Patent Publication Number: US-2004056420-A1

Title: Wildjack

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES  
       [0001] There are no applications related to this application filed in this or any foreign country.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002] Several version of blackjack have appeared in recent years. Most of them are about side wagers.  
       [0003] The invention relates to blackjack variant card games.  
       [0004] With the expansion of gaming and the increase in competition, casinos are striving to offer a wide variety of games.  
       [0005] The game is based on simple concepts and procedures that are readily understood by casual and regular players alike. In addition, the game allows players to use basic strategies that provide some degree of player control and that allow for heightened excitement. For the casino operators the game requires relatively low overhead to facilitate and monitor.  
       [0006] In an attempt to accommodate the desire for variety and the retentation of a significant blackjack presence, several blackjack variant fames have been introduced. These games include multiple action blackjack, face-up 21, and royal match. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,917. Although blackjack variants typically provide additional waging options, these games tend to either negatively alter the flow of the blackjack game or add very little game dynamics  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] The present invention is directed to a method playing blackjack with a wild card that satisfies the above needs, and which is adapted for use with money, gaming chips and/or credits. The method of playing blackjack with a wild card of the present invention provides some or all of the following steps, which are provided in addition to the regular rules of play of the game of blackjack, which may involve one or more players playing against a dealer.  
       [0008] (A) Providing a platform for playing blackjack, wherein the platform is typically a blackjack table or a video gaming device. The platform defines at least one playing position.  
       [0009] The dealer dealing each of the at least one players a hand of two cards, wherein the first and second cards are both placed face up, and the dealer dealing the dealer a hand of two cards, a first card being placed face up and a second card being placed face down.  
       [0010] If the dealers face up card is deuce (wildcard), the players can not buy insurance.  
       [0011] Or, if the players cards are deuce and ace or ten (“Wildjack”), players win the hand and gets paid 3 to 2. Example: ace and deuce, ten and deuce, king and deuce, queen and deuce, and jack and deuce.  
       [0012] Or, if the player&#39;s cards are ranked the same and player wants to split them. Player can split any equal ranked cards. Example: pair of nines, pair of eights, pair of sevens, pair of five, pair of fours, pair of threes, pair of aces, ten and jack, ten and king, ten and queen, jack and queen, jack &amp; king, queen &amp; king, or any pair of kings, queens, jacks, and tens.  
       [0013] Or, if the player&#39;s cards are pair of deuces: (A) pair of deuces is not a “Wildjack” (B) when a player splits pair of deuces; player gets one card on each deuce: (C) player can not double down on pair of deuces.  
       [0014] It is therefore a primary advantage of the present invention to provide a novel method of playing blackjack with a wild card which increases player interest.  
       [0015] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel method of playing blackjack with a wild card which will aid the house or video gaming device owner to increase revenue with little additional capital investment.  
       [0016] Another advantage of the present invention is it can be played with single or multiple decks.  
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0017] Predominate feature of the invention is that casino embodiments of invention do not require additional space or tables to practice the invention; rather the invention can be practiced with existing tables.  
     [0018] If the dealers face up card is a wild card which in this case is a deuce the player does not have the option to buy an insurance, where in regular blackjack buying insurance for an ace was acceptable.  
     [0019] However when the player gets a “wild card” and an ace, ten or a face card the player will automatically win the hand and get a payoff of 3 to 2. The wild card here would be a deuce. Wild card can be any card the operator (casinos) desires.  
     [0020] The player can split any equal ranked cards. When the player splits pair of wild cards the player gets one card for each wild card.  
     [0021] If the player makes a “Wildjack” after splitting cards it counts as a regular 21 and does not get paid as a “Wildjack”.  
     [0022] Splitting aces is allowed and the player can get as many cards as they want. Ace can count as one or eleven on any hand.  
     [0023] Tens and face cards are ranked the same; they can be split in any combination.  
     [0024] Players can double down on any combination of first two cards, except the “Wildjack” and a pair of wild cards.  
     [0025] The dealer must hit on soft seventeen. For example, 3+3+2, 6+2, 5+ace+ace, 3+3+ace, 3+ace+ace+ace+ace, 4+ace+ace+ace.  
     [0026] The dealer must stand on soft eighteen, nineteen and twenty. For example, 3+4+2, 4+4+2, 4+5+2, 7+2, 8+2 and 9+2.  
     [0027] In the above mentioned examples deuce (2) is the wild card and counts as 11  
     [0028] If the dealers cards add up to be ten for example, 3+3+4, 4+6, 5+5, and he deals himself a wild card the dealers hand becomes twenty one.  
     [0029] If the dealers cards add up to be eleven for example, 3+3+5, 3+4+4, 4+7, 5+6 and he deals himself a wild card the dealers hand becomes twenty one.  
     [0030] If the dealer&#39;s cards add up to be twelve and he deals himself a wild card the dealers hand becomes twenty one. For example, 7+5+2 is 21.  
     [0031] If the dealer&#39;s cards add up to be thirteen and he deals himself a wild card the dealers hand becomes twenty one. For example, 6+4+3+2 is 21.  
     [0032] If the dealer&#39;s cards add up to be fourteen and he deals himself a wild card the dealers hand becomes twenty one. For example, 5+6+3+2 is 21.  
     [0033] If the dealer&#39;s cards add up to be fifteen and he deals himself a wild card the dealers hand becomes twenty one. For example, 7+8+2 is 21.  
     [0034] If the dealer&#39;s cards add up to be sixteen and he deals himself a wild card the dealers hand becomes twenty one. For example, 9+4+3+2 is 21.  
     [0035] If the dealer&#39;s cards add up to be soft seventeen and he deals himself a wild card the dealers hand becomes twenty one. For example, 3+3+ace+2 is 21.  
     [0036] In the above mentioned examples deuce (2) is the wild card and it can be any card.  
     [0037] The present invention is directed to a method playing blackjack with a wild card that satisfies the above needs, and which is adapted for use with money, gaming chips and/or credits. The method of playing blackjack with a wild card of the present invention provides some or all of the following steps, which are provided in addition to the regular rules of play of the game of blackjack, which may involve one or more players playing against a dealer.  
     [0038] (A) Providing a platform for playing blackjack, wherein the platform is typically a blackjack table or a video gaming device. The platform defines at least one playing position.  
     [0039] The dealer dealing each of the at least one players a hand of two cards, wherein the first and second cards are both placed face up, and the dealer dealing the dealer a hand of two cards, a first card being placed face up and a second card being placed face down.  
     [0040] The previously described versions of the present invention have many advantages, including a primary advantage of providing a novel method of playing blackjack with a wild card which increases player interest.  
     [0041] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel method of playing blackjack with wild cards, which will aid the house or video gaming device owner to increase revenue with little additional capital investment.  
     [0042] The invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified.  
     [0043] Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail and with reference to certain preferred versions, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions disclosed.  
     [0044] In compliance with the U.S. Patent Laws, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to methodical features. The invention is not, however, limited to the specific features described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.