Poker-type card game

Abstract

A poker-type game capable of providing a dealer with an initial advantage and a player with a subsequent advantage. From a predetermined number of cards, a dealer is assigned an initial hand having a greater poker value than an initial hand assigned to a player. Subsequently, a dealer receives a number of cards to complete the dealer's hand, and the player receives a number of cards to complete the player's hand, wherein a predetermined poker advantage is conveyed to the predetermined number of cards to complete the player's hand.

1 . A method of playing a poker-type card game comprising, in combination, the steps of: 
 receiving an ante wager from at least one player;    dealing an initial predetermined number of cards face up;    dealing at least one community card face down;    identifying a first subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards having a relatively high poker value as compared to a second subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards;    assigning said first subgroup having a higher poker value to a dealer as an initial dealer hand;    assigning said second subgroup to at least one player as an initial player hand, wherein said initial player hand being a community hand shared by all players when a plurality of players play said poker-type card game;    dealing a predetermined number of additional cards to said dealer hand face down;    dealing a predetermined number of additional cards to each said at least one player;    conveying a predetermined poker advantage to said predetermined number of cards dealt to each said at least one player relative to said predetermined number of cards dealt to said dealer, wherein said poker advantage being at least one of a greater number of cards, cards having a higher poker value, and said at least one player having a selection choice of said cards;    requiring each said at least one player to one of place a post-ante wager and forfeit said ante wager;    revealing said additional cards dealt to said dealer;    revealing said at least one community card;    assigning said at least one community card to complete each said dealer hand and each said at least one player hand, wherein a completed dealer hand comprises said first subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards and said predetermined number of additional cards dealt to said dealer and said at least one community card, wherein a completed player hand comprises said second subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards and said predetermined number of additional cards dealt to each said at least one player and said at least one community card;    determining a final poker hand value of said completed dealer hand;    determining a final poker hand value of each said at least one completed player hand;    comparing said final poker hand value of said completed dealer hand with said final poker hand value of each said at least one completed player hand;    selecting as a winning hand whichever of said completed dealer hand and each said at least one completed player hand having a higher poker value;    collecting said ante wager when said at least one player forfeited said ante wager;    collecting said ante wager and said post-ante wager when said at least one player having a completed player hand with a lower poker value than a poker value of said completed dealer hand; and    paying each said at least one player an amount corresponding to a predetermined payoff structure when said completed player hand having a poker value higher than a completed dealer hand.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of limiting an amount of said post-ante wager to a multiple of one of one, two and three times the amount of said first wager.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of paying each said at least one player an amount equal only to said ante wager when said completed player hand being a winning hand and said completed dealer hand being less than a predetermined poker hand value.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of paying each said at least one player an amount equal only to said ante wager when said completed player hand being a winning hand and said completed player hand being less than a predetermined poker hand value.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of paying each said at least one player an amount equal to said ante wager and said post-ante wager when said completed player hand being a winning hand and said completed dealer hand being at least equal to a predetermined poker hand value.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said predetermined poker value being Ace-high.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said predetermined poker value being one of a pair and greater than a pair.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of permitting a player to be eligible to receive a pre-determined bonus payout if at least one of said completed dealer hand and said completed player hand achieves a pre-determined poker value.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of collecting a bonus wager from each said at least one player in order for said at least one player to be eligible for said pre-determined bonus payout.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said initial predetermined number of cards being four cards and further comprising the steps of: 
 dealing four initial cards face up;    dealing a community card face down;    identifying a first subgroup of two cards from said four initial cards as having a relatively high poker value as compared to a second subgroup of two cards from said four initial cards;    assigning said first subgroup of two cards to said dealer as an initial dealer hand;    assigning said second subgroup of two cards to at least one player as an initial player hand, wherein said initial player hand being a community hand shared by all players when a plurality of players play said poker-type card game;    dealing two additional cards to said dealer hand face down;    dealing each said at least one player three additional cards;    requiring each said at least one player to one of place a post-ante wager and forfeit said ante wager;    revealing said additional two cards dealt to said dealer;    revealing said community card;    assigning said community card to complete each said dealer hand and each said at least one player hand, wherein a completed dealer hand comprises said first subgroup of two cards and said additional two cards dealt to said dealer and said community card, wherein a completed player hand comprises said second subgroup of two cards and said additional two cards dealt to each said at least one player and said community card;    determining a final five-card poker hand value of said completed dealer hand;    determining a final five-card poker hand value of each said at least one completed player hand;    comparing said final poker hand value of said dealer hand with said final poker hand value of each said at least one player hand; and    selecting as a winning hand whichever of said completed dealer hand and each said at least one completed player hand having a higher poker value.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing a video gaming machine; and    displaying said poker-type card game on said video gaming machine.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said predetermined number of cards dealt to complete each said at least one player hand being dealt individually to each said at least one player and wherein said completed player hand comprises a combination of said predetermined number of cards dealt individually to each said at least one player and said second subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards being a community hand shared by all players when a plurality of players play said poker-type card game.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein identifying a first subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards having a relatively high poker value as compared to a second subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards being determined whereby any pair has a higher hand value than any two unmatched cards, wherein a higher pair has a higher poker value than a lower pair, wherein said first hand and said second hand each having two unmatched cards the hand with a highest card has a higher poker value, wherein said first hand and said second hand each having two unmatched cards and said highest card of said first hand and said highest card of said second hand being of equal value then the hand having the second highest card has a higher poker value.  
   
   
       14 . A method of playing a poker-type card game comprising, in combination, the steps of: 
 receiving an ante wager from at least one player;    dealing an initial predetermined number of cards face up;    dealing at least one community card face down;    identifying a first subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards having a relatively high poker value as compared to a second subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards;    assigning said first subgroup having a higher poker value to at least one player as an initial player hand, wherein said initial player hand being a community hand shared by all players when a plurality of players play said poker-type card game;    assigning said second subgroup to a dealer as an initial dealer hand;    dealing a predetermined number of additional cards to said dealer hand face down;    dealing a predetermined number of additional cards to each said at least one player;    conveying a predetermined poker advantage to said predetermined number of cards dealt to said dealer relative to said predetermined number of cards dealt to each said at least one player, wherein said poker advantage being at least one of a greater number of cards, cards having a higher poker value, and said at least one player having a selection choice of said cards;    requiring each said at least one player to one of place a post-ante wager and forfeit said ante wager;    revealing said additional cards dealt to said dealer;    revealing said at least one community card;    assigning said at least one community card to complete each said dealer hand and each said at least one player hand, wherein a completed dealer hand comprises said second subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards and said predetermined number of additional cards dealt to said dealer and said at least one community card, wherein a completed player hand comprises said first subgroup of said initial predetermined number of cards and said predetermined number of additional cards dealt to each said at least one player and said at least one community card;    determining a final poker hand value of said completed dealer hand;    determining a final poker hand value of each said at least one completed player hand;    comparing said final poker hand value of said completed dealer hand with said final poker hand value of each said at least one completed player hand;    selecting as a winning hand whichever of said completed dealer hand and each said at least one completed player hand having a higher poker value;    collecting said ante wager when said at least one player forfeited said ante wager;    collecting said ante wager and said post-ante wager when said at least one player having a completed player hand with a lower poker value than a poker value of said completed dealer hand; and    paying each said at least one player an amount corresponding to a predetermined payoff structure when said completed player hand having a poker value higher than a completed dealer hand.