Systems and methods for assisting players in arranging hands for table games
A system and method for enabling play of a casino table card game. Multiple randomized sets of playing cards of known composition are formed and delivered, and are set by following automatically generated house way instructions. An automatic card shuffler is configured to deliver randomized sets of physical cards, the shuffler equipped with a playing card reading system that reads at least one of a rank and suit of markings on each of the playing cards. A processor receives the read card information from the playing card reading system and determines a composition of each individual set of playing cards dispensed. At least one display is in communication with a processor programmed with house way rules for displaying instructions on how to set hands from a distributed set of cards a house way. Processors of the present invention may also cause a display of a house commission amount.
1. A system for enabling play of a casino table card game in which at least one of a rank and suit of a set of playing cards is automatically determined, multiple randomized sets of playing cards of known composition are delivered to players in the game, the system comprising:
a card handling device configured to deliver randomized sets of physical playing cards, the card handling device equipped with a playing card reading system for reading at least one of a rank and suit markings on each of the playing cards, wherein the card handling device is operably coupled to a processor to receive the read card information from the playing card reading system and programmed to determine a composition of each individual set of playing cards delivered;
a gaming table with a gaming surface; and
at least one video monitor associated with the gaming table in communication with a processor programmed with rules on how to set hands from delivered randomized sets of cards and operable to display information to assist at least one of a dealer and a player in arranging respective players' hands received from the processor programmed with the rules.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the casino table card game enabled is Pai Gow Poker and the processor is programmed to cause the at least one video monitor to display a rank, suit or rank and suit of a two-card low hand.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is programmed to cause the at least one video monitor to display a rank, suit or rank and suit of at least one of a five-card high hand and a two-card low hand.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the casino table card game enabled is Pai Gow Poker and the processor is programmed to receive a dealer input instruction from a touch screen or buttons to cause the at least one video monitor to display an arrangement of playing cards for a particular player position.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable to access information on a wager amount from a specific player position and to cause the at least one video monitor to display information on a commission that is taken from the wager amount when a player hand comprises a winning event.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the card handling device is configured to deliver randomized sets of seven cards each and the processor has access to a compiled file of decisions made in arranging hands according to the rules during a Pai Gow game and, at a time during play of the game, and the processor is programmed to cause an arrangement of a player's hand to be displayed according to the compiled file of decisions into at least one of a five-card hand and a two-card hand from the randomized sets of seven cards in each player's hand.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one video monitor is flush-mounted into the gaming surface.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one video monitor is pole-mounted proximate the gaming surface.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the composition of each set of cards is stored in memory.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor programmed with the rules on how to arrange hands is the processor of the card handling device.
11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the compiled file of decisions is compiled using a separate utility program.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further programmed with game rules for determining game outcome.
13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a dealer input that enables the dealer to request a display of information for arranging a particular hand of cards at the gaming table according to the rules.
14. A method of operating a casino table card game using physical playing cards, the method comprising:
providing a complete set of playing cards for use in the casino table card game;
receiving a wager on the casino table card game from one or more game positions;
forming a randomized set of cards for each of the one or more game positions from the complete set;
reading a rank and suit of playing cards in each randomized set of cards with a reader;
communicating the read rank and suit information for each randomized set to a processor;
the processor identifying each individual card in the randomized set dealt to each of the one or more game positions;
the processor programmed with rules for determining one or more ways to arrange a hand with cards from the randomized set at each of the one or more game positions; and
the processor sending data to be displayed as information on at least one monitor of the one or more determined ways to arrange the hand.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the rules are initially determined according to a decision tree and a file of all decisions made in the decision tree is compiled and saved in memory accessible to the processor and used in displaying the information on the at least one monitor.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising compiling the file of all decisions made in the decision tree using a separate utility program.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising storing a composition of each randomized set of cards in memory.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the processor sending data to be displayed as information of the one or more determined ways to arrange the hand on the at least one monitor is automatic.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the processor sending data to be displayed as information of the one or more determined ways to arrange the hand on the at least one monitor is responsive to dealer request.
20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the processor determining an outcome of the casino table card game according to game rules.