Patent Publication Number: US-6905121-B1

Title: Apparatus and method for selectively permitting and restricting play in a card game

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
   The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/446,378, entitled “Apparatus and Method for Selectively Permitting and Restricting Play in a Card Game,” filed Feb. 10, 2003 by Applicant herein. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to card games, optionally card games that utilize multiple decks of playing cards. More specifically, the present invention is a method and device for selectively permitting play of a card game in situations where the risk of card counting is relatively low and restricting play of a card game in situations where the risk of card counting is relatively high. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Blackjack is a common casino card game. The object of Blackjack for the player is to have a final hand total closer to twenty-one than the dealer&#39;s final hand total without exceeding twenty-one. For purposes of calculating the final hand total, each card has a value equal to its face value except face cards, which have a value of ten, and aces, which may have a value of eleven or one. 
   Each player makes a base wager. The dealer deals two cards to each player and two cards, one card face up and the other face down, to himself or herself. Any player receiving a natural twenty-one or Blackjack, i.e. a total of twenty-one in the initial dealt hand, is immediately rewarded, typically at a rate of 2:1 or 3:2, and play is terminated as to that player. 
   Each remaining player examines the player&#39;s hand and decides whether to hit, i.e. receive another card, or stand, i.e. stand on the player&#39;s current hand. A player may hit as many times as the player wishes as long as the player does not bust, i.e. receive a card causing his cumulative total to exceed twenty-one. When a player busts, the player&#39;s wager is immediately collected and play is terminated as to that player. 
   A player may also have additional options available depending on the initial player hand dealt. If the player receives a pair, i.e. two cards having the same face value, the player may split the pair and use each card as a basis for a separate hand. A player may also have the option to double down. Although the availability of the double down option vary from casino to casino, the option allows a player to double the player&#39;s wager in exchange for a single additional card. 
   After all the players have played their hands, the dealer reveals the face-down card in the dealer&#39;s hand. The dealer plays the dealer&#39;s hand according to established house rules. That is, the casino uses established rules to eliminate the dealer&#39;s discretion hits or stands as the house rules dictate, and resolves the wagers. In resolving the wagers, players with a final hand total closer to twenty-one than the dealer&#39;s final hand total are rewarded at 1:1. Conversely, wagers are collected from players with a final hand total further from twenty-one than the dealer&#39;s final hand total. If the dealer busts, all players who did not bust or receive a Blackjack are rewarded. If the player and dealer push, i.e. have the same final hand total, the player&#39;s wager is returned. 
   Players have a great deal of discretion in decision making in Blackjack. As a consequence, it is known that players can improve the odds of winning in Blackjack by basing their decisions on the cards known to remain undealt during play of a hand. One process of tracking undealt cards is known as card counting. 
   Card counting originated as actually tracking which cards, or at least the number of ten and eleven value cards, had been dealt. That is, in a single deck, there are thirty-two non-ten value cards, sixteen ten value cards, and four Aces. Theoretically, a player could track which cards had been dealt and, by deduction, discern the cards remaining undealt. By basing his or her decisions on the undealt cards, a player could improve his or her chances to predict the outcome of the game. 
   Casinos reacted to the success of players using card counting methods by using multiple decks of playing cards dispensed from card shoes. By increasing the number of decks, casinos not only make it more difficult to “count cards” but also increase the combinations possible in any dealt game. In fact, it is known that by using a four deck shoe, a casino increases its house advantage by 0.54%. The response by card counters has been to employ a different card counting method that tracks the trend of the undealt cards rather than directly tracking the cards dealt. 
   For example, in one multiple deck counting system, tens and Aces are counted as “− 1 ,” deuces through sixes are counted as “+1,” and sevens through nines are counted as “0.” The player maintains a running count and increases or decreases his wagers as the trend of the undealt cards runs positive or negative, respectively. For example, after a game in which the cards 3 5 5 7 10 K K A were dealt, a count of −1 (obtained by 1+1+1+0−1−1−1−1) would be added to the cumulative count. A negative count would indicate that the undealt cards are rich in low cards unfavorable to the player. Conversely, a positive count would indicate that the undealt cards are rich in high cards favorable to the player. 
   To combat the card counters, elaborate procedures are used to prepare the playing cards before loading the playing cards into a card shoe. The playing cards are randomized, such as by shuffling and cutting. Frequently, the cards are cut by a player inserting a cut indicator card into the shuffled cards. The cards below the cut indicator card are shifted to the top of the stack of shuffled cards. The cut indicator is then inserted into the stack of shuffled cards to indicate where the deck will be reshuffled. When the cut indicator card is reached, the game is completed and the playing cards are reshuffled and re-cut. The purpose of this step is to eliminate from play a number of cards to interfere with usefulness of a card counter&#39;s cumulative count. Additionally, a number of cards from the top of the stack may be “burned” by removing them from play. Again, the purpose of burning is to randomly eliminate cards to interfere with the effectiveness of a card counter&#39;s cumulative count. 
   Another rule undertaken to thwart card counters is a rule preventing players from joining a game in mid-shoe. In casinos employing such a rule, a player may only join a game at the beginning of a card shoe. If the dealer has already begun dealing the shoe, new players may not join the game. 
   The drawback of this rule is that the casino is limited in the number of hands that can be dealt in a given period of time. That is, more hands will be dealt in a unit time if six players are playing than two players. This, of course, directly affects to the profitability of a table. In a broader sense, this rule also affects the profitability of the casino since customers who are waiting for a table to permit players to join are not playing but watching. Since casinos make no money from customers who are not playing, there is a need in the art to minimize the time in which players are precluded from joining a game. 
   One response is to continuously shuffle cards using an apparatus like that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,712. That is, rather than using a shoe and a discard pile, discarded cards are continuously shuffled into the undealt cards. The drawback of this system is the expense of the continuous shuffler. 
   Another response is to this is to prevent players from seeing the cards dealt to other players. Such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,700 which shows partitions between each player to obscure a player&#39;s view of other players&#39; cards. Such a system is aesthetically unappealing. More importantly, partitions could obscure the view of the dealer and the casino operator and thereby create an opportunity for other forms of cheating such as the palming of cards or gaming chips. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is an indicator card for selectively restricting and permitting play in a card game and a method of use. Optionally, the indicator card is sized to fit in a card shoe. For example, in an optional embodiment, the indicator card is substantially the size and shape of a playing card. The indicator card optionally includes indicia thereon indicating the purpose of the card. In a further optional embodiment, the indicator card includes indicia thereon to assist a dealer in positioning the indicator card within a stack of playing cards. 
   The indicator card is used by inserting the indicator card into a stack of randomized playing cards. Optionally, the indicator card is inserted half way between the top of a stack of playing cards and a cut card marking the end of the playable cards. 
   From the top of the stack of playing cards until the indicator card is reached, additional players are permitted to join the game. Play of the base game is conducted in a conventional manner with dealt cards being moved to a discard pile after use. When the indicator card is reached, no new players are permitted to join the game. Optionally, the indicator card is displayed, such as in a stand on the playing table, once it is reached. Once again, play of the base game is conducted in a conventional manner until the cut card is reached. The undealt cards remaining are randomized with the cards from the discard pile. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of an indicator card according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of an indicator card and stand according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an elevated perspective view of a stack of cards in a card shoe with a cut card and indicator card inserted according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION 
   Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout. Referring first to  FIG. 1 , the present invention includes an indicator card  10 . The indicator card  10  is optionally formed from a material of greater durability than a conventional playing card  18 . For example, the indicator card  10  may be a thin sheet of plastic or the like. 
   The indicator card  10  is optionally sized and shaped to fit into a card shoe  16 . Since most conventional card shoes  16  have walls spaced substantially equal to the length of a playing card  18 , this means that at least one dimension of the indicator card  10  is substantially equal to the length of a playing card  18 , in such an optional embodiment. In a further optional embodiment, the length and width of the indicator card  10  is substantially equal to the length and width of a playing card  18 . That is, in an optional embodiment, the indicator card  10  is substantially the size of a playing card  18 . 
   The indicator card  10  is distinguishable from said playing cards  18 . This could be accomplished visually by making the indicator card  10  distinguishable in size, shape, color, thickness, or the like. Alternatively or additionally, the indicator card  10  may be tactilely different such as by having a different thickness, texture, weight, stiffness, or the like. 
   In one optional embodiment, the indicator card  10  may include indicia on one or both surfaces. In the optional embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the indicator card  10  includes a designation  12  reading “No Mid-Shoe Entry” indicating the role of the indicator card  10 . The indicator card  10  may further include indicia thereon to assist a dealer in placement of the indicator card  10  in a stack  20  of randomized cards in an optional embodiment. For example, in the optional embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the indicator card  10  includes deck markings  14  indicating the approximate width of one or more decks of cards. Thus, the dealer can use the deck markings  14  to measure the desired quantity of cards between the cut card  22  and the indicator card  10  as discussed in greater detail below. 
   A stand  26  for the indicator card  10 , shown in  FIG. 2 , may optionally be provided. The use of the stand  26  is described in greater detail below. The stand may be constructed in a variety of ways, such as a pedestal and support, pedestal and clip, or the like. However, the stand  26  of the optional embodiment of  FIG. 2  consists of a base  28  with a groove  30  therein such that the indicator card  10  may be inserted into the groove  30  to be held in a substantially vertical fashion. 
   Turning to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the indicator card  10  is used in conjunction with playing cards  18  used in a base game. The base game could be any playing card game. The examples below describe the use of the indicator card  10  of the present invention in the game of Blackjack but the indicator card  10  of the present invention could be used in any playing card game. It is also noted that the examples below describe the use of the indicator card  10  in conjunction with a multiple deck card shoe  16 . However, it is contemplated that the indicator card  10  could be used with any quantity of cards and any dealing apparatus. Thus, the examples given below should be seen as illustrative of the present invention and not limiting. 
   Playing cards  18  utilized in the base game are randomized  40 . In most instances, this will take the form of shuffling and cutting. It is noted that the shuffling could be automatic or manual. In most games, cutting is performed by a player placing a cut card  22  into a stack  20  of shuffled cards. The cards below the cut card  22  are moved to the top  32  of the stack  20 . In an optional embodiment, the stack  20  is moved to a card shoe  16 . 
   The cut card  22 , now at the bottom of the stack  20 , is optionally moved into the stack  20  to indicate the end of the playable cards  24 . In Blackjack, the cut card  22  is typically inserted at least one deck, that is fifty-two cards, into the stack  20  of randomized cards. The purpose of this is to remove a random number of cards from play to frustrate card counters. Another optional step, conventional in the art, for preparing the deck of cards includes “burning,” i.e. discarding, one or more cards from the top  32  of the stack  20  of playing cards  18 . Burning can take place before or after insertion of the indicator card  10  of the present invention as discussed below. 
   The indicator card  10  of the present invention is inserted  42  into the stack  20  of cards, now optionally in a card shoe  16 . In an optional embodiment including deck markings  14 , the indicator card  10  may be used to approximate the desired quantity of cards between the end of the playable cards  24 , optionally signaled by the cut card  22 , and the indicator card  10 . 
   For example, in an optional embodiment the dealer wishes to place the indicator card  10  approximately half way through the playable cards  24 . If the dealer in the example is using a six deck card shoe  16  and has inserted an optional cut card  22  approximately one deck from the bottom  34  of the stack  20 , the desired quantity of cards between the cut card  22  and the indicator card  10  is two and one half decks or approximately half the cards between the cut card  22  and the top  32  of the stack  20 . Thus, the indicator card  10  may be set along the stack  20  with one deck marking at the cut card  22  thereby allowing the approximate quantity of cards desired to be read from the deck markings  14  on the indicator card  10 . In such an example, the indicator card  10  would be placed  42  approximately two and one half decks between the cut card  22  and the top  32  of the stack  20 . It is noted that in an alternate optional embodiment, the indicator card  10  may be inserted half way through the stack  20  without regard to the location of the optional cut card  22 . In such an alternate optional embodiment, the dealer would place  42  the indicator card  10  approximately three decks from the top  32  of a six deck stack  20 . 
   Play of the base game is conducted  44  in a conventional manner by depleting playing cards  18  from the stack  20 . Typically, this consists of dealing playable cards  24  from the top  32  of the stack  20 , optionally contained in a card shoe  16 . As playable cards  24  have been dealt and played, i.e. after each game, the used cards are moved to a discard pile. 
   According to the method of the present invention, until the indicator card  10  is reached  46 , players may join play between games, space permitting. That is, while dealing playable cards  24  from the top  32  of the stack  20  to the indicator card  10 , players are not prohibited from joining play. As the stack  20  is depleted, the indicator card  10  is eventually exposed. Once the indicator card  10  is reached  46 , the indicator card  10  signals that additional players will be restricted from joining the game. This could be accomplished by the invocation  48  of a rule prohibiting additional players from joining play. 
   More specifically, when the dealer deals the indicator card  10 , the indicator card  10  is replaced with a playable card  24 , since the indicator card  10  has no role or value in the base game. The indicator card  10  is displayed and play is conducted  48  without permitting entry of new players. As discussed above, the indicator card is displayed, optionally on a stand  26  at the playing table, to signal to potential players that they may not join play until the card shoe  16  is completed. The optional designation  12  on the indicator card  10  reading “No Mid-Shoe Entry” assists players in knowing when a rule prohibiting entry into the base game has been invoked  48 . 
   While dealing from the stack  20  of playing cards  18  from the indicator card  10  until the end of the playable cards is reached, optionally signified by the cut card  22 , only those players who joined prior to the indicator card  10  are permitted  48  to play the base game. Although the precise effect of the indicator card  10  could vary, it is contemplated that the game in which the indicator card  10  is dealt would be completed and the ensuing games would include the prohibition against new players joining. 
   When the end of the playable cards  24 , optionally marked by a cut card  22 , is reached  50 , the method of the present invention can be repeated by reconstituting the stack  20  of playing cards  18  by randomizing  40  the cards in the discard pile with the undealt cards remaining in the stack  20  (recalling that undealt cards will remain in the stack  20  below the cut card  22 ). 
   While certain embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described it is to be understood that the present invention is subject to many modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention presented herein.