Methods and Devices for Playing a Card Game

Abstract

The present application is directed to methods and devices for playing poker card games. One embodiment discloses a method to play Texas Hold 'Em poker with two dealers dealing simultaneous and separate games at a single table. A player may play two hands simultaneously, one dealt by a first dealer and one dealt by a second dealer, each hand having a separate pot. One embodiment discloses a playing surface to facilitate playing Texas Hold 'Em poker with two dealers dealing simultaneous and separate games at a single table. One embodiment discloses an electronic version of playing Texas Hold 'Em poker wherein the player plays two separate hands simultaneously.

1 . A method of playing a card game by one or more players, comprising:
 dealing one or more first hole cards by a first dealer from a first deck of playing cards to each of the one or more players, and dealing one or more second hole cards by a second dealer from a second deck of playing cards to each of the one or more players;   dealing one or more first community cards from the first deck by the first dealer;   dealing one or more second community cards from the second deck by the second dealer;   allowing alternating rounds of betting and dealing one or more additional first and second community cards by each of the first and second dealers;   determining a first winner from among the one or more players, wherein each of the one or more players combines a predetermined number of cards from among the one or more first hole cards and the one or more first community cards to form a first hand, and the player having the first hand of a highest value declared the first winner; and   determining a second winner from among the one or more players, wherein each of the one or more players combines a predetermined number of cards from among the one or more second hole cards and the one or more second community cards to form a second hand, and the player having the second hand of a highest value declared the second winner.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dealing the one or more first hole cards comprises dealing the one or more first hole cards to a first designated area of a playing surface, and dealing the one or more second hole cards comprises dealing the one or more second hole cards to a second designated area of the playing surface. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first designated area is distinct from the second designated area. 
   
   
       4 . The method of claim one wherein determining a first winner and a second winner further comprises assigning a value to each of the first hands and each of the second hands according to a poker hierarchy. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein allowing alternating rounds of betting and dealing further comprises allowing a first player to place a first bet in relation to the first player's first one or more hole cards, and each of the other players either calling the bet, raising the bet, or folding based on the each of the other players' first one or more hole cards; and allowing a second player to place a second bet in relation to the second player's second one or more hole cards, and each of the other players either calling the bet, raising the bet, or folding based on the each of the other players' second one or more hole cards. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dealing one or more first and second hole cards comprises dealing two first hole cards and two second hole cards. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dealing one or more first and second community cards comprises dealing three first community cards and three second community cards, and dealing one or more additional first and second community cards comprises dealing two additional first community cards and two additional second community cards. 
   
   
       8 . A method of playing a card game by one or more players, comprising:
 dealing one or more first hole cards by a first dealer from a first deck of playing cards to each of the one or more players, and dealing one or more second hole cards by a second dealer from a second deck of playing cards to each of the one or more players, wherein the one or more first hole cards are positioned within a first designated area of a playing surface and the one or more second hole cards are positioned within a second designated area of the playing surface;   dealing one or more first community cards from the first deck by the first dealer;   dealing one or more second community cards from the second deck by the second dealer;   allowing alternating rounds of betting and dealing one or more additional first and second community cards by each of the first and second dealers;   determining a first winner from among the one or more players, wherein each of the one or more players combines a predetermined number of cards from among the one or more first hole cards and the one or more first community cards to form a first hand, and the player having the first hand of a highest value declared the first winner; and   determining a second winner from among the one or more players, wherein each of the one or more players combines a predetermined number of cards from among the one or more second hole cards and the one or more second community cards to form a second hand, and the player having the second hand of a highest value declared the second winner.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined number of cards from among the one or more first hole cards and the one or more first community cards is five, and the predetermined number of cards from among the one or more second hole cards and the one or more second community cards is five. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising allowing each of the one or more players to place a bet after the one or more first hole cards are dealt and before any of the one or more first community cards are dealt. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising allowing each of the one or more players to place a bet after the one or more second hole cards are dealt and before any of the one or more second community cards are dealt. 
   
   
       12 . A playing surface for a card game, comprising:
 a first dealer position;   a second dealer position;   a plurality of player positions; and   at each of the plurality of player positions, a first designated area for receiving cards from a first dealer and a second designated area for receiving cards from a second dealer.   
   
   
       13 . The playing surface of  claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second dealer positions includes an area for displaying one or more community cards. 
   
   
       14 . The playing surface of  claim 12 , wherein the first dealer position and the first designated areas at each of the plurality of players positions is distinguished by a first color or design, and the second dealer position and the second designated areas at each of the plurality of player positions is distinguished by a second color or design different than the first color or design. 
   
   
       15 . The playing surface of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second designated areas alternate along at least a portion of the playing surface. 
   
   
       16 . A method of providing an electronic card game, comprising:
 providing a display device, an input device, and a processing device configured to work in conjunction with the display device and the input device;   providing a computer-implemented program stored on a computer readable medium and implemented by the processing device for operating the card game, wherein the program carries out the steps of:
 displaying one or more first hole cards and one or more second hole cards for a player; 
 displaying one or more first community cards associated with a first betting pool, and one or more second community cards associated with a second betting pool; 
 allowing the player to designate a first betting amount associated with the first one or more hole cards and a second betting amount associated with the second one or more hole cards using the input device; 
 allowing the player to designate a predetermined number of cards from among the one or more first hole cards and the one or more first community cards to form a first hand using the input device; 
 allowing the player to designate a predetermined number of cards from among the one or more second hole cards and the one or more second community cards to form a second hand using the input device; 
 comparing the first hand to a third hand; 
 providing a payout of at least a portion of the first betting pool to the player if a value assigned to the first hand is greater than a value assigned to the third hand; 
 comparing the second hand to a fourth hand; and 
 providing a payout of at least a portion of the second betting pool to the player if a value assigned to the second hand is greater than a value assigned to the fourth hand. 
   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing an interface that allows a plurality of players to simultaneously or individually participate in the card game. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein one or more of the plurality of players are remotely located from one or more others of the plurality of players. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein comparing the first hand to the third hand comprises comparing the first hand to a hand associated with one of the plurality of players. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein comparing the second hand to the fourth hand comprises comparing the second hand to a hand associated with one of the plurality of players. 
   
   
       21 . A method of playing a card game by one or more players, comprising:
 dealing at least one first card to each of the one or more players by a first dealer from a first deck of playing card to form a first hand, and dealing at least one second card to each of the one or more players by a second dealer from a second deck of playing cards to form a second hand such that each of the one or more players is simultaneously playing the first hand and the second hand;   determining a winner of the first hand; and   determining a winner of the second hand.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising dealing at least one additional first card to each of the one or more players, and dealing one or more additional second cards to each of the one or more players. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising allowing each of the one or more players to place a bet before or after any of the first cards are dealt. 
   
   
       24 . A method of playing a card game by one or more players, comprising:
 dealing one or more first hole cards by a first dealer from a first deck of playing cards to each of the one or more players, and dealing one or more second hole cards by a second dealer from a second deck of playing cards to each of the one or more players;   dealing at least one first community card by the first dealer from the first deck, and dealing at least one second community card by the second dealer from the second deck;   determining a first winner from among the one or more players, wherein each of the one or more players combines a predetermined number of cards from among the one or more first hole cards, the one or more first community cards, and the one or more second community cards to form a first hand, and the player having the first hand of a highest value declared the first winner; and   determining a second winner from among the one or more players, wherein each of the one or more players combines a predetermined number of cards from among the one or more second hole cards, the one or more first community cards, and the one or more second community cards to form a second hand, and the player having the second hand of a highest value declared the second winner.