Online live dealer draw poker gaming system and method

1. A method performed by a gaming server for providing a hybrid game of draw poker, comprising:

receiving, by a processor via a communication interface, electronic indications of an initial set of physical cards after the initial set of physical cards are produced at a first location;

receiving, by the processor via the communication interface, electronic indications of a contingent set of physical cards after the contingent set of physical cards are produced at the first location;

providing the electronic indications of the initial set of physical cards to one or more remote game participants over a network;

receiving an indication from a first remote game participant to discard one or more physical cards of the initial set of physical cards;

assigning one or more physical cards of the contingent set of physical cards as first replacement cards to the first remote game participant; and

determining a final game value for the first game participant based on the initial physical cards not discarded by the first remote player and the one or more first replacement cards.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an indication from a second remote game participant to discard one or more physical cards of the initial set of physical cards;

assigning one or more physical cards of the contingent set of physical cards as second replacement cards to the second remote game participant; and

determining a final game outcome between the first game participant and the second game participant based on the initial physical cards not discarded by the first remote game participant and the one or more first replacement cards, and the initial physical cards not discarded by the second remote game participant and the one or more second replacement cards.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

excluding, by the processor, card values relating to the initial set of physical cards and card values relating to the contingent set of physical cards from a first electronic set of cards to form a first reduced set of electronic cards;

excluding, by the processor, card values relating to the initial set of physical cards and card values relating to the contingent set of physical cards from a second electronic set of cards to form a second reduced set of electronic cards;

generating, by the processor, one or more electronic cards for the first remote game participant from the first reduced set of electronic cards; and

generating, by the processor, one or more electronic cards for the second remote game participant from the second reduced set of electronic cards.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first replacement cards are different than the second replacement cards.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating, by the processor, one or more electronic cards for the first remote game participant, the one or more electronic cards excluding the initial set of physical cards and the contingent set of physical cards.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

providing the one or more electronic cards to the first remote game participant over the network to form an initial hand of the first remote game participant in connection with at least some of the initial physical cards.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving an indication over the network from the first remote game participant to discard a number of electronic cards and/or a number of the initial set of physical cards; and

providing an indication of one or more contingency card values to the first remote game participant over the network based on the number of discarded electronic cards and physical cards.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

providing the one or more electronic cards to the first remote game player;

receiving an indication over the network from the first remote game participant to discard one or more of the electronic cards and/or one or more of the initial set of physical cards; and

providing an indication to the first location over the network, directing a live dealer located at the first location to reveal at least one of the physical cards from the contingent set of physical cards.

9. A gaming server for providing a hybrid game of draw poker, comprising:

a communication interface for sending and receiving game-related information over a network;

a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; and

a processor, coupled to the communication interface and the memory, for executing the processor-executable instructions that causes the gaming server to:

receive, by the processor via the communication interface, electronic indications of an initial set of physical cards after the initial set of physical cards are produced at a first location;

receive, by the processor via the communication interface, electronic indications of a contingent set of physical cards after the contingent set of physical cards are produced at the first location;

provide, by the processor via the communication interface, the electronic indications of the initial set of physical cards to one or more remote game participants over the network;

receive, by the processor via the communication interface, an indication from a first remote game participant to discard one or more physical cards of the initial set of physical cards;

assign, by the processor, one or more physical cards of the contingent set of physical cards as first replacement cards to the first remote game participant; and

determine, by the processor, a final game value for the first game participant based on the initial physical cards not discarded by the first remote player and the one or more first replacement cards.

10. The gaming server of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions comprise further instructions that causes the gaming server to:

receive, by the processor via the communication interface, an indication from a second remote game participant to discard one or more physical cards of the initial set of physical cards;

assign, by the processor, one or more physical cards of the contingent set of physical cards as second replacement cards to the second remote game participant; and

determine, by the processor, a final game outcome between the first game participant and the second game participant based on the initial physical cards not discarded by the first remote game participant and the one or more first replacement cards, and the initial physical cards not discarded by the second remote game participant and the one or more second replacement cards.

11. The gaming server of claim 10 , wherein the processor-executable instructions comprise further instructions that causes the gaming server to:

exclude, by the processor, card values relating to the initial set of physical cards and card values relating to the contingent set of physical cards from a first electronic set of cards to form a first reduced set of electronic cards;

exclude, by the processor, card values relating to the initial set of physical cards and card values relating to the contingent set of physical cards from a second electronic set of cards to form a second reduced set of electronic cards;

generate, by the processor, one or more electronic cards for the first remote game participant from the first reduced set of electronic cards; and

generate, by the processor, one or more electronic cards for the second remote game participant from the second reduced set of electronic cards.

12. The gaming server of claim 10 , wherein the first replacement cards are different than the second replacement cards.

13. The gaming server of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions comprise further instructions that causes the gaming server to:

generate, by the processor, one or more electronic cards for the first remote game participant, the one or more electronic cards excluding the initial set of physical cards and the contingent set of physical cards.

14. The gaming server of claim 13 , wherein the processor-executable instructions comprise further instructions that causes the gaming server to:

provide, by the processor via the communication interface, the one or more electronic cards to the first remote game participant over the network to form an initial hand of the first remote game participant in connection with at least some of the initial physical cards.

15. The gaming server of claim 14 , wherein the processor-executable instructions comprise further instructions that causes the gaming server to:

receive, by the processor via the communication interface, an indication over the network from the first remote game participant to discard a number of electronic cards and/or a number of the initial set of physical cards; and

provide an indication of one or more contingency card values to the first remote game participant over the network based on the number of discarded electronic cards and physical cards.

16. The gaming server of claim 14 , wherein the processor-executable instructions comprise further instructions that causes the gaming server to:

provide the one or more electronic cards to the first remote game player;

receive an indication over the network from the first remote game participant to discard one or more of the electronic cards and/or one or more of the initial set of physical cards; and

provide an indication to the first location over the network, directing a live dealer located at the first location to reveal at least one of the physical cards from the contingent set of physical cards.