Game And Method Having A Stud Poker Feature

Abstract

Disclosed are a game and method for a game including a stud poker feature game.

1 . A game comprising:
 an interface activatable by a player;   a primary game having a set of outcomes, at least one of the set of outcomes determined after activation of the interface by the player;   a feature game comprising one or more hands of poker dealt to the player,   each hand comprising at least one card, wherein none of the cards may be discarded or replaced by the player;   and a triggering event that initiates play of the feature game.   
   
   
       2 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the triggering event comprises the occurrence of a specific primary game outcome. 
   
   
       3 . The game of  claim 1 , further comprising a predefined value associated with the game;
 wherein the triggering event comprises the predefined value matching a randomly determined value.   
   
   
       4 . The game of  claim 1  further comprising a wager, wherein initiation of the feature game is restricted by the amount of the wager. 
   
   
       5 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the player further initiates the feature game following the occurrence of the triggering event. 
   
   
       6 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the feature game requires no player input following the initiation of the feature game. 
   
   
       7 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the primary game comprises a poker game. 
   
   
       8 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the primary game comprises a slot machine game. 
   
   
       9 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the primary game comprises a keno game. 
   
   
       10 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the primary game comprises a blackjack game. 
   
   
       11 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the primary game comprises a bingo game. 
   
   
       12 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the primary game comprises a roulette game. 
   
   
       13 . A method of operating a game, the method comprising the steps of:
 initiating play of a primary game by player;   determining at least one of a set of primary game outcomes;   upon the occurrence of a triggering event, initiating a feature game comprising one or more hands of poker dealt to the player, each hand comprising at least one card, wherein none of the cards may be discarded or replaced by the player.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the triggering event comprises the occurrence of a predefined game outcome. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:
 predefining a value associated with the game; and randomly determining a value;   wherein the triggering event comprises the randomly determined value matching the predefined value.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the steps of:
 accepting a wager; and   restricting initiation of the feature game based on the amount of the wager.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the feature game requires player input following the occurrence of the triggering event. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the feature game requires no player input following the initiation of the feature game. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the primary game comprises a poker game. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the primary game comprises a slot machine game. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the primary game comprises a keno game. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the primary game comprises a blackjack game. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the primary game comprises a bingo game. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the primary game comprises a roulette game. 
   
   
       25 . The game of  claim 1 , the primary game comprising at least one of a slot machine game, a poker game, a keno game, a blackjack game, a bingo game and a roulette game. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 13 , the primary game comprising at least one of a slot machine game, a poker game, a keno game, a blackjack game, a bingo game and a roulette game. 
   
   
       27 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a processor operatively coupled to a set of player-operable controls;   a primary game and a feature game operable by the processor in accordance with the player-operable controls, each game having a set of possible outcomes;   upon a triggering event, the feature game activatable over a sequence of one or more plays, the feature game comprising one or more hands of poker dealt to the player, each hand comprising at least one card, wherein none of the cards may be discarded or replaced by the player.   
   
   
       28 . The gaming machine of  claim 27  wherein the triggering event comprises the occurrence of a specific one of the set of possible primary game outcomes. 
   
   
       29 . The gaming machine of  claim 28 , further comprising a predefined value associated with the game;
 wherein the triggering event comprises the predefined value matching a randomly determined value.   
   
   
       30 . The gaming machine of  claim 27  further comprising a wager input mechanism operatively coupled to the processor, wherein play of the feature game is restricted by the amount of a wager placed through the wager input mechanism. 
   
   
       31 . The gaming machine of  claim 27  wherein the feature game is activatable through the player-operable controls following the occurrence of the triggering event. 
   
   
       32 . The gaming machine of  claim 27  wherein the feature game is operable independent of the player-operable controls. 
   
   
       33 . The gaming machine of  claim 27 , the primary game comprising at least one of a slot machine game, a poker game, a keno game, a blackjack game, a bingo game, and a roulette game. 
   
   
       34 . The gaming machine of  claim 27 , wherein the player operable controls include a speed control. 
   
   
       35 . The gaming machine of  claim 27  wherein the player operable controls include a volume control. 
   
   
       36 . The gaming machine of  claim 27  further comprising a video display operatively coupled to the processor. 
   
   
       37 . The gaming machine of  claim 36  wherein the video display is a wide-screen display. 
   
   
       38 . The gaming machine of  claim 27  further comprising a cabinet enclosing the processor. 
   
   
       39 . The gaming machine of  claim 38  wherein the cabinet is one of a bar-top cabinet, a slant-top cabinet, an upright cabinet or a table-top cabinet. 
   
   
       40 . The gaming machine of  claim 27  further comprising a memory operatively coupled to the processor. 
   
   
       41 . The gaming machine of  claim 40  wherein the memory is at least one of a hard drive, a CDROM, a DVD or a flash memory. 
   
   
       42 . A method of operating a gaming machine played by a player, the method including the steps of:
 determining at least one of a set of possible outcomes for a primary game;   upon an occurrence of a triggering event, determining at least one of a set of possible outcomes for a feature game, the feature game comprising one or more hands of poker dealt to a player, each hand comprising at least one card, wherein none of the cards may be discarded or replaced by the player.   
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the triggering event comprises a predefined one of the set of primary game outcomes. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising the steps of:
 predefining a first value associated with the primary game; and randomly determining a second value;   wherein the triggering event comprises the first value matching the second value.   
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising the steps of:
 accepting a wager from the player; and   restricting initiation of the feature game based on the amount of the wager.   
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising the steps of requiring and accepting player input following the occurrence of the triggering event in order to activate the feature game. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the feature game requires no player input associated with activation of the feature game. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 42 , the primary game comprising at least one of a slot machine game, a poker game, a keno game, a blackjack game, a bingo game and a roulette game. 
   
   
       49 . A networked gaming system including:
 a plurality of gaming machines connected through a network to a host computer, at least one of the gaming machines including a game operable by a player, the game comprising a primary game and a feature game,   upon a triggering event, the feature game activatable over a sequence of one or more plays, the feature game comprising one or more hands of poker dealt to the player, each hand comprising at least one card, wherein none of the cards may be discarded or replaced by the player.   
   
   
       50 . The gaming system of  claim 49  wherein the triggering event comprises the occurrence of a specific one of a set of possible primary game outcomes. 
   
   
       51 . The gaming system of  claim 49 , further comprising a predefined value associated with the game;
 wherein the triggering event comprises the predefined value matching a randomly determined value.   
   
   
       52 . The gaming system of  claim 49  further comprising a wager input mechanism operable by the player wherein play of the feature game is restricted by the amount of a wager placed by the player by way of the wager input mechanism. 
   
   
       53 . The gaming system of  claim 49  wherein the player further activates play of the feature game following the occurrence of the triggering event. 
   
   
       54 . The gaming system of  claim 49  wherein play of the feature game does not require player input. 
   
   
       55 . The gaming system of  claim 49 , the primary game comprising at least one of a slot machine game, a poker game, a keno game, a blackjack game, a bingo game, a roulette game and a wheel game. 
   
   
       56 . The gaming system of  claim 49  wherein the gaming machines are connected for competitive play. 
   
   
       57 . The gaming system of  claim 49  wherein the gaming machines are connected for cooperative play. 
   
   
       58 . The gaming system of  claim 49  wherein a random outcome is associated with each play of the game. 
   
   
       59 . A method of operating a networked gaming system, the method including the steps of:
 connecting a plurality of gaming machines comprising a game; for one of the games, selecting at least one of a set of possible outcomes for a primary game;   upon an occurrence of a triggering event, determining at least one of a set of possible outcomes for a feature game, the feature game comprising one or more hands of poker dealt to a player, each hand comprising at least one card, wherein none of the cards may be discarded or replaced by the player.   
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 59  wherein the triggering event comprises a predefined one of the set of primary game outcomes. 
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising the steps of:
 predefining a first value associated with the primary game; and randomly determining a second value   wherein the triggering event comprises the first value matching the second value.   
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 59  further comprising the steps of:
 accepting a wager from the player; and   restricting initiation of the feature game based on the amount of the wager.   
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 59  further comprising the steps of requiring and accepting player input following the occurrence of the triggering event in order to activate the feature game. 
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 59  wherein the feature game requires no player input associated with the feature game. 
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 59 , the primary game comprising at least one of a slot machine game, a poker game, a keno game, a blackjack game, a bingo game, a roulette game and a wheel game. 
   
   
       66 . A networked gaming system including:
 a network computer;   one or more gaming machines;   a network connecting the network computer to the one or more gaming machines;   a game operable with at least one of the gaming machines and having a set of possible outcomes;   and a trigger operable in conjunction with the game for causing the game to play a feature game, the feature game comprising one or more hands of poker dealt to a player, each hand comprising at least one card, wherein no cards may be discarded or replaced by the player.   
   
   
       67 . The networked gaming system of  claim 66  wherein the game is controlled by the host computer. 
   
   
       68 . The networked gaming system of  claim 66  wherein the game is controlled by the at least one of the gaming machines. 
   
   
       69 . The networked gaming system of  claim 66 , the game comprising a random outcome associated with each play of the game.