Casino games and gaming apparatus

Abstract

In a game of Blackjack, a player has the option of increasing or decreasing the point value of his hand by a predetermined amount, e.g. +1 or −1, if this improves the worth of his hand.

1 . Gaming apparatus for playing a modified game of Blackjack, the apparatus comprising 
 a table having a player area, the player area having a first area for a player to place a stake indicating his participation in the game, and a second area for a player to place an entry fee indicating his participation in the modified game, the modification being the option of varying the total of the players hand by a predetermined number.    
     
     
         2 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a selector is provided to select the predetermined number from one of a range of numbers.  
     
     
         3 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the selector selects the predetermined number random.  
     
     
         4 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a selector is provided for the player to select the predetermined number.  
     
     
         5 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined number used in a hand of the game has more than one value.  
     
     
         6 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined number is constant for a sequence of games.  
     
     
         7 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an indicator is provided to indicate placement of the entry fee.  
     
     
         8 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the indicator is a light.  
     
     
         9 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a display is provided for displaying the predetermined number.  
     
     
         10 . Gaming apparatus for playing a modified game of Blackjack, the modification being the option of varying the total of a players hand by a predetermined number, the apparatus comprising a table having a player area, the player area having a first area for a player to place a stake indicating his participation in the game, and a display for displaying the predetermined number.  
     
     
         11 . A method of playing a modified game of blackjack, the method comprising dealing a hand of cards to a player according to a normal set of rules of blackjack, summing the point value of the cards dealt to the player, and modifying the total point value of the cards by a predetermined amount, if that modification provides a more favourable outcome to the player.  
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the player indicates that he wishes to participate in the modified game by paying an entry fee in addition to a wager.  
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined amount is selected from a plurality of predetermined amounts.  
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the player selects the predetermined amount from the plurality of predetermined amounts.  
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in any one of  claim 11 , wherein the total point value is modified by more than one predetermined amount and the most favourable modification is utilized, if that modification provides a more favourable outcome to the player than no modification.  
     
     
         16 . A method of playing blackjack in which method the game is modified by a player being given an option to vary the value of his hand by a predetermined amount.  
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined amount is selected from +1 and −1.  
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 17  wherein an entry fee is paid by a player to participate in the modified game.  
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the entry fee is paid in addition to a wager on the game.  
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the pay-out odds are reduced for a player who participates in the modified game, as compared to a player who does not participate.  
     
     
         21 . Electronic gaming apparatus for playing Blackjack, the apparatus comprising 
 inputs for a player to input instructions from the player, the instructions corresponding to wagers made and instructions issued by a player in the game of blackjack,    an input for a player to input an instruction indicating that he wishes to take part in a modified form of the game, in which the total value of the cards dealt to the player may be varied by a predetermined amount if the variation is favourable to the player,    sensors for sensing the instructions input by the player,    a display,    a computer processor for randomly selecting and then displaying cards from a deck of cards, to simulate dealing to the player and to a notional dealer a hand of cards at blackjack, in response to sensing a wager and an instruction from the player,    a total option sensor for sensing an instruction from the player to take part in the modified form of Blackjack,    the processor being configured to calculate the value of the hands dealt to the player and to the notional dealer, to vary the value of the player's hand by the predetermined amount if the total option sensor has sensed an instruction from the player to take part in the modified game if favourable to the player, and to pay a winning amount to a player if the player has a winning hand.    
     
     
         22 . Electronic gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 21  and wherein the predetermined amount is selectable by the player.  
     
     
         23 . Electronic gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the predetermined amount is determined by the processor.  
     
     
         24 . Electronic apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the predetermined amount is selected from +1, −1 and ±1.  
     
     
         25 . Electronic gaming apparatus for playing Blackjack, the apparatus comprising 
 a wager acceptor for accepting a wager from a player,    inputs for a player to input instructions from the player, the instructions corresponding to instructions made and issued by a player in the game of blackjack,    sensors for sensing the instructions input by the player,    a display,    a computer processor for randomly selecting and then displaying cards from a deck of cards, to simulate dealing to the player and to a notional dealer a hand of cards at blackjack, in response to sensing a wager and an instruction from the player,    the processor being configured to calculate the value of the hands dealt to the player and to the notional dealer, to vary the value of the player's hand by the predetermined amount if favourable to the player, and to pay a winning amount to a player if the player has a winning hand.    
     
     
         26 . Gaming apparatus for playing Blackjack, the apparatus comprising 
 a data store storing data representing one or more decks of  52  playing cards having respective card values,    a memory,    a program store storing processor implementable instructions,    a processor coupled to the program store, the data store and the memory for implementing the stored instructions in response to instructions input to the processor, and providing an output based on the implemented action of the stored instructions, wherein the stored instructions comprise instructions for:    the random selection of one or more cards from the deck(s) of cards to form a player's hand;    calculation of a total value of the cards forming the player's hand;    comparing the total value to another value and/or varying the total value by a predetermined amount and comparing the value to another value and providing an outcome of the comparison.    
     
     
         27 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the processor implementable instructions include instructions for selecting the predetermined amount from a range of predetermined amounts.  
     
     
         28 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the processor implementable instructions include instructions to enable a player to select the predetermined amount.  
     
     
         29 . Gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the processor implementable instructions enable a player to elect whether or not the instructions to vary the total value by the predetermined amount is to be implemented.  
     
     
         30 . Electronic apparatus as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the predetermined amount is selected from +1, −1 and ±1.