Abstract:
A modified Blackjack game between a dealer and one or more players that incorporates at least one side bet available to each player. The method comprises: offering the players at least one side bet having an outcome dependant upon whether a card yet to be dealt will belong to a player-selectable subset of a set of predetermined traits of the card (such as the identifying color, traditional suit, or ranking); accepting from the players any wagers and selections of the player-selectable subsets; dealing a card to each player and the dealer from a deck of cards, wherein each card composing the deck comprises at least one predetermined traits; for each accepted side bet, determining whether the value of the predetermined trait of the relevant card belongs to the player-selected subset; for each accepted side bet, determining whether there is an overriding losing condition present; for each successful side bet, paying the player a predetermined payout; and, finally, completing the Blackjack game.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This original nonprovisional application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 61/147,943, filed Jan. 28, 2009 and entitled “Texas-Blackjack Game With Accompanying Board and Cards,” which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates to a card game and method of playing a card game. More specifically, the present invention is a modified Blackjack game and method wherein the game includes at least one optional side bet, the outcome of which is dependant on one or more characteristics of a card of a Blackjack hand. 
         [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    A number of United States patents disclose variations of card games. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,897 (issued Nov. 9, 1999) discloses a method for playing a modified form of Blackjack with rules variations to increase the excitement of the game while retaining substantially the same “take.” Specifically, the &#39;897 patent provides, among other things, (i) for a payout of 2:1 for a blackjack of a specified suit; (ii) that five or more cards totaling exactly 21 pays 2:1; (iii) that six cards totaling twenty or more pays 1:1; and (iv) the player may place a “side bet” on getting a blackjack in a designated suit in the first round of a newly shuffled deck, which, if successful, pays 300:1. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,075 (issued Nov. 27, 2001) provides for a “Blackjack-type game” in which each player receives four playing cards arranged in a window, with two of the cards face-up and two of the cards face-down. Wagers are made on at least one and at most three of the six possible different two-cards combination of the array, betting against the dealer&#39;s hand, which is governed by traditional Blackjack rules. A player forfeits his initial wager in the event that his cards contain a certain predetermined losing hand, whereas a bonus winning payout is made on the initial wager if the player&#39;s cards contain a certain predetermined winning hand. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,767 (issued Mar. 25, 2003) provides a variation of Blackjack wherein a player may make a side bet on a dealer&#39;s face up card having a point value of ten and a plurality of side bets relating to a player&#39;s first two dealt cards. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,746 (issued Apr. 12, 2005) discloses a Blackjack game wherein players are afforded the option of exchanging one or more of the players&#39; dealt cards. Each player is given the option of exchanging one or both of an originally dealt two cards for a predetermined fee (e.g., 50% of the initial wager). 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,222,854 (issued May 29, 2007) provides a modified Blackjack game in which every player places a first wager, the outcome of which is determined by conventional Blackjack rules. Players may optionally place an additional wager corresponding to a predicted total point value or point value range of an initial hand of two cards dealt to the player. After the dealer has dealt a player that has placed the additional wager a second card, an actual total point value is computed for the two-card hand of that player. If the actual total point value is equal to or in a range of a predicted total point values, a player placing an additional wager wins a predetermined multiple of the amount of the additional wager. A second predetermined multiple may be paid if a player&#39;s two card hand includes two cards of the same suit. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,435,172 (issued Oct. 14, 2008) discloses a modification to a card game in which bets are pushed if the total of the cards in the player&#39;s and dealer&#39;s hands are of equal value and add up to twenty-one or less, or if the total of the cards in the dealer&#39;s hand equals a predetermined value between twenty-two and twenty-six and the total of the cards in the 
         [0012]    Each of the above-referenced United States patents and/or published applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The present invention is a modified Blackjack game between a dealer and one or more players that incorporates at least one side bet available to each player. The method comprises: offering the players at least one side bet having an outcome dependant upon whether a card yet to be dealt will belong to at least one subset of a set of predetermined traits of the card (such as the identifying color, traditional suit, or ranking); accepting from the players any wagers and selections of the subsets; dealing a card to each player and the dealer from a deck of cards, wherein each card composing the deck comprises at least one predetermined trait; for each accepted side bet, determining whether the predetermined trait of the relevant card belongs to the selected subset; for each accepted side bet, determining whether there is a overriding losing condition present; for each successful side bet, paying the player a predetermined payout; and, finally, completing the Blackjack game. 
         [0014]    With the present invention, the underlying game of Blackjack remains unchanged except to the extent the pace of the game may be changed to allow for the betting and resolution of any desired side bets. A player&#39;s blackjack wager is not affected by the wager on any side bets. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  shows the layout of a gaming table comprising the card game of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  shows a specific playing station of the gaming table shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  shows the layout of a gaming table comprising an alternative embodiment of the card game of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A Preferred Embodiment 
       [0018]    The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a modified Blackjack game that provides one or more players the opportunity to place additional proposition wagers (i.e., “side bets”) on the cards received from and/or dealt to the dealer. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a gaming table  20  having a dealer side  22  and a player side  24  provides a number of stations  26  for players to occupy, which is typically five or six stations per gaming table  20 . 
         [0019]    As shown more fully in  FIG. 2 , in which some markings shown in  FIG. 1  have been removed for clarity, at each station  24  is a first wagering area  28 , a second wagering area  30 , a third wagering area  32 , a fourth wagering area  34 , and a fifth wagering area  36  corresponding to optional first, second, third, fourth, and fifth side bets. 
         [0020]    The first wagering area  28 , which is the wagering area most proximal to the dealer side  22 , is subdivided into fifteen rectangular areas in three columns having five rows. Each ranking of a traditional playing card suit, except for the ace, is placed in one of twelve rectangular areas that compose four rows  38 , with no more than one ranking within each rectangular area. The left column (when viewed from the playing position) includes the first subset of rankings two, five, eight, and jack (J); the center column includes the second subset of rankings of three, six, nine, and queen (Q); and the right column includes the third subset of rankings of four, seven, ten, and king (K). The first row  40  consists of three adjacent betting windows  42 - 44  within their respective columns, each window thus being associated with one of the first, second, and/or third subsets. 
         [0021]    The second wagering area  30  comprises three adjacent betting windows  48 - 50 . For aesthetic purposes, each of the windows  48 - 50  is aligned with either the left, center, or right columns composing the first wagering area  28 . Each of the betting windows  48 - 50  of the second wagering area  30  is differently colored: the left window  48  is red; the center window  49  is white, and the right window  50  is blue. 
         [0022]    The third wagering area  32  comprises of three adjacent betting windows  52 - 54 . For aesthetic purposes, each of the windows  52 - 54  is aligned with the left, center, or right betting windows  48 - 50  that compose the second wagering area  30 . Each of the betting windows  52 - 54  of this wagering area is differently colored: the left window  52  is red; the center window  53  is white, and the right window  54  is blue. 
         [0023]    The fourth wagering area  34  comprises three adjacent betting windows  56 - 58 . Each of the betting windows  56 - 58  contains four card rankings corresponding to a ranking of a traditional playing deck. All rankings of a suit are present within the fourth wagering area  34  except for the ace: the left window  56  includes the subset of rankings two through five; the center window  57  includes the subset of rankings six through nine, and the right window  58  includes the rankings ten through king (10, J, Q, K). No ranking appears in the fourth wagering  34  area more than once. 
         [0024]    The circular fifth wagering area  36  is located to the left of and proximal to the fourth wagering area  34 . 
         [0025]    A Blackjack betting window  60  for traditional Blackjack wagers is located to the right of the fourth wagering area  34 . 
         [0026]    In this preferred embodiment, thirty-nine cards make up a complete playing deck, which is divided into three suits (ace through king), with all cards of each suit except the ace having a common identifying trait that is one of the colors of red, white, and blue. The ace of each suit, however, is green. Although this specific embodiment contemplates the use of red, white, blue, and green as set forth above, any other combination of colors is acceptable, provided that (i) the identifying colors preferably are quickly distinguishable from one another; (ii) a specific color is not used in more than one window in a single wagering area; and (iii) the identifying colors of the cards correspond to the colors used to identify the betting windows within the wagering areas when applicable—i.e., in the preferred embodiment, the second and third wagering areas. 
         [0027]    Alternatively, rather than identifying colors, the traditional card suits may be used (i.e., hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs). Those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative identifying traits may also be used. 
         [0028]    The preferred method of the present invention includes the traditional rules of Blackjack, wherein at least two cards are dealt to each player and the dealer, and the players attempt to exceed or tie the value of the dealer&#39;s hand without the player&#39;s own hand exceeding a value of twenty one (i.e., “busting”). Although described herein with reference to a dealer and a single player, it should be understood that multiple players may play at any time with a single dealer. 
         [0029]    The preferred method provides the opportunity for a player to make up to five additional side bets on ranking and/or identifying color of the first card dealt to the player and the first card dealt to the dealer. Prior to any cards being dealt, each player is offered the opportunity to optionally make one or more side bets having outcomes determined by the first card to be dealt to the player and the first card dealt to the dealer. After all desired side bets are placed, the players and dealer are dealt the first card of their Blackjack hand face up, and any side bets that were placed then resolved. Regular Blackjack play thereafter resumes. 
         [0030]    In the preferred embodiment, the green aces have special significance with respect to the side bets, but have normal Blackjack significance after side bets are resolved and Blackjack play resumes. First, when a green ace is dealt to the player, only that player loses all side bets on which he has placed a wager, but not his Blackjack wager. Second, when a green ace is dealt to the dealer, all players lose their side bets in which a wager has been placed, but not their Blackjack wager. The Blackjack wager does not come into play until the second card is dealt face up to the player and a second card is dealt to the dealer face down, after which Blackjack play resumes and any green ace in play has its normal Blackjack significance of having a value of either one or eleven. 
         [0031]    The first optional side bet provides a wagering opportunity based on whether the ranking of the player&#39;s card will belong to one of three subsets of rankings of the first wagering area  28 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , to wager that the player&#39;s first card will have a ranking of two, five, eight, or jack (J) (i.e., the first subset of rankings), the player positions a wager (e.g., a colored chip having a predetermined monetary value) within the left betting window  42  of the first wagering area  28 . To wager that the player&#39;s first card will be a three, six, nine, or queen (Q) (i.e., the second subset of rankings), the player positions a wager in the center betting window  43 . To wager that the player&#39;s first card will be a four, seven, ten, or king (K) (i.e., the third subset of rankings), the player positions a wager in the right betting window  44  of the first wagering area  28 . The player may wager on one or more than one of the three subsets. 
         [0032]    A determination of whether a player&#39;s first optional side bet is successful is dependant on both the player&#39;s card and the dealer&#39;s card. If the player wagered on a subset to which his first card belongs, the bet is successful unless the dealer&#39;s first card or the player&#39;s first card is a green ace. More specifically, if the player&#39;s first card is a green ace, that player (and only that player) loses the first optional side bet (as well as all other side bets) and any wager is collected by the dealer. If the dealer&#39;s first card is a green ace, which is an overriding losing condition unrelated to the player&#39;s prediction of a subset, all players lose their wagers on the first side bet (as well as all other side bets). As used herein, “overriding losing condition” means a condition on which the player loses his side bet regardless of whether he correctly predicted the subset of the playing card. If the player elects to make a bet and is successful—that is, if the player selects a subset to which his card belongs and the dealer&#39;s card is not a green ace—the dealer pays out at 2:1 on the wager placed in the corresponding betting window for the selected subset. While specific subsets of card rankings are set forth in this embodiment, any variation of the subsets may be employed. 
         [0033]    The second optional side bet provides a wagering opportunity based on the identifying color of the first card dealt to the dealer, and, more specifically, whether the dealer&#39;s first card will be of the red, white, or blue identifying color. To make this side bet, the player places a wager to the red betting window  48 , the white betting window  49 , and/or the blue betting window  50  composing the second wagering area  30  that corresponds to his prediction of the identifying color of the dealer&#39;s first card. If the player elects to place this optional side bet and is successful—that is, if the player correctly wagers on the identifying color of the dealer&#39;s first card and the dealer&#39;s first card is not a green ace—the dealer pays out at 2:1 on the successful wager. As noted above, if the dealer&#39;s first card is a green ace, all players lose the second optional side bet (and all other side bets). The player may wager on one or more than one of the red, white, and blue betting windows  48 - 50 . 
         [0034]    An “identifying color,” as used herein, means a color appearing on a card in a manner and/or amount sufficient to make the card identifiable with that color or combination of colors. In the preferred embodiment, each card comprises exactly one color on a white background, although this should not be construed to mean that a card cannot have multiple non-white colors present. While multiple colors may appear on a card—e.g., black outlines of the royal figures of a jack, queen, and king—one color (or combination of colors) is dominant so that it is easily and obviously identifiable with a specific color such that the card would be considered to be that color. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the traditional card suits would be considered to have two identifying colors—red (hearts, diamonds) and black (spades, clubs)—despite that other colors may also appear on the cards. 
         [0035]    The third optional side bet provides a wagering opportunity based on the color of the first card dealt to the player, and, more specifically, whether the player&#39;s first card will be of the red, white, or blue color. To make this side bet, the player places a wager in the red, left betting window  52 , the white, center betting window  53 , and/or the blue, right betting window  54  composing the third wagering area  32 . If the dealer&#39;s first card is a green ace, all players lose the third optional side bet (and all other side bets). If the player elects to bet and is successful—that is, if the player correctly wagers on the color of his first card (and neither the player&#39;s first card nor the dealer&#39;s first card is a green ace as described above)—the dealer pays out at 2:1 on the successful wager. The player may wager on one or more than one of the red, white, and blue betting windows  52 - 54 . 
         [0036]    The fourth optional side bet provides a wagering opportunity based on the card ranking of the player&#39;s first card. To make this side bet, the player places a wager in the left betting window  56 , center betting window  57 , and/or right betting window  58  of the fourth wagering area  34 . Specifically, the player may wager that his first card will have a ranking in a first subset of two, three, four, or five by moving a wager amount to the left betting window  56  of the fourth wagering area  34 . The player may wager that his first card will have a ranking in a second subset of six, seven, eight, or nine by moving a wager amount to the center betting window  57 . Finally, the player may wager that his first card will have a ranking in a third subset of ten, jack (J), queen (Q), or king (K) by moving a wager to the right betting window  58 . If the player&#39;s first card is a green ace, the player loses the fourth optional side bet. If the dealer&#39;s first card is a green ace, all players lose the fourth optional side bet (and all other side bets). If the player bets successfully—that is, if the player correctly wagers on the subset that includes the ranking of his card (and neither the players first card nor the dealer&#39;s first card is a green ace)—the dealer pays out at 2:1. The player may wager on one or more than one of the three subsets. 
         [0037]    The fifth optional side bet provides the opportunity to wager on whether the player will be successful on each of the first, second, third, and fourth optional side bets. The player may wager that he will be successful on the first through fourth side bets by placing a wager in the fifth wagering area  36 . If the player is successful—that is, if the player has wagered on this side bet and has also successfully wagered on each of the first through fourth optional side bets and the dealer&#39;s first card is not a green ace—the dealer pays out at 80:1. 
       An Alternative Embodiment 
       [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , an alternative embodiment of the invention comprises a gaming table  120  having a dealer side  122  and a player side  124 , and that provides a number of stations  126  for players to occupy. Each player station  126  of this alternative embodiment comprises a first wagering area  128 , a second wagering area  130 , a third wagering area  132 , a fourth wagering area  134 , and a fifth wagering area  136  corresponding to optional first, second, third, fourth and fifth side bets. 
         [0039]    The first wagering area  128  is subdivided into fifteen rectangular areas in three columns and five rows. A sixteenth area  139 , designated with an “A”, extends across, and is adjacent to, the three columns. Each ranking of a traditional card suit is placed in one of thirteen areas composing the second through fifth rows  138  and the sixteenth area  139 . The left column includes a first subset of rankings two, five, eight, and jack (J); the center column includes a second subset of rankings three, six, nine, and queen (Q); and the right column includes a third subset of rankings four, seven, ten, and king (K). The first row  140  of the first wagering area  128  is composed of the left, center, and right betting windows  142 - 144  of the corresponding columns. 
         [0040]    The second wagering area  130  comprises three adjacent betting windows  148 - 150 . For aesthetic purposes, each of the windows  148 - 150  within the second wagering  130  area is aligned with the left, center, or right column composing the first wagering area  128 . Each of the windows  148 - 150  is differently colored: the left window  148  is red, the center window  149  is white, and the right window  150  is blue. 
         [0041]    The third wagering area  132  comprises three adjacent betting windows  152 - 154 . For aesthetic purposes, each of the betting windows  152 - 154  is aligned with the left, center, or right windows  148 - 150  of the second wagering area  130 . Each of the windows  152 - 154  is differently colored: the left window  152  is red, the center window  153  is white, and the right window  154  is blue. 
         [0042]    The Blackjack betting window  160 , used for traditional Blackjack wagers, is located between the fourth wagering area  134  and the fifth wagering area  136 . The fourth wagering area  134  comprises a betting window  158  containing designations for the rankings of ten, jack (J), queen (Q), and king (K). The circular fifth wagering area  136  is located to the right of and proximal to the Blackjack betting window  160 . 
         [0043]    In this alternative embodiment, fifty-two cards make up a complete playing deck. The playing deck is divided into four suits each having its own identifying trait selected from the colors of red, white, blue, and green, rather than traditional playing suits (i.e., hearts, clubs, diamonds, and spades). Each suit of the playing deck includes thirteen cards having traditional rankings of ace through king. 
         [0044]    As described with reference to the preferred embodiment, this alternative embodiment incorporates the traditional rules of Blackjack. Prior to any cards being dealt, each player is offered the opportunity to optionally make one or more side bets having outcomes determined either directly or indirectly by one or more cards to be dealt to the player and the first card to be dealt to the dealer. After all desired side bets are placed, the players and dealer are dealt the first card of their Blackjack hand face up, after which any side bets that were placed are resolved. Regular Blackjack play then resumes. 
         [0045]    The first optional side bet of this embodiment provides a wagering opportunity based on whether the ranking of the player&#39;s first card will belong to one of the three subsets of rankings associated with the three columns of the first wagering area  128 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , to wager that the player&#39;s first card will have a ranking of two, five, eight, jack (J), or ace (A), the player positions a wager within the left betting window  142  of the first wagering area  128 , thus associating the player&#39;s wager with that subset of rankings To wager that the player&#39;s first card will be a three, six, nine, queen (Q), or ace (A), the player positions a wager in the center betting window  143 , thus associating the player&#39;s wager with that subset of rankings To wager that the player&#39;s first card will be a four, seven, ten, king (K), or ace (A), the player positions a wager in the right betting window  144 , thus associating the player&#39;s wager with that subset of rankings The player may wager on one or more of the three subsets. However, if the player&#39;s first card is a green card (regardless of rank), the player loses the first side bet. If the player elects to make the bet and is successful—that is, if the player correctly wagers on the subset that includes the ranking of his card and the dealer&#39;s card is not a green ace—the dealer pays out at 2:1. Any wagers placed on the other two “losing” windows are collected by the dealer. 
         [0046]    The second optional side bet provides a wagering opportunity based on the color of the first card dealt to the dealer, and, more specifically, whether the dealer&#39;s first card will be of the red, white, or blue color. To make this side bet, the player places a wager in the red left betting window  148 , the white center betting window  149 , and/or the right blue betting window  150  composing the second wagering area  130 . If the dealer&#39;s first card is a green card (regardless of ranking), the player loses the second optional side bet. If the player elects to bet and is successful—that is, if the player correctly wagers on the color of the dealer&#39;s first card and the dealer&#39;s first card is not green—the dealer pays out at 2:1 on the successful wager. 
         [0047]    The third optional side bet provides a wagering opportunity based on the color of the first card dealt to the player, and, more specifically, whether the player&#39;s first card will be of the red, white, or blue color. To make this side bet, the player places a wager in the red betting window  152 , the white betting window  153 , and/or the blue betting window  154  composing the third wagering area  132 . If the player&#39;s first card is green, that player loses the third optional side bet (and all other side bets). If the player elects to bet and is successful—that is, if the player correctly wagers on the color of his first card and his first card is not green—the dealer pays out at 2:1 on the successful wager. The player may wager on one or more than one of the red, white, or blue windows. 
         [0048]    The fourth optional side bet provides a wagering opportunity based on the card ranking of the player&#39;s first card and second card—i.e., the initial Blackjack hand. The player may only make this side bet if the player is dealt an ace on his first card. Thereafter, the player places a wager in the betting window  158  of the fourth wagering area  134  to wager that his second card will be a ten, jack (J), queen (Q), or king (K)—i.e., that his second card will result in his hand being a Blackjack. If the player&#39;s first card is green (regardless of rank), the player loses the fourth optional side bet. If the player bets successfully—that is, if the player correctly wagers on the subset of ten, jack (J), queen (Q), or king (K) and his second card is a ten, jack (J), queen (Q), or king (K) and is not green—the dealer pays out at 1:1. 
         [0049]    A fifth optional side bet provides the opportunity to wager on the player&#39;s successful completion of each of the first, second, and third optional side bets of this alternative embodiment. A player may wager that he will be successful on the first through third side bets by placing a wager into the fifth wagering area  136 . If the player is successful—that is, if the player has successfully wagered on each of the first through third optional side bets—the dealer pays out at 25:1. 
         [0050]    The present invention is described in terms of a preferred illustrative embodiment of a specifically described card game and method, as well as an alternative embodiment thereof. Those skilled in the art will recognize that yet other alternative embodiments of such a game and method can be used in carrying out the present invention. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention may be obtained from a study of this disclosure and the drawings, along with the appended claims.