Card game method and apparatus for playing the same

Abstract

A method of playing a poker-style game, the method including (a) dealing an initial player hand to a player and an initial dealer hand to a dealer, the initial dealer hand being dealt face up, (b) dealing at least one community card face up, (c) determining a player hand ranking by forming a best player hand as a subset of the initial player hand and the at least one community card, (d) determining a dealer hand ranking by forming a best dealer hand as a subset of the initial dealer hand and the at least one community card, (f) comparing the player hand ranking to the to the dealer hand ranking to determine a winner.

1 . A method of playing a poker-style game, said method comprising:
 (a) dealing an initial player hand to a player and an initial dealer hand to a dealer, said initial dealer hand being dealt face up;   (b) dealing at least one community card face up;   (c) determining a player hand ranking by forming a best player hand as a subset of said initial player hand and said at least one community card;   (d) determining a dealer hand ranking by forming a best dealer hand as a subset of said initial dealer hand and said at least one community card;   (f) comparing said player hand ranking to said to said dealer hand ranking to determine a winner.   
   
   
       2 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said dealer wins if said player hand ranking is worse than said dealer hand ranking and loses if said player hand ranking is better than said dealer hand ranking. 
   
   
       3 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein a tie results if said player hand ranking and said dealer hand ranking are equivalent. 
   
   
       4 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said initial dealer hand and said initial player hand each comprise two cards and said at least one community card consists of five cards. 
   
   
       5 . The method recited in  claim 4 , wherein said best player hand is formed by selecting five total cards from said initial player hand and said community cards, and wherein said best dealer hand is formed by selecting five total cards from said initial dealer hand and said community cards. 
   
   
       6 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said method is performed using at least one standard deck of fifty-two cards. 
   
   
       7 . The method recited in  claim 1 , further comprising awarding said player if said initial player hand resembles a predetermined combination of cards. 
   
   
       8 . A method of playing a poker-style game between a dealer and a player, said method comprising:
 (a) dealing an initial dealer hand to said dealer, said initial dealer hand being dealt face up;   (b) dealing an initial player hand to said player if said player makes a play wager, otherwise ending play and collecting a blind wager from said player;   (c) dealing at least one community card face up if said player makes a board wager, otherwise ending play and collecting at least a portion of said blind wager and/or said play wager from said player;   (d) determining a player hand ranking by forming a best player hand as a subset of said initial player hand and said at least one community card;   (e) determining a dealer hand ranking by forming a best dealer hand as a subset of said initial dealer hand and said at least one community card; and,   (f) comparing said player hand ranking to said to said dealer hand ranking for determining a winner.   
   
   
       9 . The method recited in  claim 8 , wherein after step (f), said method further comprises:
 (g) collecting at least a portion of said board, play, and blind wagers from said player if said dealer hand ranking is better than said player hand ranking, and awarding said player with an amount proportional to said board wager, said play wager, said blind wager, or a combination thereof if said dealer hand ranking is worse than said player hand ranking.   
   
   
       10 . The method recited in  claim 9 , wherein said player is awarded even money on said blind, play, and/or board wagers in step (g) if said player hand ranking is better than said dealer hand ranking. 
   
   
       11 . The method recited in  claim 9 , wherein said player is awarded according to a payout table with respect to said board wager in step (g), if said best player hand resembles a special predetermined hand combination. 
   
   
       12 . The method recited in  claim 11 , wherein said player is awarded according to said payout table, regardless of a result of said comparing of said player hand ranking and dealer hand ranking in step (f). 
   
   
       13 . The method recited in  claim 8 , wherein said at least one community card consists of five cards. 
   
   
       14 . The method recited in  claim 8 , wherein a value of said play wager is proportional to a value of said blind wager. 
   
   
       15 . The method recited in  claim 8 , wherein said dealer hand ranking and said player hand ranking are determined following standard rules of poker hand valuation. 
   
   
       16 . The method recited in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 (h) dealing said initial player hand to said player if said player makes a bonus wager, regardless of said player making or not making said blind, play, or board wagers.   
   
   
       17 . The method recited in  claim 16 , wherein said player must make said bonus wager before any cards are dealt. 
   
   
       18 . The method recited in  claim 16 , wherein said player is awarded a payout according to a payout table if said initial player hand resembles a predetermined combination of cards.