Patent ID: 8308538

Claim:
A method for a gaming server to conduct a card game comprising: the gaming server determining a first hand of cards and providing the first hand to a client entity, wherein the client entity is associated with an account; in response to receiving a first request from the client entity, the gaming server (i) determining a first set of replacement cards to replace one or more cards in the first hand, thereby forming a second hand of cards, and (ii) providing at least the first set to the client entity; and in response to receiving a second request from the client entity, the gaming server (i) calculating and providing, to the client entity, a first cost associated with replacing one or more cards in the second hand of cards, wherein the first cost is based on (a) a particular expected gain, to the client entity, of replacing the one or more cards, and (b) particular cards held in the second hand of cards, (ii) determining a second set of replacement cards to replace the one or more cards in the second hand of cards, thereby forming a third hand of cards, (iii) debiting the account by the first cost, and (iv) providing at least the second set to the client entity.