Method of conducting a baccarat game

Abstract

An improved method for the play of a baccarat card game includes the player placing either a banker hand wager or a player hand wager. An initial player hand and initial banker hand are dealt. Depending upon the sum of the initial player hand, each player may have the option to designate the quantity of cards in the final player hand used to resolve that player's player hand wager. A final banker hand is formed. The final banker hand and the final player hand (including the player-designated quantity of cards when applicable) are compared and wagers are resolved.

1 . A method for conducting a card game for one or more players played against a banker using a at least one deck of playing cards, or electronic representations thereof, comprising: 
 each player placing a wager on either a player hand or a banker hand;    dealing an player hand and a banker hand, each of said player hand and said banker hand including at least one exposed card;    if the sum of the player hand is a predetermined player-option sum, each player electing the quantity of cards in the player hand used to resolve the player's player hand wager and dealing at least one additional playing card to the player hand;    forming a final banker hand by revealing at least one additional playing card;    issuing a reward to players placing a banker hand wager if the sum of the playing cards in the final banker hand are closer to a predetermined target sum than the sum of the playing cards in the player hand is; and    issuing a reward to players placing a player hand wager if the sum of the player-elected quantity of playing cards in the player hand is closer to a predetermined target sum than the sum of the playing cards in the banker hand is.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sum of said player hand and sum of said banker hand are calculated by summing the values of the playing cards modulo ten, with aces having a value of one, face cards and tens having a value of zero, and all other cards having a value equal to their face value.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 if the sum of the playing cards initially dealt to the player hand is a predetermined stand sum, dealing no additional cards to the player hand such that player hand wagers are resolved by comparing the sum of the playing cards initially dealt to the player hand to the sum of the playing cards dealt to the banker hand; and    if the sum of the playing cards initially dealt to the player hand is a predetermined hit sum, dealing at least one additional playing card to the player hand such that player hand wagers are resolved by comparing the sum of the playing cards initially dealt to the player hand plus any additional playing cards dealt to the player hand to the sum of the playing cards dealt to the banker hand.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein if the sum of the playing cards initially dealt to the player hand is a predetermined natural sum, dealing no additional cards to the player hand or the banker hand and issuing a reward to players placing a player hand wager if the sum of the playing cards in the banker hand is not a predetermined natural sum and returning any player hand wagers if the sum of the playing cards in the banker hand is a predetermined natural sum.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein if the sum of the playing cards initially dealt to the banker hand is a predetermined natural sum, dealing no additional cards to the player hand or the banker hand and collecting all player hand wagers if the sum of the playing cards in the player hand is not a predetermined natural sum and returning any player hand wagers if the sum of the playing cards in the player hand is a predetermined natural sum.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 after dealing said player hand and said banker hand, offering a tie wager if the sum of the player hand is a predetermined tie sum and the exposed card of said banker hand is a predetermined tie card; and    for each player placing a tie wager: 
 if the sum of the playing cards of the banker hand is equal to a predetermined natural sum, returning the player's tie wager;  
 if the sum of the playing cards of the player hand is equal to the sum of the playing cards of the banker hand, issuing a reward to the player; and  
 if the sum of the playing cards of the player hand is unequal to the sum of the playing cards of the banker hand, collecting the player's tie wager.  
   
   
   
       7 . A method for conducting a card game for one or more players played against a banker using a at least one deck of playing cards, or electronic representations thereof, comprising: 
 each player placing a wager on either a player hand or a banker hand;    dealing an initial player hand and an initial banker hand, the playing cards of said initial player hand exposed and at least one of the playing cards of the initial banker hand exposed;    if the sum of the playing cards of the initial player hand is a predetermined player-option sum, each player who placed a player hand wager electing to designate the initial player hand or said initial player hand in combination with at least one additional revealed playing card as the final player hand and revealing at least one additional playing card;    forming a final banker hand by revealing at least one additional playing card;    issuing a reward to players placing a banker hand wager if the sum of the playing cards in the final banker hand are closer to a predetermined target sum than the sum of the playing cards in the final player hand,is; and    issuing a reward to players placing a player hand wager if the sum of the player-elected quantity of playing cards in the final player hand is closer to a predetermined target sum than the sum of the playing cards in the banker hand is.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the sums of the initial player hand, initial banker hand, final player hand, and final banker hand are calculated by summing the values of the playing cards in the hand modulo ten, with aces having a value of one, face cards and tens having a value of zero, and all other cards having a value equal to their face value.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 if the sum of the playing cards of the initial player hand is a predetermined stand sum, dealing no additional cards to the initial player hand such that player hand wagers are resolved by comparing the sum of the initial player hand to the sum of the final banker hand; and    if the sum of the playing cards of the initial player hand is a predetermined hit sum, dealing at least one additional playing card to the initial player hand to form a final player hand such that player hand wagers are resolved by comparing the sum of the final player hand to the sum of the final banker hand.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein if the sum of the playing cards of the initial player hand is a predetermined natural sum, dealing no additional cards to the initial player hand or the initial banker hand and issuing a reward to players placing a player hand wager if the sum of the playing cards in the initial banker hand are not a predetermined natural sum and returning the any player hand wagers if the sum of the playing cards in the initial banker hand is a predetermined natural sum.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein if the sum of the playing cards of the initial banker hand is a predetermined natural sum, dealing no additional cards to the initial player hand or the initial banker hand and collecting all player hand wagers if the sum of the playing cards in the initial player hand are not a predetermined natural sum and returning the any player hand wagers if the sum of the playing cards in the initial player hand is a predetermined natural sum.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 after dealing said initial player hand and said initial banker hand, offering a tie wager if the sum of the initial player hand is a predetermined tie sum and the exposed card of said initial banker hand is a predetermined tie card; and    for each player placing a tie wager: 
 if the sum of the playing cards of the initial banker hand is equal to a predetermined natural sum, returning the player's tie wager;  
 if the sum of the playing cards of the final player hand is equal to the sum of the playing cards of the final banker hand, issuing a reward to the player; and  
 if the sum of the playing cards of the final player hand is unequal to the sum of the playing cards of the final banker hand, collecting the player's tie wager.  
   
   
   
       13 . A method for conducting a card game for one or more players played against a banker using a at least one deck of playing cards, or electronic representations thereof, comprising: 
 each player placing a wager on either a player hand or a banker hand;    dealing an initial player hand and an initial banker hand, the playing cards of said initial player hand exposed and at least one of the playing cards of the initial banker hand exposed;    if the sum of the playing cards of the initial player hand is a predetermined stand sum, dealing no additional cards to the initial player hand so that the initial player hand is a final player hand;    if the sum of the playing cards of the initial player hand is a predetermined hit sum, revealing one additional playing card which, in combination with the initial player hand, forms a final player hand;    if the sum of the playing cards of the initial player hand is a predetermined player-option sum, each player who placed a player hand wager electing to designate the initial player hand or said initial player hand in combination with at least one additional revealed playing card as the final player hand and revealing at least one additional playing card;    forming a final banker hand by revealing at least one additional playing card;    issuing a reward to players placing a banker hand wager if the sum of the playing cards in the final banker hand are closer to a predetermined target sum than the sum of the playing cards in the final player hand is;    if the initial player hand formed a predetermined hit sum or a predetermined stand sum, issuing a reward to player placing a player hand wager if the playing cards in the final player hand are closer to a predetermined target sum than the sum of the player cards in the banker hand is; and    if the initial player hand formed a predetermined player-option sum, issuing a reward to players placing an initial player hand wager if the sum of the player-elected quantity of playing cards in the final player hand are closer to a predetermined target sum than the sum of the playing cards in the banker hand is.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the sums of the initial player hand, initial banker hand, final player hand, and final banker hand are calculated by summing the values of the playing cards in the hand modulo ten, with aces having a value of one, face cards and tens having a value of zero, and all other cards having a value equal to their face value.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein if the sum of the playing cards of the initial player hand is a predetermined natural sum, dealing no additional cards to the initial player hand or the initial banker hand and issuing a reward to players placing a player hand wager if the sum of the playing cards in the initial banker hand are not a predetermined natural sum and returning the any player hand wagers if the sum of the playing cards in the initial banker hand is a predetermined natural sum.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein if the sum of the playing cards of the initial banker hand is a predetermined natural sum, dealing no additional cards to the initial player hand or the initial banker hand and collecting all player hand wagers if the sum of the playing cards in the initial player hand are not a predetermined natural sum and returning the any player hand wagers if the sum of the playing cards in the initial player hand is a predetermined natural sum.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 after dealing said initial player hand and said initial banker hand, offering a tie wager if the sum of the initial player hand is a predetermined tie sum and the exposed card of said initial banker hand is a predetermined tie card; and    for each player placing a tie wager: 
 if the sum of the playing cards of the initial banker hand is equal to a predetermined natural sum, returning the player's tie wager;  
 if the sum of the playing cards of the final player hand is equal to the sum of the playing cards of the final banker hand, issuing a reward to the player; and  
 if the sum of the playing cards of the final player hand is unequal to the sum of the playing cards of the final banker hand, collecting the player's tie wager.