Casino card game

Abstract

A card game and method of play combining features of blackjack and poker is disclosed. Like blackjack, the object of the card game is to obtain an aggregate card value nearest to twenty-one. However, each participating player is playing against all other players for a pot. The pot is formed from antes and bets made during the game. In one version, each player is dealt an initial card. The initial card may be dealt face down or face up. Like poker, after receiving the initial cards, the players, beginning with a player designated to act first, participate in at least one betting round. Depending on the game, players may fold, check, call, bet or raise during the betting round. After a first betting round, remaining players draw additional cards, if desired, to obtain an aggregate card value nearest to a pre-established total (e.g., twenty-one). The player nearest to the pre-established total, without going over, wins the pot. Other features include multiple betting rounds, blind bets and varied pre-established totals (e.g., thirty-one). A no-bust version is also disclosed.

1 . A method of conducting a card game comprising: 
 providing at least two players at least one initial card from one or more standard decks of playing cards;    permitting a player designated first to act to at least fold or bet;    permitting each successive player to at least fold or bet;    after each player elects to at least fold or bet, permitting each player to draw one or more additional cards in an effort to obtain a hand comprising cards having an aggregate value nearest to a pre-established total wherein said aggregate value may be below, equal to or above the pre-established total; and    after each player has drawn all of his or her cards, awarding a pot, comprising all or a majority of the bets placed during the game, to the player holding a hand comprising cards with an aggregate value nearest to the pre-established total.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said pre-established total is twenty-one.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said pre-established total is thirty-one.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising requiring all players to place antes prior to receiving any cards.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the pot further comprises the antes.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising requiring at least of the one or more players to place blind bets prior to receiving any cards.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each player is provided with one initial card.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the initial card is provided face up.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the initial card is provided face down.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method is facilitated by a global computer network.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method facilitates a game show.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising designating a player with a highest initial card value as the first to act.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising permitting players to check and raise.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising declaring a hand with an aggregate value below the pre-established total a winning hand over a hand with an aggregate value over the pre-established total when both hand values differ from the pre-established total by an equal magnitude.  
   
   
       15 . A method of conducting a card game comprising: 
 dealing at least two players one initial card from one or more standard decks of playing cards;    allowing a player designated first to act to fold, check or bet;    allowing each successive player to fold, check, call, bet or raise;    after each player has acted, permitting each player to draw one or more cards during each of one or more game rounds in an effort to obtain an aggregate card value nearest to twenty-one, said players being allowed to fold, check, call, bet or raise during each game round; and    after each player has drawn all of his or her cards, awarding a pot, comprising all or a majority of all bets placed during the game, to a player holding a hand comprising cards with an aggregate value nearest to twenty-one.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the initial card is dealt face down.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the initial card is dealt face up.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising requiring at least one of the one or more players to place blind bets prior to receiving any cards.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising requiring all players to place antes prior to receiving any cards.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said method is facilitated by a global computer network.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising designating a player with a highest initial card value as the first to act.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising declaring a hand with an aggregate value below the pre-established total a winning hand over a hand with an aggregate value over the pre-established total when both hand values differ from the pre-established total equally.  
   
   
       23 . A method of conducting a card game combining features of blackjack and poker comprising: 
 requiring each player to pay an ante;    requiring at least one player to place a blind bet;    dealing each player a first card from one or more standard decks of playing cards;    allowing each player to fold, check, call, bet or raise in response to receiving the one initial card;    permitting each player to draw one card, if desired, during each of one or more game rounds in an effort to obtain an aggregate card total nearest to twenty-one, said players being allowed to fold, check, call, bet or raise during each game round; and    after each player has drawn all of his or her cards, awarding a pot, comprising all or a majority of bets and antes placed during the game, to a player holding a hand comprising cards with an aggregate value nearest, to twenty-one wherein a hand with an aggregate value below twenty-one is declared a winning hand over a hand with an aggregate value over twenty-one when both hand values differ from the pre-established total by an equal magnitude.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said method is facilitated by a global computer network.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising designating a player with a highest initial card value as the first to act.