Card game

Abstract

A card game method pits a dealer against one or more players. The highest value hand is nineteen. The value of the player and dealer hands is the sum of the value of the cards in the respective hand and if the value is 20 or more, the value is reduced by 10 until the value is less than 20. A player who has placed a wager to win seeks to obtain a hand having a value greater than that of the dealer hand, which will generally mean a hand of nineteen or as close as possible to nineteen. A player who has placed a tie wager will seek to tie the dealer hand. Tens and face cards have a value of ten—otherwise, card values are as provided in traditional blackjack. In one embodiment, additional hit cards are limited to two, so that no player hand may contain greater than four cards. The dealer can draw up to three additional cards so that the dealer hand may contain no greater than five cards.

1 . A method of playing a card game comprising:
 accepting a wager from a player;   providing two cards to the player to comprise a player hand;   providing two cards to a dealer to comprise a dealer hand;   determining a value of the player hand;   determining a value of the dealer hand;   wherein the value of ten cards and face cards is ten and the value of an Ace is eleven or one;   comparing the value of the player hand and value of the dealer hand wherein the value of the player and dealer hands is the sum of the value of the cards in the respective hand and if the value is 20 or more, the value is reduced by 10 until the value is less than 20;   wherein a highest value for a winning hand is nineteen;   determining whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand; and   determining an outcome of the wager based on whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand and whether the wager was for the player to achieve a greater value hand or an equal value hand as compared to the dealer hand.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising presenting the player with the option to add to the player hand by receiving up to two additional cards, and thereafter not permitting the player to add any additional cards to the player hand. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the lowest value of the player hand with four cards is eight. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the highest value hand comprises two cards adding up to nineteen. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the next highest value hand comprises at least three cards or an ace and an eight adding up to nineteen. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the second next highest hand comprises dealer and player hands having a value closest to nineteen. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dealer draws an additional card when the value of the dealer hand is a soft  16  or lower and the dealer has fewer than five cards, and wherein the dealer stands when the dealer has five cards or the value of the dealer hand is a hard  16  or higher. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4  wherein a player with the highest value hand beats a dealer with the highest value hand. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein a player with the highest value hand or the next highest value hand receives a payout when the dealer has the highest value hand. 
   
   
       10 . A method of playing a card game comprising:
 accepting a wager from a player;   providing two cards to the player to comprise a player hand;   providing two cards to a dealer to comprise a dealer hand;   determining a value of the player hand;   determining a value of the dealer hand;   presenting the player with the option to add to the player hand by receiving up to two additional cards, and thereafter not permitting the player to add any additional cards to the player hand;   wherein a value of ten cards and face cards is ten and the value of an Ace is one or eleven;   wherein the value of the player and dealer hands is the sum of the value of the cards in the respective hand and if the value is 20 or more, the value is reduced by 10 until the value is less than 20;   comparing the value of the player hand and value of the dealer hand;   wherein the highest value hand comprises two cards adding up to nineteen;   wherein the next highest value hand comprises at least three cards or an Ace and an eight adding up to nineteen;   wherein the second next highest value hand has a value closest to nineteen;   determining whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand; and   determining an outcome of the wager based on whether the value of the player hand is equal to, less than, or greater than the value of the dealer hand and whether the wager   was for the player to achieve a greater value hand or an equal value hand as compared to the dealer hand.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the dealer draws an additional card when the value of the dealer hand is a soft  16  or lower and the dealer has fewer than five cards, and wherein the dealer stands when the dealer has five cards or the value of the dealer hand is a hard 16 or higher. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein a player with the highest value hand beats a dealer with the highest value hand. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein a player with the highest value hand or the next highest value hand receives a payout when the dealer has the highest value hand.