Patent Publication Number: US-2010109244-A1

Title: Card game

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a card game. In particular, the invention relates to a card game suitable for playing in casinos and to apparatus suitable for playing the card game. 
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     Many varieties of card games have been devised for use in casinos. In order to become a successful casino game, any card game should preferably be both entertaining for the players and relatively simple to learn in order to encourage new players. The present invention relates to a card game developed with a view to satisfying those criteria. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of playing a card game comprising the steps of:
         each player placing a wager;   a dealer dealing at least four cards to each player and four cards to the dealer;   each player and the dealer arranging said four cards into a high hand and   a low hand, wherein the high hand comprises:
           if the player has two pairs, the highest ranked pair;   if the player has one pair, the pair;   if the player has no pairs, the highest point count that can be made from two of the four cards, where the point count is a function of the numerical value of the cards;   
           and the low hand comprises the remaining two cards;   comparing the dealer&#39;s high hand to each player&#39;s high hand and comparing the dealer&#39;s low hand to each player&#39;s low hand and determining whether each player wins or loses the high and/or the low hand based on;
           a pair winning against any lower ranked pair or any point count;   a point count winning against any lower ranked point count;   
           the player being paid winnings related to their wager if the player has a greater number of winning hands than the dealer, or the player losing their wager if the player has a lower number of winning hands than the dealer, or the player being returned their wager in any other event.       

     In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of playing a card game comprising the steps of:
         providing a playing area having a wager area for each player, a high hand area for each player, a low hand area for each player, a high hand area for the dealer and a low hand area for the dealer;   each player placing a wager in the wager area of the player;   a dealer dealing at least four cards to each player and four cards to the dealer;   each player and the dealer arranging four cards into a high hand in the high hand area and a low hand in the low hand area, wherein the high hand comprises:
           if the player has two pairs, the highest ranked pair;   if the player has one pair, the pair;   if the player has no pairs, the highest point count that can be made from two of the four cards, where the point count is a function of the numerical value of the cards;   
           and the low hand comprises the remaining two cards;   comparing the dealer&#39;s high hand to each player&#39;s high hand and comparing the dealer&#39;s low hand to each player&#39;s low hand and determining whether each player wins or loses the high and/or the low hand based on;
           a pair winning against any lower ranked pair or point count;   a point count winning against any lower ranked point count;   
           the player being paid winnings related to their wager if the player has a greater number of winning hands than the dealer, or the player losing their wager if the player has a lower number of winning hands than the dealer, or the player being returned their wager in any other event.       

     In one embodiment, in the event that the high and/or low hand of the player is of the same rank as the corresponding hand of the dealer:
         the high hand of the dealer wins against a high hand of the player of the same rank; and   the low hand of the player wins against a low hand of the dealer of the same rank.       

     In a further embodiment, in the event that the high and/or low hand of the player is of the same rank as the corresponding hand of the dealer:
         if both the high and low hands of the dealer and the player are of the same rank, the dealer&#39;s high and low hands are ranked higher than the player&#39;s high and low hands;   if one only of the high and low hands of the player and dealer are of the same rank, those same ranked hands are considered equal rank.       

     Preferably, the point count is calculated by summing the numerical values of the cards and subtracting ten if the sum is greater than or equal to ten. Preferably, in the event that the player wins a greater number of hands than the dealer, the player is paid an amount equal to the player&#39;s initial wager. 
     The method preferably also includes the step of each player optionally placing a secondary wager prior to the dealing of the cards and the player being paid winnings based on the secondary wager if the player&#39;s high and/or low hand includes a pair. The secondary wager is preferably made in a secondary wager area provided for each player. 
     In one embodiment, the winnings paid on the secondary wager may be paid at different odds depending on whether the player&#39;s high and low hands comprise one pair, two pairs of different rankings, or two pairs of the same rankings. 
     The card game is preferably played with a standard deck of 52 cards, in which the Jack, Queen and King are removed. The ace is preferably ranked higher than any remaining cards for the purpose of pair rankings and counts as a one for calculating a point count. 
     In one embodiment, each player is dealt five cards and then is required to discard one of the cards before arranging the high and low hands. The player may be required to pay for an extra card to obtain the five cards. 
     In a further embodiment, a point count wager may be made by the player, the player selecting a value for the difference in point count between the high and/or low hands of the player and the dealer. Also, progressive bets may be provided where players bet to qualify for jackpots or bonus prizes. 
     The method may be implemented on an electronic gaming machine. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a view of a playing area for playing a card game in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a view of the player area of the playing area of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is view of the dealer area of the playing area of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention comprises a card game for playing by one or more players against a dealer. The game is played on a playing area  10  that includes a dealer playing area  12  and one or more player playing areas  14 . The playing area  10  may be provided on a gaming table. 
     The game is preferably played with a standard deck of cards in which the face cards (Jacks, Queens, Kings) are removed. That is, a 40 card deck comprising 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and Ace. For the purpose of the game, the suit of the cards is not relevant. 
     Each player is provided within their playing area  14 , a wager area  16 , a high hand area  18  and a low hand area  20 . The dealer&#39;s playing area  12  is also provided with a high hand area  22  and a low hand area  24 . 
     At the commencement of a round of the game, each player places a wager in their wager area  16 . The wager is preferably limited to one of a plurality of predefined acceptable amounts. Once each player has placed their initial wager in the wager area  16 , they will be dealt four cards. The dealer is also dealt four cards. Preferably, the cards are dealt one at a time in a clockwise fashion to each player and the dealer until each player and the dealer has four cards. 
     Each player then arranges their four cards in to a high hand and a low hand. The high hand is placed face down in the player&#39;s high hand area  18  and the low hand is placed face down in the player&#39;s low hand area  20 . The dealer also arranges his four cards into a high hand, placed in the dealer&#39;s high hand area  22 , and a low hand placed in the dealer&#39;s low hand area  24 . 
     In arranging the high hand and the low hand, any pairs of cards are to be placed together. If a player or the dealer has two pairs, the higher ranked pair becomes the high hand and the lower ranked pair becomes the low hand. If the player or dealer has only one pair, the pair becomes the high hand and the remaining two cards become the low hand. If a player or the dealer has no pairs, the four cards are arranged so that the high hand comprises the two cards having the highest point count, where the point count is based on the numerical values of the cards. 
     The point count of any two pairs of cards is calculated by adding the numerical values on the cards and subtracting ten if the result is ten or more. An ace is considered a 1 for the purpose of calculating a point count, although a pair of Aces will be ranked higher than any pair of numerical cards. For example, if the cards dealt are 8, 6, 4 and 3, the possible point counts are 4 (8+6), 2 (8+4), 1 (8+3), 0 (6+4), 9 (6+3) and 7 (4+3). Therefore, the high hand becomes 6 and 3, with a point count of 9. The low hand is made of the remaining two cards and therefore in this case is 8 and 4, with a point count of 2. 
     To determine whether each player wins, loses or retains their wager as placed in their wager area  16 , the dealer exposes the dealer&#39;s high hand and low hand and then the high hand and low hand of each of the players in turn. As each high and low hand of a player is exposed, the high hand of the player is compared to the high hand of the dealer and the low hand of the player is compared to the low hand of the dealer. 
     In order to determine whether the high or low hand of the player wins or loses when compared to corresponding hand of the dealer. Any pair of cards will win against any hand comprising a point count only. Any pair will also win against any other pair of lower rank, where the ranking is Ace, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 in descending order. Any hand comprising a point count will win against a point count of lower value. 
     If the player wins a greater number of hands than the dealer, the play is paid an amount equal to their initial wager. If the dealer wins a greater number of hands than the player, the player loses their initial wager. In any other event, the player is returned their initial wager. 
     Therefore, if neither the high or low hands of dealer are of the same rank as the corresponding hand of the player, the player is paid an amount equal to their initial wager if the player wins both the high hand and low hand and loses their initial wager if the dealer wins both the high and low hands. If the player wins one of the high hand or the low hand and the dealer wins the other, the player retains their initial wager with no winnings being paid. 
     The method for deciding outcomes in the event that the high and/or low hands are of the same rank can be modified according to requirements. In one embodiment, a high hand of the dealer is considered to win against a high hand of the player of the same rank and a low hand of the player is considered to win against a low hand of the dealer of the same rank. Therefore, in the event of the high hand of the dealer being the same rank as the high hand of the player, either the dealer will win if the dealer&#39;s low hand is higher than the player&#39;s, or the initial wager will be returned if the player&#39;s low hand is higher than that of the dealer (i.e. both dealer and player win one hand each). In the event of the low hand of the dealer being the same rank as the low hand of the player, either the player will win if the dealer&#39;s high hand is lower than the player&#39;s, or the initial wager will be returned if the dealer&#39;s high hand is higher than that of the player (i.e. both dealer and player win one hand each). 
     As an alternative embodiment, it may be the case that if both the high and low hands of the dealer and player are of equal rank, the dealer&#39;s hands are ranked higher (i.e. the player loses their initial wager). In this case, in the event that one only of the high or low hands of player and dealer are of the same rank, the ranks may be considered equal (i.e. neither a win nor a loss). Therefore, if the dealer wins the other hand, the player loses their initial wager and if the player wins the other hand the player wins an amount equal to their initial wager. 
     As a further alternative, if the ranking of a pair in the dealer&#39;s high or low hand is the same as the ranking of a pair in a player&#39;s corresponding hand, the dealer&#39;s hand wins and if the point count of the dealer&#39;s high or low hand is the same as the point count of a players corresponding hand, the dealer&#39;s hand wins. 
     The playing area  10  may also include a secondary wager area  26  in each of the player&#39;s area  14 . Each player may optionally place a secondary wager in the secondary wager area  26  before the cards are dealt. The secondary wager is independent of whether the player&#39;s high and/or low hands wins or loses and is based only on whether the player&#39;s hands include one or two pairs. Each playing area may include an odds listing area  28  in which is listed the odds payable for a winning secondary wager. For example, the player may be paid for their secondary wager at odds of 1:1 if their high and low hands include one pair, at odds of 6:1 if their high and low hands comprise two pairs of different rankings and at odds of 200:1 if their high and low hands comprise two pairs of the same rankings (i.e. their four cards all have the same value). These odds may be varied if desired. 
     The card game may be played with variations without departing from the invention. For example, the game may be played with more than one deck of cards or with full standard decks of cards, with the face cards being assigned a corresponding point value. Alternatively, each player may be dealt 5 cards and then be required to discard one of the cards before arranging the high and low hands. Also, players may have the option of “buying” an extra card to obtain 5 cards before discarding one of the cards. 
     Further wager areas may also be provided. For example, a point count wager area may be provided on which players can wager, at various corresponding odds, on the difference in point count between the high and/or low hands of the player and the dealer. Progressive bets may also be provided where players bet to qualify for jackpots or bonus prizes. 
     It will be appreciated also that the invention may be played on electronic gaming means where the playing area is displayed on a suitable display device and the dealer function may be controlled by a computer program. For example, the game may be played on electronic video equipment suitable for placement in a casino, or on an electronically programmed table game having virtual cards and chips or on a computer over a network such as the Internet.