Playing an interactive real-time card selection game over a network

Abstract

A method of playing an interactive, computerized, multi-player card game in which desired cards are selected by players, some of which may be virtual players generated by the game's software. Each real player uses a computer or similar device that is connected to a network. Virtual player card selection and betting is controlled by computer software. After each player has selected a card in a round, computer software determines what card each player is dealt. Null cards having no value in the scoring are dealt when there is a conflict in card selection or when a player fails to select a card within a time limit. The games follow the rules of poker.

1. In a communications network, a method for playing an interactive, network-based card game comprising:
 a) establishing a connection between at least one client software program for a game of cards, said client software program running on a player's computer connected to a network, and a server software program for the game, said server software program running on a computer acting as a server and connected to the network, said connection enabling the player to join a playing session populated with other players selected from a group consisting of real and virtual players, the real players using separate computers connected to the network, each computer running another instance of the client software program, each instance of client software connected to the server software, and the virtual players generated and controlled by the game's server software, said game including the following steps: 
 i) selecting at the player's computer a card from a deck of playing cards, said deck of cards the same for all players in the playing session;  
 ii) communicating the identity of said card to the dealer controlled by the server software;  
 iii) receiving at the player's computer a message from the server software identifying a card from the dealer, said card selected by the dealer from the group consisting of: 
 A) the player's selected card; and  
 B) a null card;  
 
 iv) displaying at the player's computer the card dealt to that player;  
 v) displaying at the player's computer any face-up cards that have been distributed to other players;  
 vi) communicating a bet to the server software during the betting rounds;  
 vii) receiving at the player's computer software notification of bets made by other players via a message from the server software;  
 viii) repeating steps i—vii until a predetermined number of cards are delivered to each player and betting is concluded;  
 ix) identifying the player with the best hand of cards according to predetermined rules of play via a message from the server software;  
 x) receiving a score based on the player's hand at the player's computer via a message from the server software, said score calculated according to predetermined rules of play;  
 xi) repeating steps i—x until the playing session ends; and  
 
 b) closing the connection between the player's client software program and the server software to terminate session play.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further including receiving from the dealer controlled by the server software notification of being dealt a null card if the player's selected card is in a group consisting of cards requested by another player in a current round and cards requested by any player during a previous round, receiving otherwise notification of being dealt the player's selected card. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further including receiving from the dealer controlled by the server software notification of being dealt a null card if the player's selected card is in a group consisting of cards requested by another player in a current round and cards dealt during a previous round, receiving otherwise notification of being dealt the player's selected card. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the network is the Internet. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the network is an intranet. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the network is a local area network. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the game is played by rules of poker. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein the game is selected from the group including five card stud, six card stud, and seven card stud. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7  wherein the game is five card draw. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the game is selected from the group including five card high/low, six card high/low, and seven card high/low. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7  wherein the game is selected from the group including five card low, six card low, and seven card low. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1  wherein the server software allots each player virtual money with which to bet during the playing session. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  wherein the server software selects a player to choose which game to play. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1  wherein the server software selects cards for virtual players. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1  wherein the card selection step has a time limit. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  wherein the server software deals the player a null card if the player does not select a card within the time limit. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1  wherein the server software determines bets for virtual players. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1  wherein the betting step has a time limit. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  wherein the server software forces the player to fold if the player does not bet within the set time limit. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18  wherein the server software forces the player to call if the player does not bet within the set time limit. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 1  wherein the player joins the playing session after information is exchanged between the player's client software and the server software. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  wherein the server software assigns an identification to the player. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21  wherein the information sent to the server software includes the player's name, IP address, and requested playing session. 
     
     
       24. In a communications network, a method for playing an interactive, network-based card game comprising: a) establishing a connection between at least one client software program for a game of cards, said client software program running on a player's computer connected to a network, and a server software program for the game, said server software program running on a computer acting as a server and connected to the network, said connection enabling a player to join a playing session populated with other players selected from a group consisting of real and virtual players, the real player using a separate computer connected to the network, each computer running another instance of the client software program that provides activity management for said player, each instance of the client software connected to the server software program, and the generation and activity management of each virtual player provided by the game's server software, said game including the following steps:
   i) each active, real player selecting at said player's computer a desired card from a deck of playing cards displayed by said player's client software, said deck of cards the same for each player in the playing session;    ii) for each active, virtual player, said player's activity management software selecting a desired card from the deck of playing cards;    iii) each active player's activity management software communicating to the server software the identity of the card selected by said player;    iv) the server software determining what card each active player is dealt, said card being a null card having no value for scoring if said player's selected card is in a group consisting of cards selected by other players in the same round and cards dealt by the server software on a previous round, said card otherwise being said player's selected card;    v) the server software sending a message to each active player's activity management software identifying the card dealt to that player;    vi) each active, real player's client software displaying at said player's computer the card dealt by the server software;    vii) for each round where cards are dealt face-up, the server software sending a message to each player's activity management software identifying what card each active player was dealt by the server software;    viii) for each round where cards are dealt face-up, each real player's client software displaying at that player's computer the card that was dealt to each active player by the server software;    ix) for each betting round, each active, real player selecting at said player's computer a desired bet when said player's betting turn comes;    x) for each betting round, each active, virtual player's activity management software selecting a desired bet when said player's betting turn comes;    xi) each active player's activity management software communicating to the server software the bet selected by said player;    xii) after each bet, the server software sending a message to each player's activity management software identifying the bettor and bet;    xiii) after each bet, each real player's client software displaying at that player's computer said bet, and when the bet is to fold, displaying face-down all previous face-up cards for the current bettor;    xiv) repeating steps i-xiii until a predetermined number of cards are dealt by the server software to each active player and betting is concluded;    xv) at the end of the game, the server software sending a message to each player's activity management software identifying each winner according to pre-determined rules of play, the amount each winner has won, and what the value is of each face-down card dealt during the game to any player that has not folded;    xvi) at the end of the game, each real player's client software displaying at that player's computer the identity of each winner, the amount each winner has won, and what the value is of each face-down card dealt during the game to any player that has not folded;    xvii) repeating steps i-xvi until the playing session ends; and    
 b) closing the connection between each player's client software program and the server software program to terminate the playing session.  
 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24  wherein the network is the Internet. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 24  wherein the network is an intranet. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 24  wherein the network is a local area network. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 24  wherein the game is played by rules of poker. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28  wherein the game is selected from the group including five card stud, six card stud, and seven card stud. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 28  wherein the game is five card draw. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 28  wherein the game is selected from the group including five card high/low, six card high/low, and seven card high/low. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 28  wherein the game is selected from the group including five card low, six card low, and seven card low. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 24  wherein the server software allots each player virtual money with which to bet during the playing session. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 24  wherein the server software selects a player to choose which game to play. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 24  wherein the card selection step has a time limit. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 35  wherein the server software deals the player a null card if the player does not select a card within the time limit. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 24  wherein the server software automatically subtracts the correct ante from each player's holdings at the start of each new game. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 24  wherein the betting step has a time limit. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 38  wherein the server software forces the player to fold if the player does not bet within the set time limit. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 38  wherein the server software forces the player to call if the player does not bet within the set time limit. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 24  wherein the player's computer is a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 24  wherein the player joins the playing session after information is exchanged between the player's client software and the server software. 
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 42  wherein the server software assigns an identification to the player. 
     
     
       44. In a communications network, a method for playing an interactive, network-based card game comprising: a) establishing a connection between at least one client software program for a game of cards, said client software program running on a player's computer connected to a network, and a server software program for the game, said server software program running on a computer acting as a server and connected to the network, said connection enabling a player to join a playing session populated with other players selected from a group consisting of real and virtual players, each real player using a separate computer connected to the network, each computer running another instance of the client software program that provides activity management for said player, each instance of the client software connected to the server software program, and the generation and activity management of each virtual player provided by the game's server software, said game including the following steps:
   i) each active, real player selecting at said player's computer a desired card from a deck of playing cards displayed by said player's client software, said deck of cards the same for each player in the playing session;    ii) for each active, virtual player, said player's activity management software selecting a desired card from the deck of playing cards;    iii) each active player's activity management software communicating to the server software the identity of the card selected by said player;    iv) the server software determining what card each active player is dealt, said card being a null card having no value for scoring if said player's selected card is in a group consisting of cards selected by other players in the same round and cards selected by any player on a previous round, said card otherwise being said player's selected card;    v) the server software sending a message to each active player's activity management software identifying the card dealt to that player;    vi) each active, real player's client software displaying at said player's computer the card dealt by the server software;    vii) for each round where cards are dealt face-up, the server software sending a message to each player's activity management software identifying what card each active player was dealt by the server software;    viii) for each round where cards are dealt face-up, each real player's client software displaying at that player's computer the card that was dealt to each active player by the server software;    ix) for each betting round, each active, real player selecting at said player's computer a desired bet when said player's betting turn comes;    x) for each betting round, each active, virtual player's activity management software selecting a desired bet when said player's betting turn comes;    xi) each active player's activity management software communicating to the server software the bet selected by said player;    xii) after each bet, the server software sending a message to each player's activity management software identifying the bettor and bet;    xiii) after each bet, each real player's client software displaying at that player's computer said bet, and when the bet is to fold, displaying face-down all previous face-up cards for the current bettor;    xiv) repeating steps i-xiii until a predetermined number of cards are dealt by the server software to each active player and betting is concluded;    xv) at the end of the game, the server software sending a message to each player's activity management software identifying each winner according to pre-determined rules of play, the amount each winner has won, and what the value is of each face-down card dealt during the game to any player that has not folded;    xvi) at the end of the game, each real player's client software displaying at that player's computer the identity of each winner, the amount each winner has won, and what the value is of each face-down card dealt during the game to any player that has not folded;    xvii) repeating steps i-xvi until the playing session ends; and    
 b) closing the connection between each player's client software program and the server software program to terminate the playing session.  
 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 44  wherein the network is the Internet. 
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 44  wherein the network is an intranet. 
     
     
       47. The method of  claim 44  wherein the network is a local area network. 
     
     
       48. The method of  claim 44  wherein the game is played by rules of poker. 
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 48  wherein the game is selected from the group including five card stud, six card stud, and seven card stud. 
     
     
       50. The method of  claim 48  wherein the game is five card draw. 
     
     
       51. The method of  claim 48  wherein the game is selected from the group including five card high/low, six card high/low, and seven card high/low. 
     
     
       52. The method of  claim 48  wherein the game is selected from the group including five card low, six card low, and seven card low. 
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 44  wherein the server software allots each player virtual money with which to bet during the playing session. 
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 44  wherein the server software selects a player to choose which game to play. 
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 44  wherein the card selection step has a time limit. 
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 55  wherein the server software deals the player a null card if the player does not select a card within the time limit. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 44  wherein the server software automatically subtracts the correct ante from each player's holdings at the start of each game. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 44  wherein the betting step has a time limit. 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 58  wherein the server software forces the player to fold if the player does not bet within the set time limit. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 58  wherein the server software forces the player to call if the player does not bet within the set time limit. 
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 44  wherein the player's computer is a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
       62. The method of  claim 44  wherein the player joins the playing session after information is exchanged between the player's client software and the server software. 
     
     
       63. The method of  claim 62  wherein the server software assigns an identification to the player. 
     
     
       64. A method for playing a card game on a computing device having a display screen (   640   ) , the computing device being programmed to carry out the card game using card representations stored in a memory, the program enabling an actual player to play the card game against at least one virtual player controlled by the computing device, a player remaining in the game being defined as an active player, the method comprising:      a )  displaying to the actual player on the display screen  (   640   )  a deck of playing cards  (   648   )  face up, the deck of playing cards being a representation of a physical deck of cards;        b )  if the actual player is active, selecting by the actual player using a computer interface a desired card of a particular rank and suit from the deck of playing cards;        c )  selecting by each active, virtual player a desired card of a particular rank and suit from the deck of playing cards;        d )  for each active player, determining if the card selected by that player is the same as a card selected by another player in a current round or the same as a card dealt to another player in a previous round;        e )  if a first player chose the same card as another player, as determined in step  ( d ) , dealing the first player a null card that has no value in forming a card hand,      wherein, if the first player is the actual player  (   740   ) , the null card  (   682   )  dealt to the first player is displayed on the first player's display screen  (   680   )  showing the rank and suit of the card that the first player selected,        wherein, if the first player is a player  (   736   )  other than the actual player and cards are dealt face up in a current round, the null card  (   686   )  dealt to the first player is displayed on the actual player's display screen  (   680   )  without showing the rank and suit of the card selected by the first player, so that the actual player does not know what card the first player selected;          f )  if the first player did not choose the same card as another player as determined in step  ( d ) , dealing the first player the card that the first player selected,      wherein, if the first player is the actual player  (   740   ) , the rank and suit of the card dealt to the first player  (   690   )  is displayed on the first player's display screen  (   680   ) ,        wherein, if the first player is a player other than the actual player and cards are dealt face up in the current round, the rank and suit of the card dealt to the first player  (   688   )  is displayed on the actual player's display screen  (   680   ) ;          g )  repeating steps b - f if there is more than one active player after a round of play, until the same predetermined number of cards have been dealt to each active player; and        h )  identifying the active player with the best hand of cards, according to predetermined rules of play.     
     
     
       65. The method of  claim 64  wherein step ( d )  comprises:      d )  for each active player, determining if the card that player selected is the same as a card selected by another player in a current round or a previous round.     
     
     
       66. A method for playing the same card game on multiple computing devices, each having a display screen (   640   ) , the computing devices being programmed to carry out the card game using card representations stored in a memory, the program enabling an actual player using one of the computing devices to play the card game against at least one other actual player using another one of the computing devices, a player remaining in the game being defined as an active player, the method comprising:      a )  displaying to each actual player on that player's display screen  (   640   )  the same deck of playing cards  (   648   )  face up, the deck of playing cards being a representation of a physical deck of cards;        b )  selecting by each active player a desired card of a particular rank and suit from the deck of playing cards;        c )  for each active player, determining if the card that player selected is the same as a card selected by another player in a current round or the same as a card dealt to another player in a previous round;        d )  if a first player chose the same card as another player, as determined in step  ( c ) , dealing the first player a null card that has no value in forming a card hand,      wherein, if the first player is an actual player  (   740   ) , the null card  (   682   )  dealt to the first player is displayed on the first player's display screen  (   680   )  showing the rank and suit of the card that the first player selected,        wherein, if cards are dealt face up in the current round, the null card  (   686   )  dealt to the first player is displayed on the display screen of each actual player other than an actual player that is the first player, without showing the rank and suit of the card selected by the first player, so that each actual player other than an actual player that is the first player does not know what card the first player selected;          e )  if the first player did not choose the same card as another player, as determined in step  ( c ) , dealing the first player the card that the first player selected,      wherein, if the first player is an actual player  (   740   ) , the rank and suit of the card dealt to the first player  (   690   )  is displayed on the first player's display screen  (   680   ) ,        wherein, if cards are dealt face up in the current round, the rank and suit of the card dealt to the first player  (   692   )  is displayed on the display screen of each actual player;          f )  repeating steps b - e if there is more than one active player after a round of play, until the same predetermined cards have been dealt to all active players; and        g )  identifying the active player with the best hand of cards, according to predetermined rules of play.     
     
     
       67. The method of  claim 66  wherein step ( c )  comprises:      c )  for each active player, determining if the card selected by that player is the same as a card selected by another player in a current round or a previous round.