Patent Publication Number: US-8109512-B2

Title: Card game

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to games based on a conventional deck of fifty-two playing cards, and more specifically to a card game similar to poker. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     The game of “Texas hold &#39;em” has become a very popular form of poker. The game begins by dealing two cards to each player, with players making initial and subsequent wagers in order to remain in the game. A series of five common cards are dealt sequentially, with players continuing to place wagers as the common cards are dealt in order to remain in the game. The best five-card combination comprising one or two cards from each player hand and either four or three cards selected from the five cards of the common hand wins the hand. 
     One problem with Texas hold &#39;em is that the game is limited to a relatively few live participants, due to the logistics involved in physically dealing cards to all players and the wagering system used in the game. In Texas hold &#39;em, several rounds of wagers are placed, with each player having to consider the wager or other action of the previous player in turn and either raise, check, call, or fold, as desired. It will be appreciated that in a game with a large number of players, the wagering system may become impossibly cumbersome. 
     As a result, computerized electronic variations of Texas hold &#39;em have been developed. In these computerized games, the players are not playing against one another, but rather play against the computer program and its randomly generated selection of card representations. The end result for a given player is generally the same, whether only a single player or a large number of players participates. Any wagers placed, and any winnings (or losses) are not necessarily dependent upon the number of other players participating, or their actions during a given hand, as in live play. Such computerized play is not suitable for use by relatively large groups of participants due to the lack of interaction between players in most such systems. Also, the cost and complexity of the computerized equipment required for play may be a limiting factor. 
     Another method of randomly selecting a winner from a group of participants is by means of the conventional raffle ticket, commonly used for the distribution of door prizes and similar awards at various events. Tickets for such activities are commonly printed as a roll of sequentially numbered ticket pairs, with the roll having two identically numbered tickets at each sequentially numbered position. Each participant receives one of the tickets from a given position on the roll, with the identically numbered ticket being placed into a common collection receptacle. While such a system readily determines a single winner from each drawing, there is no skill required on the part of the participants and the process is generally not particularly exciting or interesting for those involved. As a result, it has been known for at least some players to compare the numerical sequences of their tickets with one another, in order to determine a winning sequence (e.g., a pair, three of a kind, a straight, etc.), somewhat as in various games of poker. However, as there are no suits with such number sequences on tickets, this informal game is quite limited. 
     Thus, a card game solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     The card game is a poker-type game that may accommodate anywhere from a very few to a large number of participants. Each player is provided with a plurality of mutually distinct playing cards, preferably two cards or representations of cards. The values, i.e., the suits and ranks of these cards, comprising the player hands are unknown to each player before receipt. A series of cards, or representations of cards, is provided as a group of common cards for all players to use in forming an optimum poker hand. Each player or participant then selects some of the cards from the common cards to use in combination with his or her multiple card hand in order to form an optimum poker hand. The best hand comprising the cards of the player hand and selected common cards, wins the hand or round. Various means for breaking ties are also provided. 
     The card game is particularly suitable for selecting the winner of a drawing, door prize, or similar award at an event or gathering of people, although participants need not be gathered in a single location at any given time. A player card hand representation may be provided to each participant in the form of a preprinted article, the card representations being concealed until being revealed by the player, e.g., in the form of a “scratch-off” ticket, ticket with a peel-off cover, or even as actual cards contained within an envelope. The maximum number of player hands each having mutually distinct cards therein may be defined by the equation H=[1/X][C][C−1] . . . [C−(X−1)], where H is the maximum number of distinct player hands that may be generated, X is the number of cards in each player hand, and C is the number of distinct cards in the deck. 
     More specifically, the number of two-card player hands having distinct, separate cards in each hand is limited by the equation H=½C(C−1), where H is the maximum number of distinct two card player hands that may be generated, and C is the number of distinct cards in the deck. 
     While it is expected that a conventional 52-card deck, comprising four suits of thirteen cards each, would be used for the play of the card game, it will be seen that other decks may also be used, if desired. For example, a pinochle deck comprises 48 cards in four suits, with each suit having twelve cards of six different ranks from nine upward through the ace, there being two identically ranked and suited cards for each rank and suit. Thus, half of the deck may be discarded, with the game being played using the remaining twenty-four distinct cards. 
     One aspect of the card game is the provision for the elimination of duplicate cards, either individually in each player hand or in the collective hand comprising the two-card player hand and the selected community cards. As the community cards are provided independently of the individual cards of the player hands, there may be some duplication of exact suit and rank between one or more player cards and one or more community cards, with this possibility increasing with increasing numbers of players. Accordingly, one rule of the card game is that any cards held by the player that are identical to the community cards are considered to be null and void in the player hand, and are not used in the formation of the poker hand by that player. 
     When using a conventional fifty-two card deck with two cards (or representations) provided to each player, the maximum number of distinct player hands possible is ½(52)(51)=1326, in keeping with the H=½C(C−1) equation noted further above. Additional participants may be accommodated by providing additional rounds of play, or, alternatively, by providing additional cards in each player hand. As an example of this latter alternative, the number of three card player hands possible is ⅓(52)(51)(50)=44,200 distinct three card player hands without suit and rank duplication of cards in any hand. 
     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view representing a single five-card hand and the various two-card combinations of a card game according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary two-card hand representation as provided in a tear-open ticket for a card game according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary two-card hand representation as provided in a scratch-off ticket for a card game according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exemplary two-card hand representation as provided in an envelope for a card game according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing the basic steps in the method of play of the card game according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to various embodiments of a card game that combines aspects of the poker game of Texas hold &#39;em and raffle ticket procedures often held at various gatherings and functions. Rather than dealing individual card hands to the attendees at such a gathering, the card game issues cards or card representations in the form of a sealed “ticket” to each participant. The term “ticket” as used herein, is intended to describe an individual player hand of two or more playing cards or card representations, with those cards or representations initially concealed within a container, packet, envelope, or the like which the player may open to reveal the cards or card representations therein at an appropriate point during play. A single community hand comprising a series of cards or card representations is presented to the participants for them to use in combining their individual “ticket” cards to form multiple card poker hands. 
     The present card game is not limited to any specific number of cards or card representations in either the individual player hands or the community hand. However, it is preferred that each “ticket” or individual player hand contain two cards or card representations, and the community hand contain five cards or card representations. Such card representations may be in the form of preprinted indicia on a backing sheet for the individual “ticket” hands, or perhaps printed or otherwise displayed upon a large sheet (or even a video projection screen) for the community card hand. 
     The card game is limited by the number of card combinations available from the different ranked and suited cards in the card deck configuration used for the game and the number of cards used in each player hand. This maximum number of player hands may be defined generally by the equation H=[1/X][C][C−1] . . . [C−(X−1)], where H is the maximum number of distinct player hands which may be generated, X is the number of cards in each player hand, and C is the number of distinct, unduplicated cards in the deck. Preferably, the deck configuration used comprises a conventional poker deck having four suits each having thirteen cards, forming a 52-card deck. Preferably, each of the player hands contains only two cards or representations of cards available in the 52-card deck. In this example, the number of two card player hands having distinct, separate cards in each hand is limited by the equation H=½C(C−1), where H is the maximum number of distinct two card player hands which may be generated, and C is the number of distinct cards in the deck. Thus, for a 52 card deck and two card player hands, H=½(52)(52−1), =1326 possible different player hand combinations. This is represented by the series of individual player two card hands or tickets  1 ,  2 ,  3  . . .  1324 ,  1325 ,  1326  illustrated in  FIG. 1  of the drawings, with each hand or ticket containing two cards or card representations therein, e.g., cards  1   a ,  1   b  for the ticket  1 ,  1326   a ,  1326   b  for the ticket  1326 , etc. A community hand  10  containing five cards or card representations  10   a  through  10   e  is shown at the top of  FIG. 1 . 
     The game may be expanded readily to accommodate additional players by forming additional sets of player hands with a community hand for each set of player hands, as desired. If fewer than 1326 players or participants exist, the number of player hands may be reduced accordingly. It will be seen that there will always be at least one winning player regardless of how many or how few players there are in a round of play, as each player is competing against the other players in the round of play. This is unlike a raffle or lottery ticket scenario, in which the winner is determined by a single absolute number that must be matched. If no participant comes forth with the winning number, then no winner is determined for the round. 
       FIG. 2  of the drawings illustrates an exemplary player hand ticket  12  containing two card representations  14   a  and  14   b . These card representations may comprise actual playing cards sealed within the ticket  12 , or preprinted representations printed upon the backing sheet  16  of the ticket  12 . The ranks and suits of the cards  14   a ,  14   b  may also be noted textually within the ticket  12 , if so desired. An at least partially removable cover sheet  18  is sealed over the card representations  14   a ,  14   b  at the time the ticket  12  is presented to the player or participant, i.e., the player or participant cannot see or otherwise determine the ranks and suits of the two card representations contained within the ticket  12  at the time he or she receives the ticket. However, the cover sheet  18  may be readily opened or at least partially removed as shown in  FIG. 2 , when the player so desires or as directed when participating in the game. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an alternative ticket form or configuration  22 . The ticket  22  includes first and second card representations  24   a ,  24   b  printed on a backing sheet  26 , with an opaque “scratch-off” coating or covering  28  disposed thereover. This coating or covering  28  is shown partially removed in  FIG. 3 , to show portions of the two card representations  24   a  and  24   b.    
       FIG. 4  is an illustration of another alternative means for providing the two cards or card representations of a player hand to the players. In  FIG. 4 , an envelope  32  is used to contain the two card representations  34   a  and  34   b  therein. The card representations may be actual playing cards when such an envelope ticket  32  is used, but it is preferable to use preprinted card representations rather than sorting through e.g., 52 decks of cards to gather each of the two card combinations required for a complete set of player hand tickets. The player or participant need only open the closure flap  38  to access the cards or card representations  34   a ,  34   b  therein. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating the basic steps in the method of play of the card game. Initially, a series of multiple card (e.g., two cards or card representations) individual player or participant hands is formed, using the available card combinations found in a conventional 52 card deck. The maximum number of such two card combinations is 1326, once all duplicated two card combinations are removed. This first step is indicated as the initial step  100  in  FIG. 5 . Alternatively, an additional set or sets of such player or participant hands may be formed in the same manner, with the second (and any subsequent) set(s) comprising an independent game. This optional alternative of providing additional series is indicated by the optional second step  102  in  FIG. 5 . 
     The card game lends itself well to play as a wagering, lottery, or raffle type game or activity. Accordingly, players or participants may be required to purchase a ticket, e.g., one of the tickets  12 ,  22 , or  32  respectively of  FIG. 2 ,  3 , or  4 , containing a plurality of playing cards or card representations. The payment for a ticket (or tickets, if the issuance of more than one ticket per player is permitted by the operators of the game) may be considered as an initial wager or “ante,” to enter the game. This initial ticket purchase or wager is indicated as the third step  104  of the flow chart of  FIG. 5 . It should be noted that this step  104  is optional, as operation of the game as a wagering game or that the tickets be purchased is not an absolute requirement of the game. 
     The tickets are then issued to the players or participants in the form of concealed cards or card representations, as described further above and indicated generally by the fourth step  106  of  FIG. 5 . Players and participants cannot see or otherwise determine the suits and ranks of the cards or card representations when they are initially provided with their tickets, but may open their tickets at an appropriate time during play to expose and view their cards or representations. In the event that fewer than the maximum number of players are participating in the game, some fraction of the maximum number of player ticket card hands may be distributed in accordance with the number of players participating, as indicated by the optional fifth step  108  of  FIG. 5 . 
     At this point, a community or common card hand must be formed, if this has not been done earlier. The common or community card hand may be formed of five cards or card representations, or some other number if so desired. These community or common cards are displayed for all players or participants, either simultaneously or sequentially, in accordance with minor rule variations of the game. The formation of the community or common card hand and display of this community card hand to the players, is indicated respectively as the sixth and seventh steps  110  and  112  of  FIG. 5 . Optionally, the community cards may be displayed sequentially with players having the option of placing additional wagers on the outcome, or increasing their existing wager(s), or perhaps increasing their odds of attaining a winning card combination by purchasing additional player hand card tickets, if available. This optional sequential display of the community or common cards, and option for additional wagers or additional ticket purchases during play, is indicated as the optional eighth step  114  of  FIG. 5 . 
     At this point, the players may view the individual player cards or representations contained within their tickets, if they have not done so earlier. Depending upon the rules of the game, players typically may view the individual cards or representations of their tickets immediately or soon after receipt, if so desired. In any event, players must determine the ranks and suits of their individual ticket card representations by the time at least the first card of the community card group is revealed, so they may compare their cards with the community card(s) to form an optimum poker hand selected from their individual card tickets and the common hand. This is indicated by the ninth step  116  of  FIG. 5 . 
     It will be seen that on occasion, some of the cards or card representations of the individual player card tickets will be identical in suit and rank to one or more of the common cards. One rule of the game requires that when this occurs, any such identical cards between the player hand and the common hand (e.g., an ace of spades in the player hand and in the community hand) are canceled in the player hand, in accordance with play using a single conventional deck where none of the cards are identical to one another. This rule is indicated by the tenth step  118  of the flow chart of  FIG. 5 . 
     Players attempt to form optimum combination hands using the cards of their individual player ticket hands and the community hand, as noted further above and indicated in the ninth step  116  of  FIG. 5 . The various combination hands arrived at by the players are compared to determine a winning hand (or hands, in the case of ties), as indicated by the eleventh step  120  of  FIG. 5 . Where wagers have been placed in the game, the winning player is rewarded with a payoff in accordance with any house rules in effect. 
     It will be seen that from time to time there will be identically valued combination hands, resulting in ties. This becomes more likely with greater numbers of players. For example, two players may have straights with the same ranking cards, in different suits. As all suits are valued equally in poker, this results in a tie between the two player hands. The present card game provides various means for resolving such ties, or merely dividing any winnings between the tied players. 
     If it is desired that the tie be resolved, one means of doing so is by issuing each of the tied players a second individual card ticket. The tied players open these second tickets to view the cards or representations therein, and combine those new cards as desired to form a to new combination hand with the existing community hand. This procedure is indicated as the twelfth step  122  of  FIG. 5 . 
     Alternatively, a new community or common hand may be provided to resolve a tie. In this case, the tied players retain their original individual card hand tickets, and compare the cards or representations of their original tickets with the cards or representations of the new community cards to resolve the tie. This alternative is indicated as the thirteenth step  124  of  FIG. 5 . 
     Another alternative avoids the issuance of additional individual player hand tickets or community cards, and additional play. Rather, the payout (if any) is divided evenly between the tied players, as indicated by the optional fourteenth step  126  of  FIG. 5 . 
     In conclusion, the card game combines elements of the game of poker, particularly Texas hold &#39;em, with elements of raffle ticket drawing procedures. The game always provides at least one winner, as the winning hand is produced as a comparative activity between players, rather than as an absolute determination by the drawing of a number on a single raffle ticket. Yet, the game may be administered in much the same manner as a raffle drawing, with players or participants being issued one or more tickets having card or card representations therein for comparison to the community hand. The game thus provides a function much like that of raffle or lottery systems, while adding interest and excitement to the activity in the manner of a poker game. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.