Apparatus and method of playing a game

Abstract

An apparatus for playing a card game. The apparatus comprising a set of cards with each card showing a plurality of symbols and indicators, and the indicators being arranged relative to a sub-set of cards to define one or more hands. The hands of two or more players are then compared to determine the outcome of the game.

1 . An apparatus for playing a game comprises a set of cards, each card showing a plurality of symbols and indicator means, the indicator means being arranged relative to a sub-set of cards, to define one or more hands.  
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  in which each card shows two symbols.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  in which each card shows three or more symbols, each symbol being bounded by at least one edge of the card.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 2  in which a set of cards includes twenty eight cards, the symbols on the cards being numbers or symbols representative of numbers, the numbers ranging from 1 to 7.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 2  in which a set of cards includes twenty eight cards, the symbols on the cards being numbers or conventional playing card symbols, the symbols ranging from 8 up to Ace.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the indicator means comprises a line to each side of which one or more symbols of each card of a sub-set may be arranged to define one or more hands.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6  in which the line is formed by printing on a playing surface.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 6  in which the line is formed by means of a wire or rod which may be positioned over the cards.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 6  in which the line is formed by projecting a light or laser beam onto a playing surface.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 6  in which the line is bent.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the indicator means comprises a geometric figure.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to any one of  claim 11  in which the indicator means comprises a square or rectangle.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the indicator means comprises selection means which when placed over an arrangement of a sub-set of cards, will select specific symbols, to define at least one hand.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13  in which the selection means comprises a wire frame or card with apertures which will frame the selected symbols, when laid over the arrangement of cards.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the indicator means comprises rejection means which when placed over an arrangement of a sub-set of cards, will obscure specific symbols, the unobscured symbols defining at least one hand.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to any  claim 13  in which the rejection means comprises a wire with plates mounted thereon which, when the rejection means is placed over an arrangement of a sub-set of cards will obscure specific symbols.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the indicator means comprises a combination of selection means and rejection means.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the sub-set of cards is pre-arranged.  
   
   
       19 . A method of playing a game using multi-symbol cards, comprising the steps of; 
 providing each of a plurality of players with a plurality of multi-symbol cards;    each player arranging said cards relative to indicator means, to produce one or more hands; and    comparing the or each hand of each player with the or each hand of one or more other players to decide the outcome of the game.    
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 19  in which one of said players is a dealer, the or each hand of the or each of the other players being compared against the or each of the dealer's hands to determine the outcome of the game.  
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 19 , in which the cards show dual symbols.  
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , in which the indicator means comprises a line, the dealt cards being placed with one or both symbols on either side of the line.  
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 22 , in which the symbols on one side of the line define a first hand and the symbols on the other side of the line define a second hand.  
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 23 , in which the symbols are arranged so that the first hand is of equal or higher rank than the second hand.  
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 23 , in which one of the players is a dealer, the first hand of the or each player is compared against a similarly derived first hand of a dealer and the second hand of the or each player is compared against a similarly derived hand of the dealer; 
 the player winning the game if both the player's hands beat the corresponding hands of the dealer;    the player losing the game if both of the dealer's hands beat the player's hands; and    a stand-off being declared if one of the player's hands beats the dealer's hand, while the other of the player's hands loses to the dealer's hand.    
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 25 , in which if a player's hand is of equal rank to the corresponding dealer's hand, then the player's hand loses.  
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 25 , in which a each player and the dealer in turn are dealt three cards, each player and the dealer arranging the cards relative to the line, to define a first hand and a second hand, each hand consisting of three symbols, the player's hands being compared with the dealer's hands on the basis of the following ranking:—
 three of a kind;    straight (three symbols in sequence);    pair;    high card;    for hands of similar rank, the values of the symbols being taken into account.    
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 25 , in which a each player and the dealer in turn are dealt three cards, each player and the dealer arranging the cards relative to the line, to define a first hand and a second hand, each hand consisting of at least one symbol, the values of the symbols being summed to determine the value of the hand, on comparison of the hands the higher total winning.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 28 , in which repeated symbols on each hand are counted as zero in determining the value of the hand.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 25 , in which a each player and the dealer in turn are dealt three cards, each player and the dealer arranging the cards relative to the line, to define a first hand and a second hand, each hand consisting of at least one symbol, value of the hand being equal to the last digit of the total of the values of the symbols constituting the hand, on comparison of the hands the higher final digit winning.  
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 30 , in which repeated symbols on each hand are counted as zero in determining the value of the hand.  
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 25 , in which a each player and the dealer in turn are dealt three cards, each player and the dealer arranging the cards relative to the line, to define a first hand and a second hand, each hand consisting of at least one symbol, the values of the symbols being summed to determine the value of the hand, on comparison of the hands the lower total winning.  
   
   
       33 . A method according to  claim 32 , in which repeated symbols on each hand are counted as zero in determining the value of the hand.  
   
   
       34 . A method according to  claim 25 , in which a each player and the dealer in turn are dealt three cards, each player and the dealer arranging the cards relative to the line, to define a first hand and a second hand, each hand consisting of three symbols, the value of the hand being equal to the totals of the values of the symbols constituting the hand, on comparison of the hands the higher total not exceeding 21 winning.  
   
   
       35 . A method according to  claim 25 , in which a each player and the dealer in turn are dealt two cards, each player and the dealer arranging the cards relative to the line, to define a first hand and a second hand, each hand consisting of two symbols, the value of the hand being equal to the totals of the values of the symbols constituting the hand, on comparison of the hands the higher total not exceeding 21 winning.  
   
   
       36 . A method according to  claim 35 , in which the or each player and/or the dealer have the option to draw a third card, the symbols of which may be added to one or both hands.  
   
   
       37 . A method according to  claim 35 , in which the dealer must draw a further card, if either or both the dealer's hands each total within a pre-determined range, the symbols of the further card being added to one or both hands.  
   
   
       38 . A method according to  claim 22 , in which one or more players and a dealer in turn are dealt three cards, each player and the dealer arranging the cards relative to the line, to define on one side of the line one, hand consisting of five symbols, a symbol to the other side of the line being discarded, the hand of each player being compared to the hand of the dealer on the basis of the following rankings; 
 Four of a kind (four of the same symbol);    Full house (three of the same symbol and two of another symbol);    Straight (five symbols in sequence);    Three of a kind (three of the same symbol);    One Pair (two of the same symbol);    High card (Highest valued symbol);    for hands of similar rank, the values of the symbols being taken into account.    
   
   
       39 . A method according to  claim 38 , in which if a player hand is of equal rank to the corresponding dealer's hand, then the player's hand loses.  
   
   
       40 . A method according to  claim 19  in which two or more different games are played sequentially, using the same cards dealt to each player.  
   
   
       41 . A method according to  claim 40  in which one of the players is a dealer, the or each of the player's hands being compared to the or each of the dealer's hands using two or more criteria.  
   
   
       42 . A method according to  claim 41  in which the dealer uses the same dealt cards for each game.  
   
   
       43 . A method according to  claim 41  in which the dealer is dealt a new set of cards for each game.  
   
   
       44 . A method according to  claim 21  in which each player arranges the dealt cards, the player then places indicator means over the arrangement of cards to select specific symbols which will constitute a hand.  
   
   
       45 . A method according to  claim 21  in which each player arranges the dealt cards, the player then places indicator means over the arrangement of cards, the indicator means obscuring certain symbols from the arrangement, the symbols still visible constitute a hand.  
   
   
       46 . A method according to  claim 21  in which each player arranges the dealt cards, the player then places indicator means over the arrangement of cards, the indicator means selecting some symbols from the arrangement of cards, the selected symbols constituting one hand, the indicator means furthermore obscuring some of the symbols of the arrangement of cards not selected, the symbols of the arrangement of cards not selected and not obscured constituting a second hand.  
   
   
       47 . A method according to  claim 20  in which before the cards are dealt, the or each player may place a bet on the outcome of the game.  
   
   
       48 . A method according to  claim 47  in which after the cards are dealt, each player may place a call bet on remain in the game the game.  
   
   
       49 . A method according to  claim 47  in which the or each player may place one or more side bets.  
   
   
       50 . A method according to  claim 49  in which the or each player may place a bet on any player or the dealer being dealt a hand of specified rank, the bet to be paid out at pre-determined odds.  
   
   
       51 . A method according to  claim 49  in which the or each player may place a bet on a predicted card being dealt to the player or the dealer, the bet to be paid out at pre-determined odds.  
   
   
       52 . A method of playing a game using multi-symbol cards, comprising the steps of; 
 providing each of a plurality of players with a pre-arranged plurality of multi-symbol cards;    each player arranging indicator means on the pre-arranged cards, to produce one or more hands; and    comparing the or each hand of each player with the or each hand of one or more other players to decide the outcome of the game.