Gaming system and method providing a multiplayer card game with multiple fold options and interrelated bonuses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9626828-B2
Application number	US-201615060033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2016
Priority date	Jul 3, 2013
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a multiplayer card game with multiple fold options and interrelated bonuses. In one embodiment, the gaming system enables a player to input either a first fold input or a second different fold input should the player desire to fold the player's hand during a play of the card game. If the gaming system receives the first fold input from the player, the gaming system: (a) folds the player's hand, (b) automatically removes the player from the virtual table, and (c) automatically assigns the player to a second different virtual table for at least one subsequent play of the card game. If, on the other hand, the gaming system receives the second fold input from the player, the gaming system folds the player's hand and does not remove the player from the virtual table.

First claim

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A gaming system comprising:
a central controller communicatively connectable to multiple gaming machines and configured to:
(a) for each of a plurality of the multiple gaming machines, each of the plurality of the multiple gaming machines playable by a different one of a plurality of different players, assign the player of the gaming machine to a first one of a plurality of different virtual tables;
(b) for a first play of a card game for the players at the first virtual table:
(i) for each player at the first virtual table, randomly determine and cause the gaming machine of that player to display a hand of one or more cards;
(ii) for each player at the first virtual table, before termination of the first play of the card game, cause the gaming machine of that player to enable input of a designated input;
(iii) for each received designated input, fold the hand of player who input that designated input, remove that player from the first virtual table before termination of the first play of the card game, and assign that player to a second different virtual table for at least one subsequent play of the card game;
(iv) determine an outcome for the first play of the card game;
(v) cause the gaming machine of each remaining player at the first virtual table to display the determined outcome; and
(vi) provide any awards associated with the determined outcome, wherein a credit balance of at least one player remaining at the first virtual table is increasable based on any awards associated with the determined outcome, the credit balance also being increasable via a deposit of funds having a monetary value equal to a monetary value of one or more physical items of currency, the credit balance being decreasable via a cashout button; and

(c) provide a second play of the card game at the first virtual table for at least each player remaining at the first virtual table following the first play of the card game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the central controller is configured to, if the determined outcome is a designated winning outcome for one of the players at the first virtual table, increment a streak counter of that player.

3. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the central controller is configured to provide a bonus award to that player if, after incrementing the streak counter, a value of the streak counter is at least a designated value.

4. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the central controller is configured to, for each player for whom the determined outcome is not the designated winning outcome, reset a value of a streak counter of that player to an initial value.

5. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the central controller is configured to, for each received designated input, reset a value of a streak counter of the player who input that designated input to an initial value.

6. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the central controller is configured to, if the streak counter of that player reaches a designated value, designate that player as a table leader.

7. The gaming system of claim 6 , wherein the central controller is configured to, if another player replaces that player as the table leader, provide that other player a bonus award.

8. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the central controller is configured to, if a player's credit balance is reduced to zero following the first play of the card game, provide a bonus award to the player who won the first play of the card game.

9. The gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the first play of the card game is part of a tournament.

10. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
(a) for each of a plurality of gaming machines each played by a different one of a plurality of different players, assigning, via a central controller, the player of said gaming machine to a first one of a plurality of different virtual tables;
(b) for a first play of a card game for the players at the first virtual table:
(i) for each player at the first virtual table, randomly determining, via the central controller, and causing, via the central controller, the gaming machine of that player to display a hand of one or more cards;
(ii) for each player at the first virtual table, before termination of the first play of the card game, causing, via the central controller, the gaming machine of that player to enable input of a designated input;
(iii) for each received designated input, folding, via the central controller, the hand of the player who input that designated input, removing, via the central controller, that player from the first virtual table before termination of the first play of the card game, and assigning, via the central controller, that player to a second different virtual table for at least one subsequent play of the card game;
(iv) determining, via the central controller, an outcome for the first play of the card game;
(v) causing, via the central controller, the gaming machine of each remaining player at the first virtual table to display the determined outcome; and
(vi) providing, via the central controller, any awards associated with the determined outcome, wherein a credit balance of at least one player remaining at the first virtual table is increasable based on any awards associated with the determined outcome, the credit balance also being increasable via a deposit of funds having a monetary value equal to a monetary value of one or more physical items of currency, the credit balance being decreasable via a cashout button; and

(c) providing, via the central controller, a second play of the card game at the first virtual table for at least each player remaining at the first virtual table following the first play of the card game.

11. The method of claim 10 , which includes, if the determined outcome is a designated winning outcome for one of the players at the first virtual table, incrementing, via the central controller, a streak counter of that player.

12. The method of claim 11 , which includes providing, via the central controller, a bonus award to that player if after incrementing the streak counter, a value of the streak counter is at least a designated value.

13. The method of claim 12 , which includes, for each player for whom the determined outcome is not the designated winning outcome, resetting, via the central controller, a value of a streak counter of that player to an initial value.

14. The method of claim 12 , which includes, for each received designated input, resetting, via the central controller, a value of a streak counter of the player who input that designated input to an initial value.

15. The method of claim 12 , which includes, if the streak counter of that player reaches a designated value, designating, via the central controller, that player as a table leader.

16. The method of claim 15 , which includes, if another player replaces that player as the table leader, providing, via the central controller, that other player a bonus award.

17. The method of claim 10 , which includes, if a player's credit balance is reduced to zero following the first play of the card game, providing, via the central controller, a bonus award to the player who won the first play of the card game.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first play of the card game is part of a tournament.

19. The method of claim 10 , which is provided through a data network.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the data network is an internet.

Assignees

• Igt Reno Nev

Inventors

• Montano Andreas C

Classifications

• G07F17/3262

  Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played · CPC title

• G07F17/3293

  Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack · CPC title

• G07F17/3283

  wherein the number of active machines is limited · CPC title

• G07F17/3223 Primary

  Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, leader-follower, wireless communication · CPC title

• G07F17/3267

  Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games · CPC title