Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/866,132 filed Nov. 15, 2006 by the present inventor. 
     
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       SEQUENCE LISTING 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND 
     Prior Art 
       [0004]    Games of chance utilizing a standard deck of poker cards (52 cards) have been around for many years and continue to be popular. Although most card games are played informal social/private settings, many of these games are not suitable for formal commercial play. Card games that are too complicated, take too long to play or set-up, use non-standard items, or have odds not favoring the house, are not suitable for casino play. 
         [0005]    A major obstacle for a card game to overcome if it is to be played in a casino environment is having an acceptable house edge. The house edge of the card game must be high enough that the casino profits from the players that play it, but not so high that the players feel that they are loosing too much money, or are loosing money too quickly. For example, Red Dog, a game introduced to casinos some years ago, has a very high house edge which suited the casino, but players felt as though it was too tough on them, so the game faded from popularity within a few years and eventually was withdrawn from almost all casinos. 
         [0006]    Players will tolerate games with a higher house edge if they feel that; (a) results of play demonstrate that they had a chance to win, but failed to make the proper choice to obtain the win, or (b) the game offers high potential payouts when players are able to win. (Blackjack is an example of an (a) type game. Caribbean Poker is an example of a (b) type game) 
         [0007]    Additionally, the entertainment value of a card game is an important factor in keeping players interested in playing, even though it is commonly known that the eventual outcome of wagering on any casino game always favors the casino when played over time. 
         [0008]    One form of entertainment value is the perceived ‘luck’ factor. Players feel lucky when they make a play choice that directly results in a win and/or avoids a loss. Also, games that cause the player&#39;s bank to rise and fall more severely allow the player to feel as though they have experienced good/bad luck. Another form of entertainment comes from a game that engages the player by offering them varied choices during play. This adds a ‘skill factor’ that allows players to feel as though they can game some advantage if they learn to master game play. 
         [0009]    Drama also plays an entertainment role. When players win and/or loose a wager “on the turn of a card” the sudden surprise can create an emotional high/low that can strengthen interest in the game, 
         [0010]    Some casino card games also translate well from the table format (dealer, cards and players) to an electronic format (video machine/computer). Games that can be presented in multiple formats (such as black jack, Three Card Poker) appeal to a wider player base and provide casinos with alternate ways to use their floor space and personnel. 
         [0011]    There are few successful commercial casino cards games. Those card games that do survive offer the casino the edge it needs, while at the same time engaging and entertaining players, and keeping them coming back for more. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    A card game that is played using a deck of cards comprised of fifty-two poker cards plus two Joker cards for a total of fifty-four cards, where one or more players simultaneously place a wager on, and then move the wagers among, several hands as cards are being dealt to the hands in an attempt to win monies by avoiding the Joker cards, and having their wager resting on the hand that has the highest five card poker ranking once all hands have been dealt five cards. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The invention features a card game played with a deck of fifty-four cards made up of the standard fifty two poker cards plus two Joker cards. The two Jokers, acting as ‘hand killers’, will cause players to loose their wager 14% of the time he/she plays when a Joker card is dealt to a Hand on which a player&#39;s wager resides. This house advantage is necessary in order to compensate for the advantage enjoyed by players because they can strategically move their wager from hand-to-hand during play. 
         [0014]    To give the players a logical, but restricted choice of movement, the gaming surface is divided into several Hand areas arranged side-by-side ( FIG. 1 ). This side-by-side arrangement facilitates movement from any one Hand to an adjacent Hand. The actual number of Hands areas placed on the gaming surface is up to the dealer/banker, as this will affect the house edge. Six Hand areas seem to optimal, however, more or fewer Hand areas can be deployed in this same side-by-side arrangement. Additionally, variations of the game can employ additional Hand areas not placed side-by-side, providing there are alternate methods for players to move their wagers onto these hands. 
         [0015]    Each Hand area is capable of showing five cards face up, and each has an adjoined area to contain wagers associated with the Hand ( FIG. 2 ). Electronic methods showing the amount and location of each player&#39;s wager can also be used when table space is at a premium. 
         [0016]    Before any cards are dealt, one or more players indicate their willingness to participate by placing an ‘Initial Wager’ on any one of the side-by-side Hands ( FIG. 3 ). Once all Initial Wagers have been placed, play begins as the dealer/banker deals a series of cards, one card face up, to each of the Hands ( FIG. 4 ). If a Joker Card is dealt to a Hand, the Hand ( FIGS. 8 &amp; 12 ) becomes dead, and all wagers resting on the Dead Hand are claimed by the dealer/house. Players loosing their wagers in this manner are out of the game. 
         [0017]    Players now have the opportunity to move their wagers. After the 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th  series of cards are dealt ( FIGS. 4 ,  6 ,  8 , &amp;  10 ) players will have the opportunity to move their wager left, right, or leave it where it is. This gives players the chance to reposition their wager up to four times per game ( FIGS. 5 ,  7 ,  9  &amp;  11 ). 
         [0018]    Each time players receive a chance to move their wager they, may move their wager left or right to an adjacent Hand, but they cannot move wagers onto or over a Dead Hand (see  FIGS. 9 &amp; 11 ). When players do choose to move their wager, they are required to put more monies at risk by increasing their wager by an amount equal to their Initial Wager. Players not wishing to move their wager left or right may; choose to not move their wager (if they have added monies to their wager during play) in which case an amount equal to the player&#39;s Initial Wager is removed and kept by the dealer, or they may be required to remove (and keep) their wager from the gaming surface (when their wager is not larger that their Initial Wager) 
         [0019]    After players move their wagers the next series of cards are dealt. This move/deal cycle is repeated until all hands have received their fifth and final card ( FIG. 12 ) at which time the game is over. 
         [0020]    In order to determine winners and losers, the dealer determines which Hand(s) has the highest five card poker hand ranking ( FIG. 13 ), and this Hand(s) is declared the High Hand. The dealer/bank collects and keeps all wagers not on the High Hand (losers). The remaining players that have their wager resting on the High Hand are Winners. 
         [0021]    Winners are returned their current wager, and are also paid additional monies equivalent to their current wager amount multiplied by a value chosen from an Odds Chart (see  FIG. 14 ). The odds chart is a list of entries each representing major poker hand raking categories; such as nothing, low pair, high pair, two pair, three of a kind, etc. Each entry in the Odds Chart has a multiplier value assigned to it. The major poker hand raking of the High Hand determines which entry and subsequent multiplier value is used to calculate the additional monies to be paid to the Winners. The multiplier values shown in  FIG. 14  are examples only. The actual multiplier values used are set by the dealer/banker in advance. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       [0022]    Drawing  1 —Shows the entire gaming surface with the six side-by-side Hand areas and adjoined Wager region. 
         [0023]    Drawing  2 —Detail of one Hand area showing region for the cards and the adjoined region for the wagers. 
         [0024]    Drawing  3 —Shows and example of the placement and amounts of Initial Wagers for six players. 
         [0025]    Drawing  4 —Shows what the gaming surface would look like after the first series of cards are dealt. 
         [0026]    Drawing  5 —Line and arrows indicates movement direction players take in response to the cards dealt and how the wagers are affected (increased) when moved. Drawing  6 —Shows the next (2 nd ) series of cards dealt with position and amount of player wagers after movement (above) 
         [0027]    Drawing  7 —As in drawing  5 , players again move to adjacent Hands based on the cards now seen and increase their wager if they do choose to move. 
         [0028]    Drawing  8 —Shows the next (3 rd ) series of cards dealt. Two players (indicated by X) loose their wagers because of a Joker Card being dealt on their Hand. 
         [0029]    Drawing  9 —More player movement. Player  1  decides not to move (bet decreased) and Joker card limits movement (players cannot cross the now dead hand). 
         [0030]    Drawing  10 —Shows the next (4 th ) series of cards dealt. 
         [0031]    Drawing  11 —Players again move for the 4 th  and final time. 
         [0032]    Drawing  12 —Shows the last (5 th ) series of cards dealt: Another player (indicated by X) looses his/her wager because of a Joker Card. 
         [0033]    Drawing  13 —Indicates the hand which has the highest five card poker ranking as evaluated by the dealer. Two of the remaining three players that are not on the High Hand loose their wagers (indicated by X). 
         [0034]    Drawing  14 —Shows a sample Odds Chart and how it is used to calculate the amount of monies the Winning player receives for being on the High Hand (a high pair).

Technology Category: 3