Multi-player game in which individual player games may be linked to form multi-player combined wins

Abstract

In a multi-player game, individual players each play their own individual games, which individual games may yield winning outcomes for those individual players and associated awards. In addition, at one or more times, two or more individual player's individual games may be linked or combined to form a multi-player outcome, which outcome may comprise a winning multi-player outcome having an associated award. Such linking may comprise combining symbols, such as cards, from the two or more players' individual games to form a multi-player outcome.

1 . A method for playing a game by at least two players comprising the steps of:
 accepting a wager from each player;   presenting a individual game to each player, each individual game comprising the steps of:
 generating and displaying one or more individual game symbols; and 
 determining if said individual game symbols comprise a winning individual game outcome and, if so, awarding to said player an award for said winning individual game outcome; and 
   combining one or more symbols from said two or more players' individual games; and   determining if any of said combined symbols form a winning multi-player outcome and, if so, awarding a multi-player award for said multi-player outcome.   
     
     
         2 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said individual games comprise poker games, said step of generating and displaying one or more individual game symbols comprises displaying a hand of cards, and said step of determining if said individual game symbols comprise a winning individual game outcome comprises determining if said hand of cards comprises a winning combination of cards. 
     
     
         3 . The method in accordance with  claim 2  further comprising the step of generating and displaying cards comprising a first hands of cards, receiving input from each player as to one or more or all of said cards comprising said first hand of cards to be discarded and replaced, replacing any discarded cards, and evaluating a final hand of cards for winning individual game outcomes. 
     
     
         4 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said individual games comprise slot-type games and said individual game symbols comprise slot symbols. 
     
     
         5 . The method in accordance with  claim 4  wherein each player's slot symbols are displayed in combination and evaluated along one or more pay lines for potential multi-player winning combinations. 
     
     
         6 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein each player plays a gaming machine and said individual game symbols corresponding to each player are displayed on at least one display of each gaming machine and wherein said combination of one or more symbols are displayed on at least one secondary display. 
     
     
         7 . The method in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said at least one secondary display comprises at least one video display located above said gaming machines. 
     
     
         8 . A gaming system comprising:
 at least a first player playing a first gaming machine and a second player playing a second gaming machine;   accepting a wager from said player of said first gaming machine;   accepting a wager from said player of said second gaming machine;   presenting a individual game to said first player of said first gaming machine, said individual game comprising generating and displaying one or more individual game symbols and evaluating those symbols for potential individual game winning combinations;   presenting a individual game to said second player of said second gaming machine, said individual game comprising generating and displaying one or more individual game symbols and evaluating those symbols for potential individual game winning combinations; and   combining one or more of the individual game symbols from said individual games presented at said first and second gaming machines and determining if said combined individual game symbols comprise a multi-player game winning outcome, and displaying the results of said multi-player game.   
     
     
         9 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein said results of said multi-player game are displayed upon at least one electronic display associated with said first and second gaming machines. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein said individual games comprise slot type games and said first and second gaming machines each comprise at least one spinning reel configured to display slot symbols. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein said individual games comprise video poker games and said first and second gaming machines each comprise at least one electronic video display configured to display images of playing cards. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein said first and second gaming machines are located adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein said one or more individual game symbols are combined in the event of a triggering event. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 8  further comprising awarding a individual game award for a individual game winning outcome. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 14  further comprising awarding a multi-player award for a multi-player game winning outcome. 
     
     
         16 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein each player's gaming machine comprises a personal computer. 
     
     
         17 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 16  wherein said player's computers are linked by at least one communication network. 
     
     
         18 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said communication network comprises the Internet.