Video Poker Game with Multiple Initial Hands

Abstract

A video poker machine that displays multiple initial hands. A player is presented with two or more initial poker hands and can choose which of these initial hands to play. The hands that are not chosen are discarded, and the hand that is chosen can be played to completion. Depending on the rank of the final hand, the player can win an award.

1 . A method to play a wagering game, the method comprising:
 executing instructions on a processor on a digital computer to perform the following operations:   receiving a wager from the player;   dealing and displaying at least two initial hands;   receiving, from the player, a choice of a selected hand out of the at least two initial hands;   receiving a selection of hold cards out of the selected hand;   receiving an indication from the player to draw, and replacing non-hold cards in the selected hand to form a final hand; and   awarding any earned awards to the player based on a rank of the final hand.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the player receives no payout on the hands that are not the selected hand. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two initial hands are dealt from separate decks. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein all of the at least two initial hands are all dealt from a same deck, and cards from the hand(s) not selected as the selected hand are put back into the same deck and shuffled before the replacing. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the wager requires at least one additional coin, wherein the additional coin is not reflected in the awarding. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least two initial hands comprises exactly two initial hands. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least two initial hands comprises exactly three initial hands. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a number of the at least two initial hands varies and is determined randomly. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a number of the at least two initial hands is determined randomly and will be A hands X % of the time and B hands Y % of the time, wherein A and B are different values. 
     
     
         10 . A method to play a wagering game, the method comprising:
 executing instructions on a processor on a digital computer to perform the following operations:   receiving a wager from the player;   dealing and displaying at least two initial hands;   receiving a selection of hold cards;   receiving, from the player, a choice of a selected hand out of the at least two initial hands, and replacing non-hold cards in the selected hand to form a final hand; and   awarding any earned awards to the player based on a rank of the final hand.   
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the player receives no payout on the hands that are not the selected hand. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus to play a wagering game, the apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit programmed to execute pre-stored instructions to perform the following operations:   receiving a wager from the player;   dealing and displaying at least two initial hands;   receiving, from the player, a choice of a selected hand out of the at least two initial hands;   receiving a selection of hold cards out of the selected hand;   receiving an indication from the player to draw, and replacing non-hold cards in the selected hand to form a final hand;   awarding any earned awards to the player based on a rank of the final hand; and   an output unit to display results of the processing unit.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the player receives no payout on the hands that are not the selected hand. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein each of the at least two initial hands are dealt from separate decks. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein all of the at least two initial hands are all dealt from a same deck, and cards from the hand(s) not selected as the selected hand are put back into the same deck and shuffled before the replacing. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the wager requires at least one additional coin, wherein the additional coin is not reflected in the awarding. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the at least two initial hands comprises exactly two initial hands. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the at least two initial hands comprises exactly three initial hands. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein a number of the at least two initial hands varies and is determined randomly. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein a number of the at least two initial hands is determined randomly and will be A hands X % of the time and B hands Y % of the time, wherein A and B are different values.