Modified blackjack game

Abstract

A method of playing a modified blackjack game includes designating at least one card within the standard deck as a wild card. In playing the game to determine a winner, a value is selected for the wild card to achieve a total of twenty-one if the player receives the wild card and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player totals ten or greater. A value is selected for the wild card from the values normally assigned to any of the playing cards if the player receives the wild card and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player totals less than ten. The wild card is played at face value if the dealer receives the wild card.

1 . A method of playing a modified blackjack game with at least one player and a dealer, comprising the steps of:
 using a shoe including at least one standard deck of playing cards;   designating at least one card within the standard deck as a wild card;   initially dealing hands of two cards each to the at least one player and to the dealer; and   playing the game to determine a winner, including selecting a value for the wild card to achieve a total of twenty-one if the player receives the wild card and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player totals ten or greater;   wherein a natural hand will win against an equivalent artificial hand.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes selecting a value for the wild card from the values normally assigned to any of the playing cards if the player receives the wild card and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player totals less than ten. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the player is permitted to double down or split if one of the two cards initially dealt to the hand of the player is the wild card. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes playing the wild card at face value if the dealer receives the wild card. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes selecting a value for the wild card to achieve a total of twenty-one if the dealer receives the wild card and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the dealer totals ten or greater. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes playing the wild card at face value if the wild card is received by the dealer and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the dealer totals less than ten. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein at least two cards are designated as wild cards, and the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes playing any subsequent wild card received by the player or the dealer at face value. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least two cards are designated as wild cards, and the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes:
 playing any subsequent wild card received by the player at face value,   selecting a value for any subsequent wild card received by the dealer to achieve a total of twenty-one if the dealer was required to play any previous wild card(s) at face value and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the dealer totals ten or greater; and   playing any subsequent wild card received by the dealer at face value if the non-wild card(s) in the hand of the dealer total less than ten.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes determining no fixed value for the wild card if the wild card is received by the player and the non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player total less than ten. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes dealing subsequent hits to the player receiving the wild card until the non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player total ten or greater, then selecting a value for the wild card to achieve a total of twenty-one. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes dealing no additional cards to the player receiving the wild card, and considering the player's hand to be a non-blackjack twenty-one. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes determining no fixed value for the wild card if the wild card is received by the player or the dealer, and the non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player or the dealer total less than ten. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes playing the wild card at face value if the wild card is dealt to the player and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player totals less than ten. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes selecting a value for the wild card from the values normally assigned to any of the playing cards if the dealer receives the wild card and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the dealer totals less than ten. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the value selected if the dealer receives the wild card and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the dealer totals less than ten is pre-determined. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the value selected if the dealer receives the wild card and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the dealer totals less than ten is randomly selected. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein at least two cards are designated as wild cards, and the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes selecting a value for any subsequent wild card received by the player to achieve twenty-one if the value of the player's hand immediately prior to receiving the subsequent wild card is ten or greater. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the player's hand is considered an artificial blackjack if both of the initial two cards in the player's hand are wild cards. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes playing the wild card at face value if the wild card is received by the player and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player totals less than ten. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least two cards are designated as wild cards, and the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes:
 selecting a value for any subsequent wild card received by the player to achieve a total of twenty-one if the player was required to play any previous wild card(s) at face value and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player totals ten or greater
 selecting a value for any subsequent wild card received by the dealer to achieve a total of twenty-one if the dealer was required to play any previous wild card(s) at face value and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the dealer totals ten or greater; 
 playing any subsequent wild card received by the player at face value if the non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player total less than ten; and 
 playing any subsequent wild card received by the dealer at face value if the non-wild card(s) in the hand of the dealer total less than ten. 
   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes playing the wild card at face value if received by the player if the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player totals less than ten, unless the player doubles down or splits. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of playing the game to determine a winner further includes:
 selecting a value for the wild card to achieve a total of eleven if the wild card is received by the player and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player totals less than ten and the player is willing to double down; and   selecting a value for the wild card necessary to allow the player to split if the wild card is received by the player and the value of non-wild card(s) in the hand of the player totals less than ten and the player is willing to split.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the player is only allowed to split with a wild card if the non-wild card is an ace. 
   
   
       24 . A method of playing a blackjack game with a side bet aspect comprising the steps of:
 designating at least one wild card for the side bet; and   paying a bonus to any player upon receipt of the at least one wild card;   wherein the bonus paid to the player upon receipt of the at least one wild card is independent from winning or losing the blackjack game.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a plurality of wild cards are designated for the purpose of the side bet, and an additional bonus is paid to any player upon receipt of each additional wild card. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the additional bonus paid to any player upon receipt of each additional wild card remains constant. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the additional bonus paid to any player upon receipt of each additional wild card increases with the receipt of each additional wild card. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a player is required to pay an extra amount before cards are dealt to be eligible for the bonus paid upon receipt of the at least one wild card. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a payout from a progressive jackpot is used in connection with the bonus paid upon receipt of the at least one wild card. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a payout from a progressive jackpot is used in connection with the bonus paid upon receipt of an additional wild card. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the payout from the progressive jackpot is used in connection with the bonus paid upon receipt of an additional wild card only when receipt of the additional wild card achieves at least one predetermined combination of wild cards. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a wild card is designated from each suit and the at least one predetermined combination is one wild card from each suit. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a plurality predetermined combinations of wild cards can result in use of the payout from the progressive jackpot in connection with the bonus paid upon receipt of an additional wild card, and the payout is a larger percentage of the progressive jackpot for rarer predetermined combinations.