Patent Publication Number: US-2005143157-A1

Title: Electronic card game and method of playing an electronic card game

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/532,392, filed Dec. 24, 2003, entitled “Electronic Card Game and Method of Playing an Electronic Card Game.” 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to an electronic card game and method of playing an electronic card game, and more particularly, to an electronic blackjack variation card game and method of playing an electronic blackjack variation card game in a gaming machine that allows a player to wager.  
      Electronic card games such as blackjack variation card games for computers and touchscreen or other types of amusement devices are generally well known in the art. New variations of games which are more fast-paced and require the player to strategize about a selected card are currently sought after. One prior art game, such as Run 21®, commercially available from Merit Industries, Inc., Bensalem, Pa., includes five separate “hands” or card receiving zones playable by a single player. A shoe of cards having one or more decks is located at the top of the screen or playing area with the top card turned face-up. The object of the Run 21 game is to form as many winning hands out of the five separate hands by directing the top card from the shoe of cards to each hand. More points are earned for getting blackjack in each hand. The player continues to turn over shoe cards until all five hands are one of blackjack, over twenty-one (“bust”), or sufficiently high enough for the player&#39;s preference. Bonus points are scored for completing the five hands quickly based on a timer.  
      Another, similar electronic blackjack variation which is available on the world wide web is 21 For Fun® commercially available from Lazer-Tron Corporation, Pleasanton, Calif. The object of 21 For Fun is also to stack the cards as fast as possible in five separate columns (hands) and get the totals as close to twenty-one as possible without going over twenty-one. Aces count as one or eleven. The maximum number of cards per hand is five. There are three “rounds” per game where a round is the completion of the five hands based on each of the five hands being one of blackjack, over twenty-one (bust), five cards or sufficiently high enough for the player&#39;s preference.  
      It is desirable to provide an electronic card game that is a blackjack variation in a gaming machine that allows a player to wager.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Briefly stated, the present invention comprises an electronic blackjack variation card game playable in a gaming machine having a display. The electronic blackjack variation card game includes an electronic shoe of cards having an electronic deck of cards. The deck has a plurality of individual playing cards. Each of the individual playing cards has an associated face value displayed on a face-up side of each of the individual playing cards. The cards also have an associated face value (i.e., Ace, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, Jack, Queen and King). The electronic card game includes a playing area within the display and five card receiving zones disposed on the playing area. The shoe of cards is configured to dispense cards of the electronic deck of cards for selection by a player. The shoe is disposed proximate to or within the playing area. The electronic card game has a set of rules dictating scoring of the electronic blackjack variation card game. The rules include (i) allowing the player to place a wager; (ii) beginning a round of play by turning over a top card on the shoe of cards, so that the top card is face-up, for selection by the player; (iii) selecting the face-up card from the shoe and selectively directing the face-up card to one of the five card receiving zones; (iv) adding up the face value of the cards in each of the five card receiving zones to form individual card receiving zone totals; (v) adding the values of all of the individual card receiving zone totals that are individually twenty-one or less to form a total score; and (iv) paying out a multiple of the wager when the total score is equal to or greater than a predetermined winning amount.  
      The present invention further comprises a method of playing an electronic card game as set forth above, in a gaming machine having a display, in accordance with the set of rules set forth above.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings an embodiment which is presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.  
      In the drawings:  
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a gaming machine having an electronic blackjack variation card game in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention;  
       FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of another gaming machine having an electronic blackjack variation card game in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention; and  
       FIGS. 2-21  are screen shots of an electronic blackjack variation card game in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and should not be construed as limiting. The word “a” as used in the claims and in the corresponding portions of the Specification, means “one or more than one.” In the drawings, like numerals are used to indicate like elements throughout.  
       FIG. 1A  shows a first gaming machine  26  having operating modes in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The gaming machine  26  includes a controller U 1  and a memory U 2 . The gaming machine  26  further includes a video display  27  which is operatively connected to the amusement device controller U 1 .  FIG. 1B  shows another or second gaming machine  14  having operating modes in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The second gaming machine  14  also includes a controller U 1  and a memory U 2 . The second amusement device  14  also includes a video display  17 . Preferably, the video displays  27 ,  17  are touchscreen video displays configured to accept touch input. The first gaming machine  26  is a free-standing or floor-standing apparatus, whereas the second gaming machine  14  is a table-top or counter-top apparatus. However, the gaming machines  26 ,  14  may be arranged in any configuration including table mount, wall mount, pole mount and the like without departing from the invention. For convenience, the gaming machines  26 ,  14  will be referred to hereinafter simply as “gaming machine  26 .” 
       FIGS. 2-21  depict an electronic blackjack variation card game  100  playable in an gaming machine  26 , such as a touchscreen gaming machine  26 , having a display  27  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The electronic blackjack variation card game  100  includes at least one electronic deck of cards  102  having a plurality of individual playing cards  103 . The deck of cards  102  may be a conventional deck of cards comprising fifty-two cards  103 . However, the deck of cards  102  may include any number of cards  103  without departing from the invention. Each of the individual playing cards  103  has an associated face value and/or denomination (i.e., 2-10 and Jack, Queen, King and Ace and/or Hearts, Clubs, Spades and Diamonds, respectively). The electronic blackjack variation card game  100  includes a playing area  104  within the display  27 . The electronic blackjack variation card game  100  further includes a shoe  116  of cards  103  configured to dispense cards  103  of the deck  102  as a player (not shown) selectively directs the cards  103  to each of the five hands in the playing area  104 . The shoe  116  is disposed proximate to or within the playing area  104 .  
      The electronic blackjack variation card game  100  includes a set of rules which dictate scoring of the electronic blackjack variation card game  100 . The rules include allowing the player to place a wager, beginning play of five simultaneous hands and individually selecting cards  103  from the top of the shoe  116  which are showing face-up. The rules further include directing each face-up card from the top of the shoe  116  to one of the five hands  151 - 155  and scoring points based upon a total accumulated score from the five hands  151 - 155  during each round of play. A round of play is when the player can selectively remove cards  103  that are in the shoe  116 .  
      As best shown in  FIGS. 4-19 , the cards  103  have conventional face values including Ace (A), two (2), three (3), four (4), five (5), six (6), seven (7), eight (8), nine (9), ten (10), Jack (J), Queen (Q), and King (K). The cards  103  also have denominations including hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades. However, the cards  103  may include any denominations or face values using other numbering systems without departing from the present invention.  
      The electronic blackjack variation card game  100  also includes a total score indicator  120  which is disposed proximate to or within the playing area  104 . A total score for a run of play is incremented or decremented based upon the face value of cards  103  that are in hands that are twenty-one or under. Hands over twenty-one (i.e., “bust”) do not count toward the total score.  
      By way of example, a run of play will be explained with respect to  FIGS. 4-19 . In  FIG. 4 , the Jack of clubs is the top card  103 , the Ace of diamonds is in the first card receiving zone  151  and the score on the total score indicator  120  displays 11 total points.  FIG. 5  shows that the Jack of clubs has been moved into the second card receiving zone  152 , a six of spades is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays 21 total points.  FIG. 6  shows that the six of spades has been moved into the third card receiving zone  153 , the seven of hearts is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays 27 total points.  FIG. 7  shows that the seven of hearts has been moved into the fourth card receiving zone  154 , the King of hearts is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays 34 total points.  FIG. 8  shows that the King of hearts has been moved to the first card receiving zone  151  to overlay the Ace of diamonds, the Queen of hearts is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays 44 total points.  FIG. 9  shows that the Queen of hearts has been moved to the fifth card receiving zone  155 , the two of clubs is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays 54 total points.  
       FIG. 10  shows that the two of clubs has been moved to the fourth card receiving zone  154  with the seven of hearts, the Ace of spades is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays fifty-six total points.  FIG. 11  shows that the Ace of spades has been moved to the second card receiving zone  152  with the Jack of clubs, the seven of clubs is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays seventy-seven total points.  FIG. 12  shows that the seven of clubs has been moved to the third card receiving zone  153  with the six of spades, the six of clubs is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays 84 total points.  FIG. 13  shows that the six of clubs has been moved to the third card receiving zone  153  with the six of spades and the seven of clubs, the two of hearts is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays 90 total points.  FIG. 14  shows that the two of hearts has been moved to the third card receiving zone  153  with the six of spades, the seven of clubs and the six of clubs; the five of diamonds is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116 ; there is a check mark above the third card receiving zone  153  indicating a hard twenty-one for that zone; and the total score indicator  120  now displays 92 total points.  
       FIG. 15  shows that the five of diamonds has been moved to the fourth card receiving zone  154  with the seven of hearts and the two of clubs, the eight of spades is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays 97 total points.  FIG. 16  shows that the eight of spades has been moved to the second card receiving zone  152  with the Ace of spades and the Jack of clubs, the four of diamonds has been moved to the fourth card receiving zone  154 , the queen of spades is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116  and the total score indicator  120  now displays 99 total points.  
       FIG. 17  shows that the Queen of spades has been moved to the first card receiving zone  151  with the King of hearts and the Ace of diamonds, there is a check mark above the first card receiving zone  151  indicating a hard twenty-one for that zone  151 , the Ace of clubs is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116 , and the total score indicator  120  now displays 99 total points. It should be noted that in  FIG. 17 , the Ace of diamonds in the first card receiving zone was converted from a soft (eleven) to a hard (one) so the score did not change.  FIG. 18  shows that the Ace of clubs has been moved to the fifth card receiving zone  155  with the Queen of hearts and the Queen of clubs, there is a check mark above the fifth card receiving zone  155  indicating a hard twenty-one for that zone, the two of spades is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116 , and the total score indicator  120  now displays 100 total points.  FIG. 19  shows that the two of spades has been moved to the second card receiving zone  152  with the Jack of clubs, the Ace of spades and the eight of spades; there is a check mark above the second card receiving zone  152  indicating a hard twenty-one for that zone  152 ; the nine of clubs is now the top card  103  in the shoe  116 ; and the total score indicator  120  now displays 102 total points.  
      As shown in  FIG. 19 , the player has no options for moving the nine of clubs because four of the five card receiving zones  151 - 155  are twenty-one (i.e., the first, second, third and fifth zones  151 - 153  and  155 ) and the fourth card receiving zone  154  is displaying eighteen. Accordingly, the player must choose to stand (i.e., take no more cards) and the total score being displayed in the total score indicator  120  will determine whether or not the player wins, loses or draws. By changing the minimum total score, the “house” can thereby change the odds of winning or change the odds of attaining a particular payout.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 3-21 , the example payouts are three-to-one ( 3 : 1 ) for a total score of 102 total points; four-to-one (4:1) for a total score of 103 total points; six-to-one (6:1) for a total score of 104 total points; and eight-to-one (8:1) for a total score of 105 total points. Obviously, to get 105 total points, a player would have to score twenty-one in all five card receiving zones  151 - 155 , which requires a high degree of skill and possibly chance. Further, if a player exceeds 21, i.e., busts, it would be impossible for the player to achieve the minimum total score required for the payout scheme.  
      Thus, it can be seen that the rules include (i) allowing the player to place a wager; (ii) beginning a round of play by turning over a top card  103  on the shoe of cards  116 , so that the top card is face-up, for selection by the player; (iii) selecting the face-up card  103  from the shoe  116  and selectively directing the face-up card  103  to one of the five card receiving zones  151 - 155 ; (iv) adding up the face value of the cards  103  in each of the five card receiving zones  151 - 155  to form individual card receiving zone totals; (v) adding the values of all of the individual card receiving zone totals that are individually twenty-one or less to form a total score; and (iv) paying out a multiple of the wager when the total score is equal to or greater than a predetermined winning amount.  
      It is contemplated that bonus points may be scored for achieving straight Blackjack in each of the card receiving zones (i.e., a ten or a face card, such as a Jack, Queen or a King, having a face value of ten (10)-in combination with an Ace).  
      The electronic game  100  may optionally include a time indicator (not shown), such as a bar graph or time dial, which displays the amount of time that a player has used during a round. A player may optionally be awarded bonus points for completing a round of play more quickly based on the amount of time that has elapsed on the time indicator  122 . Thus, in this optional embodiment, the total score which is indicated on the total score indicator  120  is also a function of the amount of time the player takes to select the next playable card  103 .  
      From the foregoing description, the present invention comprises an electronic card game and method including a set of rules dictating scoring of the game. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.