Group session play

Abstract

Session blackjack is modified by providing group sessions of blackjack in which each player may purchase a separate session of blackjack and cooperatively or competitively play towards group awards based on game play within the respective sessions of the group players.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing a table adapted to play a card game thereon for a plurality of players;   receiving a first payment from a first player in exchange for providing to the first player a first session of game play at the card game, wherein the first session of game play comprises at least a first minimum number of hands provided to the first player without the first player being required to risk additional value to place wagers within the first session;   receiving a second payment from a second player in exchange for providing to the second player a second session of game play at the card game, wherein the second session of game play comprises at least a second minimum number of hands provided to the second player without the second player being required to risk additional value to place wagers within the second session;   establishing a group table game session for the first and second player; and   making available a group session benefit available only to players participating in the group table game session.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the benefit comprises a first payout ratio better than a second payout ratio available to players not participating in the group table game session. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the benefit comprises a first type of payout that is not available to players not participating in the group table game session. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the first type of payout is a bonus for achieving a goal within the session. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the goal is an accumulated number of outcomes of a certain type or cards of a certain type. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the first type of payout is awarded only to one of the first and second player based on a competition. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the competition involves achieving a goal within the session. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the competition involves accumulating a number of game elements. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the accumulated game element is at least one of an outcome of a certain type, a card of a certain type, and a balance of chips. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the benefit comprises a rule change that is more advantageous to players participating in the group table game session than rules available to players not participating in the group table game session. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the benefit comprises a reduction in one or more of the first payment and second payment. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the card game comprises blackjack. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the card game comprises baccarat. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first session and the second session have substantially identical terms. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first session and the second session have substantially different terms. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first session allows a maximum wager per game play of a first amount, and the second session allows a maximum wager per game play of a second amount. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising offering at the table standard play contemporaneously with group session play. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the card game is 21, blackjack, or a variant thereof. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the card game is baccarat. 
   
   
       20 . A table comprising:
 a playing surface on which a card game is played;   a user interface proximate the playing surface; and   a control system operatively coupled to the user interface and adapted to:
 receive a first payment from a first player in exchange for providing to the first player a first session of game play at the card game, wherein the first session of game play comprises at least a first minimum number of hands provided to the first player without the first player being required to risk additional value to place wagers within the first session; 
 receive a second payment from a second player in exchange for providing to the second player a second session of game play at the card game, wherein the second session of game play comprises at least a second minimum number of hands provided to the second player without the second player being required to risk additional value to place wagers within the second session; 
 establish a group table game session for the first and second player; and 
 make available a group session benefit available only to players participating in the group table game session. 
   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the user interface outputs an indication of progress toward attainment of the group session benefit. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the user interface may be used to redeem the group session benefit. 
   
   
       23 . A method comprising:
 providing a table adapted to play a card game thereon for a plurality of players;   receiving a first payment from a first player in exchange for providing to the first player a first session of game play at the card game, wherein the first session of game play comprises at least a first minimum number of hands provided to the first player without the first player being required to risk additional value to place wagers within the first session;   receiving a second payment from a second player in exchange for providing to the second player a second session of game play at the card game, wherein the second session of game play comprises at least a second minimum number of hands provided to the second player without the second player being required to risk additional value to place wagers within the second session;   establishing a group table game session for the first and second player; and   making available a group session payouts available only to players participating in the group table game session.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the group session payouts are paid by a house entity. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the group session payouts comprise bonus payouts not available to standard play players. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising accreting a community pot. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising funding the group session payouts with funds from the community pot. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising seeding the community pot with house funds. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the group session payouts are competitively awarded to the first player based on the first player beating the second player by some metric. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the group session payouts comprise awarding a benefit to the first player from the second player. 
   
   
       31 . A method comprising:
 providing a table adapted to play a card game thereon for a plurality of players;   receiving a first payment from a first player in exchange for providing to the first player a first session of game play at the card game, wherein the first session of game play comprises at least a first minimum number of hands provided to the first player without the first player being required to risk additional value to place wagers within the first session;   receiving a second payment from a second player in exchange for providing to the second player a second session of game play at the card game, wherein the second session of game play comprises at least a second minimum number of hands provided to the second player without the second player being required to risk additional value to place wagers within the second session;   determining if the first payment and the second payment collectively exceed a predetermined threshold greater than zero; and   establishing a group table game session if the predetermined threshold has been exceeded.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising making available a group session payouts available only to players participating in the group table game session. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising making available a group session benefits available only to players participating in the group table game session. 
   
   
       34 . A method comprising:
 providing a table adapted to play a card game thereon for a plurality of players;   receiving a first payment from a first player in exchange for providing to the first player a first session of game play at the card game, wherein the first session of game play comprises at least a first minimum number of hands provided to the first player without the first player being required to risk additional value to place wagers within the first session;   receiving a second payment from a second player in exchange for providing to the second player a second session of game play at the card game, wherein the second session of game play comprises at least a second minimum number of hands provided to the second player without the second player being required to risk additional value to place wagers within the second session;   establishing a group table game session for the first and second player;   determining if both the first and second player have completed their respective sessions;   if the respective sessions are complete, determining whether a group benefit is to be resolved; and   resolving the group benefit.