GB2388793A - A gaming machine with high / low side game - Google Patents

Abstract

A gaming machine incorporating a display, an electronic control mechanism 3 and a high/low control device allowing the representation of a playing card 4 to be replaced by another if a user successfully predicts whether the new representation of a card is higher or lower than the previous representation. Optionally, an award may be made in respect of a combination of cards representing a winning poker or blackjack sequence. Preferably players can play against a "dealer" either individually or as part of a multi-player game.

Description

Improvements relating to card play gaming machines Gaming machines exist

whereby card games are simulated on the display of the screen of the machine and the user can instruct "play" of cards from a stack in an attempt to 5 achieve a winning combination. For example, games such as blackjack and poker can be simulated on such machines.

It is an object of this invention to enhance the method of play of such simulated card games and to provide the user with an added degree of skill in play of the 10 cards. According to this invention there is provided a gaming machine incorporating a number of display regions where representations of any one card from a pack of playing cards can be displayed by an electronic control mechanism, 15 and a high/low control device enabling the representation of one playing card to be replaced by another at a display region if the user successfully predicts whether that new representation of a card is higher or lower in value than the previous card representation.

23 By operating the high/low control device the user can attempt to improve the quality of the set of cards in play.

For example, if the gaming machine is simulating the play of a game of blackjack, then the user might wish to try to increase or reduce the value of one of the cards in play so 25 as to try to achieve a better overall score towards the maximum score of 21, but without exceeding that level. If the user operates the high/low control device, but fails in

( his prediction, then that play of the game can be brought to a conclusion and the user will lose.

If the gaming machine is simulating play of a poker card game, then the user might wish to try to improve his 5 hand to achieve a winning combination or sequence by operating the high/low control device on any particular card displayed. As a further feature an award could be made in respect of a combination of cards representing a winning poker sequence or combination which is built up in 10 a stack on one card display region following successive successful operations of the high/low control device.

A poker or blackjack game can be played in one of two alternative ways. Firstly, the user could just attempt to achieve winning sequences or combinations of cards and 15 accept prizes awarded for such combinations or sequences.

Alternatively, the machine could be constructed such that cards are illustrated as dealt to the user and to a "dealer", whereby the user attempts to achieve a better combination of cards than the dealer in the usual way. A 20 number of machines could be linked together by a network such that a multiple of players could play against a single "dealer" (whose play would be controlled by the machine).

The invention may be performed in various ways and a preferred example thereof will now be described, with 25 reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

f Figure 1 is an illustration of a display for playing the game of blackjack in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is an illustration of a display for playing the game of poker in accordance with the invention.

5 The displays illustrated in the drawings will now be described with reference to the manner of play when performing the game of blackjack or poker as follows.

Blackjack:Pontoon:Twenty-one (1) Play commences with a deal of card to player, card to 10 dealer, card to player (all three cards face up), card to dealer face down.

The player may elect to take additional card(s) (by pressing either of the TWIST or STICK buttons 1 or 2) to beat the dealer (second card still unknown) whilst trying 15 to stay below 21.

The dealer will show ''blackjack" immediately if drawn, draw to 16 or below, or stick on 17 or above.

Consider the case in Figure 1 where the dealer has K. exposed and the player's cards are low plus 3+ which equals 20 13. If the player immediately draws another card there are potentially 18 cards in the pack that would cause the player to "bust" and there are 30 that would improve the hand. However, there are potentially it cards in the pack "higher in value" than the 104 and there are 37 lower. For 25 the "Hi-Lo" gamble Knave, Queen and King are considered "higher in value" than 10. It is therefore in the player's interest to opt for a "Hi-Lo" gamble on the low and go "Lo"

by selecting the relevant one of the buttons 3. If the player draws a card higher than 10, the player loses and the game terminates. The player wins the gamble by drawing any card lower than 10. If that is, say 8, he now holds 5 8' plus 3* equalling 11 with all 47 remaining cards in the pack offering an improvement as a draw card. The player has the option to make a further "Hi-Lo" gamble on the 8' or the 3. or to draw a third card.

Blackjack:Pontoon:Twenty-one (2) 10 As (1) above, but the dealer's cards are not drawn until the player has completed his play sequence and decided to "stick". Cards previously exposed prior to the "Hi-Lo" gamble are still visible (as at 4) and cannot be drawn by the banker.

15 Poker (1) Basic "hold and draw" poker with awards paid against standard poker hands is illustrated in Figure 2.

The player is dealt five cards face up. The player can hold any of the cards (by operating the relevant HOLD 20 button 5) and draw (by pressing the DRAW button 6) to replace un-held cards. Alternatively, the player can make a "Hi-Lo" gamble on any card(s) by pressing the relevant button 7. A failed "Hi-Lo" gamble results the end of the game. A successful "Hi- Lo" gamble results in a further 25 card being stacked on the "table" with all cards in a stack 8 being visible to the player. Successive "Hi-Lo" gambles may be made on a card "stack". Any card that has been

"gambled" is considered "held". At any time the player can draw from the pack to replace any un-held cards.

Poker (2) As (1) above, but a failed "Hi-Lo" gamble removes the 5 gambled stack from the player's hand and thus limits the available prize. The player can lose up to three "Hi-Lo" gamble stacks as the lowest win is a pair.

Poker (3) As (1) above, but if a gambled stack forms a winning 10 hand, then this is paid in addition to the basic hand.

Poker (4, 5, 6) As (1, 2 and 3) above, but the player and dealer are dealt separate hands. The player must beat the dealer's cards to win. The dealer does not have the "Hi-Lo" gamble 15 option. For both the blackjack and poker games it is possible to have a number of machines linked together by a network (in many and various ways, all of which are in the public domain) such that multiple players can play against a 20 single dealer.

Whilst the above description has referred to a machine

simulating play using a single "pack" of cards, the system and features can support the following typical play scenarios: 25 a) 52 card pack, shuffled at the start of each game; b) 52 card pack, shuffled when credit on the machine reaches zero i.e. multiple games within a session;

- c) as 1 or 2, but with 1 or more "jokers" or "wild cards"; and d) as 1, 2 or 3, but with 2 or more packs of cards "shuffled together".

5 As with all card games the number and distribution of cards affect the game, but the odds are always in favour of the "house", or in this case, the machine. Obviously, option d) increased the house "edge", due to the additional cards, whilst options b) and c) favour the intelligent 10 player. In each case, the machine may be configured to display the card sequence to the player following each shuffle.

Claims (6)

( CLAIMS

1. A gaming machine incorporating a number of display regions where representations of any one card from a pack 5 of playing cards can be displayed by an electronic control mechanism, and a high/low control device enabling the representation of one playing card to be replaced by another at a display region if the user successfully predicts whether that new representation of a card is 10 higher or lower in value than the previous card representation.

2. A gaming machine according to claim 1, constructed such that an award is made in respect of a combination of cards representing a winning poker sequence or combination 15 which is built up in a stack on one card display region following successive successful operations of the high/low control device.

3. A gaming machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, constructed such that the user can attempt to achieve 20 winning sequences or combinations of cards and accept prizes awarded for such combinations or sequences.

4. A gaming machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, constructed such that cards are illustrated as dealt to the user and to a "dealer", whereby the user can attempt to 25 achieve a better combination of cards than the dealer in the usual way.

5. A gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to

4, linked together in a network number of similar machines, such that a multiple of players can play against a single "dealer".

6. A gaming machine substantially as herein described 5 with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Any novel combination of features of a gaming machine as described herein and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.