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Method of playing and paying gambling gamesRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Board Games, Pieces, Or Boards Therefor, Betting Or Wagering Board (e.g., Casino)Method of playing and paying gambling games description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070052170, Method of playing and paying gambling games. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The application claims priority and benefit of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 10/045,250 having filing date Nov. 7, 2001 in the name of the same inventor and having the same title, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, and therethrough, this application claims priority and benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/246,855 having a filing date of Nov. 9, 2000 and also being incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. BACKGROUND [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates generally to gambling games, and in particular to methods of play and pays for blackjack card games and blackjack derivative games. [0004] 2. Discussion of Prior Art [0005] "Blackjack" or "twenty-one" (both names are used interchangeably herein) is a popular casino game played with a standard 52-card deck of playing cards. It is easy to play, and it is offered as both a live table game with human dealer or as an electronic game typically using a video display. The basic rules are the player bets and both player and dealer receive 2 cards each. Face cards count as 10 points, aces count as 1 or 11 and numbered cards as their face value. If the dealer points total 21 in the first 2 cards (a "blackjack"), the dealer (house) wins and the player loses, unless the player also has a blackjack, in which case the tie constitutes a draw or "push". If the dealer has no blackjack, the player may "stand" (decline another card) or "hit" (receive another card). The player may take hits until deciding to stand or "busts" (exceeds 21 points). If a player busts, the bet is lost. When the player stands, the dealer must hit if the dealer point total is 16 or less, else he stands. If the dealer and player point totals tie, it is declared a push and no one wins or loses. If the player has not busted and the player point total is greater than the dealer or the dealer busts, the player wins and is paid 1-for-1 in addition to receiving the bet back. Another common rule offers "splitting" where a player initially dealt a pair may also split the cards and play them as 2 hands by placing another bet. Yet another offers "doubling down" where a player may double their bet and receive 1 additional card only. [0006] In standard blackjack, the house advantage is small. There must be some advantage, or the house would not offer the game. The rules of blackjack limit the player returns to even money or very small multiples of the bet (such as 3-for-2 on a player blackjack) to ensure the house retains an advantage. These small paybacks can make the game slow and boring. [0007] To circumvent this inherent limitation, many blackjack variations have been introduced through the years to enhance player interest. Since the house advantage is small, there is little room to offer better paybacks to the player unless the rules are changed. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,888 for example, ten point cards are removed from the deck, increasing the house odds and permitting special payouts for various card combinations. [0008] Since players are often reluctant to see their rules changed, many recent blackjack derivations offer an optional side bet. For example, in a game known as "21 Madness" you might bet an additional $1 that the dealer gets a blackjack. If they do, then you will receive an award of between $1 and $1000. While conditioned on a blackjack game being played, these side bets comprise separate and distinct games that play by rules different from the standard game of blackjack [0009] Video gambling devices typically consist of a cabinet built primarily of metal, plastic and glass that houses many different internal components. The basic functions are coin acceptance, game play and coin dispensing, although it is becoming increasingly common for slot machines to accept and pay back in currency or coupons instead of, or in addition to coins. [0010] Coin acceptance is most often done by means of a coin head where coins are inserted into the game. A coin chute directs the coin into an internal coin hopper, if equipped, or into a removable drop bucket beneath the machine when the hopper is full. Winners may be paid back to players from the coin hopper through a small chute where coins land in a special tray where they are available to the player. Again, bill acceptors common today may accept and payout in currency, coupons or script in addition to or instead of coins. [0011] Internally, game play is managed by a central processor on a printed circuit board similar to that of a standard personal computer. CD-Roms and proms (programmable read-only memory computer chips) are often used, too. A power supply provides the current, and the game is displayed back to the player on a video monitor. Buttons on the outside of the cabinet provide for player input, although sometimes touchscreen panels are affixed to the monitor and used in addition to, or instead of buttons. Other printed circuit boards perform auxiliary functions, and there are usually mechanical meters counting, at a minimum, coins in and out. Too, there is internal lighting to make the game clearly noticeable, and external glass usually shows the rules of the game. Finally, games may be networked to each other and report game and player statistics to the accounting office, or to play special games that are somehow linked to each other in a variety of different configurations. [0012] Video forms of draw poker, unlike blackjack, pay according to a "paytable", which is a schedule of pays for various card combinations ("hands"). The paytable defines player objectives in terms of a monetary award or payback (also called payout or return). A common video poker paytable is illustrated in FIG. 1. Rare card combinations, such as a Royal Flush routinely offer paybacks of 250-for-1 or more, while simpler hands, such as Two Pair might pay 2-for-1. These greater paybacks add volatility to the game and make it more exciting by offering the chance to win a much greater award. [0013] Unfortunately, these larger paybacks cannot be offered in traditional blackjack, since they either reduce the house advantage to an unacceptable level or eliminate it entirely. [0014] Like video poker, reel slot machines also pay according to a paytable, which denotes various paying symbol combinations or other paying events. Slot machines today may be mechanical, electronic, video or combination. Video versions of traditional mechanical slot machines are now quite common and often offer second-screen feature games quite unrelated to the spinning reels. For example, one might select from one of five video treasure chests, whereupon an award is revealed. Getting to play these feature games is an event in-and-of-itself, and is often a primary play objective. Similarly, the use of a paytable adds a great deal of interest to the gaming experience, since it offers a wide spectrum of paybacks to players, as well as the potential for much larger awards. This volatility makes these games more fun and exciting. [0015] Unfortunately, traditional blackjack, as well as newer variations thereof, is necessarily constrained to simple paybacks of 1-for-1, or in the case of a 2-card blackjack, 3-for-2, since the paying hands are relatively easy to obtain and players cannot have a mathematical advantage over the dealer or house. Therefore, blackjack does not generate the same excitement of video poker or reel slot machines, which offer much larger returns relative to the bet. Being much less volatile than most other casino games, blackjack is boring to many players. OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES [0016] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of this invention are as follows: [0017] 1. This invention employs a true paytable with blackjack, which offers variety in paybacks to players. [0018] 2. This invention adds excitement to blackjack by offering the possibility for much larger paybacks. Volatility is a key component to player satisfaction. [0019] 3. This invention enhances player interest and intrigue by altering player strategy, making the game much more involving and rewarding. [0020] 4. Employing blackjack with a paytable per this invention allows the game's expected value to be infinitely adjusted, thereby allowing greater flexibility in game development and permitting its use in many more applications. [0021] 5. This invention may be used as a bonus feature on traditional gambling games to encourage additional play. The right to play for an expected value exceeding 100% payback is very desirable and a motivator to players. [0022] 6. This invention contributes all of the aforementioned advantages while allowing the traditional rules of playing blackjack to remain unchanged. Continue reading about Method of playing and paying gambling games... Full patent description for Method of playing and paying gambling games Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method of playing and paying gambling games patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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