Abstract:
A game apparatus is disclosed. The game apparatus comprises a rotatable wheel having a display surface divided into fifty-four concentric areas including indicia of fifty-two standard playing cards and indicia of two joker playing cars with stopping pegs disposed between each of the indicia of fifty-two standard playing cars and the indicia of two joker playing cards. The rotatable wheel is rotatably mountable to a stationary wheel having at least three tangs. the game apparatus also comprises a horizontal playing surface used in conjunction with the rotatable wheel. The horizontal playing surface has a main playing area divided into six columns of nine plots including indicia of fifty-two playing cards and indicia of two joker playing cards and a plurality of vetting areas disposed on at least three borders of the main playing area.

Description:
PRIORITY STATEMENT 
   This application claims priority to and is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/641,346 entitled one card poker with the joker poker wheel and filed on Aug. 14, 2003 

   BACKGROUND 
   The present invention relates to a game apparatus and n=more particularly to a game apparatus that utilizes playing card symbols with a rotating wheel the use of a rotating wheel to play casino type games (i.e. roulette) is known in the art, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,670,692 to Rosar, U.S. Pat. No. 1,892,664 to Eyles, U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,389 to Guimond, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,363 to Marnell, 11 et al. however none of these games combine the use of a rotating wheel with a stationary table to play poker using card indicia using this unique concept. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,378 to Williams (“the 378 Patent”) discloses a game apparatus that utilizes a rotatable wheel in combination with a playing table. Both the table and wheel include indicia form the standard fifty-two card playing deck. A single rotatable wheel has fifty-two segments representing the fifty-two card of the standard playing card deck. the game combines&#39; the rotatable wheel with a horizontal play surface, which includes fifty-two spaces arranged in rows according to suit and columns according to denomination. Although the &#39;378 patent discloses a rotating wheel that can be used in combination with a horizontal playing surface, the arrangement of the card indicia on the wheel and the stationary wheel, and the method of playing the game is too complex to understand for even the skilled poker player. The concept used herein as explained in the claims is what is needed. 
   What is needed in the art is a game apparatus, which utilizes playing card indicia, a rotating wheel, a horizontal game board, and elements of the card game poker that is easy to understand and play. 
   SUMMARY 
   The disclosure is directed toward a game apparatus the game comprises a rotatable wheel having a display surface divided into fifty four concentric areas including indicia of fifty-two standard playing cards and indicia of two joker playing cards with stopping pegs disposed between each of the indicia of fifty-two standard playing cards and the indicia of two joker playing cards. The rotatable wheel is mountable to a stationary wheel having at least three tangs. The game apparatus also comprises a horizontal playing surface used in conjunction with the rotatable wheel. The horizontal playing surface has a main playing area divided into six columns of nine plots including indicia of fifty-two standard playing cards and indicia of two joker playing cards and a plurality of betting areas disposed on at least three borders of the main playing area. 
   The disclosure also discloses that the indicia of the standard playing cards are represented by two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, jack, queen, king and ace each in a suit of hearts, spades diamonds and clubs. 
   The disclosure also discloses that the stationary wheel is mounted to a vertical support and rotatable wheel is mounted on an axle attached to the stationary wheel. The disclosure also discloses that the stopping pegs physically interact with the at least three tangs to stop a rotating of the rotatable wheel. 
   The disclosure also discloses that the indicia of fifty-two standard playing cards and the indicia of two joker playing cards are positioned on the rotatable wheel in an order including 
   A-D, 6-S, 5-H, 7-S, K-D, Q-C, J-H, 10-C, 9-S, 8-S, 7-H, 6-C, 5-D, 4-S, O-D, 2-C, J-D, 9-S, Lil joker, 8-H, J-C, A-H, 5-C, 7-D, 4-C, 8-D, K-S, 10-D, A-S, 3-D, Q-S, 6-H, 9-C, 2-H, K-C, 4-D, 8-C, 2-D, 10-S, Q-H, 3-CBig joker, K-H, 2-5, 4-H, 5-S, 10-H, 3-S, 6-D, A-C, 3-H, 7-C, 9-H, J-S, which results in the following order of placement of card corresponding to the three tangs. 
   Placement of all Cards 
   Same as Original Wheel 
                                                     Suit Dealer&#39;s Card Up-Top Card Bottom Card Won Lost                                    Diamonds   A   4S   Big Jack   U D           Spades   6   QD   KH   UID       LINE 3   Hearts   5   2C   2S   UID Pay Pair           Spades   7   JD   4h   D U           Diamonds   K   9s   5s   UID           Clubs   Q   LilJoker   10h   D U           Hearts   J   8h   3s   UID           Clubs   10   Jc   6d   D U       Line9   Diamonds   9   Ah   Ac   UID           Spades   8   5c   3h   UID       Line11   Hearts   7   7d   7c   Trip Win/Any                           Pair Win           Clubs   6   4c   9h   UD               D5   8d   js   UID               S4   Ks   Ad   UID               DQ   10d   6s   UID               C2   As   5h   UID               DJ   3d   7s   UID                   S9   Qs Kd   UID               Lil joker   6h   Qc   UID               D4   6d   5c   UID               C8   Ac   7d   D U               D2   3h   4c   UID               S10   7c   8d   UID               HQ   9h   Ks   U D               C3   Js   10d   UID       Line 42       Big Joker   Ad   As   UID Pay High                           Pair Any Pair               HK   6s   3d   UID               S2   5h   Qs   UID               H4   7s   6h   UID               s5   Kd   9c   UID               H10   Qc   2h   D U               S3   Jh   Kc   UID               D6   10c   4d   D U               CA   9d   8c   UID               H3   8s   2d   D U               C7   7h   10s   stay D middle                           any               H9   6c   Qh   U D               sJ   5d   3c   UID               H8   9c   Jh   UID               CJ   2h   10c   UID               HA   Kc   9d   UID               C5   4d   8s   U D               D7   8c   7h   Pay Top11pair                           Pay any pair                           Pay pair sevens                           Bottom Bet                           Stay               C4   2d   6c   U D               SK   Qh   4s   UID               D10   3c   QD   UD               D8   10s   5d   UID               SA   Big Joker   2c   D U               D3   Kh   JD   UID               SQ   2s   9s   UID               H6   4h   Lil Joker   U D               C9   5s   8h   UID               H2   10h   Jc   UID               CK   3s   Ah   U D                    
Ups Won 26 Lost 26
 
Down Won 26 Lost 26
 
Deuces come out once, dealer 5 hearts
 
Aces come out twice, dealer 9d/Big Joker
 
Trips come out once; dealer pays 777, pair, 7d
 
Sevens come out twice, dealer pays up, pays down
 
Because of all the (78) bets, the dealer has an advantage.
 
The dealer card will win 26 times against the top card and 26 times against the bottom card; it will also lose times against either.
 
                                             Suit Dealer&#39;s Card Up-Top Card Bottom Card                                    Won       Lost           For dealer       for dealer           Diamonds   A 4s   Big Joker U D                        
Means suit of dealer&#39;s ace is Diamonds, the top card is
 
The four of spades, which the dealer beat.
 
The down card is the Big Joker, which beat the Dealers ace, and the win/lost tally shows such.
 
The wheel is mathematically placed so that win/lost Are about equal, but when such happens it&#39;s very mixed up.
 
   The disclosure also discloses that the game apparatus is configured to be a single apparatus and the game apparatus is configured to be an electronic apparatus. 
   The disclosure is also directed to a method of playing a game apparatus. The method comprises placing a betting piece on a horizontal playing surface to make a bet. The horizontal playing surface comprises a main playing area divided into six columns of nine plots including fifty-two standard playing cards and two joker playing cards and a plurality of betting areas disposed on at least three borders of the main playing area. The method also comprises spinning a rotatable wheel about an axle disposed in a stationary wheel having at least three tangs. The rotatable wheel has a display surface divided in fifty four concentric areas including indicia of fifty-two standard playing cards and two joker playing cards corresponding to the indicia of fifty-two standard playing cards and the indicia of the two joker playing cards of the game board. The rotatable wheel has stopping pegs disposed between each of the playing card indicia, the method comprises noting a position of each of the at least three tangs when rotational motion of the rotatable wheel is stopped by the at least three tags and the stopping pegs. Lastly, the method comprises determining a winner of the bet. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
     Referring now to the figures wherein like elements are numbered alike: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the rotatable wheel surrounded by the stationary wheel: 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the rotatable wheel and the stationary wheel of  FIG. 1  illustrated the mounting arrangement. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the horizontal game table surface. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of placement of the sevens. 
       FIG. 5  is a view of a perspective placement of aces: only red ace as top card will create a pair of access 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a placement of deuces: Only duce of clubs as top card will create a pair? 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the pair of sevens: only happens when 7 of hearts is bottom card 
       FIG. 8  a perspective view of a placement of the proper stated order of cards 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of true center using the three sevens: line represents true center of wheel 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the game center using the three sevens on the wheel: The game center is achieved by moving the wheel one half the distance of a given space cards offsetting true center which was 28/28 is now 27/29 spaces. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a game center using the three sevens and the bottom tang: tang goes from true center over one space creating new wheel center same as achieved by  FIG. 11  just different way, reason for creating game center. (is to have the count from top tang to bottom tang going clockwise 29 spaces, but going counterclockwise 27 spaces). Which places dealers tang in the middle of top and bottom tang? Which can&#39;t be achieved with an even number 28/28? 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following disclosure is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. 
   The present invention is a game apparatus that can be used to play poker. However, no physical playing cards are dealt to the players. The game apparatus utilizes a rotatable wheel and a horizontal playing surface (or game board) to play poker. The players make bets on the game board and the dealer spins the rotatable wheel. The rotatable wheel has three stopping positions (or tangs) that are utilized to determine the winner of the bets. The various games can be played against the dealer (as in regular poker) or as a roulette type game (a game of chance). Many variations of bets can be placed on the game board utilizing each individual stopping position or a combination of two or all of the stopping positions. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a rotatable wheel  10  is connected to a stationary back wheel  12 . As is seen in  FIG. 2 , the rotatable wheel  10  and the stationary back wheel  12  are mounted on a vertical support  14 . Concentric with an axle  16 , the rotatable wheel  10  has low-friction bearings  18 , which enable it to spin freely on the axle  16  while the stationary back wheel  12  is rigidly secured to the vertical support  14 . A plurality of stopping pegs  20  in the form of rods, pins, and the like, project frontward from the rotatable wheel  10  and intersect a plurality of flexible stopping positions (or tangs) (three tangs  22 ,  24 ,  26  are illustrated in  FIG. 1 ), which eventually stops rotation of the rotatable wheel  10  when rotational inertia of the rotatable wheel  0  is insufficient to bend the tangs  22 ,  24 ,  26  so as to clear the stopping pegs  20 . The three tangs  22 ,  24 ,  26  can be positioned as described in relation to a conventional clock to be at about 12 o&#39;clock, about 9 o&#39;clock and about 6 o&#39;clock, respectively. Accordingly, when a person rotates the rotatable wheel  10  manually, the rotational position of the rotatable wheel  10  with respect to the stationary wheel  12  when the rotatable wheel  10  stops is determined only by chance. When utilizing this apparatus to play the game in which the angular position of the rotatable wheel  10  determines the outcome of the game, players rely on guesses which are registered on the game board  28  of  FIG. 3 . 
   Referring again to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary rotatable wheel  10  is illustrated. The rotatable wheel  10  is divided by radii into fifty-four sectors  30 . Within each of the fifty-four sectors  30  are indicia of a standard playing deck of cards (i.e., fifty-two cards)  32  and two joker playing card indicia  34  for a total of fifty-four playing card indicia. The standard playing card indicia  32  include “two (2)”, “three (3)”, “four (4)”, “five (5)”, “six (6)”, “seven (7)”, “eight (8)”, “nine (9)”, “ten (10)”, “jack (J)”, “queen (Q)”, “king (K)” and “ace (A)” in the four suits of hearts (♥), spades (           ), diamonds (♦), and clubs (         ). The division of the rotatable wheel  10  into triangular areas  30  is only for the purposes of illustration, any configuration which includes fifty-four areas represented by the standard deck of playing cards and two joker playing cards is Contemplated.
   The positioning of the standard playing card indicia  32  and the joker playing card indicia  34  on the rotatable wheel  10  is purposefully derived. The order of the standard playing card indicia  32  and the joker playing card indicia  34  on the rotatable wheel  10  allows for an equal number of losses and wins between the player and the dealer. The standard playing card Indicia  32  and the joker playing card indicia  34  are disposed on the rotatable wheel  10  in the following order 
   A-D, 6-S, 5-H, 7-S, K-D, Q-C, J-H, 10-C, 9-S, 8-S, 7-H, 6-C, 5-D, 4-S, O-D, 2-C, J-D, 9-S, Lil joker, 8-H, J-C, A-H, 5-C, 7-D, 4-C, 8-D, K-S, 10-D, A-S, 3-D, Q-S, 6-H, 9-C, 2-H, K-C, 4-D, 8-C, 2-D, 10-S, Q-H, 3-C, Big joker, K-H, 2-5,4-H, 5-S, 10-H, 3-S, 6-D, A-C, 3-H, 7-C, 9-H, J-S, 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3  the horizontal game surface (or game board)  28  is illustrated. The game board  28  includes a main playing area  40  having indicia of a standard playing deck of cards (i.e., fifty-two cards)  36  and two joker playing card indicia  38  for a total of fifty-four cards disposed in six columns (or lines) of nine playing cards, the standard deck of cards, the standard deck of cards indicia  336  include two three four, five n six, seven, eight, nine, ten, jack, queen, king and ace, in the four suits of hearts, spades, diamonds, and clubs. the positioning of the standard playing card indicia  36  and the joker playing card indicia  38  on the game board  28  can correspond to the order presented above, or can be randomly arranged, 
   Additionally, the game board  28  has other betting positions  42  disposed on either side of the main playing areas  40 . These betting positions  42  can be grouped onto three distinct areas, card bets  44 ,  44   a ,  44   b ,  44   c ,  44   d ,  44   e ,  44   f ,  44   g , columns bets  46 ,  46   a ,  46   b ,  46   c ,  46   d    46   e , 46   f ,  46   g , 46   h ,  46   i , 46   j ,  46   k , and row and descriptive  48 ,  48   a ,  48   b , 48   c , 48   d , 48   e , 48   f , 48   g , 48   h ,  48   i , 48   j , 48   k , 48   l . The betting positions  42  are described further herein and illustrated in part on  FIG. 3 . 
   The game apparatus illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  can be used to play several games, with the preferred game being poker. The principle of the game apparatus is based on the worst hand of poker, in which the high card wins. In this game, the highest card is the joker playing card, followed by the ace, then the king, then the queen, etc. The playing of the game is derived from the nine hands of poker: straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and best card wins. 
   The first tang  22  located at the clock position of twelve o&#39;clock of the rotating wheel  10  represents the top card. The second tang  24  located at the clock position of nine o&#39;clock of the rotating wheel  10  represents the dealer&#39;s card. The third tang  26  located at the clock position of six o&#39;clock of the rotating wheel  10  represents the bottom card. Ideally, the dealer (not shown) will be positioned at the side  42  of the main playing area  40  near the rotatable wheel  10  with the players (not shown) surrounding the remaining areas of the game board  28 . 
   In general, the playing of the game apparatus occurs as follows. A chip, bill or coin is placed on one of the playing cards  36 ,  38 , or other areas as described above, on the game board  28  to make a bet and the rotatable wheel  10  is spun by the dealer or a player. When the rotatable wheel  10  stops, the dealer determines a winner based on the bets made and the positioning of the tangs (e.g.,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ). 
   One embodiment of playing the game apparatus is as follows. The playing card indicia  32 ,  34  that is present at the second tang  24  is used to determine whether the player that bets on a playing card indicia  36 ,  38  on the game board  28  wins bets to the top card (i.e., the playing card indicia  32 ,  34  stopped by the first tang  22 ) or the bottom card (i.e., the playing card indicia  32 ,  34  stopped by the third tang  26 ). For example, if the playing card indicia  32 ,  34  of the second tang  24  is the big Joker, the playing card indicia  32 ,  34  of the first tang  22  is the Ace of diamonds, and the playing card indicia  32 ,  34  of the third tang  26  is the Ace of spades. The possible winners would be: 
   1.) a bet on the game board  28  betting position of high pair  44   e;    
   2.) a bet on the game board  28  betting position of any pair  44   g;    
   3.) a bet on the game board  28  playing card indicia  32  of the Ace of diamonds; 
   4.) a bet on the game board  28  betting position of odd top  48   e  and odd bottom  48   i;    
   5.) a bet on the game board  28  betting position of red top  48   g ; and 
   6.) a bet on the game board  28  betting position of diamonds. 
   There following is a representation of the possible bets that can be placed using the game apparatus. Other betting configurations are contemplated. This list is descriptive of the possible bets and is not to be considered limiting. Examples of bets include:
         1.) Board Bet—a bet is placed on one of the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  of the game board  28 ;   2.) Split Bet—a bet is placed on the line between two playing card indicia  36 ,  38  of the game board  28 ;   3.) Street Bet—a bet is placed to cover three playing card indicia  36 ,  38  of the game board  28 ;   4.) Square Bet—a bet is placed to cover four playing card indicia  36 ,  38  of the game board  28 ;   5.) Section Bet—a bet is placed to cover a section  48   a ,  48   b ,  48   c ,  48   d  of six of the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  of the game board  28 ;   6.) Line Bet—a bet is placed to cover a column  46   f ,  46   g ,  46   h ,  46   i ,  46   j ,  46   k  of six of the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  of the game board  28 ;   7.) Double Line Bet—a bet is placed to cover a two columns  46   a ,  46   b ,  46   c ,  46   d ,  46   e  of six of the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  of the game board  28 ;   8.) Long Line Bet—a bet is placed to cover a line of nine of the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  of the game board  28 ;   9.) Double Long Line Bet—a bet is placed to cover a two lines of nine of the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  of the game board  28 ;   10.) Tri-Bet—a bet is placed on any three lines of six of the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  of the game board  28 ;   11.) Top Card Against the Dealer Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the top card position (i.e., at tang  22 ) is higher than the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the dealer&#39;s card position (i.e., at tang  24 );   12.) Bottom Card Against the Dealer Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the bottom card position (i.e., at tang  26 ) is higher than the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the dealer&#39;s card position (i.e., at tang  24 );   13.) Top Card Even Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the top card position (i.e., at tang  22 ) is an even numbered playing card indicia  36 ,  38  (in the case the Joker appears, the bet stays or can be removed by the player);   14.) Bottom Card Even Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the bottom card position (i.e., at tang  26 ) is an even numbered playing card indicia  36 ,  38  (in the case the Joker appears, the bet stays or can be removed by the player);   15.) Top Card Odd Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the top card position (i.e., at tang  22 ) is an odd numbered playing card indicia  36 ,  38  (in the case the Joker appears, the bet stays or can be removed by the player);   16.) Bottom Card Odd Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the bottom card position (i.e., at tang  26 ) is an odd numbered playing card indicia  36 ,  38  (in the case the Joker appears, the bet stays or can be removed by the player);   17.) Suit Bet—a bet is placed on one of the suit positions (i.e., hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs) of the game board  28 ;   18.) Three of a Kind Bet—a bet is placed that three of the same numbered playing card indicia  36  will be stopped by the tangs  22 ,  24 ,  26  (i.e., seven of hearts, seven of diamonds, and seven of spades);   19.) High Pair Bet—a bet is placed that a pair of high card  44   e  playing card indicia  36  will be stopped by two of the tangs  22 ,  26 ;   20.) Low Pair Bet—a bet is placed that a pair of low card  44   b  playing card indicia  36  will be stopped by two of the tangs  22 ,  26 ;   21.) Any Pair Bet—a bet is placed that any pair  44   g  of the playing card indicia  36  will be stopped by the tangs  22 ,  24 ,  26 ;   22.) Specific Bet—a bet is placed on betting positions as follows 7-7-7, A-A, 2-2, or 7-7 ( 44   a ,  44   b ,  44   c ,  44   d ) will be stopped by the tangs  22 ,  24 ,  26 ;   23.) Color Black Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the top Card position (i.e.) (at tang  22  is black or green) the big joker is considered black or green)  46   h:      24.) color bet a bet is placed at the playing card indicia  36 ,  38 , on the bottom card position) (i.e.) at tang  26  is black or green the big joker considered black or green  48 :   25.) color red bet-a bet is placed that the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the top card position (.e), at tang  22  is red or green (the little joker is considered red or green   26.) color red bet-a bet is placed that the playing card indicia  36 ,  38  in the bottom card position (i.e., at tang  26  is red or green (the little joker is considered red or green)  48   k          

   Although the present invention is described herein as a game apparatus that is physically two separate playing areas, it is contemplated that the two separate playing areas can be combined into a single stand-alone device. It is also contemplated that the game apparatus can be utilized as an electronic game apparatus having push buttons to place bets and activate the wheel. 
   The present invention is a game apparatus that utilizes a rotatable wheel and a game board to play poker. The players make bets on the game board and the dealer spins the rotatable wheel. The advantage of this game apparatus is that one player can play against the dealer at the same time that a player can play the game of chance against the rotatable wheel. The game apparatus is easy to understand and allows lovers of roulette to expand their abilities to include elements of poker. 
   While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is Intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention.