Community card poker game

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to facilitate a player re-entering a card game, even though they may have “folded” their hand on a previous turn in the card game. Conventionally, in traditional forms of community card poker games, once a player has folded their hand they are unable to take part in the game currently being played. Rather than folding their hand, a player can “hold” their hand with the possibility of returning to the game. By enabling a buy-back-in feature a player can re-enter the game to continue betting, etc. Further the sequence of game play can be altered compared with the conventional play. The card game can be played in a physical environment as well as a digital environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of playing a community card type poker game in a physical environment, comprising:
 dealing pocket cards to a player, the player being part of a community of players participating in a community card type poker game at a table;   conducting a round of betting in the community card type poker game;   permitting the player to fold the pocket cards to exit the community card type poker game; and   allowing the player to re-enter the community card type poker game with the pocket cards after having folded the pocket cards.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the community card type poker game is Texas Hold'em. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pocket cards are dealt from a standard deck of cards. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising limiting the number of times the player is allowed to re-enter the community card type poker game. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising restricting when the player is allowed to re-enter the community card type poker game. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the restriction on when the player is allowed to re-enter the community card type poker game is based on a round of the community card type poker game. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the restriction on when the player is allowed to re-enter the community card type poker game is based on a predetermined length of time. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising collecting currency from the player upon allowing the player to re-enter the community card type poker game. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the currency is of a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the currency is of a variable amount determined by information relating to the community card type poker game. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising limiting the player's ability to view the pocket cards. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the limitation is based on a certain number of views of the pocket cards per the community card type poker game. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the limitation is based on a certain length of time. 
     
     
         14 . A method for playing a community card type poker tournament in a physical environment, comprising:
 facilitating a community card type poker tournament played by a plurality of players, the community card type poker tournament comprising a plurality of sessions, and the plurality of sessions comprising a plurality of games;   dealing pocket cards to a player playing a game on a table, the player being one of the plurality of players, and the game being one of the plurality of games;   conducting a round of betting in the game;   permitting the player to fold the pocket cards to exit the game; and   allowing the player to re-enter the game with the pocket cards after having folded the pocket cards previously in the game.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of games are community card type poker Texas Hold'em. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising limiting the number of times the player is allowed re-enter the game per the community card type poker tournament, the plurality of session, the plurality of games, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising collecting currency from the player upon allowing the player to re-enter the game. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the currency is of a variable amount based on the current stage of the community card type poker tournament. 
     
     
         19 . A method of playing a community card type poker game in a physical environment, comprising:
 dealing pocket cards to a player participating in a community card type poker game, the player being part of a community of players at a table;   means for conducting a round of betting in the community card type poker game, wherein the player is permitted to continue participating in the community card type poker game or to exit the community card type poker game by folding the pocket cards;   upon a condition in which the player folds the pocket cards, allowing the player to re-enter the community card type poker game with the pocket cards; and   upon a condition in which the player decides to re-enter the community card type poker game with the pocket cards, collecting currency from the player.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the community card type poker game is Texas Hold'em.