System and Method for Playing Community Hand Poker Games Utilizing Mathematical Dealer Qualifying Criteria

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating play of a poker game utilizing mathematical dealer qualification criteria that impact the manner in which the game proceeds. The player(s) and dealer ante, and starting hands are dealt to the player(s) and dealer. The player may fold and lose the ante, or place a bet. The dealer's starting hand must meet mathematical qualifying criteria, such as a particular sum of point values assigned to each card. If the criteria is not met, the dealer does not qualify, and the player(s) win the dealer's ante amount. If the dealer's starting hand qualifies, the dealer calls the players' bets, and deals a community hand. Using their respective starting hands and the community hand, each of the players and dealer arrives at a resulting hand. If a player's resulting hand beats the dealer's based on poker rank, that player wins.

1 . A method for playing a card game, comprising:
 providing a starting hand to each of at least one player and to a dealer, wherein each starting hand includes one or more cards representing a potential portion of a resulting poker hand;   the dealer covering a wager placed by the at least one player;   discontinuing the hand to the benefit of the at least one player if the dealer's starting hand does not meet a mathematical qualifying criteria based on the cards in the dealer's starting hand; and   determining resulting poker hands for the player and the dealer using the player's starting hand, the dealer's starting hand, and a community hand if the dealer's starting hand meets the mathematical qualifying criteria.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising identifying a winning poker hand based on the at least one player's resulting poker hand and the dealer's resulting poker hand. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the cards in the dealer's starting hand to which the mathematical qualifying criteria is based comprises all of the cards in the dealer's starting hand. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the cards in the dealer's starting hand to which the mathematical qualifying criteria is based comprises a subset of the cards in the dealer's starting hand. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the dealer's starting hand meets the mathematical qualifying criteria by calculating a sum of point values of the cards in the dealer's starting hand and comparing the calculated sum to a predetermined value. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein each card of a suit is associated with a different point value. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least some of the cards of a suit are associated with a common point value. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the point values of the plurality of cards in the dealer's starting hand is established as: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
                   
                   
               
                   
                 CARD 
                 POINT VALUE 
               
                   
                   
               
                   
               
               
               
               
             
                   
                 2 
                 2 
               
                   
                 3 
                 3 
               
                   
                 4 
                 4 
               
                   
                 5 
                 5 
               
                   
                 6 
                 6 
               
                   
                 7 
                 7 
               
                   
                 8 
                 8 
               
                   
                 9 
                 9 
               
                   
                 10  
                 10 
               
                   
                 J 
                 11 
               
                   
                 Q 
                 12 
               
                   
                 K 
                 13 
               
                   
                 A 
                 14 
               
                   
                   
               
           
              
              
              
             
             
              
             
          
           
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
             
          
         
       
     
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the point values of the plurality of cards in the dealer's starting hand is established as: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
                   
                   
               
                   
                 CARD 
                 POINT VALUE 
               
                   
                   
               
                   
               
               
               
               
             
                   
                 2 
                 2 
               
                   
                 3 
                 3 
               
                   
                 4 
                 4 
               
                   
                 5 
                 5 
               
                   
                 6 
                 6 
               
                   
                 7 
                 7 
               
                   
                 8 
                 8 
               
                   
                 9 
                 9 
               
                   
                 10  
                 10 
               
                   
                 J 
                 10 
               
                   
                 Q 
                 10 
               
                   
                 K 
                 10 
               
                   
                 A 
                 11 
               
                   
                   
               
           
              
              
              
             
             
              
             
          
           
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
             
          
         
       
     
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the dealer's starting hand meets the mathematical qualifying criteria by calculating a product of point values of the cards in the dealer's starting hand and comparing the calculated product to a predetermined value. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the dealer's starting hand meets the mathematical qualifying criteria by calculating a difference of point values of the cards in the dealer's starting hand and comparing the calculated difference to a predetermined value. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the dealer's starting hand meets either the mathematical qualifying criteria or a secondary qualifying criteria, wherein the secondary qualifying criteria comprises at least two cards having equivalent poker ranks in the same or different card suits. 
   
   
       13 . A method for electronically providing a card game, comprising:
 assigning each virtual card in the card game with a numeric value;   displaying on a display a dealer starting hand and a player starting hand, wherein each starting hand includes one or more cards representing a potential portion of a resulting poker hand;   covering a wager placed by the player;   calculating a sum of the assigned numeric values of the cards in the dealer starting hand;   awarding the player with a first payout amount if the calculated sum is less than a predetermined sum;   if the calculated sum is not less than the predetermined sum, determining a player resulting poker hand and a dealer resulting poker hand using at least the player starting hand and the dealer starting hand respectively; and   awarding the player with a second payout amount if the player resulting poker hand has a greater poker rank than the dealer resulting poker hand.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising placing an ante bet by the player that is effectively covered by a virtual dealer. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing the player with a selectable choice for an amount of the wager placed by the player. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising establishing different predetermined sums based on the amount of the wager placed by the player. 
   
   
       17 . An apparatus comprising:
 a wager input to accept wagers placed by a player;   a display to present a starting hand of the player and a starting hand of a dealer, wherein each of the player and dealer starting hands each include a plurality of cards representing a potential portion of respective player and dealer resulting poker hands;   a processor configured to:   (a) terminate the hand and award the player with a payout if the dealer starting hand does not meet a mathematical qualifying criteria based on the plurality of cards in the dealer starting hand; and   (b) determine resulting poker hands for the player and the dealer using the player's starting hand, the dealer's starting hand, and a community hand if the dealer starting hand meets the mathematical qualifying criteria.