Multiplayer game with connectable outcomes

Abstract

A system for playing a multi-player game is provided. The system has terminals for receiving entry fees from players, a random number generator for generating a player outcome for each player, an outcome controller for assigning each player outcome to a position within a network displayed on a display, and a filter for identifying connected positions. The system also has a comparator for comparing those of the player outcomes assigned to the connected positions and deleting any undesirable one of the compared outcomes, as well as an account controller for providing a payout to players whose outcomes have remained assigned to a position at the end of a play of the game. Also provided are a method for playing the game is also provided and a system for configuring the network of positions.

1 . A system for playing a multi-player game comprising:
 terminals for receiving entry fees from players;   a random number generator for generating a player outcome for each one of the players;   a display for displaying a network of positions and a payout for each one of the positions;   an outcome controller for assigning each one of the player outcomes to an available one of the positions;   a filter for identifying connected ones of the positions;   a comparator for comparing those of the player outcomes assigned to the connected positions and deleting any undesirable one of the compared outcomes; and   an account controller for providing a payout to each of the players whose player outcome has remained assigned to one of the positions at the end of a play of the game as a function of the displayed payout.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a network generator for determining a total number of the positions and for generating the network having the determined number of positions. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising a player counter for counting a number of the players, wherein the network generator determines the number of positions as a function of the number of the players. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the number of positions is a difference between the number of the players and a predetermined number. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a payout controller for calculating a sum of the entry fees, deducting a house cut from the sum to obtain a pool increment, and distributing the pool increment among the positions to obtain the displayed payout before the outcome controller assigns each one of the player outcomes to an available one of the positions. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the payout controller is for incrementing each one of the displayed payout by a share of the pool increment before the outcome controller assigns each one of the player outcomes to an available one of the positions, and setting provided ones of the displayed payout to zero after the account controller provides a payout to each of the players whose player outcome has remained assigned to one of the positions at the end of the play of the game. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the filter is for identifying a reference one of the player outcomes assigned to the connected positions and exposed ones of the player outcomes assigned to the connected positions, and the comparator compares each one of the exposed outcomes to the reference outcome and deletes any one of the exposed outcomes that is less desirable than the reference outcome. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the network is a grid having a top end and a bottom end, the positions are located between the top end and the bottom end, and the filter is for identifying each one of the player outcomes as a reference outcome and for identifying each one of the player outcomes assigned to one of the positions that is closer to a predetermined one of the top end and the bottom end than the position of the reference outcome upon the assignment of the reference outcome as an exposed outcome. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the random number generator is for generating a house outcome, a farthest one of the positions from the predetermined end is exclusively for receiving the house outcome, the outcome controller is for assigning the house outcome to the farthest position after all of the player outcomes have been assigned, and the filter is for identifying the house outcome as the reference outcome upon the assignment of the house outcome. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the account controller provides at the end of the play of the game, and to each one of the players for whom an undeleted outcome was generated, one of the payout of one of the positions to which the undeleted outcome is assigned. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the filter is for identifying those of the player outcomes assigned to those of the positions belonging to a first group and those of the player outcomes assigned to those of the positions belonging to a second group, and the comparator is for comparing those of the player outcomes assigned to the first group positions and those of the player outcomes assigned to the second group positions to identify a less desirable one of the groups, and for deleting those of the player outcomes assigned to the less desirable group. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the random number generator is for generating a deciding outcome, the comparator is for calculating a sum of those of the outcomes assigned to the first group of positions, a first group outcome, for calculating a sum of those of the player outcomes assigned to the second group of positions, a second group outcome, and for identifying the less desirable one of the groups as a function of the first group outcome, the second group outcome, and the deciding outcome. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein each one of the groups is assigned one of the displayed payout and the account controller is for providing to each one of the players whose player outcome is assigned to a same one of the groups at the end of the play of the game an equal share of the payout assigned to the same group. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the random number generator is for generating a house outcome for each one of the groups, the outcome controller is for assigning each one of the house outcome to the group for which the one house outcome was generated, and the comparator is for calculating a sum of those of the player outcomes and the house outcome assigned to the first group of positions, the first group outcome, and for calculating a sum of those of the player outcomes and the house outcome assigned to the second group of positions, the second group outcome. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the terminals are for receiving a selection of the available position for each one of the player outcomes from the one player for whom the one player outcome was generated. 
     
     
         16 . A method of playing a multi-player game comprising:
 receiving entry fees from players;   generating a player outcome for each one of the players;   displaying a network of positions and a payout for each one of the positions;   assigning each one of the player outcomes to an available one of the positions;   comparing those of the player outcomes assigned to connected ones of the positions;   deleting any undesirable one of the compared outcomes; and   providing a payout to each one of the players whose player outcome has remained assigned to one of the positions at the end of a play of the game as a function of the displayed payout.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising determining a total number of the positions and generating the network having the determined number of positions. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising counting a number of the players wherein the determining the number of positions is performed as a function of the number of players. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the determining the number of positions is performed by subtracting a predetermined number from the number of players. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising calculating a product of the entry fees and a number of the players, deducting a house cut from the product to obtain a pool increment, and distributing the pool increment among the displayed positions to obtain the displayed payout before the assigning each one of the player outcomes. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising incrementing each one of the displayed output by a share of the pool increment before the assigning each one of the player outcomes and setting provided ones of the displayed payout to zero after the provision before the providing a payout. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising identifying a reference one of the player outcomes assigned to the connected positions and exposed ones of the player outcomes assigned to the connected positions, the comparing comprises comparing each one of the exposed outcomes to the reference outcome, and the deleting comprises deleting any one of the exposed outcomes that is less desirable than the reference outcome. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the network is a grid having a top end and a bottom end, the positions are located between the top end and the bottom end, the identifying the reference outcome comprises identifying each one of the player outcomes as the reference outcome, the identifying the exposed outcomes comprises identifying each one of the player outcomes assigned to one of the positions that is closer to a predetermined one of the top end and the bottom end than the position of the reference outcome upon the assignment of the reference outcome as an exposed outcome. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising generating a house outcome and assigning the house outcome to a farthest one of the positions from the predetermined end, wherein the farthest position is exclusively for receiving the house outcome, and the identifying the reference outcome comprises identifying the house outcome as the reference outcome upon the assigning the house outcome. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the providing a payout comprises providing at the end of the play of the game, and to each one of the players for whom an undeleted outcome was generated, one of the payout of one of the positions to which the undeleted outcome is assigned. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising identifying those of the player outcomes assigned to those of the positions belonging to a first group and those of the player outcomes assigned to those of the positions belonging to a second group, the comparing comprises comparing those of the player outcomes assigned to the first group positions and those of the player outcomes assigned to the second group positions to identify a less desirable one of the groups, and the deleting comprises deleting those of the player outcomes assigned to the less desirable group. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising generating a deciding outcome, wherein the comparing comprises calculating a sum of those of the outcomes assigned to the first group of positions, a first group outcome, calculating a sum of those of the player outcomes assigned to the second group of positions, a second group outcome, comparing the first group outcome and the second group outcome, and identifying the less desirable one of the groups as a function of the first group outcome, the second group outcome, and the deciding outcome. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising assigning each one of the groups one of the displayed payout, wherein the providing a payout comprises providing to each one of the players whose player outcome is assigned to a same one of the groups at the end of the play of the game an equal share of the payout assigned to the same group. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising generating a house outcome for each one of the groups, and assigning each one of the house outcome to the group for which the one house outcome was generated, wherein the comparing comprises calculating a sum of those of the player outcomes and the house outcome assigned to the first group of positions, the first group outcome, and for calculating a sum of those of the player outcomes and the house outcome assigned to the second group of positions, the second group outcome. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving a selection of the available position for each one of the player outcomes from one of the players for whom the one player outcome was generated. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the generating a player outcome is performed by the one player for whom the player outcome is generated. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the generating a player outcome comprises throwing a pair of dice by the one player for whom the player outcome is generated. 
     
     
         33 . A system for configuring a network of positions for playing a multi-player game on a system for playing the multi-player game, the system for playing the multi-player game comprising terminals for receiving entry fees from players, a random number generator for generating a player outcome for each one of the players, a display for displaying the network of positions and a payout for each one of the positions, an outcome controller for assigning each one of the player outcomes to an available one of the positions, a filter for identifying connected ones of the positions, a comparator for comparing those of the player outcomes assigned to the connected positions and deleting any undesirable one of the compared outcomes, and an account controller for providing a payout to each of the players whose player outcome has remained assigned to one of the positions at the end of a play of the game as a function of the displayed payout, the system for configuring the network of positions comprising:
 a network generator for determining a total number of the positions and for generating the network having the determined number of the positions.   
     
     
         34 . The system for configuring the network of positions of  claim 33  further comprising a player counter for counting a number of the players, wherein the network generator determines the number of the positions as a function of the counted number of the players. 
     
     
         35 . The system for configuring the network of positions of  claim 33  wherein the number of the positions is a difference between the counted number of the players and a predetermined number. 
     
     
         36 . The system for configuring the network of positions of  claim 34  wherein the network generator is for accessing a look-up table indicating an optimal number of the positions for each one of a plurality of numbers of the players that can be accommodated by a number of the terminals, and the determined number of the positions is one of the optimal number of the positions corresponding to the counted numbers of the players.