Gaming device and system and method for providing poker-blackjack game

A method of playing a card game with players and a dealer in a computing system comprising at least one server to host the card game and at least one computing device communicably coupled to the at least one server through a communication network, the method comprising:

• (a) obtaining wagers from each player through the at least one computing device, the wagers being of equal value and including a first wager and a second wager;
• (b) dealing to the each player and the dealer, in turn, three cards through the at least one server, wherein each of the cards dealt to a player is dealt face up;
• (c) obtaining a decision from the each player through the at least one computing device as to whether to draw one or more additional cards, and if so, providing the one or more additional cards through the at least one server;
• and
• (d) determining a total score of the player's cards through the at least one server for establishing the formation of a blackjack hand for the each player, wherein the blackjack hand is a 31-point blackjack hand formed when the total score is up to a maximum of 31 points;
• and
• (e) determining whether a player has won by comparing the player's cards with the dealer's cards through the at least one server based on the total score, and determining if the player's cards beat the dealer's cards according to both a highest poker hand and also according to a the 31-poker blackjack hand, through the at least one server.

A method of operating a gaming system, wherein a game is played between a dealer and at least one player, said method comprising:

• (a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one input device to receive a first wager and a second wager, the first and second wagers being of equal value, from a first player for a play of a game;
• (b) after receiving the first and second wagers, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions stored in the at least one memory device to determine a plurality of playing cards for an initial player hand and an initial dealer hand for said play of the game from a virtual deck of playing cards;
• (c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions stored in the at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display the plurality of cards of the initial player hand face up and to display the plurality of cards of the initial dealer hand face-up with one card dealt face down;
• (d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions stored in the at least one memory device to operate with the at least one input device to receive an optional request from the first player for at least one player draw card from the virtual deck of playing cards;
• (e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions stored in the at least one memory device to operate with the at least one display device to display the at least one player draw card face-up into the initial player hand from the virtual deck of playing cards;
• (f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions stored in the at least one memory device to operate with the at least one display device to display the face down card from the initial dealer hand displayed face-up, with the option for at least one dealer draw card to also be dealt face up;
• (g) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions stored in the at least one memory device to determine whether the initial player hand and the at least one player draw card hand beats the initial dealer hand and the at least one dealer draw card according to both a highest poker hand and also according to a blackjack hand played according to a blackjack point total of 31 points;
• (h) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions stored in the at least one memory device to determine any awards to be provided to the first player based on the comparison to the dealer hand and according to a pay table;
• and
• (i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions stored in the at least one memory device to cause any determined awards to be provided to the first player.