WO2014117033A1

WO2014117033A1 - Method and device for conducting a wagering game

Info

Publication number: WO2014117033A1
Application number: PCT/US2014/013061
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gaetano SCARINGELLI
Original assignee: TWO HAND BACC LLC
Current assignee: TWO HAND BACC LLC
Priority date: 2013-01-25
Filing date: 2014-01-24
Publication date: 2014-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 2015-07-25

Abstract

Game wagers are received and a player hand and a banker hand are dealt. The player hand is arranged into two sub-hands of two cards and the banker hand is likewise arranged into two sub-hands of two cards. The sub-hands are compared according to a hand ranking system in which pairs outrank all non-pair sub-hands, and non-pair sub-hands are ranked according to the sum, modulo ten, of the values of the cards in the sub-hand. Game wagers are paid if both sub-hands of a player hand outrank the corresponding sub-hands of a banker hand. Game wagers are collected if both sub-hands of a banker hand outrank the corresponding sub-hands of a player hand. Hand wagers may be received. Hand wagers may be resolved by comparing the player hand or banker hand to a pay table of winning hands and associated payouts.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONDUCTING A WAGERING GAME

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to gaming games. Specifically, the present

invention is a casino card game using features of Pai Gow and Baccarat, along with bonus bets, to provide multiple wagering opportunities.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Pai Gow is a well known gambling game which originated in China and is

played with a set of thirty two tiles. Each tile includes a number of pips which indicate the rank of the tile. For reasons of tradition, the rank of the tile is not directly related to the number of pips on the tile. For example, a tile with twelve pips is the highest ranking tile; a tile with three pips is the lowest ranking tile.

[0003] A game of Pai Gow begins with the players making a wager. Tile hands are distributed to the players and each player organizes his or her tiles into a high hand and a low hand with each hand having two tiles. The low hand must have a lower ranking than the high hand according to the ranking of Pai Gow tiles and Pai Gow tile combinations. The dealer likewise organizes his or her tiles into high and low hands.

[0004] Wagers are resolved by comparing the rank of the player's high hand and low hand to the dealer's high hand and low hand, respectively. If both the player's high and low hands outrank the dealer's high and low hands, the player wins and is payed even money, less a five percent commission to the casino. If the dealer's high and low hands outrank the player's high and low hands, the dealer collects the player's wager. If one, but not both, of the player's hands outrank the one of the dealer's hands, the game is a push and the wager is neither collected nor paid.

[0005] A drawback of Pai Gow is that the rankings are complicated. Thus, Pai Gow is a game that only experienced players can play quickly. To address this problem simplified games have been created, such as Pai Gow Poker, that are based on simpler and/or more familiar ranking systems, such as conventional poker rankings.

[0006] In Pai Gow Poker, seven cards are dealt to the banker and the players. The banker and players arrange the cards into a five-card high hand and a two-card low hand using conventional poker hand rankings as a guide. Each player compares his or her high hand to the banker's high hand and his or her low hand to the banker's low hand. The player wins if both hands outrank the corresponding banker's hands according to conventional poker hand rankings. If one of the player's hands outranks one of the banker's hands, and the other banker's hand ties or outranks the other player hand, the player and banker "push" and the player neither wins nor loses his wager. If both the banker's hands outrank or tie the player's hands, the player loses his or her wager.

[0007] It is also well known in the art that one feature attractive to players is a bonus or an opportunity to receive a high odds payoff. One drawback of conventional Pai Gow Poker is that there is no large bonus or jackpot available. In response, jackpot features, such as that disclosed in Franklin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,486, have been invented.

Franklin discloses a game called Fortune Pai Gow Poker in which a player may make a separate jackpot wager. Seven cards are dealt to the player and the dealer. If the player has a predetermined poker hand in his high hand and a predetermined low hand, the player receives a jackpot payout. The hands are then resolved as in conventional Pai Gow Poker.

[0008] While Pai Gow Poker and Fortune Pai Gow Poker use more familiar card and hand ranking systems, these games remain intimidating to many players due to the complexity of setting two hands from seven cards. Even dealers must learn complex "house ways" to maximize the likelihood that the best possible hands are set.

Summary of the Invention

[0009] A method and device for conducting a casino card game between a banker, who may be a player-banker or, alternatively, a house dealer, and at least one player begins with the player making a game wager and an optional hand wager. A four-card banker hand and four-card player hands are dealt to the banker and to the players, respectively. Optionally, the hands are dealt from one standard deck of fifty-two cards.

[0010] While the hand wager could be resolved in many different ways, in an optional embodiment, the player is rewarded if the player's player hand forms a predetermined combination from a schedule containing at least one predetermined combination. In an optional embodiment, the predetermined combinations include combinations based on poker hands, such as straight flush, four-of-a-kind, and so forth. In one such optional embodiment, the schedule defines a payout associated with the predetermined combinations. If the player hand matches a predetermined combination on the schedule, the payout associated with the predetermined combination is issued to the player. [0011] The game wager is resolved by receiving an election from each player to arrange the player hand into two sub-hands, each containing two cards. The banker hand is likewise arranged into two sub-hands of two-cards each. In an optional embodiment, one sub-hand is designated a front hand and the other sub-hand is designated a back hand, and the sub-hands are arranged with the back hand having an equal or higher rank than the front hand. In an optional embodiment, an error by the player in setting the sub-hands in the correct ranking order, i.e., setting the front hand with a higher ranking than the back hand, is not considered a foul and the player's sub-hands are reversed prior to resolving the wager. In an alternate optional embodiment, a foul may occur when the sub-hands are set in the incorrect ranking order and the player's wager may be collected.

[0012] The player's sub-hands are compared to the corresponding banker's sub-hands.

That is, the player's front hand is compared to the banker's front hand, and the player's back hand is compared to the banker's back hand. In comparing sub-hands, a ranking system is used in which the sub-hands are compared according to the sum, modulo ten, of the values of the cards in the sub-hands, unless the sub-hand contains a pair. If the sub-hand contains a pair, the sub-hand outranks any sub-hand except a sub-hand containing a higher-ranked pair.

[0013] A payout is issued based on the player's game wager if both the player's sub- hands outrank the corresponding banker's sub-hands according to conventional poker rankings. A push occurs, and the player's game wager is neither rewarded nor collected, if one of the player's sub-hands outranks the corresponding banker's sub- hand and the remaining banker's sub-hand outranks the remaining player's sub-hand according to the ranking system described above. If both of the banker's sub-hands outrank the player's corresponding sub-hands, the player's game wager is collected. Ties, e.g., two sub-hands with the same sum, and copy hands, e.g., two sub-hands with the same pair, may be resolved in any manner, including being a player winning outcome, a banker winning outcome, or a push outcome.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] FIG. 1 is a top view of a table layout according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Description

[0017] Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout. The present invention includes a method for conducting a wagering game. The wagering game may be conducted at a live gaming table or on an electronic device, such as a personal computer, cellular telephone, tablet, PDA, electronic gaming machine, video or mechanical slot machine, electronic gaming table, kiosk, or the like.

[0018] For example, referring to FIG. 1, the present invention may be conducted at a live gaming table. In one such optional embodiment, the card game may be conducted and facilitated through a table layout 100. The layout 100 optionally includes a dealer position 104 and a plurality of participant positions 102. The layout 100 optionally includes wagering areas 106 for each participant position 102. In an optional embodiment, the layout 100 includes back-bet wagering areas 108 for one or more of the participant positions 102. The purpose of the back-bet wagering areas 108 is described in greater detail below. As described in greater detail below, an electronic device, such as a machine that shuffles cards and/or deals random hands of cards, may be provided to randomize physical game pieces used in the game.

[0019] In one such optional embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 2, the present invention may be conducted using an electronic device. In one optional embodiment, an electronic device includes a data processor 202. The data processor 202 could take any form.

[0020] In one optional embodiment, the device handles physical cards and may be conducted at a live gaming table such as that described above. In one such optional embodiment, the device may take the form of a card shuffler/dealer, with the data processor 202 controlling or communicating with a random number generator to randomize the physical cards and produce random outcomes in the game.

[0021] In another optional embodiment, the device may conduct the game using

electronic representations of cards. In one such optional embodiment, the data processor 202 is in communication with a display 204 and a player interface 206. Regardless of whether the cards are physical or electronic, the device serves as a random outcome generator. [0022] The data processor 202 communicates with a display 204 directly or indirectly, such as through a display controller. The display 204 could be a cathode -ray tube ("CRT") monitor, a plasma screen, a liquid crystal display ("LCD"), light emitting diode ("LED") or organic light emitting diode ("OLED") display, or any other type of display.

[0023] The data processor 202 also communicates with a player interface 206 directly or indirectly, such as through a hardware or software controller. The player interface 206 may include an input device, such as a button panel, keyboard, keypad, mouse, or other input device. In an optional embodiment, the player interface 206 may be combined with the display 204, such as in a touch screen device. The player interface may also include an output device for issuing payouts and/or cash outs to a player including a ticket or voucher printer, a coin or currency dispenser, a card encoder, a communications means for crediting a credit card or bank account, or the like.

[0024] The data processor 202 communicates with a data storage device 208. The data storage device 208 could be any form of data storage including optical, magnetic, flash, electrical, electronic, or other memory. The data storage device 208 stores game parameters, such as cards, deck constitutions, pay tables, game history records, or the like. Additionally, the data storage device 208 may store program instructions executable by the data processor 202 to conduct the game.

[0025] Whether in a live or electronic form, the game is conducted using game pieces or electronic representations thereof. In an optional embodiment, the game pieces are conventional playing cards organized into a conventional fifty-two card deck, a portion of a deck, or a supplemented deck of conventional playing cards. Optionally, a single fifty-two card deck may be used. It is contemplated that in alternate optional embodiments, the deck constitution may vary from a standard fifty-two card deck, including by using: one or more conventional decks of cards, e.g., fifty-two card decks having four suits each with cards valued at deuce through ten, jack, queen, king, and ace; one or more truncated decks, e.g., Spanish decks or other deck constitution eliminating one or more cards; one or more supplemented decks, e.g., decks with jokers, wild cards, or other value or non-value cards added; a mixture of conventional decks, truncated decks, and/or supplemented decks; or any other deck constitution. In an optional embodiment, a random outcome generator, such as a card shuffler/dealer, may serve to randomize the cards of one or more decks of cards and deal hands according to the steps described below.

[0026] With reference to FIG. 3, the game is conducted between players and a banker.

In one optional embodiment, the banker could be a house dealer, i.e. players may not be allowed to act as banker, and the game operator (e.g., casino) would reward and collect wagers. In addition to collecting losing game wagers and, in an optional embodiment, losing bonus wagers, the game operator may also collect a commission on winning hands. As may be appreciated, the decision to collect a commission or conduct the game without a commission could be made by the game operator based on a desired house edge.

[0027] In an alternate optional embodiment, players may be allowed to act as banker, i.e., the banker is a player-banker. In such an optional embodiment, a banker is selected from among the participants. Optionally, the dealer offers the bank to the players, in rotation, until a player accepts the role of banker. In an optional embodiment, the operator of the game, e.g., the card room or casino, collects a fee from the player- banker and players. For example, in an optional embodiment, the fee collected from a player-banker is fixed (e.g., $5.00) while the fee collected from players varies based on the players' wagers (e.g., $0.50 for wagers $5.00-$25.00, $1.00 for wagers

$30.00-$ 100.00, and $1.00 for every $100.00 bet for wagers over $100.00). In an optional embodiment, if no player elects to act as the banker, the dealer acts as the banker. As described in more detail below, the role of the banker is to (1) collect and reward wagers by players and (2) conduct the banker hand that is compared to each player hand.

[0028] A game wager is received 302 from each player for participation in the game. In an optional embodiment, a hand wager may also be received from players. In one optional embodiment, hand wagers are optional. In such an optional embodiment, a player may choose to place a hand wager or may participate in the game based on the player's game wager without also placing a hand wager. In an alternate optional embodiment, a hand wager may be required. The hand wager may be treated as part of the base game or may be styled as a bonus wager. In an optional embodiment, back bets may be accepted on a player hand. As used herein, "back bets" are wagers placed by non-participating bettors. The "back bets" are resolved based on the player hand on which the back bet was placed, but without the involvement of the back bettor. In this respect, the back bets rely completely on a player hand within the control of the player and outside the control of the back bettor.

[0029] A game hand is dealt 304 to each player and the banker. Specifically, a player hand of four cards is dealt to each player and a banker hand of four cards is dealt to the banker. In an optional embodiment, the order of dealing may be randomly determined, such as by tossing dice, cutting cards, a random number generator, a random outcome generator (such as a card shuffler/dealer), or the like. In an optional embodiment, the banker hand is dealt unexposed or remains undealt until after each player has set his or her hand. In an alternate optional embodiment, the banker hand may be dealt and partially exposed prior to setting player hands.

[0030] While the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 illustrates resolution of the game wager preceding the resolution of the hand wager, it is contemplated that the wagers may be resolved in any order. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, two sub-hands are formed 306 from each player hand and two sub-hands are formed 308 from the banker hand. It is contemplated that the game may include either the player hands being arranged first or the banker hand being arranged first depending on the embodiment.

[0031] In the optional embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, each player hand contains four cards, and each sub-hand contains two cards. Thus, two sub-hands of two cards are formed from each player hand. As known in the art, the two sub-hands may be referred to as a front hand and a back hand. In an optional embodiment, the sub-hands of the player hand may be set by a dealer, by the player possessing the player hand, or by a data processor 202.

[0032] In an optional embodiment, the sub-hands may be arranged so that the back hand has an equal or greater ranking than the front hand. In one such optional embodiment, a foul occurs, and the player's wager is collected, if a player arranges the sub-hands with the front hand outranking the back hand. In another optional embodiment, no foul occurs and the sub-hands are switched for the player before proceeding in the game. In yet another optional embodiment, the sub-hands may remain in the positions set, and the banker may need to take account of the arrangement of the sub-hands when resolving game wagers.

[0033] The ranking of sub-hands is, in descending order, pairs and, if there is no pair, the sum, modulo ten, of the values of the cards in the sub-hand. That is, a pair outranks all other hands except a pair containing higher ranking cards, where deuce is the lowest card and Ace is the highest card. Thus, 27 2<£> outranks 70 because pairs outrank all non-pair hands. Similarly, 8<£> 8ώ outranks 27 2<£> because a pair of eights outrank a pair of deuces. As may be understood, the sum, modulo ten, means that if the total sum of the card values in a hand equals or exceeds ten, then the sub-hand value is equal to the remainder after dividing by ten, i.e., only the last digit is used as the sub-hand value. Consequently, sub-hands will always have a value of between zero and nine. In an optional embodiment using conventional playing cards, aces have a value of one, tens and face cards have a value of zero, and all other cards have a value equal to their face value. Thus, a sub-hand of 7ώ 50 would have a value of two, e.g., 5 + 7 = 12 and 12≡ 2 (mod 10), a sub-hand of 87 J<£> would have a value of eight, e.g., 8 + 0 = 8, and a sub- hand of 60 AO would have a value of seven, e.g., 6 + 1 = 7. As may be appreciated, modular arithmetic is only applied when the sum of the card values in a sub-hand exceeds ten.

[0034] The banker hand is likewise arranged 308 into two sub-hands of two cards each.

As noted above, in an optional embodiment, the banker hand may be arranged before, or after, the player hands are arranged, depending on the optional embodiment. In an optional embodiment, the banker hand may be arranged according to the preference of the banker. In another optional embodiment, the banker hand may be arranged according to a set "house way." In yet another optional embodiment, the sub-hands of the banker hand may be set according to either a house way or the banker's preference, depending on the banker's role in the banking of wagers. For example, if a player- banker banks all the game wagers from players, he or she may be permitted to set the banker hand according to the player-banker's preference. Conversely, if a player- banker banks less than all the game wagers from players, and the game operator is responsible for banking at least some of the game wagers, the player-banker may be required to follow the "house way." While it is contemplated that house ways may vary, one example house way may include:

[0035] (a) Hands containing at least one pair:

[0036] 1. Never split a pair of aces. For example, a hand of 50 10<£> AV

Αώ would be arranged with AV Αώ in the back hand and 50 10<£> in the front hand.

[0037] 2. If the front hand can be formed with a pair or a sum of five or higher, play a pair in the back hand. For example, a hand of 60 6<£> 8<£> JV would be arranged with 60 6<£> in the back hand and 8<£> JV in the front hand.

[0038] 3. If the front hand cannot be formed with a pair or a sum of five or higher, arrange the hand with the highest sums possible in the sub-hands. For example, a hand of 30 3ώ 5<£> 6<£> would be arranged with 30 6<£> in the back hand and 3ώ 5<£> in the front hand.

[0039] (b) Hands containing no pairs: [0040] 1. Arrange the hand with a sum of nine in the back hand and a sum of five or higher in the front hand. For example, a hand of 7ώ 90 J6 QV could be arranged with 90 ]ώ in the back hand and 7ώ QV in the front hand.

[0041] 2. If a hand cannot be formed with a sum of nine in the back hand and a sum of five or higher in the front hand, arrange the hand with as much balance as possible in the front hand and back hand. For example, a hand of 4<£>

7<£> 87 Αώ could be arranged with the 4<£> Αώ in the back hand and 7<£> 8 in the front hand.

[0042] In an optional embodiment, the game may proceed directly to comparing 310 the player hands and banker hand. In another optional embodiment, a banker hand may be required to have a "qualifying holding" to proceed to the comparison step 310. For example, in an optional embodiment, before or after setting the sub-hands of the banker hand, a determination may be made whether the banker hand includes cards of sufficient rank to "qualify" the banker hand for proceeding in the game. If the banker hand fails to qualify, the game wager may be returned or paid at less than even money, depending on the optional embodiment. If the banker hand qualifies, i.e., contains cards of sufficient value that the banker hand can proceed within the game, the sub-hands of the banker hand are set and compared to the player hands.

[0043] The sub-hands of each player hand are compared 310 to the corresponding sub- hands of the banker hand according to the ranking system. Specifically, the back hand of the banker hand is compared to the back hand of the player hand, and the front hand of the banker hand is compared to the front hand of the player hand. As described above, (a) pairs are ranked according to the card making up the pair, (b) a pair outranks all non-pair sub-hands, and (c) non-pair sub-hands are ranked according to the sum of the card values, modulo ten, in the sub-hand. Thus, if a game includes a banker hand of 47 40 and 70 8ώ and a player hand of 9<£> and 4ώ 3ώ, the pair of fours is compared to the hand value of nine (which results in a winning banker sub-hand) and the hand value of five to the hand value of seven (which results in a winning player sub-hand).

Wagers are resolved based on the comparison. The player is rewarded 312 based on his or her game wager if both the sub-hands of the player hand outrank the corresponding sub-hands of the banker hands according to the hand ranking system. In an optional embodiment, the player is rewarded at even money on his game wager. As noted above, winning wagers may be paid at full even money or, optionally, the game operator may assess a commission, such as five percent, on all winning game wagers. Additionally or alternatively, the house may collect a fee from all players, including a player-banker, if any, as discussed above. In yet another optional embodiment, a commission- free pay structure may be employed in which certain hands are resolved in as a push, regardless of the comparison between sub-hands, to preserve a desired edge for the banker. For example, in one such optional embodiment, winning wagers may be paid at even money, without assessing a fee or commission, but all banker hands with a front hand having a value of zero and a back hand having a value of zero through four result in a push, regardless of the player hand. In an alternate optional embodiment, winning wagers may be paid at even money, without assessing a fee or commission, but all banker hands with a front hand having a value of zero and a back hand having a value of zero through three result in a push, regardless of the player hand. [0045] If both of the sub-hands of the banker hand outrank both sub-hands of the player hand, the player's game wager is collected 314. A push 316 occurs, and the player's game wager is neither rewarded nor collected, if one of the sub-hands of the player hand outranks the corresponding sub-hand of the banker hand and the remaining sub- hand of the banker hand outranks the remaining sub-hand of the player hand according to the ranking system.

[0046] In comparing sub-hands, ties or copy hands may be resolved in any manner. As used herein, copy hands refer to sub-hands with the same cards. For example, the sub- hands 87 8<£> and 80 8ώ would be considered "copy hands." The phrase "ties" may refer to sub-hands in which the value of the sub-hands is the same, even though the cards are not the same. For example, the sub-hands 3<£> 50 and 27 6<£> would be considered tied, since each has a value of eight.

[0047] In one optional embodiment, ties and/or copy hands may be resolved in favor of the banker, e.g., banker wins all ties. In another optional embodiment, ties and/or copy hands may be resolved in favor of the player, e.g., player wins all ties. In yet another optional embodiment, some ties and/or copy hands may be resolved in favor of the banker while other ties and/or copy hands may be resolved in favor of the player. In yet another optional embodiment, ties and/or copy hands may be considered a push. For example, where both sub-hands are tied or are copy hands, the outcome may be a push. It is also contemplated that ties and copy hands may be treated differently. For example, ties may be resolved in favor of the player while copy hands may be resolved in favor of the banker. Alternatively, ties and copy hands may be treated the same, e.g., ties and copy hands are always resolved as a push, always resolved in favor of the banker, or always resolved in favor of the player. As may be appreciated, the tie/copy hand rules may be modified based on the desired edge for the banker, if any.

[0048] In an optional embodiment, for example, the banker may win all hands in which both sub-hands are copy hands, e.g., banker wins all copy-copy hands. Similarly, in an optional embodiment, the banker may win all hands in which both sub-hands tie, e.g., banker wins all tie-tie hands. Similarly, in an optional embodiment, a win and a copy may be resolved in favor of the participant with the win, e.g., a player win and a copy results in a player win while a banker win, and a copy results in a banker win. The same rule may be applied to tie hands, with a win and a tie resolved in favor of the participant with the win, e.g., a player win and a tie results in a player win, while a banker win and a tie results in a banker win.

[0049] In an optional embodiment, a "bad beat" concept may also be incorporated. As may be appreciated, a "bad beat" occurs when a player hand has a relatively strong holding (such as a pair or high value in both sub-hands) but the player hand nonetheless is outranked by an even higher ranking banker hand. For example, a player hand of 4ώ 57 in the front sub-hand and KO 90 in the back sub-hand (which means both sub-hands have a value of nine), would be relatively strong. If the banker hand consists of 37 3<£> in the front sub-hand and J6 J<£> in the back sub-hand, the banker hand would outrank the player hand and the player hand could be said to be a "bad beat."

[0050] In one optional embodiment, the bad beat is built into the game wager, with certain losing comparisons yielding a "bad beat" payout to the player even though the player hand was outranked by the banker hand. In another optional embodiment, a separate bad beat wager is received. The bad beat wager is paid based on a bad beat pay table which defines which player hands are considered a bad beat when they lose. For example, a pay table may state that any player hand with a pair in both sub-hands is eligible for a bad beat payout if the player hand is outranked by the banker hand. In a further optional embodiment, the pay table may also state that certain banker hands are also eligible for a bad beat payout when they lose to a higher ranking player hand. Such a pay table is sometimes referred to as a two-way bad beat, in which the player is paid a bad beat payout if either the player hand or the banker hand contains a relatively high ranking holding, but nonetheless loses to an even higher ranking holding.

In an optional embodiment, hand wagers (or "bonus" wagers) may be resolved by examining the player hand as a whole rather than the individual sub-hands making up the player hand. For example, in an optional embodiment, the player hand may be compared to a pay table of winning hands and associated payouts. If a player hand is a winning hand according to the pay table, the associated payout is issued based on the hand wager. If a player hand is not a winning hand according to the pay table, the hand wager is collected. In an optional embodiment, the winning hands are based on poker rankings. For example, in one optional embodiment, player hands may be entitled to an award as described in Table 1 based on a hand or "bonus" wager:

Table 1

[0052] It is contemplated that the example payouts and hands listed in Table 1 may vary in alternate optional embodiments, and that hands and/or payouts may be added or deleted from the examples given. In the example of Table 1, a progressive jackpot is funded from at least a portion of the hand wagers and at least a portion of the progressive jackpot is paid on certain player hands. In the example of Table 1, players are issued a payout that is a multiple of the player's hand wager for other player hands. It is contemplated that the progressive jackpot may be replaced with a fixed payout, such as a multiple of the player's hand wager. Likewise, it is contemplated that other player hands may be entitled to a distribution of at least a portion of the progressive jackpot.

[0053] It is contemplated that alternate or additional bonus payouts may be offered.

For example, it is contemplated that bonus hands may include one or more cards dealt from the undealt cards of the deck and/or one or more cards from the dealer hand. In one such example, a four-card player hand may be supplemented with one or more additional cards to form, for example, a five-card bonus hand for the purpose of resolving bonus wagers. As noted above, the additional card(s) may come from any source, including the undealt cards in the deck or card shoe, the dealer hand, or the like.

[0054] As noted above, in an optional embodiment, a method may be conducted on an electronic device. In such an optional embodiment, a data processor 202 may conduct the game by executing program instructions stored on a data storage device 208 in communication with the data processor. [0055] In one such optional embodiment, a player may place a game wager and, optionally, a hand wager via a player interface 206. In one such optional embodiment, wagers are placed by allocating credits from a register of credits stored at the electronic device.

[0056] In response to the wager(s), a data processor 202 may randomly select a player hand and a banker hand. The banker hand may be controlled by a player-banker or house dealer controlling an electronic device networked to the player's electronic device, or by the data processor. That is, a player may play against a live banker (e.g., a player-banker or house dealer) or against a computer-controlled banker, depending on the optional embodiment.

[0057] The data processor 202 displays the player hand at a display 204. Input is

received through the player interface 206 to arrange the player hand into two sub-hands each containing two cards. A banker hand is likewise arranged, either by a live banker or by the data processor 202. The sub-hands are compared and game wagers are resolved. In an optional embodiment, game wagers are rewarded at even money, less a commission.

[0058] In an optional embodiment, the data storage device stores a pay table of winning hands and associated pay outs for resolving hand wagers (or "bonus" wagers). In one such optional embodiment, the data processor 202 compares the player hand to the stored pay table and resolves any hand wagers by collecting hand wagers if the player hand is not a winning hand according to the pay table and issuing the associated pay out if a player hand is a winning hand according to the pay table. While certain embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described it is to be understood that the present invention is subject to many modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims presented herein.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A method for conducting a casino card game between a banker and at least one player using a random outcome generator operating on game pieces, the method comprising:

receiving a game wager;

dealing a random banker hand by said random outcome generator;

dealing a random player hand for each player by said random outcome generator;

receiving an election to arrange each said player hand into two sub-hands; arranging said banker hand into two sub-hands;

calculating a ranking for each of said sub-hands using a ranking system in which a sub-hand containing a pair of matching game pieces outranks a sub-hand lacking a pair of matching game pieces, and sub-hands lacking a pair of matching game pieces are ranked in descending order of the sum, modulo ten, of the values of the game pieces in the sub-hand;

comparing the rankings said sub-hands of said player hand to the rankings of said sub-hands of said banker hand according to said ranking system; and

resolving said hand wager based on said comparison of said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining a schedule of predetermined game piece combinations and associated payouts; receiving a hand wager; and

resolving said hand wager by comparing said player hand to said schedule of predetermined game piece combinations and issuing the payout, if any, associated with said player hand according to said schedule.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of comparing said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprises comparing the higher ranking sub-hand of said player hand to the higher ranking sub-hand of said banker hand and comparing the lower ranking sub-hand of said player hand to the lower ranking sub-hand of said banker hand.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of comparing said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprises according sub-hands with the same sum to be tied, wherein tied sub-hands are ranked with the sub-hand of the banker hand outranking the sub-hand of the player hand.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of comparing said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprises according sub-hands with the same sum to be tied, wherein tied sub-hands are ranked with the sub-hand of the player hand outranking the sub-hand of the banker hand.

6. A method for conducting a casino card game between a banker and at least one player using a random outcome generator operating on game pieces, the method comprising:

receiving a game wager;

dealing a random banker hand by said random outcome generator;

dealing a random player hand for each player by said random outcome generator;

receiving an election to arrange each said player hand into two sub-hands designated a front hand and a back hand;

arranging said banker hand into two sub-hands designated a front hand and a back hand;

comparing the ranking of said front hand of said player hand to the ranking of said front hand of said banker hand according to said ranking system and comparing the ranking of said back hand of said player hand to the ranking of said back hand of said banker hand; and

resolving said hand wager based on said comparison of said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprising: collecting said hand wager when both of said sub-hands of said banker hand outrank the respective sub-hands of said player hand;

returning said hand wager when one of said sub-hands of said banker hand outranks the respective sub-hand of said player hand and the other sub- hand of said player hand outranks the respective sub-hand of said banker hand; and

issuing a payout on said hand wager when both of said sub-hands of said player hand outrank the respective sub-hands of said banker hand.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

defining a schedule of predetermined game piece combinations and associated payouts;

receiving a hand wager; and

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of comparing said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprises comparing the higher ranking sub-hand of said player hand to the higher ranking sub-hand of said banker hand and comparing the lower ranking sub-hand of said player hand to the lower ranking sub-hand of said banker hand.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of comparing said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprises deeming sub-hands with the same sum to be tied, wherein tied sub-hands are ranked with the sub-hand of the banker hand outranking the sub-hand of the player hand.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of comparing said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprises deeming sub-hands with the same sum to be tied, wherein tied sub-hands are ranked with the sub-hand of the player hand outranking the sub-hand of the banker hand.

11. A method for conducting a casino card game between a banker and at least one player on a device having a data processor operating a random outcome generator, a display in communication with said data processor, a player interface in communication with said data processor, and a data storage device storing electronic game pieces and program instructions executable by said data processor to conduct the steps of:

receiving a game wager through said player interface;

randomly dealing a banker hand by said random outcome generator;

randomly dealing a player hand by said random outcome generator;

receiving an election through said player interface to arrange each said player hand into two sub-hands designated a front hand and a back hand;

arranging said banker hand into two sub-hands designated a front hand and a back hand by said data processor; calculating a ranking by said data processor for each of said sub-hands using a ranking system stored at said data storage device in which a sub-hand containing a pair of matching game pieces outranks a sub-hand lacking a pair of matching game pieces, and sub-hands lacking a pair of matching game pieces are ranked in descending order of the sum, modulo ten, of the values of the game pieces in the sub-hand;

comparing by said data processor of the ranking of said front hand of said player hand to the ranking of said front hand of said banker hand according to said ranking system and comparing the ranking of said back hand of said player hand to the ranking of said back hand of said banker hand; and

resolving said hand wager by said data processor based on said comparison of said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprising:

collecting said hand wager when both of said sub-hands of said banker hand outrank the respective sub-hands of said player hand;

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

storing a schedule of predetermined game piece combinations and associated payouts at said data storage device; receiving a hand wager through said player interface; and

resolving said hand wager by said data processor comparing said player hand to said schedule of predetermined game piece combinations and issuing the payout, if any, associated with said player hand according to said schedule.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of comparing said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprises comparing by said data processor of the higher ranking sub-hand of said player hand to the higher ranking sub-hand of said banker hand and comparing the lower ranking sub-hand of said player hand to the lower ranking sub-hand of said banker hand.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of comparing said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprises said data processor deeming sub-hands with the same sum to be tied, wherein tied sub-hands are ranked with the sub-hand of the banker hand outranking the sub-hand of the player hand.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of comparing said sub-hands of said player hand to said sub-hands of said banker hand comprises said data processor deeming sub-hands with the same sum to be tied, wherein tied sub-hands are ranked with the sub-hand of the player hand outranking the sub-hand of the banker hand.