Patent Publication Number: US-2009224479-A1

Title: Complementary game for games of chance

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present patent application claims the benefits of priority of commonly assigned Canadian Patent Application no. 2,598,933, entitled “Jeux de cartes” and filed at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office on Jul. 26, 2007. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to hazard games, and more particularly to a complementary game for hazard games. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There is a need for a complementary game which can be played during hazard games. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     A first object of the present invention is to allow a player to play a supplementary bet and choosing an option allowing different gain. 
     A second object of the present invention is to allow a player to play a supplementary bet, the gain depending of the option chosen, the amount of the supplementary bet and the combination of the player&#39;s hand. 
     Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the particularities of the present invention is that the player may play to a current hazard game and may also play to a complementary game during the current hazard game. The player may gain a supplementary amount for the complementary game even if he has lost the hand at the current hazard game. The complementary game of the present invention may be played with almost any hazard games, for example Black Jack or Bacarra. 
     The complementary game is directed towards a method of playing a complementary game during a hazard game and towards the physical device to play game itself. 
     The complementary game for hazard game comprises, in a preferred embodiment, an option grid and a payment table. During a hazard game, the player has the option to play to the complementary game by playing a supplementary amount of money, distinct from the basic amount played for the hazard game. The gain is indicated in the payment table, usually by a multiple of the amount played, depending of the option chosen from the option grid and the combination obtained by the player for the hazard game. 
     For the complementary game, the player has to choose one of the options presented in an option grid by the operator of the game (dealer or computer) and has to play a supplementary amount. The complementary game does not affect the current hazard game. The payment table indicates the possible gain depending of the option chosen by the player and depending of the combination obtained by the player. The combination may be, for a card game, a hand composed by FIGUREs (king, queen, jack) or a hand composed by one hand, for example. For a game like Russian roulette, the combination may be a color with an odd or even number, for example. 
     The option grid may be operated manually or electronically. The game may be played on a standard game table, on a computer or on a video game, for example. 
     For an electronic version of the game, the player may choose an option of the option grid by pushing on a button corresponding to the option he chooses. The option could also be entered by the dealer. If no option is chosen, the regular hazard game is played, without playing to the complementary game. If the option is chosen manually, it could be by writing the option on a physical medium, by placing a token or else on the option grid. 
     The complementary game of the present invention is not limited to a particular type of game. It is possible to play to this game with almost any card games in casino. The complementary game may be played with almost any hazard games wherein the game is played with different combination of elements (such as symbol, color, number, etc . . . ). The payment table may be adapted with the hazard game to be played with. 
     The complementary game may be played with a game played with only one player or with a plurality of players. 
     The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view of a game table displaying the complementary game of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of an option grid. 
         FIG. 3  shows an embodiment of the payment table. 
         FIG. 4  shows a table combining the option grid and the payment table. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic plan view of a game table comprising an electronic options grid. 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of a game table displaying the complementary game for hazard games of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A novel complementary game for hazard games will be described hereinafter. Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiment(s), it is to be understood that the embodiment(s) described herein are by way of example only and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby. 
       FIG. 1  shows a game table  150  wherein the complementary game may be played during a hazard game. There is a dealer  170  and a plurality of players  160 . In front of a player  160  there is an option grid  110 , a basic or initial bet  130  and a supplementary bet or amount  120 . The payment table  140  indicates what are the possible gains depending of the option chosen on the option grid  110  and of the combination of the player&#39;s hand. 
       FIG. 2  shows an option grid  200 . The first column  210  details the different options and the second column allows the player to indicate which option is chosen. The regular option  230  is chosen if the player do not want to participate or play to the complementary game. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a payment table  300 . The options are indicated in the row  310  and the winning combination in the column  330 . The gain is indicated in the portion  320  of the table  300 . For example, for a black jack game, if a player obtain a black jack (the sum of attributed values of the card is 21) compose by a king and an as of the same color, his supplementary bet will multiplied by six is he chose the option “+” or multiplied by nine if he chose the option “++”, as indicated by the payment table or payment rules  300 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a payment table  400 , the option grid being combined with the payment table. The column  410  indicates the possible options and the column  420  allows the player to indicate which option he chooses. He may indicate this by marking it or with a token or with any other means. The row  430  indicates the winning combination and the portion  440  of the table indicates the possible gains depending of the option chosen and of the combination obtained by a player. 
       FIG. 5  shows an electronic version of the option grid  510 . The first column  520  indicates what the possible options are and the second column  530  allows the player to indicate which option he chooses. To do so, the player pushes on one of the button of the column  530 . If the player does not choose an option before the game starts, no option is chosen by default and the player does not participate to the complementary game. 
     For the supplementary bet or amount of money played, the player may use tokens that are disposed separately from the basic bet for the hazard game. The amount played for the complementary game may also be entered electronically, for example, with the help of a keyboard. This may also be done with the help of a pair of button allowing to augment or diminish the bet. 
       FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of the present invention. On the table game  650  there is an option grid  610 , an initial bet  630  for the hazard game (for example black jack) and a supplementary bet  620  for the complementary game. The payment table  640  indicate what are the possible gains, as explained previously. 
     It is to be noted that the complementary game for hazard games presented herein is also suitable for hazard games played electronically, for example on computer or on video games (such as in casino). 
     While illustrative and presently preferred embodiment(s) of the invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.