System and method for adding a skill aspect to games of chance

Abstract

A system and methods are provided in which a certain level of the chance aspect of a game or other application is removed and a certain level of a skill aspect is added. This may be accomplished by using an indicator to establish a predetermined number of move numbers for one or more players in the game. For example, the indicator may be used to determine a first group of move numbers for a first player and a second group of move numbers for a second player. The players use the pre-established move numbers to advance according to the rules of the game. Depending on the particular embodiment, the move numbers within a group may be sequenced or non-sequenced. Move numbers may be replaced at each player's turn or when all or a subset of the move numbers of a group are used. Move numbers may be established by any type of indicator such as dice, dominos, or a random number generator. In some embodiments, move numbers may be traded in. Move numbers may or may not be visible at predetermined times to one or more players.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, direct the at least one processor to:
 determine a first sequence of move numbers comprising a plurality of non-zero numbers, wherein a first player of a game advances a first time, in a first turn of the first player, by a number of positions corresponding to a move number of the first sequence of move numbers; 
 after the first sequence is determined and after the first player advances a first time by a number of positions corresponding to a move number of the first sequence of move numbers, enable a second player of the game to advance in a first turn of the second player; and 
 after the second player advances in a first turn of the second player, enable the first player to advance a second time, in a subsequent turn of the first player, by a number of positions corresponding to another move number of the first sequence of move numbers. 
   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the first move number of the first sequence is not used to enable any player of the game to advance more than once during advancements corresponding to the first sequence of move numbers, and wherein the act of determining a first sequence of move numbers comprises activating an indicator a predetermined plurality of times. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25 ,
 wherein the act of determining a first sequence of move numbers comprises activating an indicator a predetermined plurality of times, and   wherein the indicator comprises at least one of (i) one or more die and (ii) one or more dominos.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein each player participates in the game by taking turns, and wherein one or more move numbers of the first sequence of move numbers is visible to a respective player at times during the game other than the respective player's turn. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein a user participates in the game by taking turns, and wherein move numbers are invisible to the user until selected by the user upon the user's turn, wherein the act of determining a first sequence of move numbers comprises activating a random-number generator a predetermined plurality of times. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:
 receive from the first user a request to exchange one or more move numbers for one or more substitute move numbers; and   exchange one or more move numbers for one or more substitute move numbers.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 25 ,
 in which the act of determining a first sequence of move numbers comprises activating an indicator a predetermined plurality of times, and   in which the method further comprises activating the indicator a predetermined number of times to determine a second sequence of one or more move numbers.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the total of the move numbers of the first sequence of move numbers is within a predetermined range of the total of the move numbers of the second sequence of move numbers. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the total of the move numbers of the first sequence of move numbers equals the total of the move numbers of the second sequence of move numbers. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, direct the at least one processor to:
 prior to a first move by a first user, determine a first group of move numbers for the first user, wherein the first user advances a first time by a number of positions corresponding to at least one of the first group of move numbers; 
 after the first user advances a first time by a number of positions corresponding to at least one of the first group of move numbers, determine one or more substitute move numbers; 
 receive a request to exchange at least one of the first group of move numbers with at least one of the one or more substitute move numbers; and 
 responsive to the request, exchange, by the at least one processor, at least one of the first group of move numbers with at least one of the one or more substitute move numbers. 
   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34 ,
 wherein the act of determining the first group of move numbers comprises activating an indicator a predetermined plurality of times,   wherein the act of determining one or more substitute move numbers comprises activating the indicator at least one second time,   wherein the act of activating the indicator at least one second time is accomplished after the first user advances a first time.   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , further comprising causing the first player to advance a second time by a number of positions corresponding to a second move number of the first group of move numbers. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 34 ,
 wherein the act of determining the first group of move numbers comprises activating an indicator a predetermined plurality of times, and   wherein the indicator comprises at least one of (i) one or more die and (ii) one or more dominos.   
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein each player participates in the game by taking turns, and wherein one or more move numbers of the first group of move numbers is visible to a respective player at times during the game other than the respective player's turn. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein each player of the game participates in the game by taking turns with the other players of the game, and wherein move numbers are not disclosed to a respective player until selected by the respective player upon the respective player's turn. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 34 ,
 in which the act of determining the first group of move numbers comprises activating a random-number generator a predetermined plurality of times, and   in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to activate the indicator a predetermined number of times to determine a second group of one or more move numbers.   
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the total of the move numbers of the first group of move numbers is within a predetermined range of the total of the move numbers of the second group of move numbers. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the total of the move numbers of the first group of move numbers equals the total of the move numbers of the second group of move numbers. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 34 , in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:
 communicate the first sequence of move numbers to the first player during the game, in which the first sequence of move numbers are not communicated to a second player of the game during the game.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 34 , in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:
 communicate the first sequence of move numbers to the first player and a second player of the game during the game.   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 34 ,
 wherein the act of determining the first group of move numbers comprises activating an indicator a predetermined number of times;   wherein the act of determining one or more substitute move numbers comprises activating the indicator to determine one or more substitute move numbers; and   
       in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:
 before the act of causing a player to advance by the number of positions, cause at least one indicator representing the first group of numbers to be displayed to the first player and the second player. 
 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 34 , in which the request is received from the first player, and in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:
 before replacing the one or more of the move numbers, determining a number of move numbers of the first group which may be replaced based on at least one of (i) how many moves the first player has made prior to receiving the request and (ii) whether the first player is winning or losing the game at the time the request is received.   
     
     
         47 . A method comprising:
 determining, by at least one processor in electronic communication with at least one processor, a first sequence of move numbers comprising a plurality of non-zero numbers;   after the first sequence is determined and after a first player of a game advances a first time, in a first turn, by a number of positions corresponding to a move number of the first sequence of move numbers, enabling, by the at least one processor, a second player of the game to advance in a first turn of the second player; and   after the second player advances in a first turn of the second player, enabling, by the at least one processor, the first player to advance a second time, in a subsequent turn of the first player, by a number of positions corresponding to another move number of the first sequence of move numbers.