Cards and Card Games

Abstract

A method and apparatus to play a blackjack game that includes giving a player of the blackjack game an opportunity to add a face-up card from the dealer's initial hand to the player's initial blackjack hand, dealing cards to the player until the player's hand is complete according to the rules of blackjack, and dealing cards to the dealer until the dealer's hand is complete according to the rules of blackjack.

1 . A method to play blackjack comprising:
 dealing two playing cards from a deck of cards to a dealer, with at least one of the playing cards dealt face-up, to form the dealer's initial blackjack hand;   dealing two playing cards from the deck to a player to form the player's initial blackjack hand;   giving the player an opportunity to select the face-up card from the dealer's initial blackjack hand by removing the face-up card from the dealer's initial blackjack hand and by adding the face-up card to the player's blackjack hand.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 dealing a replacement card face-up to the dealer's blackjack hand if the player selected the face-up card from the dealer's initial blackjack hand. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 dealing cards to the player until the player's blackjack hand is complete according to the rules of blackjack; 
 dealing cards to the dealer until the dealer's blackjack hand is complete according to the rules of blackjack; and 
 determining the game's outcome according to the rules of blackjack. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising the player placing a wager on the outcome of the game prior to the playing cards being dealt to the dealer and the player. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising requiring the player to pay a fee for adding the face-up card from the dealer's initial blackjack hand to the player's blackjack hand. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 dealing cards to the player until the player's blackjack hand is complete according to the rules of blackjack; 
 dealing cards to the dealer until the dealer's blackjack hand is complete according to the rules of blackjack; and 
 determining the game's outcome according to the rules of blackjack. 
 
     
     
         7 . A video gaming apparatus for playing blackjack where the video gaming apparatus displays:
 two playing cards from a deck of cards to a dealer, with at least one of the playing cards dealt face-up, to form the dealer's initial blackjack hand;   dealing two playing cards from the deck to a player to form the player's initial blackjack hand;   giving the player an opportunity to select the face-up card from the dealer's initial blackjack hand by removing the face-up card from the dealer's initial blackjack hand and by adding the face-up card to the player's blackjack hand.   
     
     
         8 . The video gaming apparatus of  claim 7  further displaying
 dealing a replacement card face-up to the dealer's blackjack hand, if the player selected the face-up card from the dealer's initial blackjack hand; 
 dealing cards to the player until the player's blackjack hand is complete according to the rules of blackjack; 
 dealing cards to the dealer until the dealer's blackjack hand is complete according to the rules of blackjack; and 
 determining the game's outcome according to the rules of blackjack. 
 
     
     
         9 . The video gaming apparatus of  claim 8  further displaying the player placing a wager on the outcome of the game prior to the playing cards being dealt to the dealer and the player. 
     
     
         10 . The video gaming apparatus of  claim 9  further displaying requiring the player to pay a fee for adding the face-up card from the dealer's initial blackjack hand to the player's blackjack hand. 
     
     
         11 . A method of playing poker comprising:
 dealing 13 cards in a diamond configuration comprising a first row of one card, a second row of three cards, a third row of five cards, a fourth row of three cards, and a fifth row of one card;   the diamond configuration forming seven five card poker hands with the third card of the third row being the center card and common to the seven poker hands;   a first poker hand formed from the first row, the second row and the center card;   a second poker hand formed from a last card in the second row, the center cards and a last two cards from the third row, and a last card from the fourth row;   a third poker hand formed from the center card, the fourth row, and the fifth row;   a fourth poker hand formed from a first card in the second row, a first two cards in the third row, the center card, and a first card in the fourth row;   a fifth poker hand formed from the first row, a second card from the second row, the center card, a second card from the fourth row, and the fifth row;   a sixth poker hand formed from the third row including the center card;   a seventh poker hand formed from a second card from the second row, a second card from the third row, the center card, a fourth card from the third row, and a second card from the fourth row; and   comparing each hand to a pay table to determine any payouts.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  where the center card is not dealt until the player places a wager. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  where the center card is dealt face down and is not revealed until the player places a wager. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  where the player is permitted to place a wager on each poker hand individually. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 the player making a wager on one or more of the seven poker hands; 
 dealing the center card; 
 and the poker hands on which the player wagered being compared to a pay table. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 awarding a bonus if four aces are dealt to the card of the first row, the first card of the third row, the last card of the third row, and the card of the fifth row.