Method of playing tic tac toe poker

Abstract

An electronic video gaming machine programmed to play a multi-hand five-card (or seven-card) draw poker (or stud poker) game that includes the use of a three by three matrix of nine cards. This three by three matrix of cards generates eight three-card hands (i.e., three horizontal rows, three vertical columns, and two diagonals). These cards are used in combination with two (or four) communal cards dealt to the player and situated adjacent to the three by three matrix to complete the five (or seven) card poker hand. The player makes a credit wager on each of the eight play hands (pay-lines) the player is interested in wagering on. The player also makes a wager on the anticipated number of winning hands that will be obtained. One standard fifty-two-card deck (with or without jokers) is typically used in a single play round. In the draw poker version, the player may decide to hold any number of cards contained in the three by three matrix or decide to discard any or all nine cards. Replacement cards for the non-held cards are dealt in each location. Each of the eight different five (or seven) card hands are analyzed to determine its poker hand ranking and winning hands are paid in accordance with a pay table provided. A player who achieves multiple winning hands will be eligible for a bonus payout. A player who achieves a winning hand on all eight pay-lines will be eligible for a progressive bonus jackpot.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of playing a poker game, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) dealing eight poker hands each consisting of three cards face-up by dealing nine cards face-up in a three by three card matrix arrangement, creating three horizontal poker hands, three vertical poker hands and two diagonal poker hands;    (b) dealing two communal cards face down;    (c) a player making a wager on the number of winning hands that will be obtained;    (d) turning face-up the two communal cards;    (e) determining the number of winning hands obtained by comparing each of said poker hands, in conjunction with said two communal cards, using poker hand rank as the criteria for comparison to determine a winning hand; and    (f) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the number of winning hands actually obtained and number of winning hands wagered to be obtained.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the number of communal cards consist of four.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein all cards are initially dealt face-down and all cards are turned over at the same time.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein all cards are initially dealt face-down and all cards are turned over at the same time.  
     
     
         5 . A method of playing a poker game, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) dealing eight poker hands each consisting of three cards face-up by dealing nine cards face-up in a three by three card matrix arrangement, creating three horizontal poker hands, three vertical poker hands and two diagonal poker hands;    (b) dealing two communal cards face down;    (c) a player making a wager on one, two, three, four, five, six, seven or all eight poker hands;    (d) a player making a wager on and selecting the number of winning hands that will be obtained;    (e) turning face-up the two communal cards;    (f) determining the poker hand ranking of the resulting cards of all eight hands;    (g) determining the number of winning hands obtained by comparing each of said poker hands, in conjunction with said two communal cards, using poker hand rank as the criteria for comparison to determine a winning hand;    (h) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the poker hand rankings obtained;    (i) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the number of winning hands actually obtained and number of winning hands wagered and selected to be obtained.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the number of communal cards consist of four.  
     
     
         7 . A method of playing a poker game, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) dealing eight poker hands each consisting of three cards face-down by dealing nine cards face-down in a three by three card matrix arrangement, creating three horizontal poker hands, three vertical poker hands and two diagonal poker hands;    (b) dealing two communal cards face down;    (c) a player making a wager on one, two, three, four, five, six, seven or all eight poker hands;    (d) a player making a wager on and selecting the number of winning hands that will be obtained;    (e) turning face-up all the cards including the two communal cards;    (f) determining the poker hand ranking of the resulting cards of all eight hands;    (g) selecting none, one or more of the face-up cards to be held;    (h) discarding the cards not selected to be held and replacing each of these cards with another card;    (i) determining the number of winning hands actually obtained by comparing each of said poker hands, in conjunction with said two communal cards, using poker hand rank as the criteria for comparison to determine a winning hand;    (j) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the poker hand rankings obtained;    (k) paying the player a pre-established amount based on the number of winning hands actually obtained and number of winning hands wagered and selected to be obtained.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the number of communal cards consist of four.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a bonus payout occurs if all eight hands contain a poker hand ranking.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a bonus payout occurs if all eight hands contain a poker hand ranking.