Gaming device and method displaying symbols in a polygon arrangement

Abstract

A device and method are set forth where Poker hands are selected and displayed in positions of the sides of a polygon. Hands share cards with hands of adjacent sides. The game may be played in a stud fashion or in a draw Poker fashion. Awards may be given based upon the constituency of each five card hand as well as the constituency of cards of adjacent hands, e.g. a 7 card straight flush.

1 . An improved electronic gaming device of the type having a video display, a computer processor to control the device and display, a first data structure storing data representing each card of at least one deck of playing cards for the game and a wager acceptor, the improvement comprising: 
 said processor configured to randomly select from said data structure and display at least N five card hands, each arranged on a side of a polygon having N sides, adjacent hands sharing at least one card at the corner intersection thereof;    a second data structure storing data corresponding to hand winning outcomes and awards;    said processor configured to compare each hand N to said data structure and for each winning outcome issue a corresponding award.    
     
     
         2 . The improved device of  claim 1  further comprising a player input device configured for the player to select none, one or more cards of a hand N to discard and replace, said processor configured to select and display data representing a replacement card for each discarded card to define a final hand and compare each final hand N to said data structure and for each winning outcome issue a corresponding award.  
     
     
         3 . The improved device of  claim 1  comprising N≧3.  
     
     
         4 . The improved device of  claim 1  comprising said processor configured to compare each five card set of cards on said sides to said second data structure.  
     
     
         5 . The improved device of  claim 1  comprising said first data structure including data sets representing a full deck of cards for each side N and said processor randomly selecting for each hand cards from the corresponding side card data set.  
     
     
         6 . The improved device of  claim 1  further comprising a player input device configured for the player to select none, one or more cards from any hand N, said selected card reproduced at each corner of the polygon, said processor configured to control the display to remove the other cards and to select and display replacement cards for the removed cards to define at least N final hands and to compare each hand N to said data structure and for each winning outcome issue a corresponding award.  
     
     
         7 . The improved device of  claim 6  comprising the player selecting at least three cards.  
     
     
         8 . A method for a player to play a video Poker game comprising: 
 providing a game processor and a video display;    the player making a wager to play N hands, where N>3, and prompting play;    configuring the processor to select and display the N hands, each of at least five playing cards, at the display in a polygon pattern with N sides, each hand on displayed along a side and each hand sharing at least one card; and    comparing the combinations of cards for each hand to a predetermined schedule of winning holdings and if any hand is a winning holding issuing an award to the player.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  comprising the player, for at least one hand, selecting one or more cards to discard, the processor selecting and displaying replacement cards for each discarded card.