Multi-handed poker game

Abstract

A card game that is played using a deck of cards comprised of fifty-two poker cards plus two Joker cards for a total of fifty-four cards, where one or more players simultaneously place a wager on, and then move the wagers among, several hands as cards are being dealt to the hands in an attempt to win monies by avoiding the Joker cards, and having their wager resting on the hand that has the highest five card poker ranking once all hands have been dealt five cards.

1 . A method for one or more players to simultaneously play a poker based casino card game in an attempt win monies from a banker/dealer where the layout of the gaming surface provides the players with the opportunity to place a wager on one of several hands and then move their wager from hand-to-hand as cards are being dealt all the while avoiding Joker Cards and having his/her wager reside on the hand with the highest five card poker ranking once all hands have received five cards. 
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  where the gaming surface is divided into several side-by-side areas. These areas are called Hands. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  where each Hand is divided into two regions where the (a) first region is capable of containing five cards face up and the (b) second region which is adjoined to the first region holds the monies/tokens wagered by players on cards in the first region. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  where the dealer/banker shuffles the (a) fifty-four card deck of cards while players indicate their willingness to participate by placing an (b) amount of monies called the Initial Wager on any one of the Hands described in  claim 2  by placing the Initial Wager in the Hand's region as described in  claim 3 B. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  where play begins with the dealer/banker dealing the first series of cards which is one card face up to each of the Hand's region described in  claim 3 A. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  where if at any time a Joker Card is dealt to a Hand that hand is killed and becomes a Dead Hand and (a) all wagers on the Dead Hand's adjoined region as described in  claim 3 B will be lost to the banker and removed immediately putting (b) Players losing their wager in this manner out the game wile at the same time (c) preventing additional cards will be dealt the Dead Hand and (d) blocking remaining players from moving onto or over the Dead Hand. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  where after a series of cards are dealt play continues with all remaining players take an action by either (a) moving his/her wager left to an adjacent remaining Hand as described in  claim 2  or (b) moving his/her wager right to an adjacent Hand as described in  claim 2  or (c) leaving his/her wager where it is or (d) removing his/her wager from the gaming surface. 
   
   
       8 . A method of  claim 1  where the dealer continues play by dealing the second series of cards which is one card face up to each of the remaining (not dead) Hands so that each Hand now contains two cards. 
   
   
       9 . A method of  claim 1  where each remaining player again takes one of the four actions as described in  claim 7 . 
   
   
       10 . A method of  claim 1  where the dealer again continues play by dealing the third series of cards which is one card face up to each of the remaining (not dead) Hands so that each Hand now contains three cards. 
   
   
       11 . A method of  claim 1  where each remaining player again takes one of the four actions as described in  claim 7 . 
   
   
       12 . A method of  claim 1  where the dealer continues play by dealing the fourth series of cards which is one card face up to each of the remaining (not dead) Hands so that each Hand now contains four cards. 
   
   
       13 . A method of  claim 1  where each remaining player again takes one of the four actions as described in  claim 7 . 
   
   
       14 . A method of  claim 1  where the dealer continues play by dealing the fifth and final series of cards which is one card face up to each of the remaining (not dead) Hands so that each Hand now contains five cards. 
   
   
       15 . A method of  claim 1  where the dealer examines cards in all the remaining (not dead) Hands described in  claim 3  in order to determine which Hand(s) contains the five cards that have the highest five card poker hand raking. 
   
   
       16 . A method of  claim 1  where the Hand(s) as described in  claim 2  determined by dealer to have the highest five card poker ranking is designated as the High Hand(s). 
   
   
       17 . A method of  claim 1  where all Hands as described in  claim 2  that are not the High Hand(s) will be designated as Loosing Hands and all wagers contained within the region described in  claim 3 B of the Loosing Hands are removed from the gaming surface and claimed by the dealer/banker. 
   
   
       18 . A method of  claim 1  where all players with a wager in the region described in  claim 3 B contained within the area of the High Hand(s) as described in  claim 16  are designated as Winning Players. 
   
   
       19 . A method of  claim 1  where the formula [Returned to Player]=[Current Wager]+([Current Wager]*[Multiplier]) represents the method used by the dealer/banker to calculate the amount of monies each Winning Player and can be expressed as the amount of monies equal to the current amount of the player's wager plus an amount that is the player's current wager multiplied by a Multiplier value. 
   
   
       20 . A method of  claim 1  where the Multiplier used in  claim 19  is derived from a single Odds Chart. 
   
   
       21 . A method of  claim 1  where the Odds Chart contains a list of entries each of which represents a five card poker hands ranking category where the list is ordered highest to lowest probability the categories of which can be described as Nothing, Low Pair, High Pair, Two Pair, Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, Full House, Four of a Kind, Straight. Flush, and Royal Flush. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 1  where each entry in the Odds Chart as described in  claim 21  has an associated Multiplier value as described in  claim 20  the value which is determined by the dealer/banker in advance of game play. 
   
   
       23 . A method of  claim 2  where the number of Hands set out on the gaming surface can vary and is determined in advance by the dealer/banker. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 4  where (a) the card deck of fifty-four cards used in the game is comprised of (b) two Joker Cards (c) and four suits identified as, hearts, clubs, spades, and diamonds (d) with each suite containing thirteen cards each valued as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king, and ace. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 7 A where a player can move his/her wager left to an adjacent Hand area as described in  claim 2  providing that (a) the adjacent Hand area as described in  claim 2  is not a Dead Hand as described in  claim 6  and (b) the player increases his/her wager by adding to his/her wager an amount equal to the Initial Wager as described in  claim 4 B. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 7 B where a player can move his/her wager right to an adjacent Hand area as described in  claim 2  providing that (a) the adjacent Hand area as described in  claim 2  is not a Dead Hand as described in  claim 6  and (b) the player increases his/her wager by adding an to his/her wager amount equal to the Initial Wager as described in  claim 4 B. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 7 C where the dealer will remove and amount from the player's wager that is equal to the amount of the player's Initial Wager as described in  claim 4 B if the player chooses to leave his/her wager where it is and providing that the current amount of the wager is greater than the Initial Wager as described in  claim 4 B. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 7 D where the player can remove his/her wager from the gaming surface provide his/her current wager amount is equal to the player's Initial Wager as described in  claim 4 B. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 20  where instead of a single odds chart the Multiplier value selected in  claim 21  and applied as described in  claim 19  is derived from one of several odds charts each with unique Multiplier values and each of which is associated to a specific Hand as described in  claim 2 . 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 2  where the position and amount of the wagers made by players can be placed and tracked electronically. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 1  where one or more Hand areas as described in  claim 2  can be added to the gaming surface and employ alternate ways for players to move their wagers onto these Hands areas. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 4 A and  claim 24  where and additional fifty-fifth card is added to the card deck which so that when this fifty-fifth card is dealt to a Hand a Bonus Game is started for each player that has wagers on that Hand. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 1  where said game is played on a card table. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 1  where said card game is played electronically. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 1  where said card game is played on a computer. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 1  where said card game is played on a hand-held electronic gaming or communication device. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 1  where said card game is played over the internet. 
   
   
       38 . A method of  claim 32  where the Bonus Game implements a method to increase the amount of monies player involved in the bonus can win. 
   
   
       39 . A method of  claim 38  where the method used in the Bonus Game is based on random chance. 
   
   
       40 . A method of  claim 38  where the method used in the Bonus Game is based on player's skill. 
   
   
       41 . A method of  claim 38  where the method used in the Bonus Game is based on a fixed formula. 
   
   
       42 . A method of  claim 32  where instead of a Bonus Game being launched when a player is dealt the fifty-fifth card as described in  claim 32  it forces affected players to move their wagers to a specific Hand.