Backgammon-based table game or electronic game

Abstract

A wagering table game based on backgammon is played in which a player wagers on outcomes against a dealer. A backgammon-type board is provided to at least one player that has fewer than 24 position points on the board. Each of the player and dealer are provided with fewer than 15 game pieces. Randomly generated numbers are used to allow players to move player pieces and cause the dealer to move pieces according to fixed rules. A player places a wager against a paytable, odds are paid out on player winning events, and player winning events are determined by removal of all player game pieces from the game board by movement of player game pieces on the game board.

1 . A method of playing a wagering table game based on backgammon in which a player wagers on outcomes against a dealer, wherein:
 a backgammon board is provided to at least one player that has fewer than 24 position points on the board;   each of the player and dealer are provided with fewer than 15 game pieces;   randomly generated numbers are used to allow players to move player pieces and cause the dealer to move pieces according to fixed rules;   
       wherein a player places a wager against a paytable, odds are paid out on player winning events, and player winning events are determined by removal of all player game pieces from the game board by movement of player game pieces on the game board. 
     
     
         2 . The wagering game method of  claim 1  wherein the game board has fewer than 10 position points on the game board and each of the player and dealer have fewer than 4 game pieces. 
     
     
         3 . The wagering game method of  claim 1  wherein the game board has 6 position points on the game board and each of the player and dealer have fewer than 3 game pieces and payout odds are determined by dealer game piece positions at a time when a player removes all player game pieces from the game board. 
     
     
         4 . The wagering game method of  claim 3  wherein the player has two game pieces and the dealer has a single game piece. 
     
     
         5 . The wagering game method of  claim 4  wherein the two player pieces begin the game at one end of the game board and the single dealer piece begins the game at another end of the game board. 
     
     
         6 . The wagering game method of  claim 3  wherein payout odds are determined by dealer game piece positions at a time when a player removes all player game pieces from the game board. 
     
     
         7 . The wagering game method of  claim 4  wherein payout odds are determined by dealer game piece positions at a time when a player removes all player game pieces from the game board. 
     
     
         8 . The wagering game method of  claim 5  wherein payout odds are determined by dealer game piece positions at a time when a player removes all player game pieces from the game board. 
     
     
         9 . The wagering game method of  claim 6  wherein the player's game pieces and dealer game piece are initially positioned on the game board by a random assignment of game pieces within a limited range of available game piece positions for player game pieces and the dealer game piece. 
     
     
         10 . The wagering game method of  claim 6  wherein the player's game pieces and dealer game piece are initially positioned on the game board at positions other than only extreme end positions on the game board. 
     
     
         11 . The wagering game method of  claim 4  wherein a dealer's first available random number used in play of the game is Limited in size to a range of numbers less than a number that can move the dealer's single game piece off the game board. 
     
     
         12 . The wagering game method of  claim 7  wherein a dealer's first available random number used in play of the game is limited in size to a range of numbers less than a number that can move the dealer's single game piece off the game board. 
     
     
         13 . A method of playing a wagering game on a gaming table or on an electronic gaming system comprising:
 a) providing a game board to a player, the game board having fewer than 10 available positions on the game board for moving game pieces;   b) the player placing a wager against a paytable;   c) the player and a dealer receiving fewer than four game pieces each on the game board;   d) the player and the dealer alternatively receiving random numbers that are used to move respective game pieces from a starting position on the game board towards removal of game pieces from the game board;   e) receiving random numbers until a first of the player and the dealer have removed all of their respective game pieces from the game board; and   f) resolving the player's wager against the paytable.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the game board is a physical game board on a casino gaming table;
 the player is given two game pieces; 
 the dealer is given a single game piece; 
 the player game pieces are placed within a first three points on a game board having six points thereon; 
 the dealer's game piece is placed within a set of last three points on the game board having six points thereon; 
 random numbers are provided by a single die; and 
 the player's wager is resolved as a win when all of the player's game pieces are removed from the game board before the dealer's game piece is removed from the game board. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein a dealer's first available random number used in play of the game is limited in size to a range of numbers less than a number that can move the dealer's single game piece off the game board. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein adjacent game pieces form blockades against movement of game pieces. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein initial positioning of the dealer's game piece at the start of the game determines payout awards on the paytable for a player winning outcome. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the dealer's game piece position when all players' game pieces have been removed from the game board determines payout awards on the paytable for a player's winning outcome. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the game board is an electronic game board with a processor and video display, random numbers are generated by a random number generator in the processor, and wagers are placed electronically and received by the processor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the player's two game pieces are position at points 1 and 3 on the game board and the dealer's game piece is positioned at point 6 on the game board.