Casino Card Game

Abstract

A community poker game with three flop cards and voluntary preliminary bets, such as blind and straddle. The player who initiates betting action in a hand is designated relative to a portable button, and the blind and the straddle do not affect betting initiative unless the person who has the initiative relative to the button has posted a blind or straddle. Each hand has four rounds of betting: one when the players get their two cards and one more for each of three flop cards. Each round has two cycles. In the first cycle, a player may check, make an initial bet, call, raise, or fold. A preliminary bet counts as a first-cycle action. In the second cycle, a player may only call or fold. The game is played on a nine-player D-shaped table with delineated player stations, and delineated betting line, chip storage, and flop card area.

1 . A method of conducting a poker card game with a dealer and a plurality of players, wherein a player is a person who has paid an ante and has not folded wherein such plurality of players may be reduced during play, the method comprising the step of accepting voluntary preliminary bets, wherein:
 a. a button is used to indicate a particular player of such plurality of players who begins betting for a hand of said poker card game;   b. any one player of said plurality of players, per said hand, has an option to post a blind bet as a voluntary preliminary bet before cards are distributed to such plurality of players; and   c. a second player of such plurality of players, positioned immediately clockwise from said one player, has an option, when a blind bet has been posted, to post a straddle bet as a voluntary preliminary bet, wherein said straddle bet is larger than said blind bet,   d. wherein betting action begins with a player of such plurality of players immediately clockwise from said button and proceeds sequentially clockwise among such plurality of players, except that:
 i. if said one player has posted a blind bet then said one player is skipped over in said betting sequence immediately following said posting of said blind bet; and 
 ii. if said second player has posted a straddle bet then said second player is skipped over in said betting sequence immediately following said posting of said blind bet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of conducting four rounds of betting in each hand, wherein each round comprises first and second cycles of sequential betting by such plurality of players. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a first round of said four rounds is conducted after each player of such plurality of players has been slid two cards face down by such dealer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a second round of said four rounds is conducted after a first flop card has been presented by such dealer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a third round of said four rounds is conducted after a second flop card has been presented by such dealer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a fourth round of said four rounds is conducted after a third flop card has been presented by such dealer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said first cycle of each round of said four rounds comprises one of an initiating action and a responsive action from each player, wherein:
 a. said initiating action comprises at least one of:
 i. checking; 
 ii. placing an initial bet; 
 iii. calling a previous bet, wherein said previous bet may include one of a blind bet or a straddle bet during a first round of said four rounds; 
 iv. raising a previous bet, wherein said previous bet may include one of a blind bet or a straddle bet during a first round of said four rounds; and 
   b. said responsive action comprises one of:
 i. calling a previous bet; and 
 ii. folding. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said second cycle of each round of said four rounds comprises one said responsive action from each player of such plurality of players. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. receiving antes;   b. receiving at least one of:
 i. a voluntary blind bet; 
 ii. a voluntary straddle bet; and 
 iii. no preliminary bet; 
   c. sliding cards face-down from a dealing shoe to provide each player of such plurality of players two cards;   d. collecting any bets placed by such plurality of players;   e. sliding a burn card from said dealing shoe face down under said collected bets;   f. sliding a first flop card from said dealing shoe and presenting said first flop card by turning said first flop card face up;   g. collecting any bets placed by such plurality of players;   h. sliding a second flop card from said dealing shoe and presenting said second flop card by turning said second flop card face up;   i. collecting any bets placed by such plurality of players;   j. sliding a third flop card from said dealing shoe and presenting said third flop card by turning said third flop card face up;   k. collecting any bets placed by such plurality of players;   l. requiring a showing of cards by players of such plurality of players that have not folded;   m. determining a winner of said hand;   n. removing a house rake from said collected bets, wherein said house rake may be removed in parts throughout said hand;   o. transferring said collected bets, minus said house rake, to said winner; and   p. moving said button to one player immediately clockwise.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said poker card game is implemented as an electronic poker card game. 
     
     
         11 . A method of conducting a poker card game with a dealer and a plurality of players, wherein a player is a person who has paid an ante and has not folded such that such plurality of players may be reduced during play, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a dealing shoe containing one shuffled poker deck;   b. providing a D-shaped table sized for up to nine players and one dealer;   c. providing a button for placing on said table to indicate a player having initiative at a start of betting;   d. establishing betting limits for said poker game;   e. receiving an ante from each player of said plurality of players;   f. accepting at least one of:
 i. a blind bet; 
 ii. a straddle bet; and 
 iii. no preliminary bet; 
   g. sliding to each player of such plurality of players two cards face down onto said table from said dealing shoe;   h. observing one of one initiating action and one responsive action from each player, in sequence from such player indicated to have said initiative relative to said button, wherein said initiating action comprises one of checking and placing wagers on said table and said responsive action comprises one of calling and folding;   i. observing one responsive action from each player of such plurality of players, in sequence from such player indicated to have said initiative;   j. sliding one card from said dealing shoe face down as a burn card;   k. presenting a flop card by sliding one card from said dealing shoe and turning it face up onto said table;   l. observing one of one initiating action and one responsive action from each player of such plurality of players, in sequence from such player indicated to have said initiative relative to said button, wherein said initiating action comprises one of checking and placing wagers on said table and said responsive action comprises one of calling and folding;   m. observing one responsive action from each player of such plurality of players, in sequence from such player indicated to have said initiative;   n. repeating steps “j.” through “m.” for each of second and third flop cards;   o. observing said cards of each player;   p. determining a winner based on said step of observing said cards of each player;   q. collecting said house rake from a sum of all bets, wherein said house rake may be removed in parts throughout said hand; and   r. transferring said sum of all bets, minus said house rake, to such winner.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of moving said button clockwise one player after said step of transferring said sum of all bets, minus said house rake, to such winner. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of, after receiving said ante, receiving a blind wager as a preliminary bet from one player posting said blind wager, wherein said posting of said blind wager comprises said one initiating action for said one player posting said blind wager. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of receiving a straddle wager from one player posting said straddle wager, wherein said one player posting said straddle wager is not such one player posting such blind wager, and wherein said posting of said straddle wager comprises said one initiating action for said one player posting said straddle wager. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said D-shaped table comprises delineated player stations on a curved side of said D-shaped table, a dealer box on a straight side of said table, and a delineated betting line between said player stations and said dealer box. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said poker card game is implemented as an electronic poker card game. 
     
     
         17 . A method of conducting a poker card game with a dealer and a plurality of players, wherein a player is a person who has paid an ante and has not folded, the method comprising the step of accepting voluntary preliminary bets, wherein:
 a. a button is used to indicate a particular player of such plurality of players who begins betting for a hand of said poker card game;   b. any one player of said plurality of players, per said hand, has an option to post a blind bet as a voluntary preliminary bet before cards are distributed to such plurality of players; and   c. a second player of such plurality of players, positioned immediately clockwise from said one player, has an option, when a blind bet has been posted, to post a straddle bet as a voluntary preliminary bet, wherein said straddle bet is larger than said blind bet,   d. wherein betting action begins with a player of such plurality of players immediately clockwise from said button and proceeds sequentially clockwise among such plurality of players, except that:
 i. if said one player has posted a blind bet then said one player is skipped over in said betting sequence immediately following said posting of said blind bet; and 
 ii. if said second player has posted a straddle bet then said second player is skipped over in said betting sequence immediately following said posting of said blind bet; and 
   e. conducting four rounds of betting in each hand, wherein each round comprises first and second cycles of sequential betting by such plurality of players.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said first cycle of each round of said four rounds comprises one of an initiating action and a responsive action from each player, wherein:
 a. said initiating action comprises at least one of:
 i. checking; 
 ii. placing an initial bet; 
 iii. calling a previous bet, wherein said previous bet may include one of a blind bet or a straddle bet during a first round of said four rounds; 
 iv. raising a previous bet, wherein said previous bet may include one of a blind bet or a straddle bet during a first round of said four rounds; and 
   b. said responsive action comprises one of:
 i. calling a previous bet; and 
 ii. folding. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said second cycle of each round of said four rounds comprises one said responsive action from each player of such plurality of players. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said poker card game is implemented as an electronic poker card game.