deck data until the automatic restoration event includes saving a state of the finite set after a first gaming session ends and restoring the state at the state of a second gaming session. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , in which the first gaming session takes place on a first gaming device and the second gaming session takes place on a second gaming device. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising ending a gaming program to end the first gaming session; and starting the gaming program to start the second gaming session. 
   
   
       11 . A method for playing a card game according to the rules thereof comprising: (a) providing a data processor including a first data structure storing data representing at least one deck of N playing cards according to the rules of the game, said card data including data for said cards corresponding to value, the suit of Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades and where a Joker is included in N, data representing said Joker; (b) a player making a wager to play each of a series of hands of play; (c) for each hand of play, randomly selecting and displaying from said first data structure at an electronic display data representing an initial holding of at least two playing cards and completing the initial holding to a final holding according to the rules thereof by at least one of (1) displaying additional cards or (2) replacing selected cards, said processor for any additional or replaced card randomly selecting and displaying card data from said data structure to define said final outcome, card combination; (d) displaying a tally corresponding to the constituency of the deck data of said data structure depleted of said cards displayed in the play of the preceding hands, said tally displaying the values and suits of said remaining constituent data including the display of any card values or suits which have been completely depleted; (e) for each hand determining if the players final outcome is a winning or a losing outcome and issuing an award corresponding to a winning outcome; and (f) conducting at least one additional sequential game hand repeating steps (b) (e) using said depleted deck data until an automatic restoration event, using said depleted deck data until the automatic restoration event includes saving a state of the finite set after a first gaming session ends and restoring the state at the state of a second gaming session. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , in which the first gaming session takes place on a first gaming device and the second gaming session takes place on a second gaming device. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising ending a gaming program to end the first gaming session; and starting the gaming program to start the second gaming session. 
   
   
       14 . A method for playing a card game according to the rules thereof and using an inventory of playing cards including the four suits of Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades the method comprising: storing data representing each playing card; the player making wagers to play a series of hands of the game, each hand of the series played by a processor selecting and displaying (1) an initial set of cards and (2) additional or replacement set of cards from said inventory to produce a final, concluding, outcome for the hand, excluding from selection and display data for cards which have been selected and displayed; displaying data corresponding to a game outcome eliminated by said exclusion; issuing an award to the player for any hand of the series having a predetermined winning final outcome; and conducting at least one additional sequential game hand using said depleted deck data until an automatic restoration event, using said depleted deck data until the automatic restoration event includes saving a state of the finite set after a first gaming session ends and restoring the state at the state of a second gaming session. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , in which the first gaming session takes place on a first gaming device and the second gaming session takes place on a second gaming device. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising ending a gaming program to end the first gaming session; and starting the gaming program to start the second gaming session. 
   
   
       17 . An electronic device for playing a card game according to the rules thereof and using an inventory of playing cards including the four suits of Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades the device comprising: a data structure storing data representing each playing card; a video display; means for a player to input wagers to play a series of hands of the game; a processor configured to select and display at said display (1) an initial set of cards and (2) additional or replacement set of cards from said inventory to produce a final, concluding, outcome for the hand, said processor configured to exclude from selection and display data for cards which have previously been selected and displayed and to displaying data corresponding to a game outcome eliminated by said exclusion; and said processor configured to determine if said outcome for the hand is a winning final outcome and if so to issue an award to the player; and said processor configured to conduct at least one additional sequential game hand using said depleted inventory until an automatic restoration event, using said depleted inventory until the automatic restoration event includes saving a state of the finite set after a first gaming session ends and restoring the state at the state of a second gaming session. 
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17 , in which the processor is configured to end a gaming program to end the first gaming session and start the gaming program to start the second gaming session.