Mirror image poker

Abstract

Embodiments of a poker-type game are disclosed which is played in a manner somewhat similar to traditional five card draw poker, but in which a player is given the opportunity to play either a single hand, double hand, or bonus double hand poker-type game similar to five card draw poker, and make a wager which must be greater for the double hand game than for the single hand game, and greater for the bonus double hand game than for the double hand game and in which payouts are provided for winning hands from a first payout table for the single hand game, from a second payout table for the double hand game, from the second payout table for the bonus double hand game and with a bonus payout from a third payout table if the two hands played in the bonus double hand game are of the same rank.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of playing a poker-like game in which a winning hand generates a payout to a player using a computer and video screen which comprises: 
 (1) providing a first payout table defining a predetermined set of winning hands of different ranks and payout values selected from a single deck of cards, each card having a different face value and suit, and with the remaining hands from said deck not included within the predetermined set of winning hands not having any payout value;    (2) providing a second payout table defining a predetermined set of winning hands of different ranks and payout values selected from a single deck of cards, each card having a different face value and suit, with the second payout table having at least one payout value different from and greater than the payout value established in the first payout table, and with the remaining hands from said deck not included within said predetermined set of winning hands not having any payout value;    (3) providing a third payout table defining a predetermined set of winning hands of different ranks and payout values selected from a single deck of cards, each card having a different face value and suit, with the third payout table having at least one payout value different from and greater than the payout value established in said second payout table, and with the remaining hands from said deck not included within said predetermined set of winning hands not having any payout value;    (4) enabling a player to designate which of three poker-like games said player elects to play, which three games include a single hand game relating to said first payout table, a double hand game relating to said second payout table, and a bonus double hand game relating to the third payout table;    (5) registering a wager with the computer in which said player is required to wager more to play the double hand game than to play the single hand game and more to play the bonus double hand game than to play said double hand game;    (6) if said player elects to play said single hand game, generating and displaying on the video screen a visual representation of a hand of five cards randomly selected from the single deck of cards; determining the rank of the hand with respect to said first payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; enabling said player to terminate the game and, if the hand is a winning hand according to said first payout table providing a payout to said player according to said first payout table, or enabling said player to designate at least one of said represented cards for replacement; if the designation is registered, in response thereto replacing at least one designated card in the hand with a corresponding number of other represented cards randomly generated from the remaining cards in said single deck and displayed on said video screen, the unreplaced cards from the hand and said replacement cards forming a second hand of five cards, with said second hand replacing the first hand; determining the rank of the second hand with respect to said first payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; and, if said second hand is a winning hand according to said first payout table providing a payout to said player according to said first payout table;    (7) if said player elects to play said double hand game, generating and displaying on the video screen a visual representation of two hands of five cards each randomly selected from two respective decks of cards; determining the rank of the two hands with respect to said second payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; enabling said player to terminate the game independently for each of the two hands and, if the hand or hands terminated is a winning hand according to said second payout table providing a payout to said player according to said second payout table for either or both hands if winning hands, or enabling said player to designate at least one of said represented cards for replacement in any hand which is not terminated; if the designation is registered, in response thereto replacing at least one designated card in the hand with a corresponding number of other represented cards randomly generated from the remaining cards in said respective single deck and displayed on said video screen for any hand not terminated, the unreplaced cards from the hand and said replacement cards forming a second hand of five cards for any hand not terminated, with said second hand replacing the first hand for any hand not terminated; determining the rank of any second hand with respect to said second payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; and, if any of said second hands is a winning hand according to said second payout table providing a payout to said player according to said second payout table;    (8) if said player elects to play said bonus double hand game, generating and displaying on the video screen a visual representation of two hands of five cards each randomly selected from two respective decks of cards; determining the rank of the two hands with respect to said second payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; enabling said player to terminate the game independently for each of the two hands and, if the hand or hands terminated is a winning hand according to said second payout table providing a payout to said player according to said second payout table for either or both hands if winning hands, or enabling said player to designate at least one of said represented cards for replacement in any hand which is not terminated; if the designation is registered, in response thereto replacing at least one designated card in the hand with a corresponding number of other represented cards randomly generated from the remaining cards in said respective single deck and displayed on said video screen for any hand not terminated, the unreplaced cards from the hand and said replacement cards forming a second hand of five cards for any hand not terminated, with said second hand replacing the first hand for any hand not terminated; determining the rank of any second hand with respect to said second payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; and, if any of said second hands is a winning hand according to said second payout table providing a payout to said player according to said second payout table for any winning hand; and further comparing the two second hands to each other and, if each is a winning hand, and, if the two final hands are of the same rank according to the third payout table, providing a bonus payout to said player according to said third payout table;    whereby a player may elect to play either a single hand, double hand, or bonus double hand poker-type game similar to five card draw poker, and make a wager which must be greater for the double hand game than for the single hand game, and greater for the bonus double hand game than for the double hand game and in which payouts are provided for winning hands from a first payout table for the single hand game, from a second payout table for the double hand game, from the second payout table for the bonus double hand game and with a bonus payout from a third payout table if the two hands played in the bonus double hand game are of the same rank.    
     
     
         2 . The poker-type game of  claim 1  in which a number of cards other than five are dealt.  
     
     
         3 . The poker-type game of  claim 1  in which a stock of cards other than a traditional 52 card deck is used.  
     
     
         4 . A method of playing a poker-like game using a standard deck of playing cards which comprises: 
 (1) providing a first payout table defining a predetermined set of winning hands of different ranks and payout values selected from a single deck of cards, each card having a different face value and suit, and with the remaining hands from said deck not included within the predetermined set of winning hands not having any payout value;    (2) providing a second payout table defining a predetermined set of winning hands of different ranks and payout values selected from a single deck of cards, each card having a different face value and suit, with the second payout table having at least one payout value different from and greater than the payout value established in the first payout table, and with the remaining hands from said deck not included within said predetermined set of winning hands not having any payout value;    (3) providing a third payout table defining a predetermined set of winning hands of different ranks and payout values selected from a single deck of cards, each card having a different face value and suit, with the third payout table having at least one payout value different from and greater than the payout value established in said second payout table, and with the remaining hands from said deck not included within said predetermined set of winning hands not having any payout value;    (4) enabling a player to designate which of three poker-like games said player elects to play, which three games include a single hand game relating to said first payout table, a double hand game relating to said second payout table, and a bonus double hand game relating to the third payout table;    (5) making a wager by said player in which said player is required to wager more to play the double hand game than to play the single hand game and more to play the bonus double hand game than to play said double hand game;    (6) if said player elects to play said single hand game, dealing of a hand of five cards randomly selected from the single deck of cards; determining the rank of the hand with respect to said first payout table from the face value and suit of each card; enabling said player to terminate the game and, if the hand is a winning hand according to said first payout table providing a payout to said player according to said first payout table, or enabling said player to designate at least one of said cards for replacement; if the designation is made, in response thereto replacing at least one designated card in the hand with a corresponding number of other cards randomly dealt from the remaining cards in said single deck, the unreplaced cards from the hand and said replacement cards forming a second hand of five cards, with said second hand replacing the first hand; determining the rank of the second hand with respect to said first payout table from the face value and suit of each card; and, if said second hand is a winning hand according to said first payout table providing a payout to said player according to said first payout table;    (7) if said player elects to play said double hand game, dealing two hands of five cards each randomly selected from two respective decks of cards; determining the rank of the two hands with respect to said second payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; enabling said player to terminate the game independently for each of the two hands and, if the hand or hands terminated is a winning hand according to said second payout table providing a payout to said player according to said second payout table for either or both hands if winning hands, or enabling said player to designate at least one of said cards for replacement in any hand which is not terminated; if the designation is made, in response thereto replacing at least one designated card in the hand with a corresponding number of other cards randomly dealt from the remaining cards in said respective single deck for any hand not terminated, the unreplaced cards from the hand and said replacement cards forming a second hand of five cards for any hand not terminated, with said second hand replacing the first hand for any hand not terminated; determining the rank of any second hand with respect to said second payout table from the face value and suit of each card; and, if any of said second hands is a winning hand according to said second payout table providing a payout to said player according to said second payout table;    (8) if said player elects to play said bonus double hand game, dealing two hands of five cards each randomly selected from two respective decks of cards; determining the rank of the two hands with respect to said second payout table from the face value and suit of each card; enabling said player to terminate the game independently for each of the two hands and, if the hand or hands terminated is a winning hand according to said second payout table providing a payout to said player according to said second payout table for either or both hands if winning hands, or enabling said player to designate at least one of said cards for replacement in any hand which is not terminated; if the designation is made, in response thereto replacing by dealing at least one designated card in the hand with a corresponding number of other cards from the remaining cards in said respective single deck for any hand not terminated, the unreplaced cards from the hand and said replacement cards forming a second hand of five cards for any hand not terminated, with said second hand replacing the first hand for any hand not terminated; determining the rank of any second hand with respect to said second payout table from the face value and suit of each card; and, if any of said second hands is a winning hand according to said second payout table providing a payout to said player according to said second payout table for any winning hand; and further comparing the two second hands to each other and, if each is a winning hand, and, if the two final hands are of the same rank according to the third payout table, providing a bonus payout to said player according to said third payout table;    whereby a player may elect to play either a single hand, double hand, or bonus double hand poker-type game similar to five card draw poker, and make a wager which must be greater for the double hand game than for the single hand game, and greater for the bonus double hand game than for the double hand game and in which payouts are provided for winning hands from a first payout table for the single hand game, from a second payout table for the double hand game, from the second payout table for the bonus double hand game and with a bonus payout from a third payout table if the two hands played in the bonus double hand game are of the same rank.    
     
     
         5 . The poker-type game of  claim 5  in which a number of cards other than five are dealt.  
     
     
         6 . The poker-type game of  claim 5  in which a stock of cards other than a traditional 52 card deck is used.  
     
     
         7 . A method of playing a poker-like game in which a winning hand generates a payout to a player using a computer and video screen which comprises: 
 (1) providing a first payout table defining a predetermined set of winning hands of different ranks and payout values selected from a single deck of cards, each card having a different face value and suit, and with the remaining hands from said deck not included within the predetermined set of winning hands not having any payout value;    (2) providing a second payout table defining a predetermined set of winning hands of different ranks and payout values selected from a single deck of cards, each card having a different face value and suit, with the second payout table having at least one payout value different from and greater than the payout value established in the first payout table, and with the remaining hands from said deck not included within said predetermined set of winning hands not having any payout value;    (3) enabling a player to designate which of two poker-like games said player elects to play, which two games include a poker-like game relating to said first payout table and a bonus poker-like game relating to the second payout table;    (4) registering a wager with the computer in which said player is required to wager more to play the bonus poker-like game than to play the poker-like game;    (5) if said player elects to play said poker-like game, generating and displaying on the video screen a visual representation of a hand of cards randomly selected from the single deck of cards; determining the rank of the hand with respect to said first payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; enabling said player to terminate the game and, if the hand is a winning hand according to said first payout table providing a payout to said player according to said first payout table, or enabling said player to designate at least one of said represented cards for replacement; if the designation is registered, in response thereto replacing at least one designated card in the hand with a corresponding number of other represented cards randomly generated from the remaining cards in said single deck and displayed on said video screen, the unreplaced cards from the hand and said replacement cards forming a second hand of cards, with said second hand replacing the first hand; determining the rank of the second hand with respect to said first payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; and, if said second hand is a winning hand according to said first payout table providing a payout to said player according to said first payout table;    (6) if said player elects to play said bonus poker-like game, generating and displaying on the video screen a visual representation of a hand of cards randomly selected from the single deck of cards; determining the rank of the hand with respect to said second payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; enabling said player to terminate the game and, if the hand is a winning hand according to said second payout table providing a payout to said player according to said second payout table, or enabling said player to designate at least one of said represented cards for replacement; if the designation is registered, in response thereto replacing at least one designated card in the hand with a corresponding number of other represented cards randomly generated from the remaining cards in said single deck and displayed on said video screen, the unreplaced cards from the hand and said replacement cards forming a second hand of cards, with said second hand replacing the first hand; determining the rank of the second hand with respect to said second payout table from the face value and suit of each represented card; and, if said second hand is a winning hand according to said second payout table providing a payout to said player according to said second payout table;    whereby a player may elect to play either a poker-like game, or a bonus poker-like game, and make a wager which must be greater for the bonus poker-like game than for the poker-like game, and in which payouts are provided for winning hands from a first payout table for the poker-like game, and with a bonus payout from the second payout table if the hand played in the bonus poker-like game is a winning hand according to the second payout table.    
     
     
         8 . The poker-type game of  claim 7  in which the player must hold the cards originally dealt and does not make a designation for replacement cards.