Rapid play poker gaming device

Abstract

Embodiments of this concept are directed to a video poker gaming device that deals five cards to a player and selects five more cards that represent the possible cards used in a later draw. From these ten cards, the gaming device if a winning combination above a threshold amount is possible. If such a winning combination is not possible, in some embodiments, the device automatically ends the game and deals a new hand. If a win over the threshold amount is possible, the gaming device allows the player to hold and draw cards. This increases the speed of play of the poker game and focuses game play on hands where winning combinations are likely.

1 . A poker gaming device comprising:
 at least one non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:
 receive a player input via a game actuating button to activate a poker game; 
 randomly select a plurality of cards to be used in the poker game; 
 display on a video display a first portion of the plurality of cards to the player as a dealt poker hand; 
 analyze the plurality of randomly selected cards to determine if the plurality of randomly selected cards can result in a minimum winning poker hand; 
 inform the player of at least one of the possible winning poker hands and allow the player to draw cards from a second portion of the plurality of cards not used in the dealt poker hand to replace cards used in the dealt poker hand when a minimum winning poker hand is determined to be possible from the plurality of randomly selected cards; and 
 prevent the player from drawing additional cards from the second portion of the plurality of cards not used in the dealt poker hand when a minimum winning poker hand is determined to not be possible from the plurality of randomly selected cards. 
   
     
     
         2 . The poker gaming device of  claim 1  wherein random selection of a plurality of cards to be used in the poker game comprises random selection of ten cards. 
     
     
         3 . The poker gaming device of  claim 2  wherein display of the first portion of the plurality of cards to the player as a dealt poker hand comprises display of five cards. 
     
     
         4 . The poker gaming device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to automatically display on the video display the second portion of the plurality of cards not used in the dealt poker hand before initiating a second poker game when a minimum winning poker hand is determined to not be possible from the plurality of randomly selected cards. 
     
     
         5 . The poker gaming device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to determine if a poker hand with an associated award above a threshold award amount is possible from the plurality of randomly selected cards. 
     
     
         6 . The poker gaming device of  claim 5  wherein the threshold award amount is zero. 
     
     
         7 . The poker gaming device of  claim 5  wherein the threshold award amount is greater than zero. 
     
     
         8 . The poker gaming device of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to:
 determine if the minimum winning poker hand with an associated award less than the threshold award amount is a final poker hand that would be reached using a most favorable poker strategy given only the dealt poker hand; and 
 automatically award the award value of the minimum winning poker hand when it is determined that the minimum winning poker hand is a final poker hand that would be reached using the most favorable poker strategy given only the dealt poker hand. 
 
     
     
         9 . The poker gaming device of  claim 8  wherein the most favorable poker strategy given only the first dealt poker hand uses a maximum theoretical advantage in determining which of the portion of the plurality of cards would be held. 
     
     
         10 . The poker gaming device of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to permit the threshold award amount to be altered by the player. 
     
     
         11 . A poker gaming device comprising:
 at least one non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:
 operate a rapid play poker gaming session by randomly selecting a plurality of cards to be used in the poker gaming session; 
 display on a display a first portion of the plurality of cards to the player as a dealt poker hand; 
 analyze the plurality of randomly selected cards to determine if the plurality of cards can result in a minimum winning poker hand; 
 inform the player of at least one of the possible winning poker hands; 
 allow the player to draw cards from a second portion of the plurality of cards not used in the dealt poker hand to replace cards used in the dealt poker hand when a minimum winning poker hand is determined to be possible from the plurality of randomly selected cards; and 
 prevent the player from drawing additional cards from the second portion of the plurality of cards not used in the dealt poker hand when a minimum winning poker hand is determined to not be possible from the plurality of randomly selected cards. 
   
     
     
         12 . The poker gaming device of  claim 11  wherein randomly selecting a plurality of cards to be used in the poker gaming session comprises a random selection of ten cards. 
     
     
         13 . The poker gaming device of  claim 11  wherein display of the first portion of the plurality of cards to the player as a dealt poker hand comprises display of five cards. 
     
     
         14 . The poker gaming device of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to receive a signal from a gaming button corresponding to a replaced card in the dealt poker hand. 
     
     
         15 . The poker gaming device of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to receive a signal from a single-game game initiating button to initiate a single game event. 
     
     
         16 . The poker gaming device of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to operate the single game event by determining and displaying on the display of the poker gaming device the single game event. 
     
     
         17 . A poker gaming device comprising:
 at least one non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:
 receive an input to initiate a poker game via a game actuating button; 
 select a plurality of cards for the poker game, the plurality of cards including a first set of cards and a second set of cards; 
 analayze the first and second sets of cards via the programmed processor to evaluate whether the combination of the first and second sets of cards can be combined to create at least one minimum winning poker hand; 
 display the first set of cards and at least one of the possible winning poker hands to the player; 
 wait for a player input when the first and second sets of cards can be combined to meet a predefined criterion; and 
 display a non-preferred game sequence to end the poker game when the first and second sets of cards cannot be combined to create the at least one minimum winning poker hands. 
   
     
     
         18 . The poker gaming device of  claim 17  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to analyze the first and second sets of cards to evaluate whether a combination of the first and second sets of cards is associated with an award amount greater than a predefined threshold amount. 
     
     
         19 . The poker gaming device of  claim 18  wherein the analysis is done using a best theoretical poker strategy in holding cards. 
     
     
         20 . The poker gaming device of  claim 17  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to:
 receive a player input to hold cards from the first set of cards; 
 draw cards from the second set of cards to replace any card not held from the first set of cards; and 
 display a final poker hand when the first and second sets of cards can be combined to meet a predefined criterion.