| Method of playing blackjack and other games of chance -> Monitor Keywords |
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  Method of playing blackjack and other games of chanceThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070290441. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001]There are no related applications to this one to cross-reference. [0002]No federally sponsored research or development is involved in this invention. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003]This invention relates generally to games of chance, such as found in casinos, both virtual (internet/home gaming) and tangible, and, more particularly, to a gaming system which can be used to play blackjack at gaming tables or on a video gaming platform. This gaming system can also be applied to the arcade market and to tournament blackjack. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART [0004]In those areas of the United States and the rest of the world where gambling exists, there is a need for new or improved games of chance to attract gamblers to casinos both virtual and tangible. It is desirable that any new system, while talking advantage of the familiarity of an existing game, create more excitement and added interest to the original method of play. It is also desirable that an improved method of play be created to deter card counters by removing the mathematical advantage that card counters exercise during standard blackjack play, thereby creating a more profitability method of play for casino use. [0005]Historically, many casinos have eliminated the advantageous rules from blackjack in order to offset the financial damage resulting from advantage players taking advantage of existing rules and methods of play to beat blackjack as it exists previously. Examples of advantageous rules known in traditional blackjack are: the dealer must stands on soft 17 (ace and six), and/or there is no limit on number of aces a player is allowed to split and/or a player is allowed to surrender his hand and receive back 50% of his bet. [0006]While both poker and blackjack tournaments have become popular television entertainment, existing blackjack and poker tournaments will never attain the competitive heights similar to golf, bowling and other competitive tournaments wherein winners are largely determined by skill rather than luck. What is needed is a method of play in blackjack tournament play to convert blackjack tournament play from an entertainment feature to a respected, competitive sport. [0007]What is also needed is a method of play wherein the rules of blackjack are not significantly altered, but the ratio of the number of cards dealt to rounds played is altered significantly enough to discourage card counters thereby increasing cash flow at the gaming table or virtual apparatus (internet/video platform). BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008]The present invention is a new and innovative technique that can be used to increase the attraction of blackjack for both the casino and the player. The invention is to alter the method of play to include a common two-card opening hand. This hand will be used by all players at the table. Prior to the start of each round, players will determine the amount of their individual wagers. After the common cards have been dealt, players will individually decide whether or not to be dealt additional cards to supplement the common hand. Players will independently make decisions about how to play out their hand (i.e. hit, stand, double, insure or surrender). [0009]One object of the present invention is to provide a method and system that allows the blackjack dealer to deal more blackjack rounds per hour. This enables increasing casino profits, thereby allowing the casino to return a proportionate share of its increased profits by restoring the aforementioned "better rules" to the player, as described herein. The game proceeds faster because all players will receive a common first two cards rather than all players individually receiving their first two cards individually. The dealer will initially deal only four cards to cover the entire table's initial two cards--two to the dealer and a common two-card hand for all players other than the dealer. Each player will independently determine whether or not he wants additional cards for himself beyond the initial two cards and common hand previously dealt. [0010]Another object of the present invention is to deter advantage players by dealing approximately nine cards per round to seven players (full table) and to the dealer himself as compared to dealing twenty-one to twenty-two cards in a conventional blackjack game (seven players and one dealer times 2.7 cards per position=21.6 cards). The elimination of approximately 60% of cards dealt per round would discourage advantage players, because the limited number of cards dealt per round would not allow the card counters to obtain a favorable count fast enough to rationalize playing blackjack under World Blackjack Classic's method of play or otherwise. Once again, the removal of advantage players will enable casinos to restore more beneficial rules to the other players, rules that were previously tightened because of lower blackjack yields resulting from an increased number of advantage players attacking the game. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [0011]FIG. 1 is a view of an embodiment of the system of the present invention in which the game of chance is blackjack played at a multiple player blackjack table. [0012]FIG. 2 is a view of another embodiment of the system in which the game of chance is blackjack played at the multiple player blackjack table. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF [0013]An embodiment of the present invention is a method of playing a round of blackjack between a dealer and one or more players in which the players share the point value of a common hand. This method has the step of one or more of said players making a bet permitted by the rules of the game. Then the dealer initially deals only one two-card hand to himself and only one common two-card hand to players. The dealer's two card hand consists of an up face card shown to the dealer and player(s) and a down face hole card shown only to the dealer. The player(s)' common two cards are face up and shown to dealer and player(s). The blackjack point value of the common two-card hand is used by all of the one or more player(s) at the table as all or part of the point value of their respective individual play hand. In the case of a card having multiple value choices, the individual players retain the right to chose the applicable point value of that card for their individual hand point accumulation. Subsequently each of the one or more players in turn individually declining to receive an additional card for their individual hand and thereby not drawing any additional cards for the round or electing to receive in the player's individual hand, and not th common hand, an additional card, thereby establishing a current point value of his hand for play. The point values of the common two card hand and the requested additional card, if any, of an individual player's hand are totaled to determine the then current point value of said player's hand. As in standard blackjack play, if the point value of said player's hand exceeds 21, the player "busts", that is, the player is eliminated from further play in the round. The player's cards and bet can be removed at that time by the dealer or such action delayed until later, in accordance with the chosen rules. [0014]Subsequently each of the player(s) not eliminated nor refusing an additional card ("standing pat") in the previous step continues to play by repeating the decision whether to accept an additional card or not to establish a new point value for the player's hand, again totaling the point value of the common hand and all received additional card(s). This play continues until the point value of the individual player's hand (common and dealt cards) exceeds 21 or the player declines to receive another card. [0015]After all players have been either eliminated or are refusing additional cards, the dealer then turns over his hole card and takes one or more additional card(s), if any, to establish the point value of said dealer's hand. The dealer taking additional cards are if the rules of the game permit additional card(s) to be drawn by the dealer. After the point values of the dealer's and remaining player(s)'s hands are established, the dealer then determines which player hand(s), if any, are entitled to win, rewarding the player holding such hand(s) in accordance with the rules of the games, and returning or removing the bets of any player whose point values does not entitled such player to a reward in accordance to the rules of the game. [0016]In yet another preferred method, a common hand only is used for the players to make their decisions. The method permits the player to stand on the point value before possibly all common cards have been dealt for the round. This method of playing a round of blackjack has an initial step of one or more of said players making a bet permitted by the rules of the game. Then dealer initially deals only one two-card hand to himself, which two card hand consists of an up face card shown to both dealer and player(s) and a down face hole card shown only to the dealer. The dealer also deals only one initial common hand for the players, such initial common hand being two cards face up and shown to dealer and player(s). The point value of said initial common two-card hand is used by all of the one or more player(s) at the table as the then current point value of their respective individual play hand. Subsequently each of the one or more players in turn individually decide to stand ("stand pat") on the then current point value of the initial common cards and accepting the then current point value of the then common hand as the point value of play for the round for that individual player. Otherwise, the player elects to be a continuing player and allow an additional common card to be dealt to the then common hand to establishing a new common hand, wherein the point values of the common two card hand and the dealt additional common card(s), if any, are totaled to determine said point value of the continuing player's hand. The point value of the player(s) who elected to stand pat remain as before the deal of the additional common card and is not subsequently change to the new point value. If the point value of a player's hand exceeds 21, then the player is eliminated from play, e.g. "busts". Subsequently each of the continuing player not eliminated in play continue to make the decision to stand pat on their then current point value of the common cards or continues to play by repeating the choice to build the point value of their individual hands by accepting the additional common card. As before, accepting the new point value of the common hand can lead the player's hand to a bust. Play continues until all players have been eliminated or have decided to stand on the respective point value of play for the round for that individual player; Then the dealer turns over his hole card and takes one or more additional card(s), if any, to establish the point value of the dealer's hand, if the rules of the game permit additional card(s) to be drawn. The dealer is also subject to busting. After the point values of the dealer's and remaining player(s)'s hands are established, the dealer then determining which player hand(s), if any, are entitled to win, rewarding each player holding such winning hand(s) in accordance with the rules of the games, and returning or removing the bets of any player whose point values does not entitled said player to a reward in accordance to the rules of the game. [0017]While the rules of the play for the aforesaid embodiments may permit various decisions by the players, preferred decisions are the known decisions of blackjack, that is, the decision to Stand, Hit, Surrender, Double and/or Split. Also preferred are optional methods to assist the dealer and/or players in tracking their play decisions, such as the player(s) indicating their playing decision by placing one or more lammer(s) in a location relative to said player's position in a manner indicative of said playing decision. Additional preferred methods are permitting the players to make a bet on the play of the game of a denomination permitted by the rules of the game within a conventional bet receiving region proximate or upon to the playing surface. [0018]Referring to FIG. 1, there is depicted an apparatus for playing an embodiment of the present invention. The rules of the game played on this apparatus use the same point values for the playing cards as conventional blackjack and also permit the same playing decisions, such as to Stand, Hit, Surrender, Double or Split. In accordance with the present invention the play of the game is distinguished from the conventional blackjack game in that play uses common cards. Accordingly, there is depicted a blackjack table 11 having multiple playing seating areas adjacent to the curved table edge 12 and aligned respectively to the respective multiple betting areas 15, allowing more than one player to participate at a single table. The game is run by a dealer who stands adjacent to the table proximate to dealer area 13. The dealer area 13 and multiple betting areas 15 are distinguished from the other by a divider 14 to eliminate or reduce the risk of accidental mixing of the dealer cards and player cards. A respective betting area 15 is provided for each player to receive from the player one or more chips representing a blackjack bet. The dealer's initial two cards and the dealer's additional cards, if allowed by the rules of the game, are dealt into area 19. The common two-card hand, representing the first two cards for all players, is dealt into the center of the table, with one card being dealt into the rectangle 16 having the number "1" marked therein and the second card being dealt into the rectangle 17 having the number "2" marked therein. Any additional card(s) dealt to each individual player is dealt into that player's respective area 18. [0019]Accordingly, once all players have placed their respective bets within their respective betting area 15, the dealer will deal two cards faced up, representing all non-dealer players' first two cards (common hand), respectively into rectangles 16 and 17. In addition, the dealer will deal one face-up card and one face-down card into area 19 directly in front of the dealer, representing the dealer's first two cards. The manner of dealing the two cards hands can vary, such as dealing both cards for one hand first and then the other hand, or by dealing one card to each hand first before dealing the second, as the game rules permit. The individual players then make their respective play decisions, each player building the point value of their respective hand using the point values of the common cards in rectangles 16 and 17 as the first two cards of their hand and the point value of any card supplementing their hand with any additionally drawn card received in their respective area 18. In a preferred embodiment, the individual player will make his playing decision in the conventional blackjack manner, beginning with the player seated at the far right facing the dealer and proceeding to the left. Once the individual player has signaled the dealer that he has finished drawing cards, the cards will remain directly in front of the player unless the player's card total point value has exceeded 21, at which time the dealer will declare a bust for that player and place the cards in the discard tray. Play continues with each player in turn until all players hands are established. Then the dealer completes the round by drawing a total of cards for himself totaling in points from 17 to 21 or exceeding 21. After the dealer's hand is completed, the dealer will remove the chips from all losing hands and pay all winning hands as per the rules of blackjack. Continue reading... Full patent description for Method of playing blackjack and other games of chance Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method of playing blackjack and other games of chance patent application. Patent Applications in related categories: 20080290600 - One card pot game with tiebreaker options - This is a one card game designed for the novice player. Each player makes an ante bet. The dealer will collect the bets and place them in the pot. Each player receives one card. The player having the highest card will win the pot. In the event, two or more ... ###  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. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Method of playing blackjack and other games of chance or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Method for wagering in blackjack Next Patent Application: Wagering game involving card ranges Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Method of playing blackjack and other games of chance patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.14011 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf |
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