Abstract:
The blackjack variation provides another option for the blackjack player, permitting the purchase of an option to use the single face-up card of the dealer in combination with the initial two cards dealt to the player to form a three-card hand. The player may pay a percentage of the initial wager or some other amount, as determined, to purchase the option. The option is preferably limited to the three cards that include the two cards initially dealt to the player and the single face-up or displayed card of the initial dealer hand. Conventional blackjack rules remain in effect, i.e., the option for the player to double down or split pairs. However, if the player elects one of these other options and/or otherwise elects to add another card(s) to the hand, the option of using the displayed dealer card is revoked. The house may retain the option payment under these conditions.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/813,128, filed Apr. 17, 2013. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to wagering games and games of chance, and particularly to a blackjack variation in which each of the players may purchase an option to use one of the dealer cards in the formation of their blackjack card hands. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Blackjack or twenty-one is a very popular game at most gambling casinos, likely due to its relatively simple basic rules and fast pace. The object of the game, i.e., to hold numerically ranked or valued cards that are higher than the numerical total of the dealer&#39;s cards without exceeding a total of twenty-one, permits neophytes of the game to learn the basics of the game relatively quickly. As with virtually all card games, there is additional strategy that may be learned to shift the odds of winning more in favor of the player, and there are various other options that may be elected by the player (e.g., doubling down, splitting pairs) that the player may see as providing an additional advantage from time to time when such options are available. 
         [0006]    However, all of the conventional rules and options of play in the game of blackjack are strictly dependent upon the comparison of the cards held by the player against the cards held by the dealer or house. There is no option for the player to use cards other than those in his or her hand to form a potentially winning combination. Players may opt to draw an additional card or cards over the initial two cards dealt to them, but these additional cards become a part of the player&#39;s card hand, and they are not a part of another card hand on the table. Yet, at times during the course of play of many card games, a first player may become aware of another card or cards on the table or being held by another or players that would improve his or her hand if only the first player held that card or those cards. In fact, certain card games allow players to draw or use cards discarded by other players (e.g., cribbage with its crib, and canasta and gin rummy) in order for players to attempt to improve their hands. 
         [0007]    Thus, a blackjack variation solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The blackjack variation is a game played generally in accordance with the standard or conventional rules of the game of blackjack, but also includes a provision for players to opt to use one of the dealer&#39;s cards in the formation of the player&#39;s card hand under certain circumstances. The player may elect to purchase an option to use one of the dealer&#39;s cards, if the player so chooses. The payment for the option may be a percentage of the player&#39;s initial wager, or some other amount as determined by the gaming house or state gaming commission. If the player elects to purchase such an option, the player may consider the additive totals of his or her cards in addition to the numerical value of one card of the dealer&#39;s hand, preferably the conventional single displayed face-up card. The player may then use the resulting hand, e.g., the two cards initially dealt to the player and the single displayed dealer card to play against the dealer hand that includes the face-up dealer card and one other concealed value or face-down card. Preferably, the option to use the dealer card is restricted to only the two cards initially dealt to the player and the single displayed, face-up card of the dealer, although variations of this arrangement may be possible. 
         [0009]    The player is under no obligation to use the single displayed dealer card in combination with his or her cards. The purchase of the dealer card option is just that, i.e., an option. If the player elects not to use the dealer card, e.g., the two cards of the player hand and the card from the dealer hand exceed a total of twenty-one, he or she may elect to stand with only the two originally dealt cards in his or her hand if desired, as is conventional in blackjack. This would of course be the case if the player were dealt a blackjack hand, i.e., an ace and a ten, jack, queen, or king. The house may establish a rule providing for the return of the option payment to the player when the player has drawn a blackjack, if the house wishes. Alternatively, the player may elect to draw a third card from the common “shoe,” if desired. However, under the most preferable form of the option to use the dealer card, the player forfeits the use of the dealer card if the player elects to have more than two cards in his or her hand, i.e., the player elects to draw a third card from the “shoe.” 
         [0010]    Other conventional options in the game of blackjack may be retained. For example, a player may “double down,” i.e., choose to double his or her initial wager, and in return, receive one additional card for his or her hand. Also, players are conventionally permitted to “split pairs,” i.e., if they draw a pair of identically ranked cards, such as two aces, they may elect to draw another card to go with each card of the pair to form two hands, each hand having two cards. In accordance with the most preferred embodiment of the present blackjack variation, if the player elects to receive another card by doubling down, or to split a pair into two hands of two cards each, the player waives his or her option to use the face-up dealer card. The house may retain the option payment under these circumstances. 
         [0011]    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 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of an exemplary blackjack table for the blackjack variation according to the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart briefly describing the various steps in the method of play of the blackjack variation according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an electronic network for the electronic play of the blackjack variation according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    The blackjack variation is a method for playing a card game substantially in accordance with conventional rules of play for blackjack (also known as twenty-one), but adds an new option for players to purchase the right to use one of the dealer cards in combination with the cards forming the card hand of any player electing to purchase the option. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  of the drawings is a top plan view of an exemplary blackjack table or other playing surface incorporating positions on the table for the purchase or exercise of the new playing option. The blackjack playing surface  10  includes the conventional dealer position  12 , a series of player positions  14 , and other conventional and common rules of play or payment odds thereon, e.g., payout odds  16  for a blackjack hand, payment odds  18  for a winning insurance bet, etc. However, the table or playing surface  12  is modified to also include a dealer card option purchase position  20 , designated as a commission position on the playing surface  10  of  FIG. 1 , corresponding to each of the player positions  14 . Placement of an additional payment or commission on the corresponding commission position by any of the players at the time of their initial wagers entitles that player or those players to use one of the cards of the dealer hand in combination with the cards forming their own hand in accordance with the detailed rules described below. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  of the drawings provides a flowchart describing the basic steps in the method of play using the new dealer card option. At least one conventional deck of poker cards is provided, i.e., a deck of fifty-two cards divided into four suits of thirteen cards ranging from ace (as the low card) to king. In the game of blackjack, the ace may count as either one or eleven points at the option of the player. In casino play, nearly all casinos use a plurality of card decks in order to preclude the advantage of counting that players would otherwise have. 
         [0019]    The players place their wagers upon the appropriate player positions  14  of the playing surface  10 , in accordance with the first step  100  of  FIG. 2 , prior to the dealer dealing any cards to the players or to the dealer hand. In conventional blackjack, the dealer would deal two cards to each player, either face-up or face-down, depending upon casino rules. There is no advantage either way. The dealer would also deal one card face-up and one card face-down, to form the dealer hand. However, prior to dealing any cards in the blackjack variation described herein, all participating players are permitted to purchase an option that will allow them to consider at least one of the dealer cards (most preferably the single face-up card that will be dealt, and which will be visible to the players) in combination with their own two initially dealt cards. This option to purchase the use of a dealer card is indicated generally by the second step  102  of  FIG. 2 . It should be noted in the flowchart of  FIG. 2  that this dealer card option purchase occurs before the two subsequent steps  104  and  106 , wherein the cards are dealt to the players and to the dealer. Thus, players electing to purchase this option according to step  102  are not aware of the values of the cards that they are about to receive for their hands, or the values of the cards that have yet to be dealt for the dealer hand. 
         [0020]    In the event that a player elects not to purchase the dealer card use option per the second step  102 , the dealer deals two cards to the player and two dealer cards, as described further above and generally as indicated in the third step  104  in the upper right portion of  FIG. 2 . Once all wagers and options have been placed or purchased and after all initial player hands and the initial dealer hand have been dealt, play for those players proceeds in accordance with the standard and conventional rules of play for the game of blackjack, as indicated by the fourth step  106  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0021]    Cards are dealt in the same manner to players optioning to purchase the option to use of one of the dealer cards in combination with the cards of their own hands, as shown in the fifth step  108  in  FIG. 2 . It will be understood that only a single deal is performed for each hand or round of play, but two deals are shown in  FIG. 2  in order to better differentiate between players optioning to purchase the use of the dealer card and players opting for conventional play after their initial wagers and option payments. 
         [0022]    At this point, those players having paid for the option to use one of the dealer cards are permitted to consider one of the dealer cards (preferably the single face-up dealer card that is visible to all players) in combination with the two cards forming the hand of the player. For the purposes of this rule, the single face-up dealer card and the two cards of the standard player hand are considered to form a three card player hand. Examples of player cards and dealer card are described below. 
       EXAMPLE 1 
       [0023]    After purchasing the option to use one dealer card, the player draws a six and a seven in his or her initial two card hand and the dealer turns up an eight as the dealer face-up card. These three cards total twenty-one, forming a winning hand for the player. 
       EXAMPLE 2 
       [0024]    After purchasing the option to use one dealer card, the player draws a ten and a three in his or her initial two-card hand, and the dealer turns up a ten. These three cards total twenty-three, meaning that the player has “busted,” or exceeded twenty-one, using the total count of all three of these cards. However, it must be remembered that the player has purchased an option to use the dealer card. It is not mandatory that the player use the card after purchasing the option. In this example, the player would choose not to use the dealer card, leaving the player with a total of thirteen. The player may then choose to draw another card from the deck or “shoe” in an attempt to gain a total closer to twenty-one without exceeding twenty-one. In such a case, the house or casino may retain the initial option payment from the player. 
       EXAMPLE 3 
       [0025]    After purchasing the option to use one dealer card, the player draws an ace and a face card (jack, queen, or king) in his or her initial two card hand. The two-card combination of an ace and any face card comprises blackjack, an automatically winning hand. Thus, the player would not choose to exercise the previously purchased option to use the dealer card. In this scenario, house rules may provide for the return of the option payment to the player. 
         [0026]    Even though the player may have made payment to optionally use the dealer card in the formation of the player&#39;s three-card hand, the player may still choose to play in accordance with other standard blackjack rules and procedures. One of these rules permits players to “double down,” or to double their initial wager, generally as indicated by the sixth step  110  of the flowchart of  FIG. 2 . In return, the player is allowed to draw one additional card from the deck or “shoe,” or to ‘stand,” i.e., to draw no further cards, as the player wishes. An example might be when the player initially draws two cards having a total value of twenty. It is unlikely that the dealer hand will exceed this, as the dealer would have to draw both an ace and a ten or face card. Accordingly, the player may feel that they have an excellent chance of winning, and may elect to double their initial bet. In this situation, the option to use the dealer card is forfeited, as indicated by the seventh step  112  of  FIG. 2 , and the casino retains the initial option. Play continues in accordance with standard blackjack rules, as indicated by step  106  in  FIG. 2 . However, this will still likely be advantageous to the player, considering the likelihood of a win by the player holding a two-card hand worth twenty points. 
         [0027]    Another rule of conventional blackjack is to allow a player to “split a pair” if a pair of identically valued cards (e.g., two jacks, two eights, etc.) is initially dealt to the player, as indicated by step  114  of the flowchart of  FIG. 2 . The classic example of a player hand where such a procedure is desirable is when two aces are dealt to the player. Since a card having a value of ten is the most likely card to be dealt, the splitting of the two aces to form the bases for two hands is likely to result in at least one hand having a value of twenty-one for the player. However, a player may elect to split any pair of cards that is dealt to him or her as desired, generally as indicated by step  116  of  FIG. 2 . In this situation, the player loses his or her option to use the dealer card, as indicated by the flow path returning from step  116  back to the “Player loses option to use dealer card” step  112  in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0028]    In many instances the player may elect not to split a pair, particularly if the pair comprises relatively low value cards. In instances where the player has elected not to split a pair (or not to double down), the player who has purchased the option to use the dealer card may elect to use the dealer card, as indicated by step  118  of  FIG. 2 . At this point the player compares the total count or value of his or her initial two-card hand plus the value of the exposed dealer card to the total value of the two cards of the dealer hand (or more, if the dealer has drawn an additional card) to determine win or loss, as indicated by step  120  in  FIG. 2 . If the total value is higher than the dealer card count (including the exposed dealer card used by the player to form his hand) but does not exceed a total of twenty-one, the player hand wins and a payout is made to the player, as indicated by step  122  of  FIG. 2 . If the total count of the player cards and the dealer card is lower than the dealer hand and the dealer hand has not exceeded twenty-one, then the player loses his or her wager, as indicated by step  124  of  FIG. 2 . In those instances where the player has opted not to use the dealer card, as in Examples 2 and 3 further above, play proceeds in accordance with the standard rules of play, as indicated by step  126  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0029]    The above-described method of playing a variation of the game of blackjack wherein players may opt to use a dealer card in the formation of the player hand, is envisioned primarily as a casino game with a human dealer and a physical blackjack table or playing surface, cards, chips, etc. However, it will be seen that the blackjack variation described herein is also well suited for play using electronic means.  FIG. 3  of the drawings provides a basic schematic drawing of an exemplary format for electronic play of the game. In  FIG. 3 , a plurality of individual player or game stations  200   a,    200   b,    200   c,    200   d,  and  200   e  are illustrated. Each of these stations communicates electronically with a central processing unit  202 . The individual stations  200   a  through  200   e  permit players at each of those stations to enter wagers and to optionally purchase use of a dealer card to form a three-card player hand, and to view electronic representations of cards as randomly distributed by the CPU  202 . Players may make their decisions (drawing cards, standing pat, etc.) based upon the electronic card representations. Player losses or payouts to the players are conducted in accordance with the rules and procedures described further above. 
         [0030]    The above-described method of play is directed to a preferred embodiment in which the optioning players are permitted to use only the single displayed dealer card in combination with the two cards initially dealt to the player in order to form a three-card player hand. However, it will be seen that other variations are possible in keeping with the basic embodiment of using a dealer card as an additional card of the player hand. Generally speaking, it is unlikely that a player would opt to have more than a total of three cards in his or her hand, as this number or more would very likely exceed the maximum permitted count of twenty-one. Nevertheless, variations might be developed in which players were permitted to draw additional cards while still retaining the option to use one (or both) of the dealer cards. Payouts might be adjusted to reflect the greater odds against having a winning hand when more cards are held. In any event, the blackjack variation described herein provides a new means of attracting further attention and interest in the game. 
         [0031]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.