Apparatus for and method of playing games

Abstract

An apparatus for and a method of playing games is provided. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, multiple games (e.g., poker and slots) may be played simultaneously to enhance user enjoyment. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, predetermined associations of individual events occurring in the various games can be made. Upon detection of one or more predetermined associations during playing of the multiple games a user can be further rewarded in addition (or in lieu) of any reward given based on the results of the games individually. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, users can be permitted to make parametric requests that effectively specify the parameters that limit the possible occurrences events that would otherwise result from playing one or more games. Commercial embodiments of the invention may include, for example, indicia of slot reel images on the face of (or above) individual cards of a video poker machine or even on the modified face of cards in a manual deck of cards.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for displaying a plurality of casino games for simultaneous playing by a user, the system comprising: 
 at least one processor;    a program memory, wherein said program memory stores a program executed by said at least one processor to implement the steps of: 
 (a) simultaneously initiating and displaying a plurality of casino games;  
 (b) receiving input directions from a user for playing the plurality of casino games independently of the end results of any of the other casino games;  
 (c) determining award credits based on input directions for at least one of the plurality of casino games; and  
 (d) completing and displaying end results of the plurality of casino games.  
   
     
     
         2 . The system for displaying a plurality of casino games as recited in  claim 1 , the system further comprising: 
 at least one display device, coupled to said at least one processor, for effectuating display of the casino games; and    an input device, coupled to said at least one display and said at least one processor, for inputting user directions and relaying the input directions to said at least one processor.    
     
     
         3 . The system for displaying a plurality of casino games as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said step (a) further comprises the step of displaying a first one of the plurality of casino games on the same display device as a second one of the plurality of casino games.  
     
     
         4 . The system for displaying a plurality of casino games as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the first casino game is a card game; and 
 wherein said step (a) further comprises the step of displaying individual cards of a dealt hand for the card game, and displaying an event of the second casino game on the individual cards of the first casino game.    
     
     
         5 . The system for displaying a plurality of casino games as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said determining award credits step (c) further comprises the step of detecting an association between an event of the first casino game with an event of the second casino game.  
     
     
         6 . The system for displaying a plurality of casino games as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the first casino game is a card game, and the second casino game is slots; and 
 wherein said determining award credits step (c) detects an association between events in the first and second casino games if an image reel in the second casino game matches the face of at least one card dealt in the first casino game.    
     
     
         7 . The system for displaying a plurality of casino games as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the first casino game is blackjack, and the second casino game is craps.  
     
     
         8 . The system for displaying a plurality of casino games as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the first casino game is draw poker, and the second casino game is slots.  
     
     
         9 . The system for displaying a plurality of casino games as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said receiving input directions step (b) further comprises the steps of: 
 receiving designation of at least one card in an initially dealt hand for discarding from the dealt hand;    receiving a hi/lo request corresponding to at least one card designated for discarding from the dealt hand, wherein, in response to a hi-request, said at least one processor will generate a draw card that has a value higher than the card designated for discarding, and, in response to a lo-request, will generate a draw card that has a value lower than the card designated for discarding.    
     
     
         10 . A method of playing cards between at least one player and a dealer in which at least one card is dealt to the player for each hand played, said at least one player indicating to the dealer that at least one additional card is to be dealt to the player for a current hand played, said at least one player providing a request specifying the parameters for which the at least one additional card is to be dealt to the player, wherein a high-request specifies that a player is to receive at least one additional card that is of a value higher than a first designated value, and a low-request specifies that a player is to receive at least one additional card that is of a value lower than a second designated value.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second designated values are based on at least one card in the current hand played.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second designated values are both equal to a card in the current hand played that is selected by the player for discarding from the current hand played.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , the method further comprising the simulation of individual cards making up the current hand on a display device of a video poker machine.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , the method further comprising the simulation of slot machine reels on the display device, and the simultaneous dealing of an initial hand of poker and an initial spin of the slot machine reels.  
     
     
         15 . A method of playing a card game comprising the steps of: 
 (a) dealing a plurality of playing cards constituting an initially dealt hand;    (b) determining whether additional cards are to be dealt;    (c) dealing additional cards based on the determination made in said determining step (b); and    (d) providing a first winning payout based on images displayed with a plurality of playing cards; and    (e) providing a second winning payout based on a currently dealt hand resulting from said dealing step (a) and said dealing step (c).    
     
     
         16 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the first winning payout provided in step (d) is based on images displayed on a plurality of playing cards in the initially dealt hand.  
     
     
         17 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the first winning payout provided in step (d) is based on images displayed on a plurality of playing cards in the currently dealt hand resulting from step (e).  
     
     
         18 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the first winning payout provided in step (d) is based on images displayed on the face surface of a plurality of the playing cards dealt.  
     
     
         19 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the first winning slots payout provided in step (d) is based on images of slot machine reels displayed on the face surface of at least three of the playing cards dealt.  
     
     
         20 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said determining step (b) comprises the step of receiving a designation of at least one card for discarding in the initially dealt hand; and wherein said dealing step (c) comprises the step of dealing an additional card for replacement of each card designated for discard in said determining step (b).  
     
     
         21 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the card game is poker, and said providing step (e) further comprises the step of comparing the currently dealt hand to a payout schedule based on a variety of possible poker hands.  
     
     
         22 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said dealing step (c) comprises the step of dealing an additional card for addition to the cards in the initially dealt hand.  
     
     
         23 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the card game is blackjack, and said providing step (e) further comprises the step of comparing the currently dealt hand to a dealt hand of a house dealer, and providing a second winning payout if the currently dealt hand is closer to a total of 21 than the dealt hand of the house dealer.  
     
     
         24 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said dealing step (a) is performed by hand by a dealer using playing cards.  
     
     
         25 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said steps (a) through (e) are performed by a computer processor and the results displayed on a video screen.  
     
     
         26 . The method of playing a card game as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said dealing step (a) further comprises the step of displaying above the initially dealt hand a plurality of slot machine reel images.  
     
     
         27 . An article of manufacture for use in conjunction with a video poker machine, the article of manufacture having stored thereon an executable program having the processing steps of: 
 (a) displaying a plurality of playing cards constituting an initially dealt hand on a display of the video poker machine;    (b) displaying slot machine reel images on the face of respective ones of a plurality of the cards in the dealt hand;    (c) determining whether the reel images on the plurality of cards is associated with a winning slots payout;    (d) providing a winning slots payout based on the reel images displayed on the plurality of cards;    (e) determining whether any of the initially dealt cards are designated for discarding;    (f) drawing an additional card to replace each dealt card designated for discarding;    (g) displaying a currently dealt hand consisting of the initially dealt cards not designated for discarding and the additional cards drawn in step (f);    (h) determining whether the currently dealt hand is associated with a winning poker payout; and    (i) providing a winning poker payout based on the dealt hand currently displayed.    
     
     
         28 . The article of manufacture as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of playing cards displayed in step (a) is five, and the plurality of cards having slot machine reel images displayed in step (b) is three.  
     
     
         29 . The article of manufacture as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said displaying step (g) further comprises the step of displaying additional slot machine reel images on a plurality of cards in the currently dealt hand; and said providing step (i) further comprises the step of providing a winning slots payout based on the additional reel images displayed on the currently dealt hand.  
     
     
         30 . The article of manufacture as recited in  claim 29 , wherein said displaying step (g) further comprises the step of showing multiple reel images on each individual one of a plurality of cards in the dealt hand, the multiple reel images respectively corresponding to ones of multiple payout lines associated with different payout schedules.