Card handling apparatus and related methods

Abstract

A system and method including card game dispensing shoe includes a scanner that discerns the value and suit of each card dispensed, and includes a CPU and a memory storing data such as rules for dealing cards, data representing player strategy criteria and card inventory data. The CPU, with the scanner data and wagering data can determine player proficiency in regards to player strategies, can determine whether the card inventory is in favor of the player, determine player first card advantage and can, on a floating basis, determine permitted deck penetration. The system and method can be incorporated into games to be broadcast over a communications network such as the Internet.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A game monitoring system for a Blackjack card game including a dealer hand at least one player hand of cards where a player makes a wager and exercises options with respect to the player's hand according to the rules of the game, the system comprising:
 a shoe including a housing having an outlet slot, said housing sized to store a plurality of playing cards defining a card inventory and configured for a dealer to dispense said cards one at a time through said outlet slot to complete said hands according to the rules of the game;   a scanner to scan said playing cards and generate a set of scanner signals determinative of the identity of cards dispensed from the shoe to each hand;   means for acquiring data representing the wager(s) made by the player;   a memory storing data representing at least one predetermined Blackjack game play criteria in relation to at least one of the player's wager or the cards dealt to at least one of said hands and data representing the constituency of the card inventory; and   a computer processor to receive said scanner signals and said wager data, said processor configured to compare said acquired data to said at least one predetermined game play criteria to determine adherence by the player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria, and further configured to select the number of cards to remain in the inventory and not dealt from the shoe for reconstitution and reshuffling of the inventory, said processor processing the scanner data to determine depletion of cards from the inventory by dealing, and to leave said selected number of cards undealt and in response thereto, sending a signal to command reconstitution and re-shuffling of the inventory.   
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  comprising said processor configured to alter said selected number of cards to remain in said inventory in response to said processor determining adherence by any player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  comprising a moveable barrier at said shoe outlet and said processor configured to control said barrier upon (i) determination of depletion of cards from the inventory by dealing to said selected number and (ii) completion of the current hand of play, to block further dealing of cards from said shoe. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  comprising increasing said selected number of cards in said inventory to remain undealt in response to said processor determining adherence by any player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  comprising said game play criteria comprising a card count system and said processor configured to, from said scanner signals determine a card count system advantage for said inventory according to said card count system. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  comprising a communication network in communication with at least one terminal located remotely from said game, a display for each terminal, means at each terminal for a remote player to input a wager according to the rules of the game, said processor configured to issue signals over said network to control the terminal display to display representations of the scanned cards dealt to each hand and determine whether the remote player has won or lost their wager. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  comprising a communication network in communication with at least one terminal located remotely from said game, a display for each terminal, means at each terminal for a remote player to input game play strategy decisions according to the rules of the game, said processor configured to issue signals over said network to control the terminal display to display representations of the scanned cards dealt to each hand and determine whether the remote player has won or lost their wager. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7  comprising a communication network in communication with at least one terminal located remotely from said game, a display for each terminal, means at each terminal for a remote player to input game play strategy decisions according to the rules of the game, said processor configured to issue signals over said network to control the terminal display to display representations of the scanned cards dealt to each hand and determine whether the remote player has won or lost their wager. 
     
     
       9. A game monitoring method for a Blackjack card game which includes a dealer hand at least one player hand of cards where a player makes a wager and exercises options with respect to the player's hand according to the rules of the game, the method comprising:
 dealing cards according to the rules of the game to the hands from a shoe which includes a housing having an outlet slot, said housing sized to store a plurality of playing cards defining a card inventory;   scanning said playing cards and generating a set of scanner signals determinative of the identity of cards dealt from the shoe to each hand; acquiring data representing the wager made by the player;   storing data in a memory representing at least one predetermined Blackjack game play criteria in relation to at least one of the player's wager or the cards dealt to at least one of said hands and data representing the constituency of the card inventory;   a computer processor receiving said scanner signals and said wager data, said processor comparing said acquired data to said at least one predetermined game play criteria to determine adherence by the player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria;   selecting the number of cards to remain in the inventory and not dealt from the shoe before reconstitution and reshuffling of the inventory; and   said processor processing the scanner data to determine depletion of cards from the inventory by dealing, and to leave said selected number of cards undealt and in response thereto sending a signal to command reconstitution and re-shuffling of the inventory.   
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  comprising said processor altering said selected number of cards to remain in said inventory in response to said processor determining adherence by any player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  further comprising providing a moveable barrier at said shoe outlet and said processor controlling said barrier upon (i) determination of depletion of cards from the inventory by dealing to said selected number and (ii) completion of the current hand of play, to block further dealing of cards from the shoe. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10  comprising increasing said selected number of cards in said inventory to remain undealt in response to said processor determining adherence by any player to said at least one predetermined game play criteria. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 9  comprising storing said criteria data as data representing a card count system and said processor determining a card count system advantage for said inventory according to said card count system. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 9  comprising establishing a communication link between said processor and at least one player terminal located remotely from said game, the player at the remote terminal inputting a wager according to the rules of the game, said processor issuing signals over said link controlling a display at the terminal to display said scanned cards dealt to each hand according to the rules of the game and determine whether the remote player has won or lost their wager. 
     
     
       15. A card handling apparatus, comprising:
 a card shoe that is separate from any card shuffling devices, the card shoe including a housing having a card inlet positioned at an exterior portion of the housing and a card outlet positioned at another exterior portion of the housing separate from the card inlet, the housing configured to dispense playing cards through the card outlet directly to a dealer; and   at least one barrier disposed within the housing and at the card outlet, the at least one barrier automatically movable between a blocking position in which at least one playing card stored in the housing is prevented from being dispensed through the card outlet and an unblocking position enabling the at least one playing card to be dispensed through the card outlet.   
     
     
       16. The card handling apparatus of claim 15, wherein the housing is configured to dispense playing cards through the card outlet one at a time when the at least one barrier is in the unblocking position. 
     
     
       17. The card handling apparatus of claim 15, further comprising at least one solenoid operatively coupled to move the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position. 
     
     
       18. The card handling apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one solenoid is operatively coupled to move the at least one barrier from the blocking position to the unblocking position and from the unblocking position to the blocking position. 
     
     
       19. The card handling apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a switch in communication with at least one mechanism for moving the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position, the switch configured to command the at least one mechanism to move the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position. 
     
     
       20. The card handling apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a processor in communication with at least one mechanism for moving the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position, the processor programmed to command the at least one mechanism to selectively move the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position. 
     
     
       21. The card handling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor is programmed to command the at least one mechanism to move the at least one barrier automatically responsive to a status of a card game. 
     
     
       22. The card handling apparatus of claim 21, further comprising at least one sensor operatively associated with the processor and configured to sense a status of the card game. 
     
     
       23. A card handling apparatus, comprising:
 a housing having a card outlet, the housing configured to dispense playing cards through the card outlet, the housing including a stationary card storage area positioned adjacent to the housing, the stationary card storage area being fixed relative to the housing;   at least one barrier disposed within the housing, the at least one barrier movable between a blocking position in which at least one playing card stored in the housing is prevented from being dispensed through the card outlet and an unblocking position enabling the at least one playing card to be dispensed through the card outlet;   a processor in communication with at least one mechanism for moving the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position, the processor programmed to command the at least one mechanism to selectively move the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position;   a scanner disposed in the housing to scan each playing card dispensed through the card outlet and to generate a signal representative of an identity of each card; and   a memory configured to store predetermined rules for a card game, wherein the processor is in communication with the scanner and the memory and programmed to process the signal and to identify each card dispensed through the card outlet, and wherein the processor is programmed to command the at least one mechanism to move the at least one barrier automatically responsive to the predetermined rules for the card game stored in the memory.   
     
     
       24. The card handling apparatus of claim 23, wherein the memory stores predetermined rules for Baccarat. 
     
     
       25. The card handling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one barrier is movable into the blocking position by the at least one mechanism responsive to the processor and movable into the unblocking position by the at least one mechanism responsive to the processor. 
     
     
       26. A method of handling cards, comprising:
 disposing a plurality of cards within a card shoe that is separate from any card shuffling devices, the card shoe comprising a housing having a card outlet;   positioning at least one barrier in a blocking position to prevent cards of the plurality of cards in the housing from being dispensed through the card outlet with the at least one barrier;   positioning the at least one barrier in an unblocking position to enable cards of the plurality of cards to be dispensed through the card outlet;   dispensing cards of the plurality of cards from the housing through the card outlet; and   moving the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position according to rules of a card game and responsive to a processor command.   
     
     
       27. The method of claim 26, further comprising moving the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position with at least one mechanism. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
 moving the at least one barrier to the blocking position with a solenoid; and   moving the at least one barrier to the unblocking position with a solenoid.   
     
     
       29. The method of claim 26, further comprising moving the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position responsive to a manually controlled switch. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 26, wherein moving the at least one barrier between the blocking position and the unblocking position responsive to a processor command comprises moving the at least one barrier according to rules of Baccarat.