Three card blackjack
AssigneeScore Gaming LLC
InventorMerrill Sparago
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a modified blackjack game between a dealer and at least one player. After placing initial wagers, three cards are dealt to each player and two cards dealt to the dealer. The game design allows players to either retain their initial three cards for play as a game hand, or divide their cards into separate game hands. Dividing cards into separate hands requires additional wagers. Players may play their one or more game hands by standing or hitting to reach a hand that is higher than the dealers without exceeding twenty-one. Players may divide their initial three card hand in any fashion that will provide them with the best opportunity to obtain a game hand under the conventional rules of blackjack.
Claims14
A method of playing a modified blackjack card game between a dealer and at least one player using at least one standard deck of 52-cards, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one deck of 52 playing cards;
- providing a dealer and at least one player;
- providing a game playing surface having sides, positioning the dealer and the player on opposite sides of the playing surface;
- receiving a first wager from the player;
- dealing three cards from the deck to the player to form an initial three-card hand, arranging all three cards of the initial three-card hand face up on the playing surface;
- dealing two cards from the deck to the dealer to form an initial two-card hand, arranging one card from the initial two-card hand face up on the playing surface and the other card face down on the playing surface;
- resolving the game in favor of the dealer if the total point value of the dealer's initial two-card hand is twenty-one;
- if the total point value of the dealer's initial two-card hand is anything other than twenty-one, then inviting the player to choose a game hand, said inviting step including the option of keeping the initial three-card hand as a single game hand or breaking down the initial three-card hand into multiple distinct game hands;
- after said inviting step, requiring the player choose between the steps of standing, hitting, doubling-down and surrendering each game hand as per the traditional rules of blackjack;
- turning the face down card of the dealer's initial two-card hand to a face up position on the playing surface;
- resolving each wager received from the player according to the traditional rules of blackjack.
A method of playing a wagering game, comprising:
- providing an electronic gaming machine configured to display images of playing cards on a display screen;
- providing a non-transitory computer readable medium coded with instructions and executed by a processor to perform the steps of:
- providing the mathematical equivalent of at least one deck of 52 playing cards;
- providing a graphical representation of a game playing surface on the display screen;
- providing a dealer location and at least one player location with respect to the playing surface;
- receiving a first wager from the player;
- dealing three cards from the deck to the player location to form an initial three-card hand, arranging all three cards of the initial three-card hand face up on the playing surface;
- dealing two cards from the deck to the dealer location to form an initial two-card hand, arranging one card from the initial two-card hand face up on the playing surface and the other card face down on the playing surface;
- resolving the game in favor of the dealer if the total point value of the dealer's initial two-card hand is twenty-one;
- if the total point value of the dealer's initial two-card hand is anything other than twenty-one, then inviting the player to choose a game hand, said inviting step including the option of keeping the initial three-card hand as a single game hand or breaking down the initial three-card hand into multiple distinct game hands;
- after said inviting step, requiring the player choose between the steps of standing, hitting, doubling-down and surrendering each game hand as per the traditional rules of blackjack;
- turning the face down card of the dealer's initial two-card hand to a face up position on the playing surface;
- resolving each wager received from the player according to conventional rules of blackjack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.