Abstract:
The present invention comprises systems and methods of playing a card game as well as decks of playing cards that are particularly adapted for playing the card game. Features of the card game have similarities in many respects to “Rummy” types of games, and in particular the present invention is scored with an adverse scoring system and utilizes melding runs and sets of cards as a major aspect of its play. In the present invention, the play involves assigning melds to others, so that the scores of these melds are added to the score of the player(s) to which they are assigned. Additional aspects of the card game system and method provide opportunities to modify these assigned card melds, and differing embodiments incorporate various permutations of other game play attributes that diversify both the present invention&#39;s tactical and strategic game play options.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates generally to systems and methods of card games and computer simulations thereof, and more specifically to card games with novel offensive melding, novel specialty card functions, and additional novel play and scoring features. 
         [0005]    2. Related Art 
         [0006]    Card games have an extensive and venerable history as entertainment activities, and still remain a vital source of entertainment, as evinced by the popularity of computer mediated simulations of card games. In fact, their lengthy ongoing popularity can even be an impediment to their continued enjoyment by some one time enthusiasts due to protracted exposure since childhood leading to diminished later interest. The prolonged history of card games has also led to the development of vast numbers and varieties of different methods of playing card games, which have also contributed to difficulties in engendering new levels of interest in new forms of card games (aside from interest generated by gambling related games.) Among the challenges to introducing a new game are the competing aspirations to provide novel game play that will garner interest due, at least in part, to its novelty while also not inhibiting adoption of the game due to its lack of familiarity. At least one potentially efficacious approach to navigating these opposing objectives is to develop a new card game that incorporates certain familiar aspects of known card games, to avoid a steep learning curve for beginners, while also providing substantial new play aspects and depths of strategies to reward both initially embracing and continuing pursuit of the new card game. 
         [0007]    Among the more popular and enduring of types of card games are those that can be termed as members of the Rummy family of games. Many games of this and related types have achieved significant levels of popularity including Gin Rummy, Rummy, Canasta, Pinochle Rummy, Mah Jongg, Knock Rummy, Contract Rummy, and many others. Most of these games are played with decks that include a plurality of suits that each include a number of cards of differing ranks, for example what has become the standard deck of playing cards in the United States has four suits: spades, clubs, hearts, and diamonds; and each suit has thirteen cards of the usual ranks of 2 through 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace. Most of the rummy type games are playable with these standard decks, or multiple numbers of these decks combined, as well as being adaptable to variations of these decks. A general feature common to several, if not most, of these games is a tactic of forming melds of cards. Usually, a meld is a grouping of at least three cards that are related in one of two ways. The first way of forming a meld is termed a set which consists of cards of the same rank from differing suits. The number of cards in a set is generally limited to the total number of suits used in the game. The second way of forming a meld is termed a run which consists of cards of consecutive rank, often restricted to only cards of the same suit. In some games, the Ace can be taken to be either of the lowest or highest rank, at the player&#39;s discretion, while in other games the Ace is always the highest ranking card. 
         [0008]    A large number of the Rummy type games are scored with an adverse scoring system wherein the object of the game is to avoid scoring, since lower scores win over higher scores. These Rummy type games generally involve dealing a number of hands that are played out until one of the players of the game finishes a turn of play with no more cards in hand, termed going out, at which point the scores are assessed for that hand. Generally, a game will consist of a number of hands and the winner is determined by summing the scores of the individual hands. A frequent scoring attribute is to assign point values to individual card ranks and assessing those points to each player at the end of the hand in accordance with the point values of the cards remaining in their respective hands. Players often receive cards from the initial deal and when drawing cards in their respective turns of play. Regularly, the players&#39; primary manner of reducing the cards in their hands is by forming and then laying down melds of cards, so that the melded cards will no longer be added to their scores. Some games, such as Canasta, will award points for melds, and in those games a favorable scoring system is used wherein the object of the game is to achieve the highest score, rather than the lowest. In either adverse or favorable scoring systems, players generally only meld cards to affect their own scores, and do not use melding to directly impact the scores of their opponents. While the Rummy types of games have proven to have substantial entertainment value, they are also so ubiquitous that most experienced players do not find much novelty in them and will enjoy opportunities to explore fresher and more diverse forms of card game play. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present “Gotcha” card game invention has aspects of its game play that are similar to game play aspects shared by the Rummy family of card games. The present invention utilizes a deck having a plurality of suits that each contain a number of cards of differing rank. Though the present invention can be played with a standard deck having four suits as well as other decks having differing numbers of suits, it has been found that one particularly beneficial embodiment of the present invention utilizes a deck with six suits that are generally distinguishable by color, such as red, blue, green, orange, brown, and purple. And while the present invention can be played with decks having a wide variety of numbers of differing rank cards per suit, the standard assortment of ranks  2 - 10 , Jack, Queen, King, and Ace have also been found to be a beneficial embodiment. The cards are configured with all having one generic side that is not indicative of the suit or rank or other attributes of a particular card, while the other side has indicia that do indicate that card&#39;s attributes. The cards are shuffled together with only the generic side showing, i.e. they are disposed face down, to form the stock and are then dealt in order to the players. Depending on the size of the deck being used there may be some concomitant limitations on the number of players that can effectively play the game at once, but there is no limit in principle, and one particularly advantageous embodiment having six suits and thirteen cards per suit has been found to work well when six players are playing the game. The initial deal distributes a given number of cards to each player, for example seven cards in one embodiment, after which the next uppermost card remaining in the stock is overturned to from a discard pile. Alternatively, both the first and second uppermost remaining cards may be overturned to form two discard piles. In many embodiments, the game is expected to be played with the players each playing as individuals, but almost all of the embodiments are adaptable to being played by teams, with appropriate modifications, and sometimes with supplementary variations in play and/or scoring that take advantage of team related capabilities. 
         [0010]    Among the aspects of the play of the present invention that are comparable to those of many of the Rummy games are the use of an adverse scoring system, in which the objective is to have the lowest score, and the forming of melds as a key tactic employed during play. The play generally proceeds in turns among the players, with the player to the left of the dealer often having the initial turn, and the turn to play then proceeding among the players. The adverse scoring system is based on the principle of accountable cards, wherein each player is assessed the total score for their accountable cards at the end of a hand of play. A hand of play generally commences with the deal and ends when one player is able to eliminate all of the cards in their hand. Embodiments of the present invention can also be alternatively played by requiring a player going out to eliminate all of the cards in their hand by laying them down in melds, or by requiring the going out player to eliminate all but one card that is then placed on one of the discard piles to be able to go out. One of the principal playing tactics of the game according to the present invention is a novel manner of playing melds. As described, Rummy type games generally involve melding that works in the melding player&#39;s favor by reducing the number of adverse point scoring cards in hand that they are potentially accountable for, and may also be favorable by scoring points for the melding player according to the cards that are melded. Neither of these tactics directly impacts the scores of the other players in the game. The present invention&#39;s novel tactic is for players to effect melding in an attacking manner by assigning their melds to another player, or, when the game is played in teams, by assigning their melds to a player on another team. The composition of these melds can vary among the embodiments of the present invention, but are generally at least one of runs and sets, runs being at least three cards of consecutive rank that commonly are restricted to being all of the same suit and sets being at least three cards of the same rank, and regularly can be both runs and sets. The assigning action entails laying down the card meld against another player, usually by placing them before the another player. The assigning action thereby effects two benefits for the melding player by both reducing the cards in hand that the melding player is accountable for the scores of, and by increasing the card scores that the opposing player to whom the meld is assigned to is accountable for. 
         [0011]    Additional aspects of the present invention&#39;s game play include the employment of wild cards termed ‘Gotcha’ cards, and the addition of at least two command cards termed Draw cards and Takeaway cards. The inclusion of these additional cards, either singly or in various combinations, are features of optional alternative embodiments of the present invention. The wild ‘Gotcha’ cards operate in a conventional wild card fashion, although their capacity to form melds can be restricted in certain embodiments of the present invention. Among the principal restrictions on the use of Gotcha cards in some embodiments of the present invention are those that limit how they can be employed to form melds. One representative restriction is limiting three card melds to having only one Gotcha card with two natural (i.e. non-wild) cards, limiting five card melds to having only two Gotcha cards with three natural cards, and limiting seven card melds to having only three Gotcha cards with four natural cards. The Draw cards operate by compelling the recipient to draw the number of cards they specify in addition to the normal single card draw at the start of the recipient&#39;s turn. The Takeaway cards operate by providing the ability to consign, from among the cards in the melds assigned to the player with the Takeaway card, the number of cards they specify to a non-accountable status so that that player&#39;s score will not have the taken away cards added to it. Whether in hand, or played against an assigned meld, the point values of the Draw and Takeaway cards can be added to that player&#39;s score, or optionally, a Takeaway card, when played against an assigned meld, can be considered to be non-scoring in various embodiments. A variety of scoring options are employable with the present card game invention, though one embodiments&#39; system of scoring 5 points for any 2-9; 10 points for each 10, Jack, Queen, King, 15 points for each Ace, and 20 points for each Gotcha card has been found to be of substantial benefit. This base embodiment has first and second principal variants with either 90 total cards or 102 total cards, respectively. In addition to the six suits of thirteen cards each, six Gotcha cards, and six Draw cards (usually including two each of the Draw  1 , Draw  2 , and Draw  3  cards) for a total of 90 cards in both variants, the second variant is generally constituted with an additional 12 cards. The composition of the second variant&#39;s 12 additional cards have at least two principal alternative options. The first composition option includes an additional six “1” cards, one per suit, that function as the lowest ranking cards in a suit (which concomitantly also limit the Ace cards to only serving as the highest ranking card in a suit) and six Takeaway cards, usually consisting of two each of Takeaway 1, 2, and 3; while the second composition option includes only an additional 12 Takeaway cards (usually including six each of Takeaway 1 and Takeaway 2 cards, one per suit). Further embodiments of the present invention may include differing numbers of Draw cards and differing numbers of cards that they specify, as well as differing numbers of Takeaway cards and differing numbers of cards they specify, such as adding a Takeaway 4 card. Further alternative variations can also include restrictions on the Takeaway cards, such as specifying on their indicia display side a limited number of suit colors that an individual Takeaway card is applicable to, for example a given Takeaway 2 card may indicate that it only applies to the red, blue, and green suits, while the other Takeaway 2 card would indicate that it only applies to the other three suit colors. 
         [0012]    Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts an indicia display side of a Gotcha wild card according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  depicts an indicia display side of a Takeaway card according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  depicts an indicia display side of a Draw card according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  depicts an indicia display side of a rank  2  card according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  depicts an indicia display side of a rank  10  card according to the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  depicts an indicia display side of a Gotcha wild card according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  depicts a generic display side of a playing card according to the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  depicts a representative deal arrangement of a game according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    In the following description, identical numbers indicate identical elements. Where an element has been described in one Figure, and is unaltered in detail or relation in any other Figure, said element description applies to all Figures. 
         [0022]    Playing cards according to the game of the present invention are generally configured in a standard fashion wherein they are generally two-dimensional in layout and have one side that is generic and consistent for all of the cards and a second side that is specifically indicative of the rand and suit, if applicable, and type of card. Among other ways, the present invention can be played in person with physical cards, or can be played utilizing an electronically mediated interface such as a computer monitor wherein at least one of some of the cards or at least one of some of the players are represented by virtual images that simulate a card or player. In any case, certain forms of indicia that indicate certain amounts of information about the card and its place in the deck will be depicted for inspection when in use in the game. The present invention is depicted as it would be configured for seeing participants, but it can also be readily adapted with the appropriate Braille indicia or other indicators that can be perceived by the participants. Likewise, when a participant does not read English, the cards according to the present invention can be readily adapted to present their respective indicia in an appropriate translation to a language that can be understood by the non-English speaking participant. Card games according to the present invention can be played in any of these manners, whether any of the cards or players are physical or simulated, whether the cards&#39; indicia are characterized in English, another language, Braille, or are arranged to provide the information usually encoded in the visual indicia via at least one other sense such as auditory of tactile representations, all of these alternative permutations fall within the scope of the present invention and should be understood to be known variations of the various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a wild card indicia display side  110  of a playing card according to a first and additional embodiments of the present invention. The wild card indicia display side  110  has a first uniform background  112  and a relatively centrally located ‘Gotcha’ indicia  114  which indicates that this particular card functions as a wild card during the play of card games according to the present invention. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows a takeaway card indicia display side  210  of a command playing card according to a second and additional embodiments of the present invention. The takeaway card indicia display side  210  has a primary takeaway card type indicia  212  and a secondary card number specifying indicia  214  (indicating two cards in this representation) superimposed on the first uniform background  112 . An optional suit restricting indicia  216  can also be displayed on the first uniform background  112 . The optional suit restricting indicia restricts the Takeaway card to being applicable only to cards of the suit(s) it identifies. The suit restricting indicia can also include differing numbers of suits, as well as differing individual suits or combinations of suits. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows a draw card indicia display side  310  of a command playing card according to a number of embodiments of the present invention. The draw card indicia display side  310  has a primary draw card type indicia  312  and a secondary card number specifying indicia  314  (indicating three cards in this representation) superimposed on the first uniform background  112 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows a rank  2  card indicia display side  410  of a suit playing card according to the present invention. The rank  2  suit card indicia display side  410  has a pair of first upward direction oriented rank  2  indicating corner numerals  414  disposed in the general vicinity of a first short edge of the suit card. The rank  2  suit card indicia display side  410  also has a pair of first downward direction oriented rank  2  indicating corner numerals  416  disposed in the general vicinity of a second short edge of the suit card. A rank  2  indicating central numeral  418  is oriented so as to distinguish, by its orientation, which of the two short sides of the playing card is the first side that has similarly oriented corner numerals  414 , and which is the second short side that has corner numerals  416  that are oppositely oriented. Like prior playing cards, the corner numerals are oppositely oriented so as to enable a player to readily identify the rank of the card regardless of which short side of the card is held upward. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows a rank  10  card indicia display side  510  of a suit playing card according to the present invention. The rank  10  suit card indicia display side  510  has a pair of first upward direction oriented rank  10  indicating corner numerals  512  disposed in the general vicinity of a first short edge of the suit card. The rank  10  suit card indicia display side  510  also has a pair of first downward direction oriented rank  10  indicating corner numerals  514  disposed in the general vicinity of a second short edge of the suit card. A rank  10  indicating central numeral  516  is oriented so as to distinguish, by its orientation, which of the two short sides of the playing card is the first side that has similarly oriented corner numerals  512 , and which is the second short side that has corner numerals  514  that are oppositely oriented. Like prior art playing cards, the corner numerals are oppositely oriented so as to enable a player to readily identify the rank of the card regardless of which short side of the card is held upward. 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  shows a rank Queen card indicia display side  610  of a suit playing card according to the present invention. The rank Queen suit card indicia display side  610  has a pair of first upward direction oriented rank Queen indicating corner numerals  612  disposed in the general vicinity of a first short edge of the suit card. The rank Queen suit card indicia display side  610  also has a pair of first downward direction oriented rank Queen indicating corner numerals  614  disposed in the general vicinity of a second short edge of the suit card. A rank Queen indicating central numeral  616  is oriented so as to distinguish, by its orientation, which of the two short sides of the playing card is the first side that has similarly oriented corner numerals  612 , and which is the second short side that has corner numerals  614  that are oppositely oriented. Like prior art playing cards, the corner numerals are oppositely oriented so as to enable a player to readily identify the rank of the card regardless of which short side of the card is held upward. 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows a generic display side  710  of the playing cards according to the present invention. The generic display side  710  is opposite the indicia display sides and is identical for all of the cards in the deck. A generic display side has a second uniform background  712  of a dark solid color or pattern, such as black. Superimposed over the second uniform background  712  is a ‘Gotcha’ graphic  714 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 8  shows a representative initial deal arrangement  810  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Each of the players  812   a - f  receive seven cards dealt with their indicia display sides downward and their generic display sides  710  upward. Following the initial deal, a first discard pile forming card  814  is drawn from the top of the remaining stock  816  of cards, and optionally a second discard pile forming card  818  can also be overturned to form a second discard pile. Of course, it is readily apparent that a wide range of varieties of deals can also be utilized when playing the present invention, and it should be understood that all of these variations fall within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0031]    The scope of the present invention is adaptable to a virtually unlimited variety of card games in addition to the embodiments delineated herein, with the principal limitations on the present invention&#39;s scope being that the game utilize some form of adverse scoring, at least in part, and that the game involve at least a form of melding. A further appreciation of the characteristics and manner of play of card games according to the present invention can be gained from an inspection of the rules of the first and second embodiments, which are a couple of the foremost embodiments of the present invention. Consequently, an exposition of the rules follows, with the rules delineated applying to both the first and the second embodiments, except for those aspects that are expressly identified as differences between the two. 
         [0032]    The ‘Gotcha’ card game according to the present invention is generally played with between two and  6  players, that can all be present or at least some can be remotely located or virtually represented. A deck of 90 cards for the first embodiment or 102 cards for the second embodiment is used, having two major types of cards. The first type are the standard suit cards, generally involving six suits, each of which commonly contain the standard thirteen cards: 2-10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace; and further include six ‘Gotcha’ wild cards. The second type of cards are command cards that include Draw cards that compel the recipient to draw the number of cards they specify in addition to their usual one card draw on their next turn; and in the second embodiment also include Takeaway cards that enable a player that holds them to consign, i.e. takeaway, cards from a meld that has been assigned to them so that they are no longer accountable for the cards they have consigned. Generally, a deck will contain two each of command cards specifying one, two, or three cards to Draw or Takeaway (in the case of the second embodiment). 
         [0033]    The objective of the game is to cause the other players to be accountable for as many cards scoring as many points as possible. When a player reaches 1000 points at the end of a hand the game is over, the scores of all the hands for all the players are totaled, and the player with the lowest score wins. The game is started by identifying a dealer who shuffles the cards. The dealer passes out  7  cards to each player starting with the player to the dealer&#39;s left and moving in a clockwise direction. The remaining cards in the deck from the stock and are centrally placed in a face down disposition to form the stock. The top two cards from the stock are placed indicia displaying side face up on both sides of the stock to form two discard piles. The game starts with the player to the left of the dealer drawing one card, as will be drawn each subsequent turn for each player. (If either card that is face up on a discard pile after the deal is a draw card, the player must draw the number of cards it specifies plus their standard one card.) 
         [0034]    The play proceeds about the group of players in a series of turns with a major aim of the play being for each player to assign melds of cards, or to assign cards that extend existing melds, to their opposing players (or teams). Melds can be formed of sets of 3 or more cards of the same rank or runs of 3 or more cards of consecutive rank of the same suit (i.e. color). One Gotcha wild card can be played in a meld if that meld contains only two natural cards, two Gotcha wild card can be played in a meld if that meld contains only 3 natural cards, and 3 Gotcha wild cards can be played in a meld if that meld contains only 4 natural cards. The Gotcha wild card can be played anywhere in a run or set. As many draw cards can be played as wanted during a turn. In the second embodiment, the Takeaway cards that specify a number of 1, 2, or 3 cards can be used to consign to non-accountable status (i.e. non-scoring) that number of cards from the cards in the melds that have been assigned to a player. During their turn, players can add one or more cards to extend any opposing player&#39;s assigned runs or sets, no matter to whom the meld being extended is assigned to. In a turn, a player may lay down as many runs or sets, draw cards, takeaway cards, and/or wild cards as they are able. When the player has made all the plays they are capable of and choose to effect, they must lay a card from their hand on either discard pile, and the next person&#39;s turn commences. When discarding on either discard pile, it may be able to choose to lay the card on a discard pile that forms a set or run of three with the immediately preceding two cards on that discard pile. When such a discard run is formed, the player next in turn must pick up (only) those three cards and assign them to themselves. A player receiving a draw card from the preceding player while a hand is still being played (i.e. the previous player did not go out on their turn) must draw the number of cars specified in addition to their usual one card draw to commence their turn. 
         [0035]    When a player can lay down all the cards in their hand, they have “gone out” and must say “Gotcha” as they do (either of the first or second embodiments can be alternatively played by requiring, or not, that a player can go out without also laying down a discard). If a player going out does not declare “Gotcha” and another player identifies the lack of a declaration, the going out player is compelled to it draw two cards from the stock and the game resumes. If the stock of cards runs out, the hand is over at the end of that turn and the scores are assessed. 
         [0036]    The cards are assessed scores by the following legend: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Ranks 1 through 9 = 
                 5 
                 points 
               
               
                   
                 Ranks 10, J, Q, K = 
                 10 
                 points 
               
               
                   
                 Rank Ace = 
                 15 
                 points 
               
               
                   
                 Gotcha wild cards = 
                 20 
                 points 
               
               
                   
                 Draw cards = 
                 5 
                 points 
               
               
                   
                 Takeaway cards = 
                 5 
                 points 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0037]    At the end of each hand, every card remaining in each player&#39;s hand and those assigned to them comprise that player&#39;s accountable cards and their aggregate scores are determined and added to that player&#39;s total score. The total scores are compiled at the end of each hand until a player reaches 1000 points that signifies the end of the game. The player with the lowest total score at that time is the winner. When the game is being played in teams, the winning team ca be determined according to their sum total score, or according to which team has the player with the fewest points of all the teams to determine the winner. Additional natural variations of the rules, which are well known to those of skill in the art of adapting games for team play, will provide beneficial team play and are also encompassed within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0038]    In view of the above, it will be seen that the various objects and features of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained. The examples contained herein are merely illustrative and are not intended in a limiting sense.