Patent ID: 7018293

Claim:
A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of game elements for a display in a row and column matrix of game element locations, with said game elements having at least one feature categorizable into a particular set of one of only two predetermined sets of features, each of said sets of features having a characteristic matching a set together and differentiating that set from the other set; registering a wager input by a player upon a final outcome of the game, said wager requiring selection of at least one possible winning spatial arrangement of said game elements of a plurality of winning arrangements, wherein said arrangements are chosen from a group including matches of game elements of a particular set in geometric vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines yielded by said matrix, said wager further including registration of an amount to bet; randomly selecting game elements and associating each selected game element with a respective location for a play of the game; displaying said at least one feature of each said selected game element in said play of the game; determining an outcome of said play of the game based upon the number of winning arrangements actually achieved, if any; and providing a payout based upon the number of winning arrangements achieved and the amount bet.