Three-Hand Pai Gow with Optional Tie Rues

Abstract

The standard game of Asia Poker may be modified by dividing the seven cards dealt to each participant into three groups or hands rather than two, with the three groups containing four cards, two cards or one card, respectively. To win, a participant must win on at least two of three hand comparisons, and because there are three hands rather than two, the number of tied wagers or “pushes” may be greatly reduced. In some embodiments, hand comparisons where the hands are of equal rank may qualify as wins for the game administrator, which may further reduce the occurrence of tied wagers or “pushes.”

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of administering a wagering game, comprising:
 accepting an ante wager from a player by receiving a physical, monetarily valuable wagering element in a designated ante wager betting area on a surface of a gaming table;   dealing seven cards from a set of randomized, physical cards comprising at least one deck of at least 52 standard playing cards to each of a plurality of player positions and a dealer position;   accepting the player's arrangement of the cards dealt to the player into a four-card high player hand, a two-card medium player hand, and a one-card low player hand or arranging the cards dealt to the player into a four-card high player hand, a two-card medium player hand, and a one-card low player hand;   arranging the cards dealt to the dealer position into a four-card high dealer hand, a two-card medium dealer hand, and a one-card low dealer hand;   resolving the ante wager by comparing the high player hand to the high dealer hand, the medium player hand to the medium dealer hand, and the low player hand to the low dealer hand;   paying a payout on the ante wager to the player when two of the high player hand, medium player hand, and low player hand outrank a corresponding two of the high dealer hand, medium dealer hand, and low dealer hand, respectively, by transferring physical, monetarily valuable wagering elements to a designated player area on the surface; and   collecting an amount of the ante wager when two of the high player hand, medium player hand, and low player hand are outranked by a corresponding two of the high dealer hand, medium dealer hand, and low dealer hand, respectively, by retrieving from the designated ante wager area on the gaming table each wagering element associated with the ante wager accepted from the player.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one deck of at least 52 standard playing cards comprises dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising at least one 52-card deck of standard playing cards and at least one wild card. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one 52-card deck of standard playing cards and the at least one wild card comprises dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one 52-card deck of standard playing cards and at least one joker, the joker being designated as a wild card. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one 52-card deck of standard playing cards and the at least one wild card comprises dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one 52-card deck of standard playing cards and the at least one wild card, the at least one wild card being designated as an ace or as any card completing a straight or a flush. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one deck of at least 52 standard playing cards comprises dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards composed of only one 52-card deck of standard playing cards. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein accepting the ante wager comprises accepting the ante wager at a monetary value greater than a preselected minimum wager value. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein accepting the ante wager comprises accepting the ante wager at a monetary value at or above preselected maximum wager value. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein paying the payout on the ante wager comprises retaining a commission from the payout on the ante wager. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising collecting the amount of the ante wager when one of the high player hand, medium player hand, and low player hand is outranked by a corresponding one of the high dealer hand, medium dealer hand, and low dealer hand, respectively, and another of the high player hand, medium player hand, and low player hand is of equal rank to a corresponding other of the high dealer hand, medium dealer hand, and low dealer hand, respectively. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resolving the ante wager by comparing the high player hand to the high dealer hand comprises ranking the high player hand and the high dealer hand according to the following hand ranking, in descending order: four aces, four-card royal flush, four-card non-royal straight flush, non-ace four of a kind, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resolving the ante wager by comparing the medium player hand to the medium dealer hand comprises ranking the medium player hand and the medium dealer hand according to the following hand ranking, in descending order: pair and high card. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resolving the ante wager by comparing the low player hand to the low dealer hand comprises ranking the low player hand and the low dealer hand according to the following hand ranking, in descending order: ace, king, queen, jack, and ten through 2. 
     
     
         13 . A method of administering a wagering game, comprising:
 accepting an ante wager from a player by receiving a physical, monetarily valuable wagering element in a designated ante wager betting area on a surface of a gaming table;   dealing seven cards from a set of randomized, physical cards comprising at least one deck of at least 52 standard playing cards to each player position and a dealer position;   accepting the player's arrangement of the cards dealt to the player into a four-card high player hand, a two-card medium player hand, and a one-card low player hand or arranging the cards dealt to the player into a four-card high player hand, a two-card medium player hand, and a one-card low player hand;   arranging the cards dealt to the dealer position into a four-card high dealer hand, a two-card medium dealer hand, and a one-card low dealer hand;   resolving the ante wager by comparing the high player hand to the high dealer hand, the medium player hand to the medium dealer hand, and the low player hand to the low dealer hand;   paying a payout on the ante wager to the player when two of the high player hand, medium player hand, and low player hand outrank a corresponding two of the high dealer hand, medium dealer hand, and low dealer hand, respectively, by transferring physical, monetarily valuable wagering elements to a designated player area;   collecting an amount of the ante wager when two of the high player hand, medium player hand, and low player hand are outranked by a corresponding two of the high dealer hand, medium dealer hand, and low dealer hand, respectively, by retrieving from the ante wager betting area on the surface of the gaming table each wagering element associated with the ante wager accepted from the player; and   collecting the amount of the ante wager when one of the high player hand, medium player hand, and low player hand is outranked by a corresponding one of the high dealer hand, medium dealer hand, and low dealer hand, respectively, and another of the high player hand, medium player hand, and low player hand is of equal rank to a corresponding other of the high dealer hand, medium dealer hand, and low dealer hand, respectively.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one deck of at least 52 standard playing cards comprises dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising at least one 52-card deck of standard playing cards and at least one wild card. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one 52-card deck of standard playing cards and the at least one wild card comprises dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one 52-card deck of standard playing cards and at least one joker, the joker being designated as a wild card. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one 52-card deck of standard playing cards and the at least one wild card comprises dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one 52-card deck of standard playing cards and the at least one wild card, the at least one wild card being designated as an ace or as any card completing a straight or a flush. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards comprising the at least one deck of at least 52 standard playing cards comprises dealing the seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards composed of only one 52-card deck of standard playing cards. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein resolving the ante wager by comparing the high player hand to the high dealer hand comprises ranking the high player hand and the high dealer hand according to the following hand ranking, in descending order: four aces, four-card royal flush, four-card non-royal straight flush, non-ace four of a kind, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein resolving the ante wager by comparing the medium player hand to the medium dealer hand comprises ranking the medium player hand and the medium dealer hand according to the following hand ranking, in descending order: pair and high card. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein resolving the ante wager by comparing the low player hand to the low dealer hand comprises ranking the low player hand and the low dealer hand according to the following hand ranking, in descending order: ace, king, queen, jack, and ten through 2. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising accepting an optional bonus wager in a designated player bonus wager area on the surface of the gaming table on the occurrence that the player holds a predetermined winning hand, and playing the player a payout when the player holds a predetermined winning hand. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of arranging the cards dealt to the dealer is made by the dealer.