Blackjack card game method of play

A new card game is set forth where a player wagers that a hand to be assembled in the round of play will be a Blackjack, 21, 20, 19 or 18. Four playing cards are selected and exposed from which the best ranking blackjack hand is assembled. If the assembled hand matches the player's wager, wager is won. If it does not match, the wager is lost.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to card games whether played with actual playing 
cards or processor generated representations of playing cards. More 
particularly, it relates to a card game adapted for casino gaming. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Card games are widely known and are played by persons for entertainment as 
well as in a gaming environment such as, at a casino. For example, 
blackjack is one of the more popular card games. In modern casinos, 
numerous blackjack tables can be found. Blackjack appeals to the public in 
that, the casino or "house", does not have a great statistical advantage 
in the game, and the rules of play are simple, straight forward and easily 
understood. 
Some players or potential players may be somewhat intimidated by the game 
of Blackjack for one or more reasons. For example, the decision of when to 
stand or take a card in an effort to best the dealer's hand can cause 
anxiety, particularly when such decisions must be frequently made. Second, 
many players feel a sense of allegiance to the other players at the table. 
Knowing that the decision of whether to take an additional card or stand 
can effect the success of other players is another source of anxiety. For 
example, a player who repeatedly takes a card in circumstances where 
he/she should stand, can draw adverse reactions from the other players and 
generate a feeling that the player making the mistake has let the other 
players down. A specific example would be, where the dealer has an exposed 
card which is a 6 with a face down card suggesting that the dealer may 
have an initial hand of 16 and be susceptible to "busting", i.e. going 
over 21. A player, particularly one immediately to the right of the 
dealer, who opts to take a card when he/she should not, can receive a card 
which, if it had been taken by the dealer, would cause the dealer to bust. 
This situation is not only aggravating to the other players, who had 
played their hand's in anticipation that the dealer would bust, but also 
draws adverse reactions from the players and embarrassment to the player 
who made the mistake. 
Another concern directed to Blackjack is the potential for cheating. A 
dealer may work in concert with a collaborating player. In those 
circumstances, where the dealer can examine his down, or unexposed, card, 
the dealer may be able to signal his collaborator altering the statistical 
advantage of the house in favor of the player. 
There is, therefore, a need for a card game which can be played live or 
electronically which is simple, easy, and less intimidating. There is also 
a need for a game having the aforemention attributes which is suitable for 
casino-type gaming and is adapted to lessen the opportunities for 
cheating. To satisfy such needs, it is further desirable that any new game 
have familiar rules to attract players and not require extensive 
retraining for dealers. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, there is set forth, a card game suitable for live action play 
using playing cards or played through the use of electronic devices which 
can simulate playing the game with cards which is easy, fast, has rules 
familiar to players and dealers, which is less intimidating and which 
resists the effects of cheating. 
Toward this end, a game according to the present invention, is set forth 
which includes the steps of a player wagering that the outcome of an 
assembled hand will be a Blackjack, 21, 20, 19, or 18. After the player 
makes the wager, four playing cards are selected and exposed either 
through live action play by a dealer or by representations generated by a 
suitable processor and video display. From the four exposed cards, a hand 
is assembled which represents the best hand according to the rules of 
Blackjack. If the four exposed cards are insufficient to assemble a hand 
of 18 or better according to the rules of Blackjack, the two lowest cards 
are discarded and replaced, and from the replacement and original cards, a 
qualifying ranking is assembled. After a qualified ranking hand is 
assembled, i.e. a Blackjack, or 18 through 21, the assembled hand is 
compared to the outcome wagered upon by the player. If the player's wager 
and the assembled hand agree, e.g. are both 18, the player is declared the 
winner. In other circumstances, the player is declared the loser. Where 
the player is declared the winner, his wager is paid at odds depending 
upon the wagered number, and when the player is declared the loser, his 
wager is collected. 
In a further embodiment of the game, according to the present invention, 
the player at the outset may also opt to wager that the assembled hand 
will be less than 18. According to this version of the game, the best 
hand, according to the rules of Blackjack, is assembled from the initial 
four cards regardless of whether or not the hand has a ranking of 18 or 
better. If the player has made the appropriate wager and if the assembled 
hand agrees, the player is declared the winner of this wager and is paid 
at odds of, for example, 15:1. 
As can be appreciated, the game, according to the present invention, is 
fast in that the dealer need not deal individual hands to each player. 
Further, the game is less intimidating in that the players have no choices 
in regards to the selection of the cards and each player's action, which 
consists of selecting which bet to make, does not effect the success or 
failure of other players. The game is additionally simple to play in that 
the rules for ranking of the hands is the same as in Blackjack, a game 
familiar to both players and dealers. The opportunity to cheat is also 
reduced in that the players have no opportunity to collaborate with the 
dealer since the play of the assembled is out of the control of the 
players. Still further, and to the advantage of the house or casino, there 
are no ties in that each hand results in a win or loss for each player, 
further contributing to the fast pace of the game and the revenues 
received.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference to the drawing, a layout 10, which can be used to play the 
game, is illustrated. Typically, the layout 10 is sized to fit a normal 
Blackjack table used in live action Blackjack games at a casino. The 
layout 10 may be fashioned from colored felt or the like. 
The layout 10 is arcuate having a linear side, a portion of which defines a 
dealer position 12 where a dealer stands during normal play of the game. 
Typically the dealer is employee of the casino or "house". Proximate the 
dealer position 12, tray 14, is adapted, as is common with Blackjack 
tables, to hold tokens used in the play of the game. These tokens are 
received by players in exchange for legal tender or a marker and typically 
have denominations of five dollars, twenty-five dollars, one-hundred 
dollars or five-hundred dollars. Cash can also be used in wagering for the 
game. In those situations where the game is played purely for 
entertainment purposes and in a non-gaming environment, tokens such as 
chips or the like will be provided to the players free of charge. 
In front of the tray 14 is an action area 16 where playing cards are dealt 
by the dealer for the play of the game. The action area 16 may include 
four spots 18a-d, shown as being rectangular, to receive the cards in the 
manner described below. In the play of the game, the dealer deals either 
from a single deck of playing cards or a shoe containing multiple decks 
and places the selected cards in the spots 18 a-d. 
Spaced about the arcuate parameter of the layout 10 are seven player 
positions 20, each occupied by an individual player or left vacant, 
depending upon the number of players for the game. Each player position 20 
may be suitably delineated with logo or other indicia to identify each 
player with their respective player position 20. 
Each player position 20 has associated therewith discrete betting areas 
22a-e. These wagering areas 22a-e may be indicated by squares, as shown in 
the drawing, circles, written indicia, or other representations sufficient 
to identify a particular wager with a discrete area. To also identify each 
wagering area 22a-e, a suitable description may be provided therewith. 
According to the preferred embodiment of the game, wagering area 22a has a 
written description of "Blackjack" or "BJ" associated therewith to 
indicate that this is the Blackjack wagering area 22a. Wagering area 22b 
has a description "21" provided in association therewith as by being 
included within the bounds of the wagering area 22b. Wagering areas 22c-e 
have associated therewith descriptions of "20", "19", "18", respectively, 
as by including these numerical descriptions within the bounds of the 
appropriate wagering areas. Alternatively, each of the wagering areas 
22a-e could include a number reference such as 1 through 5, respectively, 
and a common description could be provided on the layout 10 to associate 
wagering area 1 with a Blackjack, 2 with a 21, 3 with a 20, 4 with a 19, 
and 5 with an 18. 
Any player wishing to enter the game does so by making a wager or wagers in 
a selecting wagering area(s). By making a wager, the player is attempting 
to predict that a certain hand will be assembled during this particular 
round of play. For example, a player may anticipate or have a hunch that 
the hand assembled, according to the rules of the game hereinafter 
described, will be 20. Accordingly, the player places his/her wager by 
means of locating one or more betting tokens (or cash) in the wagering 
area 22c which, as described above, associates the wager with 20. The 
player may also wish to wager, in the same hand, on other numbers. The 
amount of the wager(s) made by the player may be dictated by table 
minimums or maximums. After each player wishing to enter the round of play 
has placed their bets in the selected and appropriate wagering areas 
22a-e, four cards are dealt by the dealer into the action area 16 as by 
locating them in spots 18a-d. The dealer turns these four cards over and 
they are exposed for the player to see. Alternatively, the dealer could 
evenly distribute the deck into four substantially even piles face down, 
each pile in a spot 18a-d and turn over the top card of each pile. 
From the four exposed cards, the dealer assembles the highest ranking 
Blackjack hand possible using two or all four of the cards. If two hands 
of equal ranking can be assembled, e.g. two 18s, only one assembled hand 
of 18, selected at the dealer's discretion, is used. The assembled hand, 
according to the rules of Blackjack, cannot exceed 21, aces count as 1 or 
11 and face-cards (Kings, Queens and Jacks) count as 10. All other cards 
have there assigned face values. 
As stated above, the four exposed cards in the action area 16 are assembled 
into the best Blackjack according to the following ranking: 
1. Ace with any 10 or face card (a Blackjack), 
2. Any hand where the sum of any three or more cards is 21, 
3. Any hand where the sum of any two or more cards is 20, 
4. Any hand where the sum of any two or more cards is 19, and 
5. Any hand where the sum of any two or more cards is 18. 
If the four exposed cards in the action area 16 cannot be assembled into 
any hand having a ranking of 18 or above, the dealer discards the two 
lowest exposed cards of the four and deals and exposes (or turns over) two 
replacement cards in the action area 16. The dealer then, from this 
revised field of four exposed cards assembles the best Blackjack hand of 
18 or better therefrom. The discarding and replacement described above 
continues until the dealer can assemble a qualifying ranking hand of 18 or 
better. 
For example, if the four cards dealt and exposed are: Ace, 7, 3, and 9, the 
highest ranking hand would be a three card 21 assembled from the Ace, 7, 
and 3. If the four cards dealt and exposed are: 2, 3, 7, and 9, all four 
cards would be used to assemble a hand of 21. If the four cards dealt and 
exposed are: King, 2, 5, and 10, the assembled hand would be a two card 20 
represented by the King and 10. 
The assembled, qualifying ranking hand, is segregated from the remainder of 
the four cards, if any, for the players to confirm that the highest 
ranking hand has been formed. The cards not used to assemble the 
combination remain exposed land in their original spots 18a-d. 
After the dealer has assembled and segregated the qualifying ranking hand, 
the hand is compared to the wagers made by each player. If the assembled 
hand and the wagered hand have the same ranking without regard to suit, 
the player is declared to have won the wager. For example, where the 
player has wagered on a 20 by placing a token in wagering area 22c and the 
highest ranking assembled hand is likewise a 20, the player is declared to 
have won the wager. If the assembled hand is different in value or ranking 
from the wagered anticipated outcome, the player is declared to have lost 
the wager. 
In live casino action, in those instances when the player is declared to 
have won, the dealer pays the player based upon the number wagered upon. 
Table 1 below sets forth the pay out schedule which may be used for 
declared winners. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
# WAGERED UPON PAY OUT 
______________________________________ 
Blackjack 5:1 
21 2:1 
20 1:1 (even money) 
19 5:1 
18 15:1 
______________________________________ 
Of course other pay outs could be adjusted to alter the advantage to the 
player or casino. 
In those instances when the player is declared to have lost the wager, the 
player's wager is collected by the dealer and the player's wagering token 
is placed in the tray 14. 
After the wagers are paid or collected, the cards used in the assembled 
hand are discarded. New cards are dealt and exposed or, if piles are used, 
turned over to, in combination with any remaining exposed cards of the 
previous hand, define a field of four cards from which to assemble the 
next hand. If the exposed, unused cards can be assembled into a qualifying 
hand, they too are discarded. For example, the four cards are King, Queen, 
10 and 9, the dealer would assemble a qualify hand of 20 using at his/her 
discretion, the King and Queen or either of them with the 10. Thus the 
unused cards, for example 10 and 9, since they represent a qualifying 
hand, would be discarded with the assembled hand and four new cards are 
exposed. In this fashion, the players do not have the advantage of 
wagering after a winning combination is already exposed. The players make 
new wagers for the next round of play. Play continues as described above 
for succeeded rounds of play. 
As a further embodiment, players may be able to place a wager in 
anticipation that the assembled hand from the four cards dealt and exposed 
will be less than 18 by placing a wager in a wagering area 22f. According 
to this version of the game, four cards are dealt and exposed (or turned 
over from the piles) as described above. From those four cards, the 
dealer, also as before, assembles the highest ranking Blackjack hand. 
Regardless of whether or not a qualified ranking hand of 18 or better can 
be assembled, no cards are discarded or replaced. For example, if the four 
exposed cards are: 2, 2, 6, and 6, the assembled hand would be a four card 
16. 
After assembly of the highest ranking Blackjack hand is made from the four 
exposed cards dealt and the dealer has segregated the assembled hand for 
the players to verify, the player's wagers are resolved as before. 
However, where the assembled hand is less than 18, those players having 
placed wagers in wagering areas 22f, anticipating that the assembled hand 
would be less than 18, are declared to have won their wagers and are paid 
at, for example, 15:1. These odds may be adjusted to alter the advantage 
to the player or casino. Those having placed other wagers are declared to 
have lost. After wagers have been paid or collected, the cards used to 
assemble the ranking hand are discarded and a new round of play begins. 
According to this embodiment, play of the game need not be slowed by the 
dealer discarding and replacing cards when attempting to assemble a 
ranking hand. 
While the cards may be reshuffled at any time during play, for single deck 
play, the deck should be reshuffled no later than after ten hands. 
While I have described the play of the game in the context of a live action 
casino game, it is to be understood that the game could also be played 
through the use of computer generated images on a video display of playing 
cards retrieved from a data structure representing a deck of cards. A 
player would make a wager, as recited above, and the computer would be 
initiated to retrieve from the data structure, at random, signals 
representative of four cards, display those selected cards, and assemble 
the hand in a video format for the round. A player making the wager which 
matches the assembled hand would be declared the winner and a player not 
having made the appropriate wager is declared the loser. Winning wagers 
are paid according to the description of the live action game described 
above and the losing wagers are retained, i.e. collected. After the wager 
has been paid, at odds described above, or collected, a new wager is 
placed and the processor is initiated for the next round of play. In this 
fashion, the game can be embodied in a video format to be played by one or 
more players. 
It is further to be understood that the game can be embodied in a 
non-gaming environment such as a game played purely for entertainment 
value using free tokens or other "stakes", i.e. match sticks. The game 
could also be embodied in a portable or hand held electronic device, and 
again played purely for entertainment purposes. Imaginary or 
electronically depicted wagers would be made, paid and collected according 
to the various embodiments described above. 
While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of the 
present invention, it is to be understood that it is subject to many 
modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims.