Gaming system and method for providing awards based on accumulating symbols over a predefined quantity of card games played

A gaming system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• for each of a plurality of non-designated plays of a multiple hand poker game of a playing card accumulation sequence comprising a predefined quantity of plays of the multiple hand poker game including a designated play of the multiple hand poker game:
• cause a display, by a display device, of a first primary hand of playing cards comprising a playing card displayed at each of a plurality of playing card positions,
• for each of the plurality of playing card positions of the first primary hand of playing cards, as a result of the displayed playing card at that playing card position of the first primary hand of playing cards being a designated playing card and no designated playing card being previously accumulated in association with that playing card position, accumulate the displayed designated playing card in association with that playing card position,
• determine any award for the first primary hand of playing cards and a first secondary hand of playing cards of that non-designated play of the multiple hand poker game, the first secondary hand of playing cards comprising any held playing cards of the first primary hand of playing cards duplicated into the first secondary hand of playing cards, and
• cause a display, by the display device, of any determined award for the first primary hand of playing cards and the first secondary hand of playing cards of that non-designated play of the multiple hand poker game, wherein which of the plays of the multiple hand poker game of the playing card accumulation sequence are non-designated plays of the multiple hand poker game are predetermined prior to any of the predefined quantity of plays of the multiple hand poker game of the playing card accumulation sequence, and
• for the designated play of the multiple hand poker game of the playing card accumulation sequence comprising the predefined quantity of plays of the multiple hand poker game:
• as a result of any designated playing cards being accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the multiple hand poker game of the playing card accumulation sequence, modify a parameter of the designated play of the multiple hand poker game,
• cause a display, by the display device, of a second primary hand of playing cards comprising a playing card displayed at each of the plurality of playing card positions, wherein a playing card of the second primary hand of playing cards is based on the modified parameter of the designated play of the multiple hand poker game,
• determine any award for the second primary hand of playing cards and a second secondary hand of playing cards of the designated play of the multiple hand poker game, the second secondary hand of playing cards comprising any held playing cards of the second primary hand of playing cards duplicated into the second secondary hand of playing cards, and
• cause a display, by the display device, of any determined award for the second primary hand of playing cards and the second secondary hand of playing cards of the designated play of the multiple hand poker game, wherein which play of the multiple hand poker game is the designated play of the multiple hand poker game is predetermined prior to any of the predefined quantity of plays of the multiple hand poker game of the playing card accumulation sequence.

A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

• for each of a plurality of non-designated plays of a poker game of a playing card accumulation sequence comprising a predefined quantity of plays of the poker game including a designated play of the poker game:
• displaying, by a display device and at each of a plurality of playing card positions, a playing card selected from a deck of playing cards,
• for each of the plurality of playing card positions, as a result of the displayed playing card displayed at that playing card position being a designated playing card and no designated playing card being previously accumulated in association with that playing card position, accumulating, by a processor, the displayed designated playing card in association with that playing card position,
• determining, by the processor, any award for that non-designated play of the poker game, and
• displaying, by the display device, any determined award for that non-designated play of the poker game, wherein which of the plays of the poker game of the playing card accumulation sequence are non-designated plays of the poker game are predetermined prior to any of the predefined quantity of plays of the poker game of the playing card accumulation sequence, and
• for the designated play of the poker game of the playing card accumulation sequence comprising the predefined quantity of plays of the poker game:
• as a result of any designated playing cards being accumulated for the plurality of non-designated plays of the poker game of the playing card accumulation sequence, modifying, by the processor, a parameter of the designated play of the poker game,
• displaying, by the display device and at each of the plurality of playing card positions, a playing card selected from the deck of playing cards, wherein at least one of the playing cards displayed at at least one of the playing card positions is based on the modified parameter of the designated play of the poker game,
• determining, by the processor, any award for the designated play of the poker game, and
• displaying, by the display device, any determined award for the designated play of the poker game, wherein which play of the poker game is the designated play of the poker game is predetermined prior to any of the predefined quantity of plays of the poker game of the playing card accumulation sequence.