Method of conducting a wagering game

Abstract

A game method for providing a mid-game wager for a base game includes designating at least one intermediate game point and at least one qualifying intermediate holding corresponding to at least one qualifying final result. Players optionally place a base game wager and initiate the base game. The base game is played until an intermediate game point is reached. A player holding a qualifying intermediate holding at the intermediate game point may place an optional mid-game wager. The base game is played to completion. Players with a final holding that is a qualifying final result are rewarded based on the mid-game wager. A multiple hand embodiment of the game method is also disclosed in which a separate hand may be conducted for each qualifying final result corresponding to a qualifying intermediate holding at an intermediate game point.

1 . A method for conducting a base game played by a player according to a set of rules using electronic representations of playing cards to obtain a final holding of playing cards, comprising: 
 designating an intermediate game point, a qualifying intermediate holding of one or more playing cards for said intermediate game point, and a qualifying final result of one or more playing cards corresponding to said qualifying intermediate holding;    initiating the base game;    dealing at least one playing card to said player and conducting said base game according to said set of rules until reaching an intermediate game point;    permitting said player to place a mid-game wager if the player possesses at least one qualifying intermediate holding at said intermediate game point;    if the player placed a mid-game wager, conducting a separate game hand according to said set of rules for each qualifying final result corresponding to said qualifying intermediate holdings possessed by said player such that the player obtains a final holding for each said game hand; and    rewarding said player based on said mid-game wager for each final holding only if the player's final holding matches a qualifying final result corresponding to the qualifying intermediate holding possessed by the player when said mid-game wager was placed.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said base game is video draw poker in which a player is dealt an initial holding of playing cards, discards zero or more playing cards, and receives replacements for the discarded cards, and an intermediate point includes the point prior to discarding zero or more cards.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said player separately places a mid-game wager for one or more game hands conducted.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said player places a single mid-game wager and allocates said mid-game wager among one or more game hands conducted.  
   
   
       5 . A method for conducting a base game played by a player according to a set of rules using electronic representations of playing cards to obtain a final holding of playing cards, comprising: 
 designating an intermediate game point, a qualifying intermediate holding of one or more playing cards for said intermediate game point, and a qualifying final result of one or more playing cards corresponding to said qualifying intermediate holding;    initiating the base game;    dealing at least one playing card to said player and conducting said base game according to said set of rules until reaching an intermediate game point;    permitting said player to place a mid-game wager if the player possesses at least one qualifying intermediate holding at said intermediate game point;    if the player placed a mid-game wager, said player selecting at least one qualifying final result corresponding to a qualifying intermediate holding possessed by said player and conducting a separate game hand for each selected qualifying final result such that the player obtains a final holding for each said game hand; and    rewarding said player based on said mid-game wager for each final holding only if the player's final holding matches a qualifying final result corresponding to the qualifying intermediate holding possessed by the player when said mid-game wager was placed.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said base game is video draw poker in which a player is dealt an initial holding of playing cards, discards zero or more playing cards, and receives replacements for the discarded cards, and an intermediate point includes the point prior to discarding zero or more cards.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said player separately places a mid-game wager for one or more game hands conducted.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said player places a single mid-game wager and allocates said mid-game wager among one or more game hands conducted.  
   
   
       9 . A method of conducting a video draw poker game, comprising: 
 designating at least one qualifying intermediate holding of one or more playing cards and at least one qualifying final result of one or more playing cards corresponding to said qualifying intermediate holding;    dealing an initial holding of playing cards to said player;    permitting said player to place a mid-game wager if the player possesses at least one qualifying intermediate holding in the player's initial holding of playing cards;    if the player places a mid-game wager, conducting a separate game hand for each qualifying final result corresponding to said qualifying intermediate holdings possessed by said player by holding the playing cards of the corresponding qualifying intermediate holding and replacing cards not held such that the player obtains a final holding for each said game hand;    if said player placed a mid-game wager, rewarding said player based on said mid-game wager for each final holding only if the player's final holding matches a qualifying final result corresponding to the qualifying intermediate holding possessed by the player when said mid-game wager was placed.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said player separately places a mid-game wager for one or more game hands conducted.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said player places a single mid-game wager and allocates said mid-game wager among one or more game hands conducted.  
   
   
       12 . A method of conducting a video draw poker game, comprising: 
 designating at least one qualifying intermediate holding of one or more playing cards and at least one qualifying final result of one or more playing cards corresponding to said qualifying intermediate holding;    dealing an initial holding of playing cards to said player;    permitting said player to place a mid-game wager if the player possesses at least one qualifying intermediate holding in the player's initial holding of playing cards;    if the player places a mid-game wager, said player selecting at least one qualifying final result corresponding to a qualifying intermediate holding possessed by said player and conducting a separate game hand for each selected qualifying final result by holding the playing cards of the corresponding qualifying intermediate holding and replacing cards not held such that the player obtains a final holding for each said game hand;    if said player placed a mid-game wager, rewarding said player based on said mid-game wager for each final holding only if the player's final holding matches a qualifying final result corresponding to the qualifying intermediate holding possessed by the player when said mid-game wager was placed.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said player separately places a mid-game wager for one or more game hands conducted.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said player places a single mid-game wager and allocates said mid-game wager among one or more game hands conducted.  
   
   
       15 . A device for conducting a video draw poker game, comprising: 
 a data processor;    a display communicating with said data processor;    an input device communicating with said data processor;    a bet receiver communicating with said data processor; and    a data storage structure communicating with said data processor, said data storage structure storing electronic representations of playing cards, a schedule of winning poker hands, at least one qualifying intermediate holding, at least one qualifying final result corresponding to said qualifying intermediate holding, and instructions executable by said data processor to conduct said video draw poker game, comprising: 
 in response to said bet receiver receiving a base wager, said data processor randomly selecting an initial holding of playing cards;  
 said display displaying said initial holding of playing cards;  
 if the player does not possess a qualifying intermediate holding in the player's initial holding of playing cards, receiving input from said player at said input device selecting to hold zero or more playing cards from said initial holding and forming a final holding by discarding the playing cards not selected to be held and replacing the discarded playing cards;  
 permitting said player to place a mid-game wager at said bet receiver if the player possesses at least one qualifying intermediate holding in the player's initial holding of playing cards;  
 if a mid-game wager was received at said bet receiver, said data processor conducting a separate game hand for each qualifying final result corresponding to said qualifying intermediate holdings possessed by said player by holding the playing cards of the corresponding qualifying intermediate holding, discarding the playing cards not held, and replacing the discarded playing cards such that the player obtains a final holding for each said game hand;  
 said data processor examining the final holding and rewarding the player based on said base wager if the player has a winning poker hand or collecting the player's base wager if the player does not have a winning poker hand; and  
 if a mid-game wager was received at said bet receiver, said data processor rewarding said player based on said mid-game wager only if the player's final holding matches a qualifying final result corresponding to the qualifying intermediate holding possessed by the player when said mid-game wager was placed.  
   
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15  wherein said player separately places a mid-game wager for one or more game hands conducted.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 15  wherein said player places a single mid-game wager and allocates said mid-game wager among one or more game hands conducted through said input device.  
   
   
       18 . A device for conducting a video draw poker game, comprising: 
 a data processor;    a display communicating with said data processor;    an input device communicating with said data processor;    a bet receiver communicating with said data processor; and    a data storage structure communicating with said data processor, said data storage structure storing electronic representations of playing cards, a schedule of winning poker hands, at least one qualifying intermediate holding, at least one qualifying final result corresponding to said qualifying intermediate holding, and instructions executable by said data processor to conduct said video draw poker game, comprising: 
 in response to said bet receiver receiving a base wager, said data processor randomly selecting an initial holding of playing cards;  
 said display displaying said initial holding of playing cards;  
 if the player does not possess a qualifying intermediate holding in the player's initial holding of playing cards, receiving input from said player at said input device selecting to hold zero or more playing cards from said initial holding and forming a final holding by discarding the playing cards not selected to be held and replacing the discarded playing cards;  
 permitting said player to place a mid-game wager at said bet receiver if the player possesses at least one qualifying intermediate holding in the player's initial holding of playing cards;  
 if a mid-game wager was received at said bet receiver, receiving input from said player selecting at least one qualifying final result corresponding to a qualifying intermediate holding possessed by said player;  
 if a mid-game wager was received at said bet receiver, said data processor conducting a separate game hand for each selected qualifying final result by holding the playing cards of the corresponding qualifying intermediate holding, discarding the playing cards not held, and replacing the discarded playing cards such that the player obtains a final holding for each said game hand;  
 said data processor examining the final holding and rewarding the player based on said base wager if the player has a winning poker hand or collecting the player's base wager if the player does not have a winning poker hand; and  
 if a mid-game wager was received at said bet receiver, said data processor rewarding said player based on said mid-game wager only if the player's final holding matches a qualifying final result corresponding to the qualifying intermediate holding possessed by the player when said mid-game wager was placed.  
   
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein said player separately places a mid-game wager for one or more game hands conducted.  
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 18  wherein said player places a single mid-game wager and allocates said mid-game wager among one or more game hands conducted through said input device.