Abstract:
A table and method of playing a baccarat-type card game that provides players with the opportunity to play a simpler version of baccarat that is both easier to understand and capable of being played by more players. The method of playing a baccarat-type card game comprises dealing 3 cards to both a house hand and a player hand, with the winning hand having a hand value closest to nine based on the traditional baccarat scoring system, but without all of the complex baccarat rules for determining if and when a third card is to be dealt.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to card games and tables and methods therefor and, more particularly, to a table and method of playing a baccarat-type card game that provides players with the opportunity to play a simpler version of baccarat that is both easier to understand and capable of being played by more players.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The game baccarat is a popular card game at many casinos. Although usually found in a roped off area to attract high rollers, baccarat is played by many gamblers. The object of the game is to receive a hand value closest to 9. An Ace has a point value of 1 and cards 2 through 9 have point values equal to their face values (e.g. 3 of Spades has a point value of 3). 10s, Jacks, Queens and Kings have a point value of zero. Thus, if the first two cards dealt are a Jack and a 6, the total point value of the hand is 6. When the combination of cards creates a point total of 10 or more, the first digit is ignored. For example, a 4 and a 7 have a point value of 1 (not 11). Therefore, the highest point total that it is possible to achieve is a 9. Between the dealer&#39;s hand and the player&#39;s hand, the hand value closest to 9 is the winning hand.  
           [0003]    In baccarat, two cards are first dealt to a player&#39;s hand and two cards are first dealt to a dealer&#39;s, or banker&#39;s, or house hand. A two-card point total of 9 is called a “natural” and this hand cannot lose. A two-card point total of 8 is also called a “natural” and this is the second-best hand. In the event of a tie between the player&#39;s hand and the dealer&#39;s hand neither the dealer&#39;s hand nor the player&#39;s hand wins. Although, it is possible for the player to wager that a tie would occur, in which case the player is paid a multiple of his or her wager, usually the payer is paid at a rate of 8 to 1. If the player or dealer receive a two-card point total of 7, no further cards are received. No more than a total of 3 cards can be received, including the original two cards dealt.  
           [0004]    When two-card point totals are 6 or less a very complex set of rules govern when the banker or player must draw an additional card. One of the dealers, known as the caller, determines the need for additional cards, which are dealt automatically and without direction or consent from the player. This method of play can be confusing, when one is not completely familiar with all of the rules governing card disbursement. The rules are often hard to pick up, causing many players to avoid the game of baccarat altogether.  
           [0005]    It is also possible for the player to wager that the banker&#39;s hand (and not the player&#39;s hand) will win, although a successful wager on the banker&#39;s hand results in a 5% commission on the wager, paid to the casino. Since it is cumbersome to collect this sum each time a successful wager on the banker&#39;s hand is made, an additional dealer keeps track of what the player owes, and all debts are paid to the dealer once 8 decks of cards (known as the shoe) have been dealt. This method can create the feeling that one must pay the casino to win, a notion which can create some animosity and resentment when playing the game of baccarat. The 5% commission is also an additional calculation that must be taken into account by a gambler when determining his or her winnings. In the game of baccarat, the shoe is passed from player to player. When the player has the shoe, he or she must bet on the banker&#39;s hand, with the ensuing commission to be paid for a winning wager.  
           [0006]    The game of baccarat can therefore create difficulties in determining the amount of winnings, and therefore the amount of money to wager, and the complex set of rules also makes the game of baccarat hard to follow.  
           [0007]    The game of mini-baccarat has been developed to try and introduce the game of baccarat to more gamblers. The passing of the shoe and other customs of the traditional game of baccarat have been eliminated, but mini-baccarat follows the same rules of play as regular baccarat. For the most part, therefore, mini-baccarat retains the same shortcomings of regular baccarat. Mainly, the game of mini-baccarat was introduced as a way to place the smaller tables of mini-baccarat amongst the black-jack tables where there is more pedestrian traffic, and consequently, more likelihood of attracting gamblers.  
           [0008]    As with virtually every game in a casino, the more players capable of playing the game, the more money a casino can make. Additionally, it is often the case that more players means more fun for the players, as a more social atmosphere is created by a larger group of people. However, both baccarat and mini-baccarat tables are only capable of seating six players.  
           [0009]    A need therefore existed for providing a new, simpler table and method of playing a baccarat-type card game, without all of the complex rules regarding when a third card is received with no 5% commission for successfully wagering on a banker&#39;s hand, and with the possibility of playing with additional players.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    An object of the present invention is to provide a new method of playing a baccarat-type card game in which both a house hand and a player hand receives three cards, and following the baccarat rules of determining hand values, the hand with a hand value closest to nine wins.  
           [0011]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a baccarat-type card game table capable of allowing more than 6 players to wager on either a house hand, a player hand, or on a tie between the house hand and the player hand.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
         [0012]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method or playing a baccarat-type card game is disclosed comprising, in combination, the steps of dealing a player hand having three cards, dealing a house hand having three cards, determining a hand value of the player hand, wherein Ace through Nine cards have respective point values of 1 to 9 and wherein 10&#39;s and Jacks and Queens and Kings have a point value of zero, wherein a hand value of the player hand is equal to a total point value of the three cards of the player hand when the three cards have a total point value less than 10 and when the three cards of the player hand have a total point value of at least 10 then the first digit of the total point value is ignored when determining a hand value of the player hand, determining a hand value of the house hand, wherein Ace through Nine cards have respective point values of 1 to 9 and wherein 10&#39;s and Jacks and Queens and Kings have a point value of zero, wherein a hand value of the house hand is equal to a total point value of the three cards of the house hand when the three cards have a total point value less than 10 and when the three cards of the house hand have a total point value of at least 10 then the first digit of the total point value is ignored when determining a hand value of the house hand, and comparing the hand value of the player hand with the hand value of the house hand wherein the hand with a hand value closest to 9 is a winning hand.  
           [0013]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a baccarat-type card game table is disclosed comprising, in combination, a table having a house hand area dimensioned to receive three playing cards and a player hand area dimensioned to receive three playing cards, a plurality or individual betting locations located proximate an outer perimeter of the table, each of the individual betting locations has a house hand wagering area designated for wagering on a house hand and a player hand wagering area designated for wagering on a player hand, and a tie betting area located proximate the plurality of individual betting locations, the tie betting area is designated for wagering that the house hand and the player hand will subsequently be determined to have an equal hand value.  
           [0014]    The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the baccarat-type card game table of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a top view of the player hand wagering area and the house hand wagering area in the individual betting locations of the baccarat-type card game table of FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 a  is a top view of two example hands which illustrate the scoring system of the baccarat-type card game of the present invention, the Jack, A and 5 have a total point value of 6 and the 5, 4 and King have a total point value of 9.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 b  is a top view of the 13 differently ranked playing cards in a 52-card deck, showing their respective point value in the baccarat-type card game of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]    The present invention includes both a method of playing a baccarat-type card game and a table therefor. Referring to FIG. 3 b , the 13 differently ranked playing cards in a 52-card deck are shown with their respective point value in the baccarat-type card game of the present invention.  
         [0020]    Referring now to FIG. 1, the first step in the method of playing the baccarat-type card game is dealing a player hand  12  having three cards 14. The next step is dealing a house hand  16  also having three cards  14 .  
         [0021]    Referring now to FIGS. 3 a - 3   b , the Ace through Nine cards have respective point values of 1 to 9, and 10&#39;s, Jacks, Queens and Kings have a point value of zero. The next step of the method of playing a baccarat-type card game is determining a hand value of the player hand  12 . This is done by adding up the individual point values of all three cards  14  based on the point system discussed above. When the total point value of the three cards  14  of the player hand  12  is less than ten, then the hand value is equal to the total point value. In FIG. 3 a , or example, the top hand of Jack, A and 5 has a total point value of 6 and the bottom hand of 5, 4 and King has a total point value of 9. Since these numbers are less than ten, the hand value is equal to the total point value. If the three cards  14  have a total point value of at least 10, then the first digit of the total point value is ignored when determining the hand value. For example, if one of the hands comprised an 8, 3, and a Queen, then even though the total point value would be 11, the hand value would be 1 since the first digit is dropped when establishing the hand value for a hand with a point value of at least 10.  
         [0022]    After determining the hand value for the player hand  12 , the hand value is determined for the dealer hand  16 . Then the hand value of the player hand  12  is compared to the hand value of the dealer hand  16 , with the hand with a hand value closest to nine constituting the winning hand.  
         [0023]    In the preferred embodiment, the method of playing a baccarat-type card game further comprises the step of at least one player (not shown) wagering a wager on one of the player hand  12  and the house hand  16 . The method preferably further comprises the step of paying the at least one player an amount equal to the wager when the player wagers on a hand subsequently determined to be a winning hand. Although, as few as one player could play the baccarat-type card game of the present invention, it should be clearly understood that as many as 6 or more players are capable of playing the baccarat-type card game of the present invention.  
         [0024]    In the preferred embodiment, the method of playing a baccarat-type card game further comprises the step of dealing an additional playing card  14  when the player hand  12  and the dealer hand  16  are subsequently determined to have an equal hand value. Preferably, the method of playing a baccarat-type card game further comprises paying the player an amount equal to the wager when the additional card is one of 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen and King. When the additional card is one of A, 2, 3, 6, 5, 6 and 7 the player pays the dealer an amount equal to the wager. In one embodiment of the method of playing a baccarat-type card game, the dealing of an additional card is automatic. Alternatively, another embodiment of the method of playing a baccarat-type card game could further comprise the step of offering the at least one player an option to receive half of the wager wagered when the player hand  12  and the house hand  16  are subsequently determined to have an equal hand value. The player can then choose to receive half of his or her wager, terminating his or her participation in the hand, or the player can accept an offer to be paid an amount equal to the original wager if an additionally dealt card is either an 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen or King. If instead, the additionally dealt card is either an Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, then the player loses the amount equal to the original wager. While, in the preferred embodiment, the method of playing a baccarat-type card game comprises the steps of offering a player the chance to recover half of his or her wager when there is a tie or try to win the full wager amount if an additional card is an 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen or King, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative configuration of the method of playing a baccarat-type type card game in which all players receive their full initial wagers back in the event of a tie between the house hand and the player hand, or in which the player wins the wager amount by receiving a set of cards other than 8-King (although to maintain a statistical advantage for the house, at least a 7 to 6 advantage is optimal, such as in the current example when the house wins if the additional card is A-7 (7 cards) and the player wins if the additional card is 8-King (6 cards)).  
         [0025]    In the preferred embodiment, the method of playing a baccarat-type card game further comprises the step of a player wagering a wager that the player hand  12  will have a hand value subsequently determined to be equal to the house hand  16 . The player will then be paid a multiple of the wager when the player hand  12  and the house hand  16  are subsequently determined to have an equal hand value. Preferably, the multiple is 8, although to maintain a statistical advantage for the house, the multiple can be any number less than 10.  
         [0026]    While, in the preferred embodiment, the method of playing a baccarat-type card game comprises the steps of at least one player wagering a wager, and paying the at least one player an amount equal to the wager when the player wagers on a hand subsequently determined to be a winning hand, or paying the at least one player a multiple of the wager when the player wagers that the house hand  16  and the player hand  12  will have an equal hand value, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the method of playing a baccarat-type card game in which there is no wagering.  
         [0027]    Referring now to FIG. 1, a baccarat-type card game table  20  is shown. The baccarat-type card game table  20  comprises a table  22  having a house hand area  24  dimensioned to receive the three playing cards  14  of the house hand  16  and a player hand area  26  dimensioned to receive the three playing cards  14  of the player hand  12 . The baccarat-type card game table  20  further comprises a plurality of individual betting locations  28  located proximate an outer perimeter of the table  22 . Preferably, the baccarat-type card game table  20  comprises 9 betting locations  28 , although it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the baccarat-type card game table  20  in which the number of individual betting locations  28  deviates, even substantially, from the preferred number of betting locations  28 , in either direction.  
         [0028]    Still referring to FIG. 1, each of the individual betting locations  28  has a house hand wagering area  30  designated for wagering on a house hand  16  and a player hand wagering area  32  designated for wagering on a player hand  12 . The baccarat-type card game table  20  further comprises a tie betting area  34  located proximate the plurality of individual betting locations. The tie betting area  34  is designated for wagering that the house hand  16  and the player hand  12  will subsequently be determined to have an equal hand value.  
         [0029]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.