Abstract:
A gaming apparatus and method are disclosed wherein a gaming surface having distinct betting locations is provided in order to assist in the play of a hybrid version of blackjack and poker games having a side bet. The gaming surface includes a main betting spot for the blackjack game and a separate raised betting platform for the side bet to keep the bets from being comingled. The side bet of the hybrid game is based on whether or not the dealer&#39;s hand is a qualifying poker hand. Multipliers and a progressive jackpot are used during the hybrid game to increase the potential winnings.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to casino style card games and more particularly to a method of playing a card game using a novel gaming surface and optionally, a novel random number generator. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Casinos are constantly searching for new and exciting card games to increase interest and draw larger crowds to play games. Similarly, players are often looking for different games to increase their skill set as well as increase their chances of winning. There are many well-known card games in the field of casino gaming. Among these card games are blackjack and poker, which are staples at almost every casino. The main objective during a game of blackjack, also referred to as “twenty-one,” is to first draw cards totaling twenty-one or as close to twenty-one as possible without exceeding twenty-one and then, to have a better total than that of the dealer. When more than one player is present in a game, each player is competing against the dealer in terms of reaching the number closest to twenty-one, rather than competing with each other. When a blackjack player and the dealer both obtain a total that does not exceed twenty-one, the person having the highest total of cards, with a total of twenty-one being the best hand, wins that round of betting. Anyone who draws a total greater than twenty-one “busts” and loses the game. When the dealer and the blackjack player end up with the same card total, a “push” is declared and neither party wins. During a game of blackjack, cards having values of two through ten count towards the twenty-one total at face value; jacks, queens, and kings count as having a value of ten; and aces can count as either having a value of one or eleven. Thus, the best hand to be dealt is a face card and an ace. In many casinos, this last hand automatically pays 3:2. 
         [0003]    Another popular casino card game is poker. During a game of poker, the ranking of the cards goes in numerical order from lowest to highest. For example, a combination of the lowest ranking cards that doesn&#39;t otherwise qualify as being special in some other way, such as being a flush or a straight, would be one of the worst hands during the game whereas some combination of an ace, king, queen, jack or ten would be one of the better hands, if not the best hand, during the game. Suit combinations, multiple cards of the same number and cards having consecutive numbers also contribute to the overall desirability of a hand. For example, if a particular hand included an ace, king, queen, jack and ten of the same suit, the hand would be quite stronger. 
         [0004]    Currently, there are a large number of different variations of poker. One of the most common types of poker is called five-card stud. The object of five-card stud is to make the best possible hand using the cards dealt to the player only. The player at a particular table having the best five-card hand, according to the hierarchy of poker hands, wins the wager against both the other players and the dealer. Another variation of poker is community card poker, or flop poker which shares some common traits with stud poker, but differs in the card-dealing portion of the game. In a game of community card poker, an incomplete hand of face-down cards, such as two, is dealt to each player and a certain number of face-up community cards are dealt to the center of the table. The players can then use their cards in addition to the community cards to assemble their best five card hand during the course of the game. 
         [0005]    During the course of play in certain casino games such as blackjack or poker, players sometimes have the option to place a side bet in addition to the initial wager (“ante”) and follow on bets placed in the original game of blackjack or poker. A side bet is any wager placed outside the confines of normal game play for whatever game is being played and usually has a separate and distinct set of rules. 
         [0006]    In a variety of casino card games, players sometimes also have the option to participate in a progressive jackpot. A progressive jackpot is a potential pool of winnings that increases with each round of play until someone wins that jackpot. The amount by which the progressive jackpot increases per game is typically predetermined by a casino. In relation to games played on an electronic machine in a casino, the progressive jackpot can be tied to the game play on a plurality of machines, which causes the jackpot to grow at a quicker rate due to the contribution of many players participating at the same time. 
         [0007]    Some players tend to favor games that allow for the placement of more than one bet during a single gaming round. However, when placing more than one bet in a single game, confusion can result if bets become mixed or players try to change a bet during the course of a game. When the initial wager and the side bet are placed in approximately the same location such as in a betting circle, it provides players with a greater incentive to manipulate a bet or cheat during the course of the game. Thus, there is a currently a need for a gaming apparatus that allows for placement of more than one bet and keeps bets separate when the bets are placed simultaneously at a single gaming table during the course of a game. Additionally, there is also a need for a fresh game that provides players with increased chances of winning during rounds of playing at a single gaming table. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an objective of the present invention to provide a gaming surface that assists in the play of casino card games having unique side bet options. It is another objective of the present invention to allow for the placement and segregation of more than one bet simultaneously in a single card game. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a practical way to separate and protect multiple bets during the course of a card game by providing designated betting spots for a main bet and a side bet. The present invention comprises a gaming surface to be used when playing a hybrid version of poker and blackjack combined into a single table game. The provided gaming surface comprises a gaming table or table cover having a specified location thereon for placement of a main bet, and an elevated betting platform for a side bet. The novel hybrid game played on the gaming surface comprises a main game of blackjack and a side bet based on the poker value of the dealer&#39;s hand depending on whether or not the dealer&#39;s hand is a qualifying poker hand. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a gaming apparatus designed to facilitate the implementation of various embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a gaming apparatus designed to facilitate the implementation of various embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a random number generator designed for use during play of the hybrid game. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the random number generator for use during play of the hybrid game. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The following detailed description is the best currently contemplated variety of modes for carrying out exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is defined most accurately by the claims. 
         [0014]    In order to best understand the several embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of the gaming surface is necessary.  FIGS. 1 and 2  depict a gaming surface  5 , which in embodiments, may take the form of a game board or a table cover that has at least one personal betting spot  10 , at least one raised betting platform  20 , at least one side bet pay table  30  and a chip tray  40 . The raised betting platform  20  is a platform that is higher in elevation than the rest of the table. In embodiments, it is raised a quarter of an inch, half an inch, and one inch above the gaming surface. Those of skill in the art will recognize, however, that there are many different elevations that will accomplish the goal of setting the raised betting platform apart from other betting areas. The platform my also be flat or concave or may even be formed like a cup in embodiments. 
         [0015]    With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the gaming surface  5  may be used when playing a hybrid version of blackjack and poker of the present invention, combined into a single game at a gaming table. In embodiments, the hybrid game to be played on the gaming surface  5  may comprise a main game of blackjack and a side bet based on the dealer&#39;s hand according to rules based on the game of poker. In embodiments, a qualifying poker hand might be any dealer hand having a pair of jacks or any combination of cards better than that according to the standard rules of poker. Players place side bets for the poker portion of the game on a raised betting platform  20  that segregates the bet from the blackjack bets and those side bets are either collected or paid by the dealer according to the rules of the game. 
         [0016]    Further explaining a preferred embodiment, the game is played according to the standard rules of blackjack until the dealer has completed his hand. In a typical game of blackjack, the dealer is prohibited from taking additional cards once the sum of 17 has been reached. If the dealer has drawn a sum greater than 21, on the other hand, the dealer has lost and the hand has been completed. During the blackjack game, the players place their bets in their respective primary betting spots  10 . Additionally, however, each player may have a separate raised betting platform  20  near his upon which the player may place a side bet based solely on the dealer&#39;s hand according to poker rules. In embodiments, the raised betting platform  20  may be at the two o′clock position in relation to a player&#39;s primary betting spot  10 , but those of skill in the art will realize it could be placed in many other clock positions. 
         [0017]    In embodiments, after all bets have been taken or paid for the blackjack game, the dealer uses his cards, including his bust card, if he has one, to determine whether or not he has a qualifying poker hand. To improve game flow, however, it will easily be seen that all bets for both games can be taken or paid after the completion of the poker portion instead. During the course of the game, the side bet pay table  30  for the qualifying poker hand may begin at any minimum hand according to standard poker rules. In embodiments, the qualifying poker hand may be “any pair” or higher, such as “jacks or better” meaning that the dealer must have at least a pair of jacks or a poker hand that is better than a pair of jacks in order for players to win. If the dealer&#39;s hand is a qualifying poker hand, the players who placed a side bet win according to the payouts listed on the pay table  30 . In an embodiment, the payouts may be paid according to the following pay table: 
         [0000]                                                Straight Flush (5 cards)   1000:1            Five of a Kind   400:1            Flush (5 cards)   200:1            Straight (5 cards)   80:1           Four of a Kind   40:1           Full House   30:1           Three of a Kind   20:1           Two Pair   10:1           Pair and Jack, Queen, King, or Ace    6:1                        
Those of skill in the art will recognize that other payouts are possible depending on the number of decks in play, whether the dealer hits on a “soft 17,” and the payout goals of the casino operator. In embodiments, the pay table is easily modified to have low, medium and high house edges as well as having high payouts and lower risk payouts.
 
         [0018]    Still with reference to a presently preferred embodiment, a maximum hand of five cards may be used to make up the dealer&#39;s hand for the poker portion of the game. If the dealer were to show seven cards as a result of the blackjack portion, only five of those cards could be used to make up the dealer&#39;s best possible poker hand. The number of cards in the dealers hand is determined by the dealer&#39;s blackjack hand only, although if the dealer busts, the card that took his total over twenty-one may still be used as part of the dealer&#39;s poker hand. If a dealer has straights or flushes, the dealer needs to have used five cards in his blackjack hand. A four card straight or flush are not valid poker hands; the dealer must use have used at least five cards for winning hands such as straight, flush or straight flush. Other winning poker hands, besides a full house, may be paid with fewer than five cards shown in the dealer&#39;s hand. If a side bet is made by a player and the dealer does not end up with a qualifying poker hand, as set forth in the side bet pay table  30  the player loses the side bet to the house and the hand is over. 
         [0019]    In embodiments, the king of diamonds (or “AxMan”) in the dealer&#39;s hand, may be wild for the side bet only. For example, the dealer&#39;s first two cards may be an AxMan and a seven. In such a case, the dealer may not necessarily be permitted to “hit” (take another card) as the house may require the dealer to stand (not take any additional cards) once the sum equals at least seventeen. The best poker hand possible for this example may be a pair of sevens with the AxMan wild card being converted to a seven. This hand may qualify as a poker hand when the pay table begins at “any pair.” In other embodiments, a pair of sevens may not qualify as a winning poker hand when the pay table begins at “jacks or better.” 
         [0020]    In another example, the dealer&#39;s first two cards may be a king of clubs and a two. According to blackjack rules, the dealer has twelve and may hit. If the dealer were to draw a two, an ace, and another two in succession, the dealer may be required to stop at seventeen and, after determining winners in the blackjack game, may determine a winning blackjack hand immediately thereafter. The dealer in this case would have three of a kind as his best poker hand. 
         [0021]    In another embodiment of the present invention, an AxMan card present in a player&#39;s first two cards may serve as a multiplier if an AxMan card was also present in the dealer&#39;s qualifying poker hand. In such an embodiment, a random number generator may be provided to determine the multiplier amount. In one embodiment, the random number generator may be a pop-o-matic bubble  400  configuration as seen in  FIG. 4 . In another embodiment, the random number generator may be a roulette wheel having a stem to serve as a spinner for the roulette wheel. In still another embodiment, the random number generator may take the shape of an object shaped like an axe  300 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . This hand-held axe  300  may optionally have a trigger  310  in a grip  320  of the ax that may be used to activate the random number generator embedded therein. Once this random number generator is activated, the multiplier may appear on the blade portion  330  of the axe. Alternatively, a random number generator may be located underneath the gaming table and may interact with a display screen located on the top of the gaming table. In still another alternative embodiment, a random number generator may be activated by a button on the table or on the having the shape of a king&#39;s crown or an axe. 
         [0022]    Once a player is determined to be entitled to a multiplier, the dealer may place a marker on top of a player&#39;s side bet wager sitting on the raised betting platform  20  to indicate that the player may use any one of the above-listed random number generators to obtain a multiplier. Alternatively, any multiplier amount may be located on the bottom of the marker, such as a 2×, 3×, 5× or 10× in order to indicate a player&#39;s increased winnings. In the event that a player may be dealt two AxMan cards on the first two cards, the player may have two multipliers, or two instances of using a random number generator to generate a summed random number that will be used as a multiplier for the player&#39;s winnings. By way of example, if the random number generator were to display a two and a five in the above-referenced situation where the player was dealt two AxMan cards, the player in this situation may be paid seven times (2+5) the amount paid for the dealer&#39;s side bet hand using poker rules. Alternatively, the AxMan card that is dealt to the player could simply be a doubler multiplier while a player receiving two AxMan cards on his blackjack hand would automatically have his winnings multiplied by five in the second portion of the game played by the rules of poker. 
         [0023]    In an additional alternative embodiment, the AxMan may include a bonus multiplier when the wild card AxMan is dealt as any one of the dealer&#39;s cards. In this embodiment, the bonus multiplier AxMan may be the face value of the dealer&#39;s third card. In still other embodiments, any AxMan in the dealer&#39;s hand may still be a wild card, but when the AxMan is dealt as the third card, that card may be both a wild card and a bonus multiplier. The dealer may then use a random number generator to determine a number between two and five. In one embodiment, if the number is a four, then any winning hand may have its payout multiplied by four. By way of example, if the dealer&#39;s first two cards are an eight of spades and an eight of hearts and the next card dealt is an AxMan wild card, the dealer&#39;s poker hand consists of three of a kind because the wild card is converted to an eight for purposes of the poker side bet. Staying with this embodiment, the wild card was the third card dealt, so the dealer uses a random number generator and may multiply any winnings by the number displayed on the random number generator. Alternatively, the player may be handed a random number generator, such as an axe, a pop-o-matic bubble or a spinner, for example, to activate in order to generate a multiplier factor personally. As discussed, the random number generator may take a number of different forms. 
         [0024]    In another alternative embodiment, the multiplier card may be any other card drawn from the deck: twos through nines may each be a 2× multiplier, tens through kings may each be a 3× multiplier, and aces may be a 5× multiplier. By way of example for this embodiment, a player may receive two AxMan cards for the first two cards whereby the winning payout is multiplied by ten. Where a player is alternatively dealt an AxMan and an eight of clubs and the dealer is dealt two queens, assuming the payout begins at “jacks or better,” the dealer may win the blackjack game with the two queens but because the dealer has a qualifying hand in the side bet poker game, the player&#39;s side bet winnings are multiplied by two due to an eight being the player&#39;s non-Axman second card. 
       Example Game Rules 
       [0025]    Without limiting the scope of the present invention, the following is a example implementation of the rules of the game of the present disclosure: Before any cards are dealt, any Blackjack player may make the AxMan side wager in a special betting spot, referred to herein as the raised betting platform  20 . Casinos may impose a maximum size for this bet in order to avoid overly large payouts. Play proceeds as usual in a Blackjack game, with the players&#39; cards dealt face up and the dealer beginning with one up card and one down card. The only differences are: 
         [0026]    1) if a player has made the AxMan side wager and his initial two cards include at least one King of Diamonds, the dealer places a marker on the player&#39;s AxMan wager indicating either a 2× multiplier (if the player had one King of Diamonds) or a 5× multiplier (if the player had two Kings of Diamonds). This allows the player&#39;s cards to be cleared if he busts without losing the information about his bonus multiplier. 
         [0027]    2) if all players surrender, bust, or get Blackjack, but at least one player has made the AxMan side wager, the dealer exposes his down card in order to settle the AxMan wager, unless the minimum winning poker hand as set forth on the pay table  30  is “jacks or better” and the dealer shows a non-face card, in which case exposure of the dealer&#39;s down card will be rendered unnecessary. 
         [0028]    After the dealer has drawn his cards, including his bust card if there is one, he forms the highest-ranking poker hand of at most 5 cards that he can, ranks following normal poker rules except as follows: 
         [0029]    1) Any King of Diamonds is a wild card 
         [0030]    2) If the dealer drew fewer than 5 cards, he may still form “one pair”, “two pairs”, “three of a kind”, or “four of a kind”, which have the same rank that a 5-card hand which contained them along with unrelated cards would have. 
         [0031]    3) 5-card flushes and 5-card straights outrank “four of a kind” hands and full houses 
         [0032]    4) Straight flushes outrank “five of a kind” hands, which outrank flushes. 
         [0033]    5) Only the highest rank counts: a dealer hand which contains 5 hearts and four of a kind or a full house (possible because of the use of multiple decks) only counts as a flush (because flushes outrank everything except a straight flush or five of a kind). 
         [0034]    In accordance with the particular knowledge of those skilled in the art, the methods of the present invention may involve use of a random number generator to determine a multiplier during the course of a game. Accordingly, methods of the present invention can be carried out using a variety of random number generators, including but not limited to, the random number generators described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,871,400, 6,193,607, and 8,512,125. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,607 discloses “an apparatus for generating random numbers in accordance with a first parameter defining the number of random numbers to be generated and one or more second parameters each defining the range of a random number to be generated” such as those used in games of chance such as poker, roulette, and slot machines, wherein “randomness is critically important to ensure proper payment of winnings.” In some embodiments of the present invention, the cards may be shuffled and dealt by way of a continuous shuffler. In other embodiments of the present invention, the cards may be shuffled and dealt by a dealer. 
         [0035]    In accordance with the particular knowledge of those skilled in the art, the methods of the present invention may be implemented at a live gaming table using the gaming surface or the methods may be implemented on any electronic or mechanical video-type gaming device similar to the general type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,377,973, 5,374,067, 5,382,025, 8,734,245, and 9,028,319. Furthermore, the methods disclosed herein may further be implemented in an app to be downloaded to a smartphone or other computing device typically found in the home or office, such as a Mac computer or a PC. In some embodiments of the present invention, the hands of the players and the dealer may both take the form of a virtual representation displayed on a video screen controlled by a microprocessor operating in accordance with an appropriate software program. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, configurations or variations listed above may be combined with one another to carry out methods of the present invention 
         [0036]    The various features and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the detailed specification. It is thus intended that the appended claims herein cover all features, advantages and embodiments of the invention and do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, because numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the particular art, it is not intended to limit the invention to the exact construction illustrated and described. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents can be resorted to which similarly fall within the scope of the invention.