Method and Device for Conducting a Multi-Hand Wagering Game

Abstract

A player places multiple hand wagers and receives a set of cards. The player arranges the set of cards into a hand set for each of the hand wagers and a shared set. Optionally, at least one additional card may be dealt to the set. Player hands are formed for each hand wager using the hand set for that hand wager and the shared set. The player hands are evaluated using hand evaluation rules and the hand wagers are resolved based on the evaluation of the hands.

1 . A method of conducting a wagering game for at least one player using game pieces, said wagering game including hand evaluation rules for evaluating hands formed from said game pieces, said method comprising:
 receiving two or more hand wagers from said player;   dealing a set of game pieces to said player;   receiving from said player an arrangement of said set of game pieces, said arrangement including a hand set of game pieces for each of said player's hand wagers and a shared set of game pieces;   forming a player hand for each of said player's hand wagers, each of said player hands including at least a hand set of game pieces for that hand wager and said shared set of game pieces;   evaluating each player hand separately and independently of the other player hands based on said hand evaluation rules; and   resolving each of said player's hand wagers based on the evaluation of the player hand for that hand wager.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of forming a player hand for each of said player's hand wagers further comprises dealing at least one additional game piece to said set of game pieces. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said at least one additional game piece is dealt to said shared set of game pieces after said arrangement of said set of game pieces is received. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said at least one additional game piece is dealt to a hand set of game pieces after said arrangement of said set of game pieces is received. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 receiving a post-deal wager from said player after said step of dealing said set of game pieces to said player and before said step of dealing said at least one additional game piece to said set of game pieces; and   resolving said post-deal wager after said arrangement of said set of game pieces is received, said resolution of said post-deal wager based on a combination of at least one of the game pieces dealt to said set of game pieces prior to the receipt of said post-deal wager and at least one of the additional game pieces dealt to said set of game pieces after the receipt of said post-deal wager.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said hand evaluation rules comprise a predefined pay table of ranked hands and associated payouts such that said step of separately and independently evaluating each player hand comprises separately comparing each player hand to said ranked hands on said pay table and said step of resolving each of said player's hand wagers comprises issuing the payout, if any, associated with at least one of said player hands according to said pay table. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising issuing an additional payout if two or more of said player hands are associated with a specified ranked hand according to said pay table. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said hand evaluation rules comprise a ranking of hands formed from said game pieces, the method further comprising:
 dealing a comparison hand such that said step of separately and independently evaluating each player hand comprises separately comparing each player hand to said comparison hand according to said ranking of hands and said step of resolving each of said player's hand wagers comprises issuing a payout to said player if said player hand for said hand wager outranks said comparison hand according to said ranking of hands.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said hand evaluation rules comprise at least one calculation for determining the value of a hand formed from said game pieces and a target value, the method further comprising:
 dealing a comparison hand such that said step of separately and independently evaluating each player hand comprises separately comparing the value of each player hand to the value of said comparison hand according to said evaluation rules and said step of resolving each of said player's hand wagers comprises issuing a payout to said player if the value of said player hand for said hand wager is closer to said target value than the value of said comparison hand is.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said step of resolving each of said player's hand wagers further comprises collecting said player's hand wager if the value of said player hand for that hand wager exceeds said target value. 
     
     
         11 . A method of conducting a wagering game for at least one player using game pieces comprising:
 defining hand evaluation rules for evaluating hands formed from said game pieces;   receiving a first hand wager and a second hand wager from said player;   dealing a set of game pieces to said player;   receiving from said player an arrangement of said set of game pieces, said arrangement including a first hand set of game pieces for said first hand wager, a second hand set of game pieces for said second hand wager, and a shared set of game pieces;   forming a first player hand for said first hand wager including at least said first hand set of game pieces and said shared set of game pieces and forming a second player hand for said second hand wager including at least said second hand set of game pieces and said shared set of game pieces;   evaluating said first player hand and said second player hand separately and independently based on said hand evaluation rules; and   resolving said first hand wager based on the evaluation of said first player hand and said second hand wager based on the evaluation of said second player hand.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said step of forming a first player hand and a second player hand further comprises dealing at least one additional game piece to said set of game pieces. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said at least one additional game piece is dealt to said shared set of game pieces after said arrangement of said set of game pieces is received. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said at least one additional game piece is dealt to a hand set of game pieces after said arrangement of said set of game pieces is received. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 receiving a post-deal wager from said player after said step of dealing said set of game pieces to said player and before said step of dealing said at least one additional game piece to said set of game pieces; and   resolving said post-deal wager after said arrangement of said set of game pieces is received, said resolution of said post-deal wager based on a combination of at least one of the game pieces dealt to said set of game pieces prior to the receipt of said post-deal wager and at least one of the additional game pieces dealt to said set of game pieces after the receipt of said post-deal wager.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 defining said hand evaluation rules to include a predefined pay table of ranked hands and associated payouts such that said step of separately and independently evaluating said first player hand and said second player hand comprises separately comparing each of said first player hand and said second player hand to said ranked hands on said pay table and said step of resolving each of said player's first hand wager and second hand wager comprises issuing the payout, if any, associated with at least one of said first player hand and said second player hand according to said pay table.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising issuing an additional payout if at least said first player hand and said second player hand are associated with a specified ranked hand according to said pay table. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 defining said hand evaluation rules to include a ranking of hands formed from said game pieces; and   dealing a comparison hand such that said step of separately and independently evaluating said first player hand and said second player hand comprises separately comparing each of said first player hand and said second player hand to said comparison hand according to said ranking of hands and said step of resolving each of said player's first hand wager and said second hand wager comprises issuing a payout to said player if said first player hand outranks said comparison hand according to said ranking of hands and issuing a payout to said player if said second player hand outranks said comparison hand according to said ranking of hands.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 defining said hand evaluation rules to include at least one calculation for determining the value of a hand formed from said game pieces and a target value; and   dealing a comparison hand such that said step of separately and independently evaluating said first player hand and said second player hand comprises separately comparing the value of each of said first player hand and said second player hand to the value of said comparison hand according to said evaluation rules and said step of resolving each of said player's first hand wager and second hand wager comprises issuing a payout to said player if the value of said first player hand is closer to said target value than the value of said comparison hand is and issuing a payout to said player if the value of said second player hand is closer to said target value than the value of said comparison hand is.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said step of resolving each of said player's hand wagers further comprises collecting said player's first hand wager if the value of said first player hand exceeds said target value and collecting said player's second hand wager if the value of said second player hand exceeds said target value.