Abstract:
A method of tracking player statistics for each player competing in live poker games at multiple physical locations includes calculating a player score for a poker game, entering the player score in a total score and comparing each player score.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/783,800 filed on Mar. 20, 2006, which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to card games, and more particularly, to live poker games.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Live poker tournaments have become very popular. In a live tournament, players travel to a specific location to compete against each other. However, players may be unable to travel long distances and at specific times. Thus, a need exists for a system to track player statistics in live poker games in order to compete from multiple locations and to rank order player skills.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     In one general aspect, a method of tracking player statistics for each player competing in live poker games at multiple physical locations includes calculating a player score for a poker game, entering the player score in a total score and comparing each player score.  
         [0005]     Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. For example, calculating the player score may include calculating a place finished value, calculating a winner value, calculating a bounty winner value and adding the place finished value, the winner value and the bounty value to compute the player score.  
         [0006]     The player score may also include a start value defined according to the formula start value=1.65−(6*(11−(number of players in game)))/100. The place finished value may be computed by (11−place number of finish in the game)/100. The winner value may be computed as players in game*0.1 or players in game*0.08. The bounty value may be calculated as number of bounties won/3 or number of bounties won/7.  
         [0007]     The player score may also include other factors, such as, for example, a player time value defined according to ((total time of player in game)/60)/total time of game, a chip value defined as (1−(10−number of players)*0.05)*((net chip count+15000)/50000) or an elimination value defined according to the number of players eliminated/15.  
         [0008]     In another general aspect, a poker game system that tracks player statistical rankings includes more than one card game facility at different geographic locations, each of the locations having poker tables for live poker games, a wireless communications device at each game facility to verify player identities, to control the start and stop of a live poker game and to input player scores and a server at a remote location to receive the player scores from the wireless communications device and calculate player scores, wherein each player score is calculated according to points for a start value, a place finished value, an elimination value, a winner value and a bounty winner value and a storage device that stores the player scores. Embodiments may include one or more of the above features.  
         [0009]     In a further general aspect, a computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for processing by a computer includes a first code segment to calculate a player score for a poker game, the player score including a place finished value, a winner value and a bounty winner value, a second code segment to add the player score to a total score and a third code segment to compare the total score of each player to every other player. Embodiments may include one or more of the above features. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system diagram of a computer-implemented poker system at multiple physical locations.  
         [0011]      FIGS. 2-4  are screenshots from a wireless communication device used by a poker dealer.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  shows a method of calculating a player ranking.  
         [0013]      FIGS. 6-9  are screenshots of player rankings. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     The national poker challenge organizes poker games that are played in physical facilities at locations anywhere in the country or abroad. Each poker game is played live at one of several tables at each poker facility.  
         [0015]     League play is done without gambling any money. Instead, a statistical tracking system tracks each player to determine monthly and overall rankings of the players.  
         [0016]     Players sign up to play according to one of several subscription packages, such as, for example, an individual league pass or a sit-n-go league pass. When a player signs up for the individual league pass, the player is tracked for 10 games: 8 games of No Limit Texas Hold &#39;Em and 2 games of Omaha.  
         [0017]     A trained poker dealer runs the games at each facility. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the dealer is equipped with a wireless hand-held communications device, such as, for example, a personal digital assistant  110 .  
         [0018]     Each PDA  110  has a wireless communication link to a local server  120  at the poker facility. The local server  120  utilizes a telecommunications link, such as, for example, the Internet  130 , to communicate with a main server  140 .  
         [0019]     The main server  140  processes all game data and stores game statistics in a storage device  150 . A user terminal  160  allows the game supervisor to access game information and program and control the main server  140 .  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the wireless device  110  used by the dealer displays the layout of the poker facility. The dealer checks in each player at a numbered seat at one of the tables. Various types of check-in procedures may be used. In one embodiment, each player has a subscription card with a magnetic or bar code identification and the dealer scans the subscription card. In another embodiment, the dealer enters the player&#39;s name or subscription number.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , as each player is checked in, the player&#39;s data is transmitted from the main server  160  to the local server  120  and downloaded to the wireless device  110 . The player&#39;s image is displayed, thus, the dealer can verify the identity of the player. In addition, the dealer can access the data of each individual player as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0022]     Once the player&#39;s are checked in at each table, the dealer enters a command on the wireless device  110  to commence the game. The wireless device records the number of players in each game. At the conclusion of the game, the scores of each player are input to the wireless device  110 . The game scores are then sent to storage device to be added to the player&#39;s statistics.  
         [0023]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the raw scores are used to compute player scores and updated rankings. After the player&#39;s identity is verified in operation  510 , the player game scores are calculated in operation  520 . The game score is then added to the total score for each player in operation  530 . The player scores are compared to provide a player ranking in operation  540  and the player scores and rankings are stored in operation  550 .  
         [0024]     The statistical tracking program ranks the players according to criteria according to the game being played and the package that is purchased. In the Sit-N-Go league, players scores are calculated based on a sum of a start value, place finished value, games won value, bounty value, eliminations value and time played value, according to the following formulas: 
 
start value=1.65−(6*(11−(number of players in game)))/100; 
 
place finished value=(11−place number of finish in the game)/100; 
 
winner value=players in game*0.1; 
 
bounty value=number of bounties won/3; 
 
player time value=((total time of player in game)/60)/total time of game; and 
 
elimination value=number of players eliminated/15. 
 
         [0025]     In the Individual League Championship (ILC), ten games are played, include eight games of Texas Hold &#39;Em and two games of Omaha. The players scores in the ILC are calculated based on a start value, place finished value, winner value, bounties value and chip value according to the following formulas: 
 
start value=1.65−(6*(11−(number of players in game)))/100; 
 
place finished value=(11−place number of finish in the game)/100; 
 
winner value=players in game*0.1; 
 
bounty value=number of bounties won/7; and 
 
chip value=(1−(10−number of players)*0.05)*((net chip count+15000)/50000). 
 
         [0026]      FIGS. 6-9  show various individual and league statistics that are available for viewing by the league players. The players can access the statistics on a wireless device or a personal computer that is provided with access to the league database.  
         [0027]     While the present invention has been particularly described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it should be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that modifications in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.