Abstract:
A gaming method using a 52 cards presenting a plurality of suits and a plurality of card values, including the steps of dealing to four players an equal number of cards until all cards has been distributed, designating a constant trump suit, bidding tentative trick quotas within a defined bidding hierarchy playing a plurality of tricks until all distributed cards have been played, assigning values associated with the degree of bidding accuracy based upon the tricks actually taken, continuing play until all players establish a finish position so that exact finishes can be awarded, and providing ranking points to each player depending upon the player&#39;s respective finish in the game. A player is also allocated nine lives where one life is deducted for each trick that is overbid or underbid. Any player losing all nine lives before the game is ended for feits their seat in the game.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     None. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICRO-FICHE APPENDIX 
     None. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Various card games, such as Bridge or Spades, use bidding and trump suits for two partner play with a standard four suit, fifty-two card deck. These games mostly reward the luck of being dealt high cards and accordingly being able to place the highest bid. Bridge, Spades, and similar games also require partnerships with players of equal or superior skill in order to be effective in tournament or competitive level play. In addition, on-line or electronic gaming room versions of Bridge, Spades, or the like are vulnerable to players who use “straw” partners or otherwise manipulate the scoring mechanisms to adversely effect the play of honest participants. The on-line games are also vulnerable to players who are not capable or who quit in the middle of a game, thus ending the game for the other players without a significant result. 
     The present card game method improves these gaming deficiencies by minimizing the luck factor of cards dealt, maximizing the reward for skillful bidding, and elimination of partnership play. All players compete against each other. One suit is always trump. Bidding accuracy is encouraged by a scoring system which insures that the most accurate bidder will always win the game. 
     2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 C.F.R. 1.97 and 1.98 
     A search of the prior art located the following United States patents which are believed to be representative of the present state of the prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,597 B1, issued Apr. 24, 2001, U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,567, issued Dec. 5, 2000, U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,870, issued Dec. 21, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,334, issued Sep. 21, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,314, issued Aug. 31, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,845, issued Dec. 27, 1994, International Publication No. WO 93/05855, published Apr. 1, 1993. 
     In the area of rewarding skill and accuracy in bidding, the present invention card game method departs substantially from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art. Accordingly, a card game primarily developed for the purpose of rewarding accuracy in bidding and play is presented by the present invention card game method. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present card game method rewards skill in bidding, and the skill of making that bid. High cards count, but only to obtain the tricks bid. After the bid is made, low cards are strategically used to avoid exceeding the bid. A card game of bidding skill is presented, principally with four independent players. 
     There is a need to improve the present on-line tournament play for card games. On-line card tournaments are floundering. On-line card play is driven by the luck of cards dealt equaling player ability. In games 6-12 hands long, players getting the high cards dealt to them win more games, regardless of the skill factor of the players. This aspect on current on-line card games frustrates elite players. Present on-line tournaments for Bridge, Spades and similar games require a partner. The skill level of one&#39;s partner is critical. The present card game invention eliminates partner play, and with the emphasis on bidding skill, player participation in on-line tournaments for the present invention should be enthusiastic. 
     The present invention achieves the advantages over the prior art by comprising a card game and method of playing the game which is similar to Spades in the sense of following suit and the use of trump cards, but entirely different in the rules and procedures. Principally designed for four individual players, a regular deck of 52 cards is used. Initially, each player is dealt thirteen cards. The present invention rewards accurate bidding and accurate play to achieve the exact bid. 
     The foregoing broadly outlines the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and so that the present invention may be better appreciated. Additional features of the present invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of describing and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other games, structures, methods and/or systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, it is important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
     Additionally, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature an essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which has many of the advantages of the prior art games and presents new challenges. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which may be easily learned and played. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which may be easily and efficiently adapted to on-line and electronic card room play. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which rewards bidding accuracy. 
     Yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which neutralizes the luck factor of cards dealt during play. 
     Even still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which maximizes individual ability as opposed to partner play. 
     Another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which minimizes the effect of a player&#39;s lack of ability on play for the other players. 
     Yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which eliminates loss of play for the remaining players as a result of an on-line player quitting before a game is decided. 
    
    
     Other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is all possible tied scoring variations and the resulting scoring awards. 
     FIG. 2 is a representative scoring talley sheet for face-to-face play among four players in person. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention uses a standard 52 card deck array comprising thirteen cards in four suits, spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs, and further comprising within each suit an array from the lowest, deuce or 2, to the highest, ace. The preferred embodiment of the present invention card game is played by four players. The 52 card deck is dealt face down one card at a time by one player sequentially in a clockwise direction to all four players until the entire deck has been dealt resulting in each player holding thirteen cards. Dealing is shared among the four players and passed in a clockwise direction to the next dealer after each hand. All players are competing against each other. Spades are always trump. The other three suits have equal value, but below the trump suit of spades. Thus, any spade card has a higher value than any card of the other three suits. Although the present card game invention can be played by four individuals sitting together at a table for face-to-face play, its preferred embodiment is as an on-line game among four participating players within computer controlled game-rooms. 
     The goal of the present card game invention is to make your bid contract. Making the bid contract requires a player to win the number of tricks bid by the player on the particular hand. Tricks are won by the highest card played in either the trump suit or the suit led. The present card game invention allows a “halo” rule wherein a deuce which is played immediately after the ace of the same suit becomes higher in value than the ace, and in this instance takes the trick. 
     In live, face-to-face play, the players cut the deck of cards and the player cutting the high card is the initial dealer. For on-line computer generated play, the player with the highest player rating points among the game players is the initial dealer. 
     Once all cards have been dealt, a single round of bidding begins, starting with the first player to have been dealt a card and continuing clockwise around the table until the player who dealt the cards ends the bidding round by placing a bid. A trick is a set of four played cards, one card from each player. Since each player is dealt thirteen cards, the face value for the total number of tricks per hand is thirteen. However, in the method of the present invention the last trick of the hand is worth double. Thus, the total number of tricks per hand is fourteen. The last bid by the dealer can be for any number of tricks except one that totals fourteen for all four players. For example, if the first player bids three tricks, and the second player bids four tricks, and the third player bids two tricks, the dealer would be limited to bidding anywhere from zero to fourteen tricks, but not five tricks since the total of all bids would equal fourteen. An exception to the limits placed on the last bid by the dealer is if any prior player bids fourteen tricks, the dealer can bid any number of tricks. Additionally, if the first three players all bid zero tricks, the last player can bid fourteen tricks. 
     After the bidding, the first player to open the bidding opens play by leading a card from one of the three minor suits, hearts, diamonds or clubs. The suit led by the first player becomes the suit for that particular round of play which follows clockwise by each player following suit. If a player does not hold any cards in the suit led, the player must play a spade trump. Only if a player is void in trump and the suit led, can a non-trump card or a card from a suit other than the suit led be played. Since spades are always trump, the highest spade wins the trick, subject to the “halo” rule. If no trump cards are played, the trick is taken by the player who plays the highest card of the suit led. The lead continues from the player taking the previous trick. Players who lead may play any card with the exception of trump. No player may lead with a spade until a spade has been discarded in a previous round of play or unless spades is the only suit left in the lead player&#39;s hand. Play continues in this fashion until all thirteen cards have been played. 
     Once all thirteen cards have been played, each player is awarded points for the accuracy of their respective bid. First place in bid accuracy is awarded twelve points. Second place in bid accuracy is awarded ten points. Third place in bid accuracy is awarded eight points. Fourth place in bid accuracy is awarded six points. Thus, 36 points are awarded for each bidding round. In the case of ties at a particular placement in bid accuracy, the points for each place are added and the points shared evenly between or among the tied players. All possible tied scoring variations and the resulting scoring awards are presented in FIG.  1 . 
     At the beginning of each game, each player has nine lives. On each dealt and bid hand, lives are lost by players who inaccurately bid the hand. One life is lost for each over or under trick by which the player misses their bid. Game play continues until at least three players reach 100 points or more with at least one life remaining or at least three players lose all nine lives, or any combination of both. Any player losing all nine lives before the game is finished forfeits their seat at the game, is awarded the lowest available finish in the game, exits the game, and is replaced by the system computer for on-line play. For live, face-to-face play, those players that exit the game and receive a finish in the game re-enter the game to keep, it four-handed. The players now play by the exact rules of computer play, and continue in the game until at least three (3) players reach 100 points or more with at least one life remaining, or at least three (3) players lose all 9 lives, or any combination of both. In this fashion, all finishes for the game are known exactly. 
     For face-to-face play various circumstances may result in declaration of a misdeal. If the dealer or a player turns a card or cards belonging to another player face up prior to the completion of the deal, a misdeal is declared and the same dealer deals again. If the dealer or player turns a card or cards belonging to themselves face up prior to the completion of the deal, the deal stands. If a card is found face up in the deck during the deal, a misdeal is declared and the same dealer deals again. If one or more players have too few or too many cards and this circumstance is discovered prior to completion of the first trick, a misdeal is declared and the same dealer deals again. If one or more players have too few or too many cards and this circumstance is discovered after completion of the first trick, those players will lose one life from their score, a misdeal is declared and the same dealer deals again. Any lead or play out of turn must be retracted if demand is made by a player before all have played to the trick; however, if all have played, the play out of turn stands as a regular turn of play without penalty. 
     Failure to follow suit when able constitutes a renege. A renege may be corrected before the trick is picked up from the table and turned face down. If it is not discovered until later and the renege is established, play immediately ceases, and the reneging player must pay a penalty of a loss of two lives subtracted from their score. All remaining players&#39; bids are now void, cards are reshuffled and the same dealer deals another hand. 
     First place in the game is awarded to the first player to reach 100 points or more with at least one life remaining. In on-line play, the first place winner is replaced by the system computer, with the remaining players vying for second, third, and fourth place finishes. The first player to lose all nine lives before the end of the game automatically receives fourth place. The game continues with a computer player taking over for the fourth place player in the preferred embodiment of the present card game invention. Scoring is kept by a tally system which records each player&#39;s name, their hand number, their bids, their tricks taken, their place, their accuracy points, their bid inaccuracy or lives (difference between bid and tricks taken), and their “halo” tricks, as shown in FIG.  2 . “Halo” tricks are used to for tie-breakers in instances when players exit games with zero lives. 
     In the event that two or more players exit on the same hand with zero lives or less, the player with the most lives wins the higher place in the game relative to those other players exiting with that player. If there is a tie in the number of lives, the player with the most halos then is awarded the higher place in the game relative to those other players exiting with that player with the same number of lives. If players are tied with lives and halos, the next tie-breaker awards the higher place to the player with the most total points relative to those other players exiting with that player with the same number of lives and halos. The third tie-breaker becomes the player with the most first place finishes relative to those other players exiting with that player. A fourth tie-breaker, if necessary, becomes the player with the most first and second place finishes relative to those other players exiting with that player with the same number of lives. 
     In the event that two or more players reach 100 points or more with at least one life remaining, first place is awarded to the player with the most points. If two or more players tie with points in reaching 100 points or more with at least one life remaining, the first level of tie breaker is to award first place to the player with the most lives remaining. If there is a tie at that level, the next tie-breaker is the most first place finishes. The third tie-breaker becomes the most first and second place finishes. A fourth tie-breaker, if necessary, becomes the most first, second and third place finishes. The fifth tie-breaker is most first place points. In the unlikely event that a sixth tie-breaker is necessary, it would be the most first and second place points. In this manner, bidding skill based upon the accuracy of a player&#39;s ability to evaluate and make each hand&#39;s bid, not luck based principally on cards dealt, is rewarded. 
     In the preferred embodiment of on-line play of the present card game invention, the computer player is inserted into the game to keep the game among four players and allow for exact finishes for the remaining players. Computer players will replace any players who: (i) receive a first, second, third, or fourth place finish, known as positioned players; (ii) quit; or (iii) disconnects or delays a game when other players vote to continue. The computer player bids the number of trump (spades) in hand. If possible, the computer player will always play the highest card in its hand following the suit lead per round under the standard rules. If a card higher than the highest suit card played to that point is not available, the computer player will play the lowest card of the corresponding suit. If the computer player is void in the suit led and it is the first player to play trump, it plays the lowest trump card in its hand. If the computer player is void in the suit led and it is not the first player to play trump and it can play higher than trump played, it plays the highest trump card in its hand. If the computer player is void in the suit led and it is not the first player to play trump and it can not play higher than trump played, it plays the lowest trump card in its hand. If the computer player is void in the suit led and it is void in trump, the computer player plays its highest card of the two remaining suits. When the computer player has the lead, it plays its highest non-trump card, and continues until overtaken. When the computer player has the lead and it only holds trump cards, it plays the highest trump card it holds, and continues until overtaken. The computer player(s) scoring is the same as other players, but only to serve to keep the accuracy of the game in place. Computer players do not receive a finish in the game; they function, instead, to give players their exact finish in the game. 
     In live face-to-face play, positioned players follow the same play rules as the computer player for positioned players until all finishes are known exactly for each player. 
     For the preferred embodiment of the present invention, players entering rated gaming rooms shall have a rating. Players are initially assigned a rating of 2500 points upon entry into rated gaming rooms. Rating points are increased with a first or a second place finish in a rating room game. Third and fourth place finishes in a rating room game decrease rating points. All four players beginning a rating room game each contribute one percent (1%) of their respective rating points into a rating room game pool. A player&#39;s respective rating point total is decreased by the amount of the player&#39;s contribution to a rating room game pool. Each place in the rating room game will award a percentage of that rating room game point pool total as follows: first place is awarded forty-five percent (45%) of the rating room game point pool; second place is awarded thirty percent (30%) of the rating room game point pool; third place is awarded fifteen percent (15%) of the rating room game point pool; and fourth place is awarded ten percent (10%) of the rating room game point pool. At the end of rated gaming room games, each player&#39;s rating points are adjusted according to the player&#39;s finish in the game, and the overall gaming room rankings are adjusted accordingly. 
     On-line players can access all four players&#39; tally sheet information at anytime by clicking the score function on the computer monitor used by the players. 
     Other embodiments of the present card game invention could include partner play, varying number of lives, and alternative trump suits. Additionally, since the present card game invention presents defined bid accuracy use and hierarchy within a defined four by thirteen data array, it can be extended to any game of opposites. Bidding can represent decisions based upon limited knowledge of the entire array. Hand play can represent progress along any defined journey, where the journey becomes increasingly more difficult with inaccuracy and less difficult with accuracy. The ultimate goal is for the player who remains in the game the longest before elimination to establish a record based upon that player&#39;s continued accuracy. Thus, the method of the present invention can be extended into any game of opposites such as good versus evil, knowledge versus ignorance, strength versus weakness, light versus darkness, and so on. 
     The principles of the present card game invention have been clearly presented in the preceding illustrative and explanatory text; however, those skilled in the art may make any modifications in the modes of play and array configurations of the invention without departing from those principles. It is intended, therefore, that the description and drawings be considered and interpreted as illustrative and not merely limiting, and that the present card game invention be given a scope commensurate with the appended claims.