Poker-type game and method

[0001] This application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,624 issued Feb. 7, 2006 by the same named inventors, and is incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] This invention relates generally to poker-type games and methods, and more particularly to a poker-type game and method that provides an enhanced opportunity for a player to achieve a royal flush.

[0003] The game of poker is widely played in a casino setting. It is played both in a traditional format, with traditional playing cards, and in an electronic format. In the electronic version, typically known as “video poker,” a player makes a wager and is presented or dealt five cards. A player can choose to discard a specified number of dealt playing cards and receive replacement cards therefor. Whether or not the player's final hand qualifies for a payment is determined according to a pay table, which is generally displayed on the video poker machine itself.

[0004] The best hand that a player can achieve in classic five card poker of the type typically played on video poker machines is a royal flush. A royal flush consists of an Ace-high straight, where all of the cards have the same suit. The payout for a royal flush can be quite significant, and indeed potentially life-altering.

[0005] On the other hand, sophisticated players realize that the odds of achieving a royal flush hand can be extremely remote. Thus, a player may be reluctant to break up a winning hand (for example, having a straight or two of a kind) in an effort to achieve a royal flush. Or, where a game requires placement of an additional wager to obtain a second chance at a better hand, sophisticated players may resist this temptation, again recognizing just how difficult it is to achieve a royal flush. This reluctance can dampen player excitement.

[0006] A need therefore existed for a poker-style game and method that provides a player with an enhanced opportunity at a royal flush, after replacement cards have been drawn, without the need to place an additional wager. Preferably, the game and method should reward a player for achieving any winning hand, in the event that the final hand does not result in a royal flush. Still further, it would also be preferred for the game and method to reward a player for coming within one card of a royal flush even if the final hand does not result in any winning hand. It would also be preferred for the game and method to allow a player to purchase royal flush insurance at the time of the making of the initial wager, to qualify for the right to receive additional supplemental cards if the player is one card away from a royal flush. The present game satisfies these needs and provides other related advantages.

[0007] After a first hand of dealt cards is displayed in a video poker display, the player then decides which of the five dealt cards he or she wants to hold and which to discard. A player may discard 0-5 dealt cards from the first hand. The non-held dealt cards will be replaced with replacement cards.

[0008] The situation may be presented where a player has a five card hand that is only one card away from achieving a royal flush. This four to a royal flush hand may be from the first hand if no replacement cards are received or from the second hand after replacement cards replace the discarded dealt cards. The games and methods of the present invention address this type of situation.

[0009] Where a player, after drawing 0-5 replacement cards, is one card away from a royal flush in the second hand, software in the terminal will recognize that this situation is presented. It will prompt the player, to alert him or her of the ability to receive one or more supplemental cards in a third hand to make the royal flush.

[0010] Before display of the one or more supplemental cards for the third hand, the discarded cards may be returned to the single deck for use as supplemental cards i.e. a discarded card may become a supplemental card if drawn for the third hand.

[0011] If the player wants the one or more supplemental cards, he or she will depress the draw/deal button. In a first embodiment, this will cause display of one supplemental card from the single deck, and possibly the achievement of a royal flush in the third hand. In an alternative embodiment, this will cause display of a plurality of supplemental cards at one time from the single deck and the player may select one supplemental card from the plurality of supplemental cards to make the royal flush. In another embodiment, the player receives a plurality of supplemental cards at one time, and at least one of these supplemental cards combined with the dealt cards that said player elected to hold and said replacement cards make the royal flush.

[0012] As an additional option, payouts can be made to a player for lesser winning hands. In yet another option, a player may receive at least one supplemental card in the third hand, and if said player does not make a royal flush in the third hand, the player may be provided with at least one more option to receive at least one more supplemental card in one or more subsequent hands. The number of options may be predetermined. The player who elects to receive at least one more supplemental card for a chance at a royal flush, but who fails to draw the desired card, may receive a payout for achieving lesser winning hands after the subsequent draw(s).

[0013] In still another option, a payout may be awarded to the player who is only one card away from achieving a royal flush but does not secure any “winning hand” in the third hand. This awards the player for having four cards to a royal flush in the player's third hand.

[0014] The one or more supplemental cards may be drawn from the single deck from which the dealt and replacement cards are drawn or from a plurality of decks including the single deck or from one or more decks separate from the single deck.

[0015] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

[0022] Referring first to FIG. 1, a video poker terminal 10 is shown. Its main features include a video display 12 (see also FIG. 2), five hold buttons 14, a draw/deal button 16, at least one bet button 18, a pay table 20, and a coin output 22. The terminal 10 should also have a payment receiver (not shown), through which coins, cash, payment cards, or the like may be inserted for purposes of placing a wager.

[0023] Generally, in a prior art poker game, play is initiated by the insertion of a payment into the payment receiver. A player will typically then depress the bet button 18 and/or the deal/draw button 16 in order to receive a display of a first hand of five dealt cards from a single deck of playing cards. While a single deck of playing cards is traditionally 52 cards, it is to be appreciated that as used herein, a “single deck” may include other than 52 cards (e.g. Joker's Wild). (In some games, more than one bet button 18 is provided, with for example one bet button allowing a player to bet one amount, and another allowing a player to bet a larger amount). After a first hand of dealt cards is displayed in the video display 12, the player then decides which of the five dealt cards he or she wants to hold and which to discard. A player may discard 0-5 dealt cards from the first hand. A player indicates a hold selection for each card that is to be held by depressing the hold button 14 located directly below a dealt card 24 that is to be held, e.g. If the player elects to hold all five cards, the player will depress the hold buttons 14 corresponding to each of the five dealt cards. (If a player changes his or her mind, the hold button 14 can be depressed a second time to cancel the selection.)

[0024] Once the player completes his or her hold selections, the player will depress the draw/deal button 16. This will cause the non-held dealt cards 24 to be replaced with replacement cards. Conversely, if the player wants to discard all five dealt cards, the player would press none of the hold buttons before depressing the draw/deal button 16.

[0025] Referring now to FIG. 2, the situation is presented where a player has a five card hand that is only one card (e.g. the Queen of Diamonds) away from achieving a royal flush. This four to a royal flush hand may be from the first hand if no replacement cards are received or from the second hand after replacement cards replace the discarded dealt cards. The games and methods of the present invention address this type of situation.

[0026] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 6, methods of the game of the present invention are illustrated. Where a player, after drawing 0-5 replacement cards, is one card away from a royal flush in the second hand, software in the terminal 10 will recognize that this situation is presented. It will prompt the player, to alert him or her of the ability to receive one or more supplemental cards in a third hand to make the royal flush.

[0027] Before display of the one or more supplemental cards for the third hand, the discarded cards may be returned to the single deck for use as supplemental cards i.e. a discarded card may become a supplemental card if drawn for the third hand. This addresses concerns of a player who has previously discarded cards but may want at least one of the discarded cards to make a winning hand when combined with the replacement cards. For example, the player may be dealt the Ace of spades, the King of spades, the Ace of hearts, the 2 of diamonds, and the 3 of diamonds in the first hand. The player holds the two Aces and discards the other three cards. The player receives three replacement cards for those discarded cards: the Queen of spades, the Jack of spades, and the 10 of spades to complete the second hand. The player is only one card away from a Royal Flush, but has already discarded the missing card, the King of spades. This return step causes the King of spades, the 2 of diamonds and the 3 of diamonds to be returned to the single deck before the one or more supplemental cards are drawn thereby increasing the chance of a player achieving a royal flush in the third hand.

[0028] If the player wants the one or more supplemental cards, he or she will depress the draw/deal button 16. In a first embodiment, this will cause display of one supplemental card from the single deck, and possibly the achievement of a royal flush in the third hand. In an alternative embodiment, this will cause display of a plurality of supplemental cards at one time from the single deck and the player may select one supplemental card from the plurality of supplemental cards to make the royal flush. In another embodiment, the player receives a plurality of supplemental cards at one time, and at least one of these supplemental cards combined with the dealt cards that said player elected to hold and said replacement cards (i.e. the cards in the second hand) make the royal flush. No additional wager should be requested from the player. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, payouts may be made to the player for achieving the royal flush.

[0029] As an additional option, payouts can be made to a player for lesser winning hands (i.e. other than a royal flush). As used herein, a “winning hand” is selected from the group consisting of a royal flush or lesser winning hands. A “winning hand” may also be any predefined combination of cards understood by the player to be a “winning hand.” For example, it can be provided that a payout will be made for a combination of predetermined random cards.

[0030] In yet another option, a player may receive at least one supplemental card in the third hand, and if said player does not make a royal flush in the third hand, the player may be provided with at least one more option to receive at least one more supplemental card in one or more subsequent hands. The number of options may be predetermined. The player who elects to receive at least one more supplemental card for a chance at a royal flush, but who fails to draw the desired card, may receive a payout for achieving lesser winning hands after the subsequent draw(s). If the player has a winning third hand according to the pay table 20, a payout may be made through the coin output 22.

[0031] In still another option, as indicated by dotted lines in FIGS. 3 and 4, a payout may be awarded to the player who is only one card away from achieving a royal flush but does not secure any “winning hand”. This awards the player for having four cards to a royal flush in the player's third hand.

[0032] Royal flush insurance may be purchased before the inception of play, by making an additional payment at the beginning of the game. The purpose of such payment would be to secure to the player the later right to one or more options to receive supplemental cards, in the event that a player has four cards to a royal flush.

[0033] These additional options have the effect of encouraging players, from the inception of the game, to know that their chances of winning are not solely dependent on achieving the elusive royal flush hand. Again, this rewards a player's risk taking behavior, and increases player excitement.

[0034] Although the one or more supplemental cards have been described as drawn from the single deck from which the dealt and replacement cards are drawn, it is to be appreciated that the one or more supplemental cards may instead be drawn from a plurality of decks including the single deck or from one or more decks separate from the single deck as shown in FIG. 5. If the supplemental card(s) are drawn from deck(s) other than the single deck, the discarded cards may not be returned to the single deck and thus may not be drawn as supplemental card(s).

[0035] While the invention has been illustrated with respect to several specific embodiments thereof, these embodiments should be considered as illustrative rather than limiting. Various modifications and additions may be made and will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention should not be limited by the foregoing description, but rather should be defined only by the following claims.