Method and system for playing games on a network

A method of playing a card game, comprising:

• generating electronic card representations for playing the card game;
• receiving player identification information prior to at least a first player playing the card game wherein said identification information is used to identify additional information related to the first player for use in subsequent instances of the card game;
• first playing a first instance of the card game between the first player and a substantially electronic game playing module, wherein said game playing module is dealt a first sequence of said card representations;
• second playing a second instance of the game between a second player and said game playing module, wherein said first and second card game instances overlap in time and wherein said game playing module is dealt a second sequence of card representations for playing said second instance of the card game;
• wherein said first and second sequences dealt to the game playing module have at least different card representations in at least one identical card representation position, in each of said first and second sequences.

A method of playing a card game electronically, comprising:

• generating one or more card representations for playing the card game;
• first playing a first instance of the card game between a first player and a game playing module, wherein the first player receives a first sequence of card representations;
• second playing a second instance of the card game between a second player and the game playing module, wherein said first and second card game instances overlap in time, and wherein the second player receives a second sequence of card representations;
• wherein, for an initial series of one or more plays by said first player using said first sequence, when said second player also initially plays said initial series of one or more identical plays using said second sequence, then for corresponding identical plays by said first and second players, their corresponding hands of card representations are identical;
• and
• wherein for substantially every play of said first instance by the first player, there is a corresponding transmission on a communications network between said game playing module and said first player, wherein said corresponding transmission occurs prior to a subsequent game play by the first user within said first instance.

A method of playing a card game, comprising:

• receiving at a destination node, via a communications network, player identification information prior to at least a first player playing the card game, wherein an address for the destination node is used by the first player for transmitting said player identification information to said destination node;
• generating card representations for playing said card game with at least the first player and a second player, wherein the first and second players obtain card representations via transmissions from a common address of a communications network;
• first transmitting of plays to a first player in a first game of said card game, wherein a first collection of one or more of said card representations is transmitted to the first player through the communications network;
• second transmitting of plays to a second player in a second game of said card game, wherein a second collection of one or more of the card representations is transmitted to the second player through the communications network;
• wherein said first and second collections are transmitted to said first and second players during an overlapping time period;
• ceasing to transmit card representations to the first player before said first game is completed;
• continuing to transmit card representations to the second player after said step of ceasing;
• terminating the playing of said second game with the second player;
• subsequently continuing to transmit one or more card representations to the first player, to play said first game in response to the first player requesting an additional collection of one or more card representations;
• commencing to transmit card representations to the second player for playing a third game of said card game, wherein a third collection of one or more card representations is transmitted to the second player and wherein the transmissions of the card representations for said additional collection and said third collection overlap in time.

A method of playing a game on the Internet, comprising:

• first receiving player identification at a game playing Internet accessible node (GPIAN) for first and second players;
• transmitting, via the Internet, from the GPIAN, first information related to communications between:
• (a) the GPIAN, and (b) a first Internet accessible node from which the first player communicates with the GPIAN;
• wherein said first information is utilized in subsequent Internet communications between the GPIAN and the first Internet accessible node;
• causing said first information to be stored on the first Internet accessible node so that it is available in subsequent different Internet connections by the first player;
• second receiving, via the Internet, at the GPIAN, first responsive information indicative of said first information being present on said first Internet accessible node;
• first playing with the first player a first game, wherein one or more game play representations are transmitted to the first player via the first Internet accessible node;
• second playing with the second player a second game, wherein one or more game play representations are transmitted to the second player and from the GPIAN while the first player is playing the first game;
• playing of a third game between said GPIAN and the second player, wherein a third collection of one or more game play representations is transmitted to the second player, and wherein the transmissions of the game play representations for the third collection and the first collection overlap in time;
• wherein said step of second receiving at the GPIAN occurs when the first player has reconnected the first Internet accessible node to the Internet after said first information has been stored on the first Internet accessible node and said first Internet accessible node has disconnected from the Internet.

A method of playing a game on a communications network, comprising:

• receiving, at a game playing node of the network, a request for selecting a pace of play of an instance of the game by a first user at a first node of the network;
• first transmitting game plays between said game playing node and the first user using network communications between the game playing node and the first node, wherein at least a second user has played an instance of the game;
• and
• transmitting to the first node a ranking of said second user, wherein the ranking is indicative of a proficiency of the second user in playing the game.

A method of playing a card game, comprising:

• receiving player identification information prior to at least a first player playing the card game;
• generating card representations for playing said card game with at least the first player and a second player, wherein the first and second players obtain card representations from a source node of a communications network accessed by a common communications network address;
• first playing, with a first player in a first game of said card game, wherein a first collection of one or more of said card representations is transmitted to the first player;
• second playing, with a second player in a second game of said card game, wherein a second collection of one or more card representations is transmitted to the second player, wherein said first and second card representation collections are transmitted to said first and second players during an overlapping time period;
• terminating the playing of said second game with the second player;
• commencing to transmit card representations to the second player for playing a third game of said card game, wherein a third collection of one or more card representations is transmitted to the second player during said third game, and wherein the transmissions of the card representations for said first collection for playing said first game, and said third collection for playing said third game overlap in time.

An apparatus for playing a game on a network, comprising:

• a display area for electronically displaying an instance of the game to a first user;
• an input area for allowing the first user to input a game play;
• a communications network connection for communicating, on a network, game related information, between:
• (a) one or more of said display and said input area, and (b) an addressable node on said network accessible by a network address available to said apparatus;
• wherein a plurality of users communicate with said addressable node for playing instances of the game;
• and
• wherein between at least a majority of game plays by the first user, there is a game play related network transmission via said communications connection;
• and
• a game speed of play control for allowing the first user to control the pace of the instance of the game.

An apparatus for playing a game on a network, comprising:

• a display area for electronically displaying an instance of the game;
• an input area for allowing a first user to input a game play for said instance of the game;
• a communications network connection for communicating game related information between said apparatus and a game controller, wherein said game controller communicates with said apparatus via a network, said network also connected to additional network nodes for allowing simultaneous play of instances of the game with the game controller by a plurality of users;
• a control for allowing the first user to cancel a previously entered wager;
• a card reader, wherein when an identification card identifying the first user is provided thereto, data identifying the first user is communicated to the game controller.

An apparatus for playing a card game electronically, comprising:

• a card generator for generating one or more electronic card representations for playing the card game;
• a game playing engine for playing a first electronic instance of the card game between a first player and a substantially electronic dealer module, wherein the first player is dealt a first sequence of the card representations, and wherein a second player plays a second instance of the card game with the dealer module so that said first and second card game instances overlap in time, and wherein the second player receives a second sequence of the card representations;
• and
• wherein, for an initial series of one or more plays by said first player using said first sequence, when said second player also initially plays said initial series of one or more identical plays using said second sequence, then for corresponding identical plays by said first and second players, their corresponding hands of card representations are identical.