Card games

Abstract

A gambling card game played in 3 main stages: initial betting and dealing, bet adjustment, hand checking and payouts, 7-card hands are ranked according to haw many cards of a hand has. Initial betting involves placing two equal bets, Ante and Bonus. Bet adjustment involves confirmation by placing a third (Raise) bet or throwing in. Ant and Raise bets are won if the player's hand beats the dealer's hand. The Bonus bet is won if the player's hand matches one of a set of several-of-a-kind combinations. A jackpot is won if the hand is the highest combination, ie 4-3. A player can place a Progressive bet. If the dealer has a jackpot hand, the jackpot is shared among all players with Progressive bets; otherwise, the Progressive bets are added into the jackpot. Online playing is possible.

1 . A gambling card comprising 
 a first stage in which bets are made by the players and the dealer deals hands, each of the same number of cards, to himself and the players;    a second stage in which the players inspect their hands and adjust their bets; and a third stage in which the dealer pays out on winning bets.    
   
   
       2 . A game according to  claim 1  played with a standard pack of playing cards and wherein the hands are 7-card hands with the hands being ranked according to a predetermined rule.  
   
   
       3 . A game according to  claim 2  wherein the ranking is dependent on how many cards of a kind are in hand.  
   
   
       4 . A game according to  claim 3  wherein in the event of matching hands, the rank of the largest group of a kind determines which hand is the higher.  
   
   
       5 . A game according to  claim 4  wherein in the event of hands matching, the bets may either be cancelled or be held over for the next hand.  
   
   
       6 . A game according to  claim 1  wherein the bets placed in the first stage comprise two bets, for Ante and Bonus, and their adjustment in the second stage consists of confirmation by placing a third, Raise, bet or throwing in.  
   
   
       7 . A game according to  claim 6  wherein in the third stage, the Ante and Raise bets are won if the player's hand beats the dealer's hand at 1:1 odds and the Bonus bet is won if the player's hand matches one of a set of several-of-a-kind combinations, at odds dependent on combination.  
   
   
       8 . A game according to  claim 6  wherein the Ante, Bonus, and Raise bets are all required to be equal, but can be of any desired value (in appropriate units, and between house limits).  
   
   
       9 . A game according to  claim 1  wherein a player also wins a jackpot if their hand is the highest combination.  
   
   
       10 . A game according to  claim 1  wherein a player can also place a Progressive bet in the first stage, the jackpot being shared among all players with Progressive bets if the dealer has a jackpot hand.  
   
   
       11 . A game according to  claim 10  wherein the Progressive bets are added into the jackpot if the dealer does not have a jackpot hand.  
   
   
       12 . A game board for playing the game according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       13 . Apparatus for playing the game of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of player units which are coupled via a communication system with a game playing system.  
   
   
       14 . Apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the game playing system comprises a administration unit, a player register, and a game unit.  
   
   
       15 . Apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the communication system is the Internet.  
   
   
       16 . Any feature of novelty or combination thereof within the meaning of so Article 4H of the International Convention.