Method for gaming with improved betting and distribution of winnings

Abstract

A wagering method applicable to games, such as poker, that include multiple rounds of wagering. Players who participate in an early round of wagering share in a portion of the pot that has accumulated after a subsequent, preferably final, round of wagering. Thus, in a poker game according to the present invention, players who fold after having wagered in the early round of betting can potentially win more than they have bet in the hand, despite having folded. The method is suitable for live play, such as in a casino, and for play supported by computers connected via a communication system such as the Internet.

1 . A gaming method comprising the steps of:
 (a) players engaging in an early round of wagering in which said players optionally post wagers to a pot;   (b) said players who have posted said wagers to said pot during said early round engaging in a subsequent round of wagering in which said players who have posted said wagers to said pot during said early round optionally post further wagers to said pot, and   (c) distributing a pre-determined portion of said pot to at least one said player who wagered during said early round.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said wagering takes place in the context of a poker game. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said poker game is selected from the group consisting of Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Badugi, Draw Poker and Stud Poker. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein play is on a playing surface including a plurality of player spaces, each respective said player space including a respective table stakes space operative to hold table stakes of a corresponding said player. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said surface further includes at least one community card space operative to hold at least one community card. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said early round of wagering follows dealing of at least one hole card to each said player. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one said player is required to post a blind wager. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of.
 (d) displaying a share of said pre-determined portion to be distributed to a said player.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said distributing is equally to all said players who wagered during said early round. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said distributing is equally to all said players who wagered during said early round except for a said player who holds a winning hand. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said pre-determined portion only includes a portion of called wagers. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said distributing of said pre-determined portion is only to said players who wagered in said early round and did not fold in said early round. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said pre-determined portion is at least one fiftieth of said pot and no more than one third of said pot. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein an all-in wager must be of at least a pre-determined minimum value. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said pre-determined portion is determined by a house. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said pre-determined portion is determined by agreement among said players. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said pre-determined portion includes a plurality of respective pre-determined subportions, each said respective pre-determined subportion being associated with a corresponding said early round of wagering, and wherein each said respective pre-determined subportion is distributed to at least one said player who wagered during said corresponding early round. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein play is supported by a plurality of computers communicating via a network. 
   
   
       19 . A machine readable storage medium having stored thereon machine executable instructions, the execution of said machine executable instructions implementing a gaming method, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) players engaging in an early round of wagering in which said players optionally post wagers to a pot;   (b) said players who have posted said wagers to said pot during said early round engaging in a subsequent round of wagering in which said players who have posted said wagers to said pot during said early round optionally post further wagers to said pot, and   (c) distributing a pre-determined portion of said pot to at least one said player who wagered during said early round.