Patent ID: 8376823

Claim:
A method of playing a video poker game in which a plurality players participate, each player of said plurality of players playing independently a video poker gaming machine configured to play a primary game and each player of said plurality of players attempting to qualify for a bonus poker game, the method comprising: a) providing each player of said plurality of players with a video poker gaming machine upon which the player can play a primary video poker game through a video screen display; b) whenever each player of said plurality of players achieves a predetermined result during the play of the primary video poker game, said player earns a count toward qualifying for the bonus poker game, wherein said count is displayed on the video screen display, wherein said predetermined result comprises a suitable qualifying hand for said video poker game; c) each player of said plurality of players continues to play said player's respective primary video poker game, through a button panel or touch screen, until at least one player of said plurality of players has earned a preestablished number of counts, the preestablished number of counts being at least two, at which point the bonus poker game starts; d) when the bonus game starts on the video poker gaming machine, each player of said plurality of players who has earned the preestablished number of counts plays all of the bonus poker game and each player of said plurality of players who has earned less than the preestablished number of counts plays less than all of the bonus poker game.