Game of Strategy Using Trading Cards or Other Tokens

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes generating a plurality of playing cards, each playing card having a unique identifying code and one or more attributes; distributing the plurality of playing cards to a plurality of players, each player receiving at least one playing card; receiving electronic information relating to a playing card's unique identifying code from one or more of the players; and maintaining an online data registry relating to each trading card for which electronic information has been received. Maintaining the data registry may include tracking the one or more attributes (e.g., monetary value, strategic value, current owner) associated with each playing card. The data registry may be updated by modifying one or more attributes associated with a playing card in response to receiving information indicating a change in status of the card.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 generating a plurality of playing cards, each playing card having a unique identifying code and one or more associated attributes;   distributing the plurality of playing cards to a plurality of players, each player receiving at least one playing card;   receiving electronic information relating to a playing card's unique identifying code from one or more of the players; and   maintaining an online data registry relating to each playing card for which electronic information has been received.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  in which maintaining the data registry comprises tracking the one or more attributes associated with each playing card. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising updating the data registry by modifying one or more attributes associated with a playing card in response to receiving information indicating a change in status of the playing card. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the one or more attributes include a current owner of the playing card. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the one or more attributes include a value of the playing card. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the value of a playing card comprises a strategic value or a monetary value or both. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the playing cards are physical entities and wherein distribution is achieved via physical distribution channels. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the playing cards are virtual entities and wherein distribution is achieved via electronic distribution channels. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising maintaining a knowledge database containing complementary information relating to subject matters of one or more of the playing cards. 
   
   
       10 . A playing card system comprising:
 a plurality of playing cards, each playing card having indicia of subject matter, and a machine readable code uniquely identifying the playing card from among all other playing cards having identical indicia of subject matter; and   an online data registry configured to track information about each uniquely identified playing card.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the online data registry is configured to track one or more attributes of each uniquely identified playing card. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the one or more attributes include a current owner of the playing card. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the one or more attributes include a value of the playing card. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the value of a playing card includes a strategic value or a monetary value or both. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising rules of play that encompass instructions on execution of each player's turn and a predetermined way that cards may be used or played, a quantity of cards permitted to each player at the start of the game, and a hand of cards available to each player. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the rules of play further comprise a method of playing a game including one or more of the following:
 assembling an individual collection of cards from a totality of cards and offer to the public by purchasing cards or acquiring from players or both;   using a unique identifying number or insignia on each card to register each card to a respective player in the online data registry and thereby identify that card as being part of the player's collection;   constructing a playing collection of cards from a player's total pool of cards, the constructing being achieve by the player selecting individual cards with which the player elects to play in that game;   increasing options for each selection of a playing collection of a predetermined number of cards by the player acquiring additional cards with new or additional attributes and adding these acquired additional cards to the player's registered collection of cards; and   applying any attributes attached to a particular card in order to secure a strategic advantage in accordance with rules of the game.