Methods and devices for playing multi-line card games

Abstract

Methods and devices for playing a multi-line card game, e.g. a poker game, are described. An array of cards arranged in columns and rows is provided, together with one or more paylines. Each time a winning combination occurs, the cards involved in the combination are removed and the voids thus formed are filled by new cards, thus creating the possibility of automatic generation of winning combinations. If no winning combination is shown on the array, the player can swap two cards in order to form a desired winning combination.

1 - 3 . (canceled) 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the automatic dealing of the new cards occurs in a direction selected from a group consisting of: top-to-bottom direction, bottom-to-top direction, left-to right direction, and right-to-left direction. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the filling the voids in the array also includes automatic shifting of one or more cards already present in the array. 
   
   
       6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the two cards are adjacent cards. 
   
   
       8 . A method for playing a multi-line card game comprising:
 providing an array of cards arranged in columns and rows;   providing a plurality of paylines;   selecting two cards of the array of cards, wherein the two selected cards are swapped if one or more winning combinations are to occur upon swapping, and are kept in place if no winning combination can occur upon swapping;   setting, prior to swapping, a cost associated with the swapping to allow wagering on the swapping;   each time one or more winning combinations are obtained, removing cards involved in the one or more winning combinations, thus forming voids in the array, the cards involved in the one or more winning combinations being the only cards removed; and   filling the voids in the array by automatic dealing of new cards.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the selecting is allowed each time no winning combinations are present in the array of cards. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of paylines include at least one of: horizontal paylines, vertical paylines and diagonal paylines. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a subset of the plurality of paylines is selectable by a player. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method is for playing multi-line poker games. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method is electronically implemented. 
   
   
       14 . A processor-operated device comprising:
 a screen, the screen displaying a multi-line card game with a plurality of paylines;   a first software arrangement for removing, each time one or more winning combinations are obtained, cards involved in the one or more winning combinations are removed, thus forming voids, the cards involved in the one or more winning combinations being the only cards removed;   a second software arrangement for filling the voids by automatic dealing of new cards in further presence of absence of automatic shifting of one or more cards already present;   a third software arrangement for allowing selection, by a player, of two cards, wherein the two selected cards are swapped if one or more winning combinations occur upon swapping and the two selected cards are not swapped if no winning combinations occur upon swapping; and   a fourth software arrangement for setting, prior to swapping, a cost associated with the swapping to allow the player to wager on the swapping.   
   
   
       15 - 16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the two selected cards are horizontally, vertically or diagonally adjacent cards. 
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is a RISC processor. 
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the device is selected between a mobile or cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, a computer, a slot machine, and a TV site. 
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the device is a digital media device. 
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the first, second and third software arrangement are software code residing remotely of the device. 
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising commands comprising one or more of the following: setting an amount of each bet, and requesting a new array of cards to be dealt. 
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the setting the swapping-cost command is not a player-generated command. 
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the screen further displays one or more of the following sections: a balance section, a win section, a total win section, and a winning hands section. 
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein each time the one or more winning combinations are obtained, the cards involved in the one or more winning combinations are highlighted before being removed. 
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein each time the one or more winning combinations are obtained, the paylines involved in the one or more winning combinations are shown. 
   
   
       27 .- 34 . (canceled)