Patent ID: 8721417
Filing Date: 2014-05-13
Classification: A63F,G07F

Abstract:
1. A method of conducting a poker game, comprising the steps of: a) selecting a poker variant to be played using at least a deck of playing cards and a card table, the poker variant including multiple rounds of betting whereby a plurality of players compete only against one another; b) selecting a predetermined Bad Beat Cutoff Percentage; c) selecting a predetermined Bad Beat Amount; d) providing the plurality of players with one or more concealed cards from the deck of playing cards as required by a set of rules defining the selected poker variant; e) providing one or more community cards, if any, from the deck of playing cards and allowing the multiple rounds of betting during play of a hand of poker, wherein players may fold, place bets, or place all-in bets while proceeding to a showdown step of the hand of poker, as required by the set of rules of the selected poker variant; f) calculating, via one or more processors, and recording, via one or more memory devices, an overall win probability percentage of each of the plurality of players who have not yet folded from a point of the hand of poker at which an initial all-in bet was placed by one of the plurality of players during the multiple rounds of betting of step (e), using at least any concealed cards and community cards, if any; g) determining a poker hand ranking for each of the plurality of players remaining at the showdown step of the hand of poker by evaluating any concealed cards and community cards, if any, for the hand of poker; h) calculating a pot for the hand of poker including amounts bet during each of the multiple rounds of betting and each of the all-in bets during the multiple rounds of betting of step (e); i) awarding the predetermined Bad Beat Amount to any one of the plurality of players remaining at the showdown step if all three of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) the player either made the initial all-in bet or matched the all-in bet after the initial all-in bet was placed during the multiple rounds of betting of step (e); (2) the player had an overall win probability percentage, calculated at step (f), greater than the predetermined Bad Beat Cutoff Percentage; and (3) the player does not possess the highest ranking poker hand for the hand of poker at the conclusion of the showdown step; and j) after awarding the predetermined Bad Beat Amount, calculating a remainder of the pot by subtracting the predetermined Bad Beat Amount from the pot if funded by the pot, and awarding the remainder of the pot to one or more players that do possess the highest ranking poker hand for the hand of poker at the conclusion of the showdown step.