Computer gaming extension

Abstract

In a method for computer gaming, a processing system is handling standard procedures for a poker game according to basic rules of poker. The method includes the steps of the processing system dealing (S 1 ) cards, the processing system handling (S 2 ) betting rounds, and the processing system deciding (S 4 ) which player(s) that wins the hand. The processing system is further handling (S 3 ) an extended set of rules involving a set of game influence actions, which can be selectively triggered by a player during a game to alter, override or extend the basic poker rules. In effect, the processing system is effectuating a selected one of the game influence actions in response to a user trigger, by a player, representing the selected game influence action.

1 . A method for computer gaming, wherein a processing system is handling standard procedures for a poker game according to basic rules of poker including the steps of:
 said processing system dealing cards,   said processing system handling betting rounds, and   said processing system deciding which player(s) that wins the hand, and   wherein said processing system is further handling an extended set of rules involving a set of game influence actions, which can be selectively triggered by a player during a game to alter, override or extend the basic poker rules including the step of:   said processing system effectuating a selected one of said game influence actions in response to a user trigger, by a player, representing the selected game influence action.   
     
     
         2 . The method for computer gaming of  claim 1 , wherein said set of game influence actions includes actions designed to limit the gaming possibilities of one or more opponents and/or improve the gaming possibilities of the player invoking the game influence actions. 
     
     
         3 . The method for computer gaming of  claim 1 , wherein said additional set of game influence actions includes preventing or forcing actions with respect to one or more players and/or one or more of the cards involved in the game. 
     
     
         4 . The method for computer gaming of  claim 3 , wherein said additional set of game influence actions includes at least one of the following:
 preventing a player from acting for the rest of the hand;   forcing one or more of the community cards to be removed;   forcing one or more of the dealt cards of an opponent to be removed;   forcing the players to act counter-clockwise from the dealer;   forcing at least one card belonging to a player of choice, or a community card, to be mucked and a new card to be dealt; and   forcing at least one opponent to reveal at least one dealt card from his hand.   
     
     
         5 . The method for computer gaming of  claim 3 , wherein said additional set of game influence actions includes at least one of the following:
 forcing a community card of casting player's choice to be taken out of play for the rest of the hand;   forcing a card of casting player's choice, a community card or a dealt card of any player, to be taken out of play and a new card be dealt to replace it;   allowing casting player to see a glimpse of one or two dealt cards belonging to an opponent;   forcing an additional card and betting round to take place;   forcing a bet placed by another player to turn into a check;   forcing a raise placed by another player to turn into a call;   preventing a targeted player from acting for the rest of the hand;   preventing a targeted player from acting for a number of hands;   forcing all board cards, dealt after the action is triggered, to be dealt twice, as on two boards;   forcing a swap of dealt cards with a targeted player for the rest of the hand;   forcing the next community card to appear as another card to all players except for casting player;   forcing the next community card to appear as having more than one face to all players except for casting player;   preventing all players except for casting player from seeing the remaining cards on the board;   forcing a hand to end, with no more cards being dealt but a winner of the hand being declared;   forcing a hand to start over from the first betting round with all players having the same dealt cards as they started with, but shuffling the remaining cards in the deck before dealing the community cards;   forcing all players to be dealt three cards, and forcing all players to muck one dealt card on the flop after the betting is completed;   forcing a community card to be treated as the best possible card for each player's hand;   forcing the remaining cards dealt to be tweaked so that casting player is granted a certain percent greater chance to catch a card that improves his hand value for the rest of the hand and/or a number of subsequent hands;   forcing all players to act counter clockwise for the rest of the hand, the player on the button acting first;   forcing a player to get less time to act than usual for the rest of the hand; and   making it difficult for a player to perform betting and/or other actions.   
     
     
         6 . The method for computer gaming of  claim 1 , wherein said extended set of rules handled by said processing system also involves a further set of actions, which can be selectively triggered by a player during a game to affect one or more of said game influence actions. 
     
     
         7 . The method for computer gaming of  claim 6 , wherein said further set of actions includes at least one of the following actions:
 forcing the effect of a triggered game influence action to be undone;   preventing a targeted player from using game influence actions for the rest of the hand and/or a number of subsequent hands;   preventing a casting player from being affected by game influence actions for the rest of the hand and/or a number of subsequent hands;   allowing a casting player to use more game influence actions than usual for the rest of the hand and/or a number of subsequent hands; and   preventing game influence actions from being used for the rest of the hand and/or a number of subsequent hands.   
     
     
         8 . The method for computer gaming of  claim 1 , wherein said poker game forms part of a poker tournament, and said method further comprises the step of said processing system assigning, to each player, a predetermined number of game influence actions that may be used during the tournament. 
     
     
         9 . The method for computer gaming of  claim 8 , wherein said method further comprises the step of said processing system restricting, when a player has used a game influence action, that player from using any more game influence actions for a predetermined number of rounds. 
     
     
         10 . The method of computer gaming of  claim 1 , wherein said processing system is providing each player with the option to trigger a game influence action when it is the player's turn to act in the poker game. 
     
     
         11 . A game machine system, wherein said game machine system comprises a processing system configured to handle standard procedures for a poker game according to basic rules of poker, wherein said processing system is configured to deal cards, handle betting rounds, and decide which player(s) that wins the hand, and
 wherein said processing system is further configured to handle an extended set of rules involving a set of game influence actions, which can be selectively triggered by a player during a game to alter, override or extend the basic poker rules, wherein said processing system is configured to effectuate a selected one of said game influence actions in response to a user trigger, by a player, representing the selected game influence action.   
     
     
         12 . The game machine system of  claim 11 , wherein said processing system is configured to effectuate a game influence action designed to limit the gaming possibilities of one or more opponents and/or improve the gaming possibilities of the player invoking the game influence action. 
     
     
         13 . The game machine system of  claim 11 , wherein said processing system is configured to effectuate a game influence action that is a preventing or forcing action with respect to one or more players and/or one or more of the cards involved in the game. 
     
     
         14 . The game machine system of  claim 11 , wherein said poker game forms part of a poker tournament, and said processing system is configured to assign, to each player, a predetermined number of game influence actions that may be used during the tournament. 
     
     
         15 . The game machine system of  claim 14 , wherein said processing system is configured to restrict, when a player has used a game influence action, that player from using any more game influence actions for a predetermined number of rounds. 
     
     
         16 . The game machine system of  claim 11 , wherein said game machine system is realized in the form of a personal computer or a handheld device executing poker software, or as a specially manufactured game machine, and wherein said game machine system is configured to emulate players around a virtual poker table and allow a player to play against the game machine system. 
     
     
         17 . The game machine system of  claim 11 , wherein said game machine system represents a central processing system in an overall distributed system for on-line poker. 
     
     
         18 . The game machine system of  claim 17 , wherein said game machine system is realized as a poker server that can be connected to and interact with a number of user access units allowing players located at different locations to participate in a poker game. 
     
     
         19 . The game machine system of  claim 18 , wherein said poker server is configured to execute software representing a poker game application. 
     
     
         20 . A user access unit for computer gaming, wherein said user access unit is configured to allow a player to participate in a poker game according to basic rules of poker, wherein said user access unit has a user input interface configured to enable a player to provide relevant user input relating to the poker game, a network interface configured to enable interaction with a central processing system for on-line poker, and a graphic user interface configured to enable graphic representation of the poker game, and
 wherein said user access unit is further configured to enable the player to selectively invoke a game influence action from a set of game influence actions, which can be selectively triggered by the player during a game, to alter, override or extend the basic poker rules.   
     
     
         21 . The user access unit of  claim 20 , wherein said user access unit is configured to subject the player to a game influence action invoked by another player of the poker game. 
     
     
         22 . The user access unit of  claim 20 , wherein said user access unit is realized as a poker client comprising client software representing a poker game application for execution on processing hardware, and said network interface is configured to enable interaction with a poker server. 
     
     
         23 . A computer program for performing, when executed by a computer system, the method for computer gaming of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         24 . The computer program of  claim 23 , wherein said computer program is implemented as a computer program product on a computer-readable medium. 
     
     
         25 . A method for poker, wherein said method comprises the step of handling standard procedures for a poker game according to basic rules of poker including dealing cards, handling betting rounds, and deciding which player(s) that wins the hand, and
 wherein said method further comprises the step of handling an extended set of rules involving a set of game influence actions, which can be selectively triggered by a player during a game to alter, override or extend the basic poker rules including effectuating a selected one of said game influence actions in response to a user trigger, by a player, representing the selected game influence action.