System including card game dispensing shoe and method

Abstract

A system and method including card game dispensing shoe includes a scanner that discerns the value and suit of each card dispensed, and includes a CPU and a memory storing data such as rules for dealing cards, data representing player strategy criteria and card inventory data. The CPU, with the scanner data and wagering data can determine player proficiency in regards to player strategies, can determine whether the card inventory is in favor of the player, determine player first card advantage and can, on a floating basis, determine permitted deck penetration. The system and method can be incorporated into games to be broadcast over a communications network such as the Internet.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A game monitoring system for a Blackjack card game including a dealer hand at least one player hand of cards where a player makes a wager and exercises options with respect to the player's hand according to the rules of the game, the system comprising:
 a shoe including a housing having an outlet slot, said housing sized to store a plurality of playing cards defining a card inventory and configured for a dealer to dispense said cards one at a time through said outlet slot to complete said hands according to the rules of the game; 
 a scanner to scan said playing cards and generate a set of scanner signals determinative of the identity of cards dispensed from the shoe to each hand; 
 meansan input device for acquiring data representing the wager(s) made by the player; 
 a memory storing data representing at least one predetermined Blackjack game play criteria in relation to at least one of the player's wager or the cards dealt to at least one of said hands and data representing the constituency of the card inventory; and 
 a computer processor to receive said scanner signals and said wager data, said processor configured to compare said acquired data to said at least one predetermined game play criteria to determine adherence by the player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria, and further configured to select the number of cards to remain in the inventory and not dealt from the shoe for reconstitution and reshuffling of the inventory, said processor processing the scanner data signals to determine depletion of cards from the inventory by dealing, and to leave said selected number of cards undealt and in response thereto, sending a signal to command reconstitution and re-shuffling of the inventory. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  comprising said processor configured to alter said selected number of cards to remain in said inventory in response to said processor determining adherence by any player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  comprising a moveable barrier at said shoe outlet and said processor configured to control said barrier upon (i) determination of depletion of cards from the inventory by dealing to said selected number and (ii) completion of the current hand of play, to block further dealing of cards from said shoe. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  comprising increasing said selected number of cards in said inventory to remain undealt in response to said processor determining adherence by any player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  comprising said game play criteria comprising a card count system and said processor configured to, from said scanner signals determine a card count system advantage for said inventory according to said card count system. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  comprising a communication network in communication with at least one terminal located remotely from said game, a display for each terminal, means at each terminal for a remote player to input a wager according to the rules of the game, said processor configured to issue signals over said network to control the terminal display to display representations of the scanned cards dealt to each hand and determine whether the remote player has won or lost their wager. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  comprising a communication network in communication with at least one terminal located remotely from said game, a display for each terminal, means at each terminal for a remote player to input game play strategy decisions according to the rules of the game, said processor configured to issue signals over said network to control the terminal display to display representations of the scanned cards dealt to each hand and determine whether the remote player has won or lost their wager. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7  comprising a communication network in communication with at least one terminal located remotely from said game, a display for each terminal, means at each terminal for a remote player to input game play strategy decisions according to the rules of the game, said processor configured to issue signals over said network to control the terminal display to display representations of the scanned cards dealt to each hand and determine whether the remote player has won or lost their wager. 
     
     
       9. A game monitoring method for a Blackjack card game which includes a dealer hand at least one player hand of cards where a player makes a wager and exercises options with respect to the player's hand according to the rules of the game, the method comprising:
 dealing cards according to the rules of the game to the hands fromproviding a shoe which includes a housing having an outlet slot configured for dealing cards according to the rules of the game to the hands, said housing sized to store a plurality of playing cards defining a card inventory; 
 scanning said playing cards and generating a set of scanner signals determinative of the identity of cards dealt from the shoe to each hand; acquiring data representing the wager made by the player; 
 storing data in a memory representing at least one predetermined Blackjack game play criteria in relation to at least one of the player's wager or the cards dealt to at least one of said hands and data representing the constituency of the card inventory; 
 a computer processor receiving said scanner signals and said wager data, said processor comparing said acquired data to said at least one predetermined game play criteria to determine adherence by the player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria; 
 selecting the number of cards to remain in the inventory and not dealt from the shoe before reconstitution and reshuffling of the inventory; and 
 said processor processing the scanner data signals to determine depletion of cards from the inventory by dealing, and to leave said selected number of cards undealt and in response thereto sending a signal to command reconstitution and re-shuffling of the inventory. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  comprising said processor altering said selected number of cards to remain in said inventory in response to said processor determining adherence by any player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  further comprising providing a moveable barrier at said shoe outlet and said processor controlling said barrier upon (i) determination of depletion of cards from the inventory by dealing to said selected number and (ii) completion of the current hand of play, to block further dealing of cards from the shoe. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10  comprising increasing said selected number of cards in said inventory to remain undealt in response to said processor determining adherence by any player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 9  comprising storing said criteria data as data representing a card count system and said processor determining a card count system advantage for said inventory according to said card count system. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 9  comprising establishing a communication link between said processor and at least one player terminal located remotely from said game, the player at the remote terminal inputting a wager according to the rules of the game, said processor issuing signals over said link controlling a display at the terminal to display said scanned cards dealt to each hand according to the rules of the game and determine whether the remote player has won or lost their wager. 
     
     
       15. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises at least one of a user interface and a bet sensor. 
     
     
       16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a moveable barrier positioned proximate the outlet slot for blocking further cards from being removed from shoe through the outlet slot. 
     
     
       17. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the processor for sending the signal for reconstitution and re-shuffling of the inventory comprises the processor being configured to provide a signal to the dealer. 
     
     
       18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor being configured to provide the signal to the dealer comprises at least one of raising a movable barrier or providing one of an audio or visual alert to the dealer. 
     
     
       19. A game monitoring system for a Blackjack card game including a dealer hand and at least one player hand of cards where a player makes a wager and exercises options with respect to the player's hand according to the rules of the game, the system comprising:
 a shoe including a housing having an outlet slot, the housing sized to store a plurality of playing cards defining a card inventory and configured for a dealer to dispense the cards one at a time through the outlet slot to complete the hands according to the rules of the game;   a scanner to scan the playing cards and generate a set of scanner signals determinative of the identity of cards dispensed from the shoe to each hand;   an input device for acquiring data representing the wager made by the player;   a memory storing data representing at least one predetermined Blackjack game play criteria in relation to at least one of the player's wager or the cards dealt to at least one of the hands and data representing the constituency of the card inventory; and   a computer processor to receive the scanner signals and the wager data, the processor configured to compare the acquired data to the at least one predetermined game play criteria to determine adherence by the player to the at least one predetermined game play criteria, and further configured to select the number of cards to remain in the inventory and not dealt from the shoe for reconstitution and reshuffling of the inventory, the processor processing the scanner signals to determine depletion of cards from the inventory by dealing, and to leave the selected number of cards undealt and in response thereto, sending a signal for reconstitution and re-shuffling of the inventory.   
     
     
       20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a moveable barrier positioned proximate the shoe outlet for blocking further cards from being removed from shoe.