FOUR-CARD POKER GAME WITH VARIABLE WAGER
A casino game utilizes at least one deck of playing cards. Each player places at least one wager to participate in the casino game. A first number of cards is dealt to a dealer. The first number of cards is greater than the number of cards to be used in determination of a poker rank hand for the dealer. A second number of cards is dealt to each player. The second number of cards is greater than the number of cards to be used in determination of a poker rank hand for each player. The dealer discards at least one card to form a resulting single dealer hand. Each player discards at least one card to form a resulting player's hand. The number of cards in the resulting player's hand is equal to the number of cards in the resulting dealer's hand. Each player hand is resolved against the dealer's hand according to predetermined game rules. The player's initial wager must at least be matched with a Game bet (or Play bet) to remain in the game after the player has received his cards. The Game bet may be a multiple of the player's initial wager, for example, 1× to 5× the initial wager, or more.
1 . A method of operating a table with at least one physical deck of cards and a limited set of ante multiples defined based on a rank of a four-card player hand, the casino table bearing a layout illustrated to define at least one player position with an Ante area, a Play area, a Bonus area, the method comprising:
operating the table in a round of the method according to a set of rules defining an ordered combination of steps, the ordered combination of steps comprising:
receiving at the Ante area at least one physical token for an Ante and to indicate participation in the round of the method;
distributing, from at least one deck of intermixed cards and to a card receiving area designated on the layout of the table, six cards for a four-card dealer hand and five cards for a four-card player hand;
receiving a player-made election from an election set consisting of:
a fold, and
a Play in the form of at least one other physical token occupying the Play area and of an amount from a limited set of ante multiples defined, based on a rank of the four-card player hand, to consist of:
1×, 2×, and 3× the Ante for the rank of the four-card player hand at least equaling a triple-down threshold rank; and
1× the Ante for the rank of the four-card player hand exceeded by the triple-down threshold rank; and
after receiving the player-made election in the form of receiving the at least one other physical token in the Play area, resolving the Ante and the Play according to the set of rules.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein resolving the Ante and the Play according to the set of rules comprises resolving the Ante based at least in part on a comparison of a rank of the four-card dealer hand to a dealer qualification threshold rank.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the dealer qualification threshold rank is at least a king-high.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the triple-down threshold rank is a pair of aces.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ordered combination of steps further comprises, prior to the distributing, receiving at the Bonus area at least another physical token for a Bonus event.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the ordered combination of steps further comprises, after receiving the player-made election, resolving the Bonus event comprising applying a predetermined bonus threshold rank to the four-card player hand.
7 . A method of operating a table game with at least one physical deck of cards and a limited set of ante multiples defined based on a rank of a four-card player hand, the method comprising:
after receiving an Ante associated with a player, distributing cards from at least one physical deck of cards, comprising:
distributing six cards for a four-card dealer hand; and
distributing five cards for a four-card player hand;
after distributing the cards, receiving an election selected by the player from the options of:
a fold, and
a Play of an amount selected by the player from a limited set of ante multiples defined based on a rank of the four-card player hand, the limited set consisting of:
1× for the rank of the four-card player hand exceeded by a triple-down threshold ranking; and
1× to 3× for the rank of the four-card player hand at least equaling the triple-down threshold ranking; and
after receiving the election, resolving the Ante and the Play.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising, before resolving the Ante and the Play, applying the four-card dealer hand to a qualification threshold rank.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the qualification threshold rank is at least a king-high.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the triple-down threshold ranking is a pair of aces.
11 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising, before the distributing, receiving from the player entrance into a Bonus event.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, after receiving the election, resolving the Bonus event, comprising applying a bonus threshold rank to the rank of the four-card player hand.
13 . A method of operating a token collecting game with at least one physical deck of cards and a limited set of ante multiples defined based on a rank of a four-card player hand, the method comprising:
providing a physical game layout designating player positions and a dealer position, each of the player positions visually defining an Ante area and a Play area; and
operating the token collecting game in a round of the method according to a rules set, the round comprising:
receiving, from a player and at the Ante area, at least one physical token as an Ante and to indicate participation in the round;
dealing, on the physical game layout and from an inventory of intermixed physical playing cards, six cards for a four-card dealer hand and five cards for a four-card player hand;
after the dealing, accepting from the player an election selected during administration of the round from an election set consisting of:
a fold, leaving the Play area unoccupied, and
at least one additional physical chip occupying the Play area and of an amount selected by the player from a limited set of ante multiples defined based on a rank of the four-card player hand, the limited set consisting of:
1× for the rank of the four-card player hand exceeded by a triple-down threshold ranking; and
1×, 2×, and 3× for the rank of the four-card player hand at least equaling the triple-down threshold ranking; and
after accepting from the player the election, resolving the round based at least in part on a comparison of the rank of the four-card player hand to a rank of the four-card dealer hand.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the player positions of the physical game layout further visually defines a Super Bonus area adjacent the Ante area.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the player positions of the physical game layout further visually defines an equal (“=”) symbol between the Ante area and the Super Bonus area.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the physical game layout further comprises, adjacent the Super Bonus area, a pay table identifying winning hands associated with the Super Bonus area.
17 . The method claim 16 , wherein:
each of the player positions of the physical game layout further visually defines a Bonus area above the Ante area; and
the physical game layout further comprises, adjacent the Play area, another pay table identifying additional winning hands associated with the Bonus area.
18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the triple-down threshold ranking is a pair of aces.
19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein resolving the round comprises, before comparing the rank of the four-card player hand to the rank of the four-card dealer hand, comparing the rank of the four-card dealer hand to a predefined dealer qualification rank.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the dealer qualification rank is a king-high.