Game apparatus

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.

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' 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 '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

Placement of all Cards

Same as Original Wheel

Suit Dealer's Card Up-Top Card Bottom Card Won LostDiamondsA4SBig JackU DSpades6QDKHUIDLINE 3Hearts52C2SUID Pay PairSpades7JD4hD UDiamondsK9s5sUIDClubsQLilJoker10hD UHeartsJ8h3sUIDClubs10Jc6dD ULine9Diamonds9AhAcUIDSpades85c3hUIDLine11Hearts77d7cTrip Win/AnyPair WinClubs64c9hUDD58djsUIDS4KsAdUIDDQ10d6sUIDC2As5hUIDDJ3d7sUIDS9Qs KdUIDLil joker6hQcUIDD46d5cUIDC8Ac7dD UD23h4cUIDS107c8dUIDHQ9hKsU DC3Js10dUIDLine 42Big JokerAdAsUID Pay HighPair Any PairHK6s3dUIDS25hQsUIDH47s6hUIDs5Kd9cUIDH10Qc2hD US3JhKcUIDD610c4dD UCA9d8cUIDH38s2dD UC77h10sstay D middleanyH96cQhU DsJ5d3cUIDH89cJhUIDCJ2h10cUIDHAKc9dUIDC54d8sU DD78c7hPay Top11pairPay any pairPay pair sevensBottom BetStayC42d6cU DSKQh4sUIDD103cQDUDD810s5dUIDSABig Joker2cD UD3KhJDUIDSQ2s9sUIDH64hLil JokerU DC95s8hUIDH210hJcUIDCK3sAhU 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's Card Up-Top Card Bottom CardWonLostFor dealerfor dealerDiamondsA 4sBig Joker U D
Means suit of dealer'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'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.

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 toFIGS. 1 and 2, a rotatable wheel10is connected to a stationary back wheel12. As is seen inFIG. 2, the rotatable wheel10and the stationary back wheel12are mounted on a vertical support14. Concentric with an axle16, the rotatable wheel10has low-friction bearings18, which enable it to spin freely on the axle16while the stationary back wheel12is rigidly secured to the vertical support14. A plurality of stopping pegs20in the form of rods, pins, and the like, project frontward from the rotatable wheel10and intersect a plurality of flexible stopping positions (or tangs) (three tangs22,24,26are illustrated inFIG. 1), which eventually stops rotation of the rotatable wheel10when rotational inertia of the rotatable wheel0is insufficient to bend the tangs22,24,26so as to clear the stopping pegs20. The three tangs22,24,26can be positioned as described in relation to a conventional clock to be at about 12 o'clock, about 9 o'clock and about 6 o'clock, respectively. Accordingly, when a person rotates the rotatable wheel10manually, the rotational position of the rotatable wheel10with respect to the stationary wheel12when the rotatable wheel10stops is determined only by chance. When utilizing this apparatus to play the game in which the angular position of the rotatable wheel10determines the outcome of the game, players rely on guesses which are registered on the game board28ofFIG. 3.

Referring again toFIG. 1, an exemplary rotatable wheel10is illustrated. The rotatable wheel10is divided by radii into fifty-four sectors30. Within each of the fifty-four sectors30are indicia of a standard playing deck of cards (i.e., fifty-two cards)32and two joker playing card indicia34for a total of fifty-four playing card indicia. The standard playing card indicia32include “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 wheel10into triangular areas30is 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 indicia32and the joker playing card indicia34on the rotatable wheel10is purposefully derived. The order of the standard playing card indicia32and the joker playing card indicia34on the rotatable wheel10allows for an equal number of losses and wins between the player and the dealer. The standard playing card Indicia32and the joker playing card indicia34are disposed on the rotatable wheel10in the following order

Referring now toFIG. 3the horizontal game surface (or game board)28is illustrated. The game board28includes a main playing area40having indicia of a standard playing deck of cards (i.e., fifty-two cards)36and two joker playing card indicia38for 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 indicia336include 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 indicia36and the joker playing card indicia38on the game board28can correspond to the order presented above, or can be randomly arranged,

Additionally, the game board28has other betting positions42disposed on either side of the main playing areas40. These betting positions42can be grouped onto three distinct areas, card bets44,44a,44b,44c,44d,44e,44f,44g, columns bets46,46a,46b,46c,46d46e,46f,46g,46h,46i,46j,46k, and row and descriptive48,48a,48b,48c,48d,48e,48f,48g,48h,48i,48j,48k,48l. The betting positions42are described further herein and illustrated in part onFIG. 3.

The game apparatus illustrated inFIGS. 1,2, and3can 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 tang22located at the clock position of twelve o'clock of the rotating wheel10represents the top card. The second tang24located at the clock position of nine o'clock of the rotating wheel10represents the dealer's card. The third tang26located at the clock position of six o'clock of the rotating wheel10represents the bottom card. Ideally, the dealer (not shown) will be positioned at the side42of the main playing area40near the rotatable wheel10with the players (not shown) surrounding the remaining areas of the game board28.

In general, the playing of the game apparatus occurs as follows. A chip, bill or coin is placed on one of the playing cards36,38, or other areas as described above, on the game board28to make a bet and the rotatable wheel10is spun by the dealer or a player. When the rotatable wheel10stops, 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 indicia32,34that is present at the second tang24is used to determine whether the player that bets on a playing card indicia36,38on the game board28wins bets to the top card (i.e., the playing card indicia32,34stopped by the first tang22) or the bottom card (i.e., the playing card indicia32,34stopped by the third tang26). For example, if the playing card indicia32,34of the second tang24is the big Joker, the playing card indicia32,34of the first tang22is the Ace of diamonds, and the playing card indicia32,34of the third tang26is the Ace of spades. The possible winners would be:

1.) a bet on the game board28betting position of high pair44e;

2.) a bet on the game board28betting position of any pair44g;

3.) a bet on the game board28playing card indicia32of the Ace of diamonds;

4.) a bet on the game board28betting position of odd top48eand odd bottom48i;

5.) a bet on the game board28betting position of red top48g; and

6.) a bet on the game board28betting 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 indicia36,38of the game board28;2.) Split Bet—a bet is placed on the line between two playing card indicia36,38of the game board28;3.) Street Bet—a bet is placed to cover three playing card indicia36,38of the game board28;4.) Square Bet—a bet is placed to cover four playing card indicia36,38of the game board28;5.) Section Bet—a bet is placed to cover a section48a,48b,48c,48dof six of the playing card indicia36,38of the game board28;6.) Line Bet—a bet is placed to cover a column46f,46g,46h,46i,46j,46kof six of the playing card indicia36,38of the game board28;7.) Double Line Bet—a bet is placed to cover a two columns46a,46b,46c,46d,46eof six of the playing card indicia36,38of the game board28;8.) Long Line Bet—a bet is placed to cover a line of nine of the playing card indicia36,38of the game board28;9.) Double Long Line Bet—a bet is placed to cover a two lines of nine of the playing card indicia36,38of the game board28;10.) Tri-Bet—a bet is placed on any three lines of six of the playing card indicia36,38of the game board28;11.) Top Card Against the Dealer Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia36,38in the top card position (i.e., at tang22) is higher than the playing card indicia36,38in the dealer's card position (i.e., at tang24);12.) Bottom Card Against the Dealer Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia36,38in the bottom card position (i.e., at tang26) is higher than the playing card indicia36,38in the dealer's card position (i.e., at tang24);13.) Top Card Even Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia36,38in the top card position (i.e., at tang22) is an even numbered playing card indicia36,38(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 indicia36,38in the bottom card position (i.e., at tang26) is an even numbered playing card indicia36,38(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 indicia36,38in the top card position (i.e., at tang22) is an odd numbered playing card indicia36,38(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 indicia36,38in the bottom card position (i.e., at tang26) is an odd numbered playing card indicia36,38(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 board28;18.) Three of a Kind Bet—a bet is placed that three of the same numbered playing card indicia36will be stopped by the tangs22,24,26(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 card44eplaying card indicia36will be stopped by two of the tangs22,26;20.) Low Pair Bet—a bet is placed that a pair of low card44bplaying card indicia36will be stopped by two of the tangs22,26;21.) Any Pair Bet—a bet is placed that any pair44gof the playing card indicia36will be stopped by the tangs22,24,26;22.) Specific Bet—a bet is placed on betting positions as follows 7-7-7, A-A, 2-2, or 7-7 (44a,44b,44c,44d) will be stopped by the tangs22,24,26;23.) Color Black Bet—a bet is placed that the playing card indicia36,38in the top Card position (i.e.) (at tang22is black or green) the big joker is considered black or green)46h:24.) color bet a bet is placed at the playing card indicia36,38, on the bottom card position) (i.e.) at tang26is black or green the big joker considered black or green48:25.) color red bet-a bet is placed that the playing card indicia36,38in the top card position (.e), at tang22is red or green (the little joker is considered red or green26.) color red bet-a bet is placed that the playing card indicia36,38in the bottom card position (i.e., at tang26is red or green (the little joker is considered red or green)48k

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.