Abstract:
A method of playing a table based version of draw poker that allows the dealer and/or the player to draw a card. After seeing his or her cards, the player can choose a card from the player&#39;s hand to replace or the player can choose to keep all of the cards. The dealer may also choose a card to replace from the dealer&#39;s hand or can choose to keep all of the cards.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention is directed to a method for implementing a wagering game in a casino. More particularly, the present invention relates to implementing a table poker game against a dealer wherein the player and/or dealer is allowed to draw a card.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Casino table poker games (as opposed to “poker room” games) are highly popular. These games give players the excitement of playing poker, but without the intimidation factor that exists when players play poker in a poker room against one another.  
         [0005]     One example of a casino poker game is 3-card poker. A disadvantage of this game is that the game does not allow players (or the dealer) to improve their hand. Player&#39;s are stuck with the hand they are dealt.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,279 to Moody discloses a poker game where the player has an opportunity to draw. However, the dealer is not able to draw a card.  
         [0007]     What is needed is a new variety of poker which some players may find more attractive by allowing the players to improve their hand, and allowing the dealer to improve his or her hand as well to offset the player being allowed to draw.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     It is an aspect of the present invention to provide an improvement in casino floor table poker games.  
         [0009]     The above aspects can be obtained by a method that includes (a) receiving an ante wager from a player; (b) dealing a player&#39;s hand and a dealer&#39;s hand; (c) allowing the player to place a raise wager or fold; (d) if the player raises, allowing the player to replace one or more cards in the player&#39;s hand and (d) accounting for the ante wager and the raise wager.  
         [0010]     The above aspects can also be obtained by a method that includes (a) dealing a dealer&#39;s hand; (b) dealing a player&#39;s hand; (c) allowing the player to replace one or more cards from the player&#39;s hand; (d) if the player&#39;s hand beats the dealer&#39;s hand, then paying the player.  
         [0011]     The above aspects can also be obtained by a method that includes (a) dealing a dealer&#39;s hand; (b) dealing a player&#39;s hand; (c) allowing the dealer to replace one or more cards from the dealer&#39;s hand; (d) if the player&#39;s hand beats the dealer&#39;s hand, then paying the player.  
         [0012]     These together with other aspects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a flowchart illustrating a method of implementing the present invention, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an example of a table layout, according to an embodiment. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.  
         [0017]     The present invention relates to a table poker game wherein a player and/or a dealer can replace a card in their hand of their choosing. To allow the player to replace a card will give the player the ability to make better hands and provide him or her with more excitement. The player may like all of his or her cards and not wish to replace any. Optionally, the dealer can also have the option to replace a selected card. The dealer typically chooses which of his or her cards (or none at all) to replace by a set “house way.” Of course the odds/payouts for the game should be adjusted accordingly to accommodate for the opportunity for the player to replace a card.  
         [0018]     Table I illustrates a first set of rules in an embodiment of the present invention.  
                   TABLE I                           1.   The game is played with an ordinary single 52-card deck. All cards as scored as           in poker.       2.   Hands shall be scored as follows from lowest to highest: Ace high or less, pair,           flush, straight, three of a kind, straight flush.       3.   Ace, 2, 3 is the lowest possible straight.       4.   The game shall start with the player making an ante wager.       5.   Each player and dealer shall receive three cards face down. The player may look           at his own cards but sharing of information is not allowed.       6.   The player must decide to raise or fold. If the player folds then he forfeits his ante           bet and turns in his cards. If the player raises then he must make a raise bet equal           to exactly two times his ante bet.       7.   The dealer shall then examine his cards. If the dealer has less than a jack high           then the dealer will fold. If the dealer folds the ante bet shall pay even money and           the raise will push.       8.   If the dealer does have a jack high or higher then the player may discard one of           his three cards for the next card in the deck. The player may also stand pat with           his original three cards.       9.   The dealer shall then have the option to discard one card or none at all according           the house way explained later.       10.   The player and dealer shall compare hands, the highest hand wins.       11.   If the dealer has the higher hand the ante and raise shall lose.       12.   If the dealer and player have the exact same valued hand then the ante and raise shall           push.       13.   If the player has the higher hand then the ante shall pay 1 to 1 and the raise           according to table II.                  
 
         [0019]     Table II illustrates a paytable for payouts on the raise bet, for the rules in Table I. Of course, this is just one example of payouts, other configurations of paytables can be used as well.  
                           TABLE II                                       Hand   Pays           Ace high or less   Push           Pair   1 to 2           Flush   1 to 1           Straight   2 to 1           Three of a kind   5 to 1           Straight flush   6 to 1                      
 
         [0020]     Table III illustrates one example of how the dealer shall play his hand, for use with Tables I and II. If more than one rule fits then the dealer should follow the highest (lowest numbered) listed rule.  
                   TABLE III                           1.   With a flush or higher stand pat.       2.   With a pair discard the singleton.       3.   Draw to a possible straight flush.       4.   With an ace high discard the lowest card           except if (a) the lowest card is suited           with the ace; or (b) an ace/2/3 straight is           possible and the second highest card is           unsuited to the ace and is jack or less.       5.   Draw to a possible flush.       6.   Draw to a possible outside straight.       7.   Draw to a possible inside straight.       8.   Discard lowest card.                  
 
         [0021]     Table IV shows all possible outcomes, the number of possible combinations, the probability, and contribution to the total return, using the rules and payouts form Tables I, II and III.  
                                                     TABLE IV                       Event   Pays   Combinations   Probability   Return                                Player loses   −3   305,906,094,144   0.362946   −1.088837       Player ties   0      593,383,728   0.000704     0.000000       Dealer folds   1   157,707,421,200   0.187114     0.187114       Player folds   −1    90,615,127,680   0.107511   −0.107511       Player wins with   1    60,484,391,832   0.071762     0.071762       nothing       Player wins with   2    98,647,818,996   0.117042     0.234084       pair       Player wins with   3    69,380,262,696   0.082317     0.246951       flush       Player wins with   5    49,468,472,208   0.058692     0.293462       straight       Player wins with 3   11    6,086,980,128   0.007222     0.079442       of a kind       Player wins with   13    3,952,775,388   0.004690     0.060968       st flush                       Total       842,842,728,000   1.000000   −0.022566                  
 
         [0022]     The lower right cell in Table IV shows a return of −2.26%, or a house edge of 2.26%. This is defined as the expected player loss to the initial wager. The player will raise 89.25% of the time, resulting in an average wager of 2.78 units. The ratio of expected player loss to total wager, what I define as the “element of risk”, is 0.81%.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a flowchart illustrating a method of implementing the present invention, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]     The method begins with operation  100 , wherein the player makes an ante wager.  
         [0025]     The method then proceeds to operation  102 , wherein the dealer deals the dealer&#39;s hand and the player&#39;s hand.  
         [0026]     The method then proceeds to operation  104 , wherein the player decides to raise or fold. Typically, the player makes this decision based on his or her hand.  
         [0027]     If in operation  104  the player decides to fold, then the method proceeds to operation  108  wherein the player loses his or her ante bet.  
         [0028]     If in operation  104 , the player decides to raise, then the player makes a raise bet. The allowed raise bet can be a predetermined multiple of the ante wager (e.g. 1×, 2×, 3×, etc.) From the rule set in Table I, the raise bet should be twice the ante bet. Thus, the player must bet double his or her ante bet if the player wishes to raise. The method can then proceed to operation  106 , wherein the dealer then checks to see if the dealer qualifies. Typically, the dealer should have a predetermined hand or higher to qualify. If the dealer does not qualify, then the method proceeds to operation  110 , wherein the player wins even money on the ante bet but pushes on the raise bet.  
         [0029]     If in operation  106 , the dealer qualifies, then the method proceeds to operation  112 , wherein the player can replace a card. Typically, the player can select a card he or she wishes to replace. The player may also wish to keep all of the player&#39;s cards. The player may also be allowed to replace more than one card. The dealer will deal new card(s) to replace cards the player selected to replace.  
         [0030]     From operation  112 , the method proceeds to operation  114 , wherein the dealer can replace a card. The dealer can follow a set house way for deciding how to play the hand (whether to discard and which card(s) to discard). Typically, there should be no discretion on the part of the dealer himself or herself. How to play the hand should be according to a predetermined strategy.  
         [0031]     From operation  114 , the method proceeds to a series of operations which account for the wagers.  
         [0032]     In operation  116 , if the dealer has the highest hand, then the method proceeds to operation  118 , wherein the player loses the ante bet and the raise bet.  
         [0033]     In operation  120 , if the player and dealer tie, then the method proceeds to operation  122 , wherein the ante bet and raise bet push.  
         [0034]     If the player ends up having the higher hand, then the method proceeds to operation  124 , wherein the player wins even money on the ante bet and wins a payout on the raise bet according to a paytable.  
         [0035]     It is further noted that the operations in  FIG. 2  can be performed in any sensible order. For example, operation  114  can come before operation  112  (the dealer can draw before the player draws).  
         [0036]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an example of a table layout, according to an embodiment.  
         [0037]     A casino table  210  is used to play the game. The table layout can accommodate a dealer and any reasonable number of players (e.g. 1-10). For simplicity, the table  210  in  FIG. 2  only shows two players.  
         [0038]     A dealer&#39;s hand  200  comprises three cards (although other numbers of cards can be used). A first player&#39;s hand  206  also comprises three cards (although other numbers of cards can be used). The first player&#39;s ante betting circle  202  is used to place the first player&#39;s ante wager in operation  100 . The first players raise betting circle  204  is used to player the first player&#39;s raise wager in operation  104 .  
         [0039]     Also shown are the second player hand  212 , the second player&#39;s ante betting circle  208 , and the second player&#39;s raise betting circle  210 .  
         [0040]     It is also noted that any and/or all of the above embodiments, configurations, variations of the present invention described above can mixed and matched and used in any combination with one another. Any claim herein can be combined with any others (unless the results are nonsensical).  
         [0041]     Moreover, any description of a component or embodiment herein also includes hardware, software, and configurations which already exist in the prior art and may be necessary to the operation of such component(s) or embodiment(s).  
         [0042]     The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.