Method and device for conducting a card game

Abstract

A card game includes constructing a matrix of card positions by dealing a row of cards, discarding zero or more cards, and receiving replacements for discarded cards. Optionally discarded cards are displayed. As each row is dealt, the discarded cards are unavailable for dealing. After the matrix is filled, the cards in one or more rows or columns may be rearranged. The rearrangement may be displayed or the hands with which the rearranged cards are evaluated is indicated. The final matrix is evaluated by comparing each row and column to a value table.

1 . A method for conducting a card game tournament for at least two players using linked computer terminals, each using a deck of playing cards, or electronic representations thereof, wherein said players include one or more live players and zero or more virtual players, comprising: 
 each player placing a game wager;    for each player, conducting a round of play comprising one or more games, each of said games comprising: 
 creating a matrix of m matrix rows and n matrix columns of card locations, where said matrix creation process comprises: 
 performing m iterations of hand creation from said deck, each iteration comprising: 
 dealing n cards to a row, said cards dealt from available cards in said deck;  
 said player discarding zero or more cards from said dealt hand, said discarded cards unavailable to be subsequently dealt; and  
 dealing replacement cards for discarded cards to complete said hand, said replacement cards dealt from available cards in said deck; and  
 
 rearranging the cards comprising at least one of said matrix rows or matrix columns to form a final matrix;  
 
 evaluating said final matrix by evaluating the hands of each matrix row formed by the cards not discarded plus any replacement cards distributed to replace cards discarded by comparing each hand to one or more prespecified value tables and evaluating the hands of each matrix column formed by the cards not discarded plus any replacement cards distributed to replace cards discarded by comparing each hand to one or more prespecified value tables;  
   producing a value for its final matrix by summing the value of the hands of the matrix rows and the matrix columns;    tracking the values of the final matrices obtained by each player;    declaring the tournament winner to be the player who achieves a value of a final matrix greater than that achieved by any other player during the round of play, unless two or more players tie by achieving the same value of a final matrix during the round of play; and    if a tie occurs during a round of play, declaring no tournament winner and conducting additional rounds of play until only one player achieves a value of a final matrix during a round of play greater than all other players.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said values of said prespecified value tables include a plurality of distinguishable hand values based upon hand rank and hand configuration.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each player places a single game wager for said round of play such that no additional game wagers are placed during said round of play.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each player uses an identically constituted deck of playing cards.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 each player commencing said card game with an identically constituted deck of cards; and    at one or more designated points during said card game, independently randomizing each player's deck of available cards.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein each row of cards is dealt from an identically constituted deck of available cards.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each step of dealing of each card game is performed concurrently for all said players.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said steps of discarding zero or more cards from said dealt hand and dealing said replacement cards occur at a prespecified time delay after dealing of said initial cards, wherein said time delay is uniform for all said players.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said prespecified time delay varies by matrix row.