Poker table accommodating multiple dealers to facilitate play of multiple poker games simultaneously

Abstract

An elliptical, poker table incorporating two dealer stations with each dealer station including one or more of the following: automatic card shuffler, chip rack, poker cards and drop box. In one configuration, the two dealer stations are positioned oppositely on long sides of the poker table and may be offset from one another. The poker table layout may include two chip areas at each player station to accommodate different sets of chips—one for each poker game being played simultaneously. The poker table layout may depict two distinguishable common card areas and betting areas. Chip separators may be positioned near each player station to maintain an independence of player chip stacks. One poker table incorporates a live dealer station and electronic poker system permitting a live poker game and electronic poker game to be played substantially simultaneously.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A poker table comprising:
 a layout;   a chip stack separator attached to said poker table at each player station; and   two dealer stations each including one or more of the following:
 (i) automatic card shuffler; 
 (ii) chip rack and chips; 
 (iii) poker cards; and 
 (iv) drop box; and 
   wherein said two dealer stations facilitate the play of two poker games simultaneously.   
     
     
         2 . The poker table of  claim 1  wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable chip areas at each player station on said layout. 
     
     
         3 . The poker table of  claim 1  wherein said poker table is elliptical in shape. 
     
     
         4 . The poker table of  claim 3  wherein said two dealer stations are positioned oppositely along long sides of the poker table. 
     
     
         5 . The poker table of  claim 1  wherein the automatic card shufflers are integrated into the poker table. 
     
     
         6 . The poker table of  claim 1  wherein said two dealer stations are defined by cut-out areas. 
     
     
         7 . The poker table of  claim 1  wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable common card areas. 
     
     
         8 . The poker table of  claim 1  wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable betting areas for each player station. 
     
     
         9 . A poker table comprising:
 a chip separator attached to said poker table at each player position; and   a layout configured to accommodate multiple player stations and at least two dealer stations, each of said dealer stations including one or more of the following:
 (i) automatic card shuffler; 
 (ii) chip rack and chips; 
 (iii) poker cards; and 
 (iv) drop box; and 
   wherein said two or more dealer stations facilitate the play of two or more poker games simultaneously.   
     
     
         10 . The poker table of  claim 9  wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable chip areas at each player station. 
     
     
         11 . The poker table of  claim 9  wherein said poker table is elliptical in shape. 
     
     
         12 . The poker table of  claim 11  wherein said two dealer stations are positioned oppositely along long sides of the poker table. 
     
     
         13 . The poker table of  claim 9  wherein the automatic card shufflers are integrated into the poker table. 
     
     
         14 . The poker table of  claim 9  wherein said two dealer stations are defined by cut-out areas. 
     
     
         15 . The poker table of  claim 9  wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable common card areas. 
     
     
         16 . The poker table of  claim 9  wherein said layout depicts two distinguishable betting areas for each player station. 
     
     
         17 . A poker table comprising:
 a layout;   a live dealer station including one or more of the following:
 (i) automatic card shuffler; 
 (ii) chip rack and chips; 
 (iii) poker cards; and 
 (iv) drop box; 
   a player display at each player station, each said player display configured to display each player's hole cards;   a common card display configured to display common cards;   a user interface at each player station configured to allow players to make poker game decisions;   a processor configured to control said player displays, common card display and user interfaces; and   wherein said live dealer station allows a live dealer to manage a first poker game while said processor controls a second poker game, via said player displays, common card displays and user interfaces, substantially simultaneously to said first poker game.