High-mid-low variant of Pai Gow poker

Abstract

A poker card game which uses physical playing cards or electronic virtual cards displayed on a video screen is disclosed. Steps in the play of the game may include: a player placing a wager to enter the poker card game; a dealer dealing at least six cards to at least one player to form three distinct player hands comprising a player at least three card high hand, a player at least two card mid hand and a player at least one card low hand; the dealer dealing at least six cards to the dealer to form three distinct dealer hands comprising a dealer at least three card high hand, a dealer at least two card mid hand and a dealer at least one card low hand; the dealer setting the three distinct dealer hands according to the house rules of setting hands; comparing the three distinct dealer hands to the respective three distinct player hands; and paying the player on the poker game wager if at least two of the three distinct player hands outranks at least two of the three respective distinct dealer hands.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for playing a poker card game using physical playing cards or electronic virtual cards displayed on a video screen, comprising:
 A dealer requiring a player to place a wager to enter the poker card game;   a dealer dealing a set of at least six cards to at least one player and requiring the player to form three distinct player hands comprising at least a player three card high hand, a player at least two card mid hand and a player at least one card low hand;   the dealer dealing a set of at least six cards to the dealer to form three distinct dealer hands comprising a dealer at least three card high hand, a dealer at least two card mid hand and a dealer at least one card low hand;   the dealer setting the three distinct dealer hands according to a set of house way rules of setting hands;   the dealer comparing the three distinct dealer hands to the respective three distinct player hands;   the dealer paying the player on the poker game wager if at least two of the three distinct player hands outranks at least two of the three respective distinct dealer hands.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dealer allows the player an option to place at least a first side bet wager that is paid when a predetermined event occurs in the play of the game. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the dealer allows a player an option to place a second side bet wager that is paid according to another predetermined criteria, wherein the another predetermined criteria is selected from the group consisting of a paytable and a progressive jackpot. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined event and payout for the event are determined according to a paytable. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the dealer comparing the three distinct player hands to three distinct dealer hands, at least one tie between specific player and dealer hands is considered a loss for the player. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a card handling device with playing card recognition capacity reads each card in each set of cards to provide set information to a processor and each set of cards is then hand delivered to each player and the dealer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the card handling device is selected from the group consisting of a shoe or a shuffler. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is programmed with rules for setting sets of cards into a high-hand, mid-hand and low-hand, and the processor determines how each hand can be strategically played for a statistically best long term result. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the statistically best long term result is provided to individual players by the dealer with respect to their individual hands. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the dealer allows individual players to request that the processor determine how to set the player hands. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , where the dealer's hand is automatically set into three hands according to a look-up table with identical statistically best long term results provided to the dealer as are provided to individual players with respect to their individual hands. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the poker card game is played on a gaming platform selected from the group consisting of a traditional gaming table, a video gaming machine, an electronic gaming platform, and a hybrid thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each set of cards consist of six cards, and one three-card hand, one two-card hand, and one one-card hand is formed from each set. 
     
     
         14 . A method of administering a wagering game, comprising:
 A dealer accepting a primary wager from each player to enter the game;   A dealer dealing each player and the dealer a set of six cards each;   The dealer setting cards from the set into:
 A three-card high hand; 
 A two-card mid hand; and 
 A one-card low hand according to a set of predetermined house way hand setting rules; 
   The dealer requiring the player to either elect to set three hands from the player set of cards or the dealer setting the player hands according to a set of predetermined house way hand setting rules, wherein each player's set of cards are set into;
 A three-card high hand; 
 A two-card mid hand; and 
 A one-card low hand 
   The dealer comparing the dealer and player high, mid and low hands and paying the player a payout when at least two of the three player hands outrank the same two dealer hands.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , and further comprising the dealer permitting each player to make a first optional side bet on the occurrence of a predetermined winning five-card poker hand formed from the set of six player cards. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , and further comprising the dealer paying a first player who made a qualifying first bonus wager an envy bonus payout when another player holds a qualifying first bonus hand. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  and further comprising the dealer permitting each player to make a second optional side bet on the occurrence of all three of the player hands outranking all three of the dealer hands. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the dealer pays the envy bonus to the first player only when the first player holds a winning first bonus hand. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein first bonus payouts and envy bonus payouts are made according to the following pay table: 
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Hand 
                   Fortune Pays 
                   Envy Bonus 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                   5 Aces 
                   1,000 to 1 
                   $500 
                 
                     
                   Royal Flush 
                   500 to 1 
                   $50 
                 
                     
                   Straight Flush 
                   50 to 1 
                   $10 
                 
                     
                   4 of a Kind 
                   40 to 1 
                   $5 
                 
                     
                   Full House 
                   9 to 1 
                 
                     
                   Flush 
                   6 to 1 
                 
                     
                   Straight 
                   4 to 1 
                 
                     
                   3 of a Kind 
                   3 to 1 
                 
                     
                   2 Pair 
                   2 to 1