Method and apparatus for a poker game

A computerized method for playing an game having a number of rows R and a number of columns C arranged in an R×C matrix, where R defines the number of rows displayed to a player and where C defines the number of columns displayed to the player, the method comprising:

• providing a display configured for displaying a plurality of symbol positions within the rows and columns of the R×C matrix, wherein each symbol position is defined by the intersection of a row and a column, wherein the number of symbol positions in each column are defined by the number of rows in the R×C matrix;
• providing a matrix having a plurality of positions arranged in rows and columns for receiving a plurality of virtual playing cards;
• providing a plurality of pay lines, each pay line associated with a preselected number of positions from the plurality of symbol positions;
• receiving an indication of a wager associated with one or more of the pay lines;
• randomly selecting virtual playing cards and thereafter populating the plurality of symbol positions with the randomly generated virtual playing cards;
• displaying the matrix and the virtual playing cards in each of the plurality of symbol positions;
• providing an option for rearranging one or more of the virtual playing cards in the matrix;
• evaluating the matrix for winning poker combinations of virtual playing cards on the pay lines having a wager associated therewith, wherein the pay line identifies a plurality of virtual playing cards that make up a poker hand;
• and
• paying a player a winning wager associated with a pay line having a winning poker combination, said winning wager being determined based upon a multiple of the wager associated with a poker hand value.

A gaming system for playing a card game having a number of rows R and a number of columns C arranged in an R×C matrix, where R defines the number of rows displayed to a player and where C defines the number of columns displayed to the player, said gaming system comprising:

• at least one input device;
• at least one display;
• and
• at least one controller operative to:
• provide a plurality of symbol positions within the rows and columns of the R×C matrix, wherein each symbol position is defined by the intersection of a row and a column, wherein the number of symbol positions in each column are defined by the number of rows in the R×C matrix;
• provide a plurality of pay lines, each pay line associated with a preselected number of positions from the plurality of symbol positions;
• receive an indication of a wager associated with one or more of the pay lines from the player;
• for each position in a column, randomly select a symbol from the set of symbols;
• populate the plurality of symbol positions associated with each column with the randomly generated symbols;
• display the selected pay lines and the randomly generated symbols;
• evaluate the pay lines having a wager associated therewith for winning combinations of symbols, wherein the winning combinations identify a plurality of symbols that make up a predetermined combination of symbols in a pay table;
• and
• pay a player a winning wager associated with a pay line having a winning combination of symbols, said winning wager being determined based upon a multiple of the wager associated with the winning combination of symbols.