Advisory system and methods for use in gaming

Abstract

Generally, the systems and methods presented herein provide for enhanced gaming during a game of chance. For example, the utility may provide the player with the opportunity to make a more educated decision when wagering sums of money in the game of chance. In this regard, the utility may observe a player's game elements (e.g., playing cards) and determine a “best strategy” for the player to employ on subsequent cards. In other words, the utility may show the player the best achievable hand that could be attained based on the player's present hand and any other visible cards that have been dealt. Accordingly, the utility may enable the player to play perfectly (e.g., to obtain the highest expected value payout).

1 . An advisory system for use in gaming, including:
 a detector that detects elements of a user's game that are present at a first duration; and   a response module that is communicatively coupled to the detector to analyze the elements of the user's game and provide a response to the user that recommends an action to be made by the user.   
   
   
       2 . The advisory system of  claim 1 , wherein the elements of the user's game are playing cards. 
   
   
       3 . The advisory system of  claim 2 , wherein the user's game is an electronic game of chance or a physical game of chance. 
   
   
       4 . The advisory system of  claim 3 , wherein the detector includes an optical recognition module for recognizing the user's playing cards in the physical game of chance. 
   
   
       5 . The advisory system of  claim 3 , wherein the detector electronically processes information pertaining to the user's playing cards in the electronic game of chance. 
   
   
       6 . The advisory system of  claim 1 , further including:
 a storage element that stores software instructions used in implementing the detector and the response module; and   a processor that, when directed by the software instructions, implements the detector and the response module.   
   
   
       7 . The advisory system of  claim 6 , wherein the storage element includes a lookup table, wherein the lookup table uses information pertaining to the elements of the user's game that are present at the first duration to locate a second set of game elements. 
   
   
       8 . The advisory system of  claim 6 , wherein the storage element includes an algorithm that uses the elements of the user's game that are present at the first duration as an input to determine a second set of game elements. 
   
   
       9 . The advisory system of  claim 1 , further including a display unit communicatively coupled to the response module to electronically display the response to the user. 
   
   
       10 . The advisory system of  claim 1 , wherein the response module is configured for providing the response to the user on a first portion of the display unit and wherein the display unit is further configured to provide the elements of the user's game in an electronic game of chance. 
   
   
       11 . The advisory system of  claim 1 , wherein the response module is further configured for computing a probability of attaining a predetermined set of playing cards. 
   
   
       12 . The advisory system of  claim 1 , wherein the response module is further configured for computing a probability of attaining the predetermined set of playing cards based on a user's set of playing cards at the first duration. 
   
   
       13 . The advisory system of  claim 1 , wherein the advisory system is configured with an electronic gaming device used for implementing a game of chance and wherein the game of chance is configured for presenting the user with the response after wagering a predetermined amount of money or providing a payment to the advisory system. 
   
   
       14 . The advisory system of  claim 13 , wherein the game of chance is further configured for presenting the user with a second response, in response to the user failing to attain a particular set of playing cards and in response to wagering the predetermined amount of money. 
   
   
       15 . The advisory system of  claim 14 , wherein the particular set of playing cards is a non-losing set of playing cards or a recommended set of playing cards. 
   
   
       16 . The advisory system of  claim 13 , further including a network interface configured for communicating with a server. 
   
   
       17 . The advisory system of  claim 16 , wherein the network interface transfers information to the server pertaining to a sum of money apportioned to a use of the advisory system, wherein the sum of money is maintained in a progressive jackpot account. 
   
   
       18 . A method of operating a game of chance, including:
 providing a decision based game of chance to a player;   providing a first set of game elements of the decision based game of chance to the player;   with a detector, recognizing the first set of game elements provided to the player;   computing a second set of game elements based at least on the first set of game elements; and   providing information to the player that indicates a decision to be made by the player prior to obtaining the second set of game elements.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the game of chance is an electronic game of chance or an actual game of chance. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein providing information to the player includes configuring the information as optional information. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein computing the second set of game elements includes using the first set of game elements to locate the second set of game elements within a lookup table. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein computing the second set of game elements includes using the first set of game elements as an input to a software algorithm. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , further including requiring payment by the player for receiving the information. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further including retaining the payment within a progressive jackpot account, wherein the progressive jackpot account is payable to a winner after a predetermined period of time or upon occurrence of a certain event. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , further including guaranteeing the information by offering a second opportunity, without payment, for receiving information indicative of a decision to be made by the player. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein recognizing the first set of game elements provided to the player includes detecting the first set of game elements with an optical recognition device in a physical game of chance. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein recognizing the first set of game elements provided to the player includes processing information pertaining to the first of game elements in an electronic game of chance. 
   
   
       28 . A game of chance advisory system, including:
 a processor that processes information of a player's first set of game cards in a game of chance to determine and provide advisory information to the player prior to receiving a second set of game cards; and   an interface communicatively coupled to the processor to communicate the advisory information to the player,   wherein the game of chance advisory system is provided to the player under the control of a game of chance operator.   
   
   
       29 . The game of chance advisory system of  claim 28 , further including a detector that detects the player's first set of game cards, wherein the processor and the interface are configured with a server that receives electronic data from the detector, wherein the electronic data is representative of the players for set of game cards. 
   
   
       30 . The game of chance advisory system of  claim 29 , further including a network communications infrastructure that provides communications to the server from a plurality of games of chance. 
   
   
       31 . The game of chance advisory system of  claim 28 , further including a detector that detects the player's first set of game cards, wherein the processor and the interface are configured with a standalone electronic game of chance computer terminal. 
   
   
       32 . The game of chance advisory system of  claim 28 , further including an account information reception means that authorizes use of the game of chance advisory system when account information is received. 
   
   
       33 . The game of chance advisory system of  claim 32 , wherein the account information is selected from a group consisting essentially of: player card information; bank account information; and credit card information. 
   
   
       34 . The game of chance advisory system of  claim 32 , wherein at least a portion of the account information includes a monetary sum, at least a portion of which is transferred a to progressive jackpot account that is payable to a player after a duration of time or upon a happening of an event. 
   
   
       35 . The game of chance advisory system of  claim 28 , wherein the game of chance is electronic game of chance or a physical game of chance. 
   
   
       36 . The game of chance advisory system of  claim 28 , wherein the game of chance is Poker or Blackjack. 
   
   
       37 . A method of providing advisory information to a player in a game of chance, wherein the advisory information is provided to the player under control of a game of chance operator, including:
 observing a first set of cards that are dealt to the player in a game of chance;   observing a second set of cards that are visible during the game of chance;   based on the first set of cards and the second set of cards, automatically determining a decision for the player that provides a third set of cards to the player; and   providing the decision to the player.   
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein observing the first and second sets of cards includes optically detecting the first and second sets of cards. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein observing the first and second sets of cards includes electronically detecting the first and second sets of cards. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 37 , further including providing the advisory information within a client/server architecture. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 37 , further including requiring payment for the advisory information. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , further including transferring at least a portion of the payment to a progressive jackpot account. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 37 , further including observing a third set of cards that are visible during the game of chance;
 based on the first set of cards, the second set of cards, and the third set of cards, automatically determining a second decision for the player that provides a fourth set of cards to the player; and   providing the second decision to the player.