Patent ID: 8758117

Claim:
A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising: (a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a selection game having a plurality of positions, each of the positions being selectable; (b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a plurality of awards with the positions, each of the awards having a value, each of the awards being masked such that the value of said award is not displayed, wherein, for each of a plurality of the awards, said award being associated with one of the positions, said award has a relationship to one or more of the awards associated with the positions bordering said position such that when said position is selected, the value of said award provides certain information which can be subsequently used to make better informed decisions regarding one or more subsequent position selections; (c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to enable a first player to select one of the positions; (d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the first player's selected position is associated with an award; (e) if the first player's selected position is associated with an award, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to unmask said award and display the value of said award; (f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one input device to enable a second player to select another one of the positions using the information provided by the value of the award associated with the first player's selected position; (g) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the second player's selected position is associated with an award; and (h) if the second player's selected position is associated with an award, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to unmask said award and display the value of said award.