Method and apparatus for playing a wagering game

Abstract

Methods of playing a card game involving a dealer and at least one player are provided as well as apparatus for simulated card games. The methods include accepting an initial wager from each player and then dealing each player and the dealer two cards from at least one standard deck having four suites of cards. The cards are evaluated in each hand according to a Baccarat system. Each player is then allowed to stand with his two card hand or request a third card, the value of which is added to that of the initial cards received. Any player requesting a third card must double his wager before receiving the card. The total count of the two card dealer hand is compared with the total count of each player's hand and the player's hand must have a count at least two points higher than the dealer hand in order to win or to be a push. Each player can also be provided the chance to surrender a portion of his or her initial wager after the initial two cards are dealt or displayed to each player in order to receive back the remaining portion of the bet.

1 . A method of playing a card game involving a dealer and at least one player, said game comprising the steps of:
 having the or each player make an initial wager against a gaming house conducting the card game;   dealing first and second cards to the or each player and to the dealer from at least one deck of playing cards, each deck comprising four suites of cards, including spot cards with numbers from one to ten, jacks, queens and kings, each of the spot cards from ace to 9 having a value equal to the number of the corresponding spot card and each of the tens, jacks, queens and kings having a value of zero, a total count of any hand being a sum of the value of the cards in the hand except that a sum of two digits has a total count equal to the last digit;   allowing the or each player a first option to stand with his or her initial two card hand and a second option to be dealt a third card the value of which is added to the value of his or her initial hand to determine the total count of the player's hand;   in the event the or any player selects said second option, requiring the player to double his or her initial wager before receiving the third card;   then comparing the total count of the dealer's two card hand with the total count of the or each player's hand, wherein any player's hand having a total count at least 2 points higher than the total count of the dealer's hand results in a push or win for the respective player and any player's hand having a total count which does not exceed the total count of the dealer's hand by more than 1 point is a loss for the respective player; and   making a payment to the or each winning player according to a predetermined payout schedule.   
   
   
       2 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 1  including offering the or each player a third option, after said first and second cards are dealt to the or each player and to the dealer, to surrender a portion of his or her initial wager and then to receive back a remaining portion of his or her initial wager and withdraw from further play of the hand. 
   
   
       3 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 1  wherein, in the event that the first and second cards dealt to the or any player are cards of equal value, the player or players with the equal value cards are provided an option to elect to split the two cards into a first and a second hand and to receive at least a second card for each of these two hands, said election to split requiring the electing player to place a wager equal to his or her initial wager on the second hand. 
   
   
       4 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 1  wherein the second card dealt to the dealer is kept face-down until the or each player has completed his or her hand and determined the final count of the player's hand. 
   
   
       5 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 1  including providing the or each player a further option of being dealt a fourth card, the value of which is added to the value of his or her three cards previously dealt to determine the total count of the player's hand before this total count is compared to the total count of the dealer's hand. 
   
   
       6 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 5  wherein if the or any player elects said further option, the or each player making this election must redouble his or her initial wager against the gaming house. 
   
   
       7 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 2  wherein, in the event that the first and second cards dealt to the or any player are cards of equal value, the player or players with the equal value cards are provided an option to elect to split the two cards into a first and a second hand and to receive at least a second card for each of these two hands, said election to split requiring the electing player to place a wager equal to his or her initial wager on the second hand. 
   
   
       8 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 2  wherein according to said predetermined payout schedule, if a winning player has a total count which exceeds the total count of the dealer's hand by 4 or 5 points, that winning player receives payout winnings equal to his or her wager. 
   
   
       9 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 1  wherein the or each player is only allowed to receive a third card if he or she is playing a single hand only and wherein if he or she is dealt the third card, the third card is dealt face down for the or each respective player to handle. 
   
   
       10 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 6  wherein the or each player is only allowed to receive a third card if requested and is only allowed to receive a fourth card if requested if he or she is playing a single hand only, and wherein any third card and any fourth card is dealt face down for the or each respective player to handle. 
   
   
       11 . A method of playing a card game involving a dealer and at least one player, said game comprising the steps of:
 having the or each player make an initial wager against a gaming house conducting the card game and represented by the dealer;   dealing first and second cards to the or each player and to the dealer from at least one deck of playing cards, each deck comprising four suites of cards, including spot cards with numbers from one to ten, jacks, queens and kings, each of the spot cards from ace to 9 having a value equal to the number of the corresponding spot card and each of the tens, jacks, queens and kings having a value of zero, a total count of any hand being a sum of the value of the cards in the hand except that a sum of two digits has a total count equal to the last digit;   allowing the or each player either to stand with his or her initial two card hand or to be dealt a third card the value of which is added to the value of his or her initial hand to determine the total count of the player's hand, receipt of said third card being conditional on the respective player increasing his or her initial wager by a predetermined amount;   then comparing the total count of the dealer's two card hand with the total count of the or each player's hand and determining whether or not the or each player's hand is a winning or tie hand by having a total count exceeding the total count of the dealer's two card hand by a predetermined number of points equal to or in excess of one point;   declaring the or any player's hand to be a losing hand if the sum of the player's hand plus said predetermined number of points is equal to or less than the dealer's two card hand; and   making a payment to the or each player having a winning hand according to a predetermined payment schedule which provides for a payment of at least 1 to 1 and for larger payments if the winning hand has a total count exceeding the total count of the dealer's hand by one or more specified number of points greater than said predetermined number.   
   
   
       12 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 11  including the additional step of providing the or each player an opportunity, after said first and second cards have been dealt to the or each player and to the dealer, to surrender a portion of his or her initial wager and then to receive back a remaining portion of his or her initial wager and withdraw from further play of the hand. 
   
   
       13 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 12  wherein, in the event that the first and second cards dealt to the or any player are cards of equal value, the player or players with the equal value cards are provided an option to elect to split the two cards into a first and a second hand and to receive at least a second card for each of these two hands, said election to split requiring the electing player to place a wager equal to his or her initial wager on the second hand. 
   
   
       14 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 13  wherein the second card dealt to the dealer is dealt face down and kept face down by the dealer until the or each player has completed his or her hand and determined the final count of the player's hand. 
   
   
       15 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 13  including providing the or each player a further option of being dealt a fourth card, the value of which is added to the value of his or her three cards previously dealt to determine the total count of the player's hand before this total count is compared to the total count of the dealer's hand. 
   
   
       16 . A method of playing a card game involving a dealer and at least one player, said game including the steps of:
 having the or each player make a wager on a single player hand against a gaming house conducting the card game;   dealing first and second cards face up to a dealer hand and to the single player hand from at least one deck of playing cards, each deck comprising four suites of cards, including spot cards with numbers from one to ten, jacks, queens and kings, each of the spot cards from ace to 9 having a value equal to the number of the corresponding spot card and each of the tens, jacks, queens and kings having a value of zero, a total count of any hand being a sum of the value of the cards in the hand except that a sum of two digits has a total count equal to the last digit;   if allowed under predetermined rules of the card game, drawing one or more additional cards for the player hand and for the dealer hand according to the predetermined rules of the card game and determining the total count for each hand after all permitted draws for the hand are completed;   comparing the total count of the dealer's hand with the total count of the single player's hand, wherein if the single player's hand has a total count at least 2 points higher than the total count of the dealer's hand, the result for each wagering player is either a push or a win and if the player's hand has a total count which does not exceed the total count of the dealer's hand by more than 1 point, each wagering player loses his or her wager; and   making a payment to the or each winning player according to a predetermined payout schedule.   
   
   
       17 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 16  wherein only two cards are dealt to the dealer hand and only two cards are dealt to the player hand during a complete round of the game. 
   
   
       18 . A method of playing a card game according to  claim 16  wherein additional cards can be drawn for the dealer hand and the player hand according to draw rules for a standard Baccarat card game. 
   
   
       19 . Apparatus for playing a simulated card game comprising:
 a display;   a computer processor in communication with said display, said processor having a data structure storing data capable of representing a deck of playing cards and data representing a predetermined payment schedule, each deck comprising four suites of cards, including spot cards with numbers from ace to ten, jacks, queens and kings, each of the spot cards from ace to 9 having a value equal to the number of the corresponding spot card and each of the tens, jacks, queens and kings having a value of zero, a total count of any hand being a sum of the value of the cards in the hand except that a sum of two digits has a total count equal to the last digit, said processor also having means for randomly selecting playing card data from said data structure;   means for accepting wagers from at least one player in communication with said processor;   said processor configured to, upon prompting of play, select and display first and second cards for the or each player and at least a first card for a two card dealer hand;   means for the or each player to input a command to the processor either to stand with his or her initial two card hand or to be dealt a third card the value of which is added by the processor to the value of his or her initial hand to determine the total count of the player's hand, said processor requiring the respective player to increase his or her initial wager by a predetermined amount before displaying said third card;   if only the first card of the dealer hand is displayed prior to displaying the or each player's final hand, said processor is configured to display a second card for the two card dealer hand after the player's hand or all player's hands is or are finalized;   said processor further configured to compare the total count of the two card dealer hand with the total count of the or each player's hand, to determine whether or not the or each player's hand is a winning or tie hand by having a total count exceeding the total count of the two card dealer hand by at least a predetermined number of points which is equal to or in excess of one point, to issue to the or each player having a winning hand a payment according to said payment schedule which provides for a payment of at least 1 to 1 and for larger payments if the winning hand has a total count exceeding the total count of the dealer hand by one or more specified number of points greater than said predetermined number, and to collect the wager of the or each player having a losing hand which is a hand having a total point count equal to or less than the two card dealer hand and not exceeding said two card dealer hand by at least said predetermined number.   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein, before displaying said third card, said processor requires the requesting player to increase his or her initial wager by an amount equal to his or her initial wager. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said predetermined number of points for a player to have a winning or push hand is 2. 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said processor is further configured to allow the or each player to input an alternative command to the processor, after said first and second cards are displayed to the or each player, to surrender a portion of his or her wager in order to receive back a remaining portion of his or her wager and is configured to terminate further play of the hand of the or each player inputting said alternative command. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said processor is configured to select and display said second card of the dealer hand only after the final hand for the or each player has been displayed. 
   
   
       24 . Apparatus for playing a simulated card game comprising:
 a display;   a computer processor in communication with said display, said processor having a data structure storing data capable of representing a deck of playing cards, data representing a predetermined payout schedule and data representing predetermined rules for the card game, each deck comprising four suits of cards, including spot cards from ace to ten, jacks, queens and kings, each of the spot cards from ace to 9 having a value equal to the number of the corresponding spot card with ace being 1 and each of the tens, jacks, queens and kings having a value of zero, a total count of any hand being a sum of the value of the cards in the hand except that a sum of two digits has a total count equal to the last digit, said processor also having means for randomly selecting playing card data from said data structure;   said processor also having means for randomly selecting playing card data from said data structure;   means for accepting wagers from at least one player in communication with said processor;   said processor configured to, upon prompting of play, select and display first and second cards for a single player hand and for a two card dealer hand;   if allowed under said predetermined rules, said processor being configured to select and display one or more additional cards for the player hand and for the dealer hand according to said predetermined rules for the card game and to determine a total count for each hand after all permitted additional cards have been displayed;   said processor being configured to compare the total count of the dealer hand with the total count of the player hand, wherein if the player hand has a total count at least 2 points higher than the total count of the dealer hand, the result for each wagering player is either a push or a win and if the player hand has a total count which does not exceed the total count of the dealer's hand by more than 1 point, the result for each such wagering player is a losing hand, to issue to the or each player a payment according to said payment schedule if the player hand is a winning hand, and to collect the or each player's wager if the player hand is a losing hand.   
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein said processor is configured to select and display only two cards for the dealer hand and only two cards for the player hand during a complete round of the game.