Method of playing blackjack and other games of chance

Abstract

A gaming method and system which allows all players to be dealt a common two-card hand, representing the first two cards for each player. The individual player will independently determine the amount of his wager and will independently make decisions relating to how he will play his hand after viewing the dealer's “up card” of the dealer's first two cards and the common two cards previously dealt, representing the first two cards for all players. The system can be incorporated into an electronic table game version of blackjack with multiple video screens and/or bet selection devices. The system can also be incorporated under a blackjack tournament format. The gaming system can also be applied to the home video, home computer and arcade markets.

1 . A method of playing a round of blackjack between a dealer and one or more players comprising the steps of:
 a) one or more of said players making a bet permitted by the rules of the game;   b) said dealer initially dealing only one two-card hand to himself, said two card hand consisting of an up face card shown to said dealer and player(s) and a down face hole card shown only to said dealer, and dealing only one common two-card hand, said common two cards being face up and shown to dealer and player(s), the point value of said common two-card hand being used by all of said one or more player(s) at the table as all or part of the point value of their respective individual play hand;   c) subsequently each of said one or more players in turn individually declining to receive an additional card for their individual hand and thereby not drawing any additional cards for the round or electing to receive in said player's individual hand an additional card, thereby establishing a current point value of his hand for play, wherein the point values of the common two card hand and the requested additional card, if any, of an individual player's hand are totaled to determine said point value of said player's hand and, if the point value of said player's hand exceeds 21, said player is eliminated from play;   d) subsequently each of said player not eliminated nor refusing an additional card in step (c) continuing to play by repeating step (c) to decide whether to accept an additional card or not to establish a new point value for said player's hand by totaling the point value of the common hand and all received additional card(s), until the point value of said player's hand exceeds 21 or the player declines to receive another card;   e) after all players either being eliminated or refusing additional cards in steps (c) and (d), said dealer then turning over his hole card and taking one or more additional card(s), if any, to establish the point value of said dealer's hand, if the rules of the game permit additional card(s) to be drawn; and   f) after the point values of said dealer's and remaining player(s)'s hands are established, said dealer then determining which player hand(s), if any, are entitled to win, rewarding the player holding said hand(s) in accord with the rules of the games, and returning or removing the bets of any player whose point values does not entitled said player to a reward in accord to the rules of the game.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising said player(s) having a playing decision to Stand, Hit, Surrender, Double and/or Split. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said player(s) indicate their playing decision by placing one or more lammer(s) in a location relative to said player's position in a manner indicative of said playing decision. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step prior to step (a) of one or more of said players making a bet on the play of the game of a denomination permitted by the rules of the game within a conventional bet receiving region. 
   
   
       5 . A method of playing a round of blackjack comprising the steps of:
 (a) one or more of said players making a bet permitted by the rules of the game;   (b) said dealer initially dealing only one two-card hand to himself, said two card hand consisting of an up face card shown to said dealer and player(s) and a down face hole card shown only to said dealer, and dealing only one initial common hand, said initial common hand being two cards face up and shown to dealer and player(s), the point value of said initial common two-card hand being used by all of said one or more player(s) at the table as the then current point value of their respective individual play hand;   (c) subsequently each of said one or more players in turn individually deciding to stand on the then current point value of the initial common cards and accepting the then current point value of the then common hand as the point value of play for the round for that individual player, or electing to be a continuing player and allow an additional common card to be dealt to the then common hand to establishing a new common hand, wherein the point values of the common two card hand and the dealt additional common card(s), if any, are totaled to determine said point value of said continuing player's hand and, if the point value of said player's hand exceeds 21, said player is eliminated from play;   (d) subsequently each of said continuing player not eliminated in step (c) continuing to play by repeating step (c) until all players have been eliminated or have decided to stand on the respective point value of play for the round for that individual player;   (e) then said dealer turning over his hole card and taking one or more additional card(s), if any, to establish the point value of said dealer's hand, if the rules of the game permit additional card(s) to be drawn; and   (f) after the point values of said dealer's and remaining player(s)'s hands are established, said dealer then determining which player hand(s), if any, are entitled to win, rewarding each player holding such said winning hand(s) in accordance with the rules of the games, and returning or removing the bets of any player whose point values does not entitled said player to a reward in accordance to the rules of the game.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising said player(s) having a playing decision to Stand, Hit, Surrender, Double and/or Split. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said player(s) indicate their playing decision by placing one or more lammer(s) in a location relative to said player's position in a manner indicative of said playing decision. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the step prior to step (a) of one or more of said players making a bet on the play of the game of a denomination permitted by the rules of the game within a conventional bet receiving region.