Computer-implemented method and gaming apparatus for playing a card game

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for playing a card game includes the steps of: allowing a player to place a first bet for a first outcome and an optional second bet for a second outcome; dealing player and dealer cards from a plurality of simulated playing cards; dealing another player card in response to a card request made by the player; dealing another dealer card if a total value of the dealer cards is less than a predetermined value; determining the first outcome based on a total value of the dealt player cards and a total value of the dealt dealer cards, and settling the first bet according to the first outcome; and if another dealer card was dealt, determining the second outcome based on whether the another dealer card conforms with a predetermined playing card criterion, and settling the second bet according to the second outcome.

1 . A computer-implemented method for playing a card game, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a gaming apparatus that includes a user interface;   b) allowing a player to place a first bet for a first outcome and an optional second bet for a second outcome via the user interface;   c) dealing a pair of player cards and a pair of dealer cards from a plurality of simulated playing cards, and showing the dealt cards on the user interface;   d) dealing at least one other player card from the simulated playing cards in response to a card request made by the player through the user interface;   e) dealing another dealer card from the simulated playing cards if a total value associated with the pair of dealer cards dealt in step c) is less than a predetermined value;   f) determining the first outcome based on a total value associated with the dealt player cards and a total value associated with the dealt dealer cards, and with reference to predetermined card game rules, settling the first bet placed by the player in step b) according to the first outcome; and   g) if the player placed the second bet for the second outcome in step b), and if another dealer card was dealt in step e), determining the second outcome based on whether said another dealer card dealt in step e) conforms with a predetermined playing card criterion, and settling the second bet placed by the player in step b) according to the second outcome.   
   
   
       2 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in step f), the predetermined card game rules are blackjack rules. 
   
   
       3 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in step g), the predetermined playing card criterion is a face card criterion. 
   
   
       4 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in step f), the first outcome indicates that the player has won the first bet when the total value associated with the dealt player cards is higher than the total value associated with the dealt dealer cards without going over 21. 
   
   
       5 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in step g), the second outcome indicates that the player has won the second bet when said another dealer card dealt in step e) is a face card, and indicates that the player has lost the second bet when said another dealer card dealt in step e) is not a face card. 
   
   
       6 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step, between steps c) and f):
 h) returning the second bet placed by the player in step b) if the total value associated with the pair of dealer cards dealt in step c) is greater than the predetermined value.   
   
   
       7 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein step g) includes a sub-step of:
 awarding a bonus to the player if said another dealer card dealt in step e) conforms with the predetermined playing card criterion and if the total value associated with the dealt dealer cards is higher than a maximum limit defined in the predetermined card game rules.   
   
   
       8 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined card game rules are blackjack rules, and the predetermined playing card criterion is a face card criterion. 
   
   
       9 . A gaming apparatus for playing a card game, comprising:
 a user interface; and   a processing unit coupled to said user interface and operable so as to
 allow a player to place a first bet for a first outcome and an optional second bet for a second outcome via said user interface, 
 deal an initial pair of player cards and an initial pair of dealer cards from a plurality of simulated playing cards, and show the dealt cards on said user interface, 
 deal at least one other player card from the simulated playing cards in response to a card request made by the player through said user interface, 
 deal another dealer card from the simulated playing cards if a total value associated with the initial pair of dealt dealer cards is less than a predetermined value, 
 determine the first outcome based on a total value associated with the dealt player cards and a total value associated with the dealt dealer cards, and with reference to predetermined card game rules, settle the first bet placed by the player according to the first outcome, and 
 if the player placed the second bet for the second outcome, and if said another dealer card was dealt, determine the second outcome based on whether said another dealt dealer card conforms with a predetermined playing card criterion, and settle the second bet placed by the player according to the second outcome. 
   
   
   
       10 . The gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined card game rules are blackjack rules. 
   
   
       11 . The gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined playing card criterion is a face card criterion. 
   
   
       12 . The gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the first outcome indicates that the player has won the first bet when the total value associated with the dealt player cards is higher than the total value associated with the dealt dealer cards without going over 21. 
   
   
       13 . The gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the second outcome indicates that the player has won the second bet when said another dealer card is a face card, and indicates that the player has lost the second bet when said another dealer card is not a face card. 
   
   
       14 . The gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said processing unit is further operable so as to return the second bet placed by the player if the total value associated with the initial pair of dealer cards is greater than the predetermined value. 
   
   
       15 . The gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said processing unit is further operable so as to award a bonus to the player if said another dealer card conforms with the predetermined playing card criterion and if the total value associated with the dealt dealer cards is higher than a maximum limit defined in the predetermined card game rules. 
   
   
       16 . The gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined card game rules are blackjack rules, and the predetermined playing card criterion is a face card criterion. 
   
   
       17 . The gaming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising a network connecting unit coupled to said processing unit and operable to permit a plurality of said gaming apparatuses to be operatively interconnected in a network, wherein said processing unit of one of said gaming apparatuses in the network is configured to serve as a game server, and said processing unit of each of other ones of said gaming apparatuses in the network is configured to serve as a player terminal. 
   
   
       18 . A computer program product for a gaming apparatus that includes a user interface and a processing unit coupled to said user interface, said computer program product being adapted to configure the processing unit to perform consecutive steps of a method for playing a card game, and comprising:
 a machine readable storage medium comprising:
 a first code that allows a player to place a first bet for a first outcome and an optional second bet for a second outcome via the user interface; 
 a second code for dealing an initial pair of player cards and an initial pair of dealer cards from a plurality of simulated playing cards, and for showing the dealt cards on the user interface; 
 a third code for dealing at least one other player card from the simulated playing cards in response to a card request made by the player through the user interface; 
 a fourth code for dealing another dealer card from the simulated playing cards if a total value associated with the initial pair of dealt dealer cards is less than a predetermined value; 
 a fifth code for determining the first outcome based on a total value associated with the dealt player cards and a total value associated with the dealt dealer cards, and with reference to predetermined card game rules, for settling the first bet placed by the player according to the first outcome; and 
 a sixth code for, if the player placed the second bet for the second outcome, and if said another dealer card was dealt, determining the second outcome based on whether said another dealt dealer card conforms with a predetermined playing card criterion, and for settling the second bet placed by the player according to the second outcome. 
   
   
   
       19 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the predetermined card game rules are blackjack rules. 
   
   
       20 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the predetermined playing card criterion is a face card criterion. 
   
   
       21 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the first outcome indicates that the player has won the first bet when the total value associated with the dealt player cards is higher than the total value associated with the dealt dealer cards without going over 21. 
   
   
       22 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the second outcome indicates that the player has won the second bet when said another dealer card is a face card, and indicates that the player has lost the second bet when said another dealer card is not a face card. 
   
   
       23 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said machine readable storage medium further comprises a seventh code for returning the second bet placed by the player if the total value associated with the initial pair of dealer cards is greater than the predetermined value. 
   
   
       24 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said sixth code further awards a bonus to the player if said another dealer card conforms with the predetermined playing card criterion and if the total value associated with the dealt dealer cards is higher than a maximum limit defined in the predetermined card game rules. 
   
   
       25 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the predetermined card game rules are blackjack rules, and the predetermined playing card criterion is a face card criterion.