US20070158908A1

US20070158908A1 - Card game and method of playing

Info

Publication number: US20070158908A1
Application number: US11/619,274
Authority: US
Inventors: Dan Gilbert Stone
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-01-09
Filing date: 2007-01-03
Publication date: 2007-07-12

Abstract

In a card game played with a deck of conventional playing cards, the face value of each card in each player's hand is added up. When the sum of the cards in each player's hand is more than one digit, the leading digit is removed to leave a single digit (e.g.; 13 is changed to 3, 20 is changed to 0, 25 to 5, and 18 to 8). In one implementation, the player with the single-digit value now closest to 8, without going over 8, is the winner.

Description

CROSS NOTING

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/743,110, filed on Jan. 9, 2006, titled Card Game and Method of Playing, by Dan Stone, which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to gaming. More particularly, the present invention relates to card games and methods for playing card games.

BACKGROUND

Numerous card games are known in the prior art. Some card games are predominantly games of skill in which a player's skill significantly increases his or her chance of winning. Other card games are predominantly games of chance in which winning or losing depends on the random chance of a certain card being turned rather than the skill of the player. Hosts of card games (e.g. casinos) seek to attract players by offering games that have a desirable balance of skill and chance while also being interesting. It would be an advance in the art to provide such card games.

SUMMARY

In each of the following implementations of the inventive card game, which are given in brief here by way of a summary of the same, the face value of each card in each player's hand is added up. When the sum of the cards in each player's hand is more than one digit, the leading digit is removed to leave a single digit (e.g.; 13 is changed to 3, 20 is changed to 0, 25 to 5, and 18 to 8).
In one implementation, each player is dealt two cards. Then, each player has the option of being dealt (“buying”) a third card for an additional bet. The player with the single-digit value now closest to 8, without going over 8, is the winner.
In another implementation, a player plays against all other players. In such implementations, there is no “House” playing against the players and, before any cards are dealt, each player bets an initial required wager, known as an “ante”. Each player is then dealt, clockwise, two cards—the first face up, the second face down. There is a round of betting after the first two cards are dealt, and a round of betting after each player still in the hand decides whether or not to buy a third card. When there are two or more hands of equal value, a hand with three cards beats a hand with only two cards. This and other variations of the player-versus-all-other-players version of the game may be played with a betting limit (“limit”) or without a betting limit (“no limit”).
In another implementation, each player plays against a dealer (“the House”) and, before any cards are dealt, each player bets an ante. Each player and the dealer are then dealt, clockwise beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, one card face up. Each player is then dealt in turn a second card, also face up. The dealer is then dealt a second card, face down. If a player's first two cards are 4 and 4, the player immediately receives his/her bet on that hand plus winnings equal to 8 times his/her bet. Each player is then given the option to buy a third card. No additional money needs to be bet to keep the original two cards. The dealer then turns up his/her down card.
If the value of the dealer's two cards is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 9, the dealer receives a third card. If the value is 5, 6, 7 or 8, the dealer stays with his/her original two cards. If the player's value is now closer to 8 than the value of the dealer's hand, without going over (a value of 9 is known as “an Over”), then the player receives his/her bet(s) on that hand plus an equal amount in winnings. If the dealer's value is closer to 8, then the dealer collects the player's bet.
If the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player has three cards and the dealer has two cards, then the player receives his/her bet(s) on that hand plus an equal amount in winnings. If the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player has two cards and the dealer has three cards, then the dealer collects the player's bet. If the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player and the dealer have the same number of cards, the player receives his/her bet(s) but no winnings (“a tie”) with one exception: if the dealer and the player each have a three-card hand with a value of 9 (known as “Two Over”), the player receives his/her bets on that hand plus winnings equal to 8 times his/her bets.
In another implementation, a player can make a side bet against the House. In this side bet variation of the game, a player is allowed the option of placing an additional bet (the “Chi bet”, or “Qi bet”) before any cards are dealt, separate from the ante bet. If the player's first two cards are a pair of Aces, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 9s or 10s, then the player receives his/her Chi bet plus winnings equal to 8 times the Chi bet. If the player's first two cards are a pair of 8s then the player receives his/her Chi bet plus winnings equal to 88 times the Chi bet. Note here that the House advantage is approximately 3.35% of the total bet by the player.
In yet another implementation, one additional payout can be added at the discretion of the House in a multi-deck structure: If the player's first two cards are the Ace of Diamonds and the 7 of Diamonds (not necessarily in that order) and the dealer's player's first two cards are also the Ace of Diamonds and the 7 of Diamonds (not necessarily in that order), the player receives his/her Chi bet plus winnings equal to 10,000 times the Chi bet—this outcome is called “The Perfect”. At the discretion of the House, the requirements for The Perfect can be changed from the Ace and 7 of Diamonds for both player and dealer to the Ace and 7 of a different suit (Spades, Hearts or Clubs) for both player and dealer or to any two defined cards of a given suit for both player and dealer (e.g.; the King of Hearts and the 8 of Hearts, the Ten of Diamonds and the 8 of Diamonds, etc.). Note here that the House advantage for 0009 and 0010 is approximately 3.05% of the total bet by the player.
Another implementation provides both a main card game and a side bet variation thereof. The side bet variation provides rules whereby: (i) when a player gets a pair of As, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 9s or 10s, that player receives nine-fold of the player's wager (e.g.; the player gets his/her wager back plus 8× in winnings); and (ii) when a player gets a pair of 8s, that player receives eighty-nine-fold of the player's wager (e.g.; the player gets his/her wager back plus 88× in winnings). Note here that the House advantage is approximately 3.35% of the total bet by the player. If the side bet variation includes the additional payout in 0010, the House advantage is approximately 3.05% of the total bet by the player.
The main game of this implementation provides rules whereby: (i) the player must double his/her initial “ante” bet ($1 in this example) to buy a 3^rdcard; (ii) the dealer takes a 3^rdcard with any two-card combination except 5, 6, 7 or 8; and (ii) the player then gets paid even money with a winning two-card or three-card hand with two exceptions: (A) The player gets paid 8:1 ($1 bet is returned with $8 winnings) with a two-card hand of 4 and 4; and (B) the player gets paid 8:1 ($2 bets are returned with $16 winnings) when both his/her three-card hand and the dealer's three-card hand have a value of 9 (Two Over).
In this implementation, if the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player has three cards and the dealer has two cards, then the player receives his/her bet(s) on that hand plus an equal amount in winnings. If the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player has two cards and the dealer has three cards, then the dealer collects the player's bet. Neither the player nor dealer win (e.g.; the $1 or $2 bet is returned) when both have the same hand values and the same number of cards—except for when the player's three-card sum to a value of 9 and the dealer's three-card sum to a value of 9. The player may use an optimal strategy to buy a 3^rdcard with a two-card value of: (i) 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 9 or 0; or (ii) 5 when the dealer's exposed card is 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9. Note here that the House advantage is approximately 1.7%.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawing. Understanding that the drawing depicts only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows an environment suitable for playing implementations of the inventive card game disclosed herein.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments as set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements.
Implementations of a card game are disclosed. One or more such implementations can be played on a card table, an example of which is seen in FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 1, a basic layout 10 for playing implementations of the disclosed card game according is illustrated. Of course it is to be understood that many other layouts could be adopted to accomplish the disclosed implementations.
The layout 10 may be fashioned on a felt table and is configured to have a plurality of player positions shown as player positions 12 around the layout 10. A dealer's position 14 is also provided in view of the players. A tray 16 is provided proximate to the dealer's position 14 to accommodate the wagering tokens, i.e. chips, paid and received during the play of the game.
Associated with each player 12 is a wagering area 20 which may be marked by a circle, logo or other graphic sufficient to enable the player and dealer to associate a wager made by the player in that area with the specific player. For purposes of illustration, layout 10 has these wagering areas 20 indicated by circles, although other shapes such as a logo or square may be used, which shapes may be inscribed with the phrase “Bet”. Of course other suitable indicia may be used.
Proximate the wagering area 20 for each player is a supplemental or side betting area 22. Side betting area 22 may be suitably identified to associate a wager in this area with the specific player. A diamond, circle, logo or square may be used and the area may be inscribed with the phrase “Chi” or “Qi”. Indicia 24 may be situated upon the felt table of layout 10 so as to provide a written explanation of the rules of the implementation of the game of cards being played in the environment of layout 10. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, indicia 24 may be labeled the following text “Dealer Stays On 5 Through 8; 4 & 4 pays 8:1; “Two Over” pays 8:1; All Other Winning Hands Pay Even Money; Chi Pays 8:1 or 88:1”.
Of course other suitable indicia may be used. With the layout 10 of FIG. 1 now described, implementations for playing the card game of chance according to invention will now be set forth.
The game is played with one or more traditional fifty-two (52) card decks of playing cards. The dealer deals from the deck or decks for each succession of hands until re-shuffling is required. The casino or House chooses when to reshuffle.
I. First Implementation
In a first implementation, a card game is played by at least two players. In general, each player is dealt two (2) cards. Then, each player has the option of buying a third card. The face value of each card in each player's hand is added up, with the card value of a 10, jack, queen or king being zero. When the sum of the cards in each player's hand is more than one digit, the leading digit is removed to leave a single digit (e.g., 13 is changed to 3, 20 is changed to 0, 25 is changed to 5, and 18 is changed to 8). The player with the single digit closest to 8, without going over 8, is the winner. Although there are variations on this implementation of the card game, these rules for calculating the value of a hand of cards are common through each variation of the implementations disclosed herein.
II. Player Against Other Players Implementation
In another implementation, a player plays against all other players. In this implementation, the card game can be played online, in a casino (where the casino provides a dealer and collects a percentage of each pot {the “rake”}) or elsewhere. Each player plays against the other players, there is no House playing against the players, and each player still in the game after the first round of betting has the option of buying an additional, third card.
A. Player vs. Other Players Variation without Limit Format (“No Limit”)
Within this implementation (IIA), each player plays against the other players, there is no House to play against, the amount of the antes are agreed in advance, any player can bet any or all of his/her cash and/or chips on the table at any time after the first two cards are dealt, and each remaining player must either fold his/her hand or call the total amount bet or call with all his/her cash and/or chips on the table (“all-in call”) if the total amount bet exceeds a player's total cash and/or chips on the table or raise an additional amount. If a player bets all his/her cash or chips and a remaining player wants to bet more than another player's “all-in bet” and has the cash and/or chips on the table to do so, a side pot representing the difference between the new bet and the all-in bet is established, and each remaining player must either fold his/her hand, make an all-in call if the total amount bet exceeds a player's total cash and/or chips on the table, call both the all-in bet and the side-pot bet(s), or call the all-in bet and raise the side-pot bet(s). Any player who has made an all-in bet or all-in call cannot be forced to fold his/her hand or required to put additional money into the pot.
The card game is played with at least one deck of playing cards and at least two players. Before any cards are dealt, each player must place a bet in the pot, called the “ante”. Each player is dealt, clockwise starting with the player to the left of the dealer and concluding with the dealer, two cards (the “hand”)—the first card is dealt face up to each player, then the second card is dealt face down. There is a round of betting, starting with the player to the left of the dealer—the player has the option to bet at least the amount of the ante (“lead out”) or choose not to bet (“check”). If the first player doesn't bet, the next player to his/her left has the option to lead out or check; if the first player has bet, the next player must either match the size of the bet (“call”), make a bet which is at least the amount of the lead out (“raise”) or discard his/her cards and withdraw from that hand (“fold”).
Any time a player folds, he/she forfeits whatever he/she has bet up to that point in the hand. Each player to the left decides in turn whether to fold, to call the amount of the largest bet made to that point in the betting round, or to raise the largest bet made to that point in the round. The betting continues until each player has either called or folded his/her hand. After this first round of betting is completed, each player who has not folded, beginning to the left of the dealer and progressing clockwise, can choose to buy a third card for an additional bet (or waive the additional bet, known as “Freebie”) as agreed upon by the players prior to the start of the game. The third card is dealt face up or face down, also as agreed-upon by the players prior to the start of the game.
After each player has decided whether to stay with the original two cards (“hold”) or to buy a third card, a second round of betting ensues, beginning with the first player to the left of the dealer who is still in the hand, and progressing clockwise. After the second round of betting is completed, each player who has not folded reveals his/her cards. The remaining player the value of whose hand is now closest to 8, without going over, wins all the money which has been bet on that hand—only the final digit matters (for example, 5 and 15 and 25 are all the same value: 5). If there are two or more top-value hands, a three-card hand beats a two-card hand. If there are still two or more top-value hands, each with the same number of cards, the players with these top-value hands split the pot evenly (“a tie”). If a player's value on a hand is 9 (“an Over”), that player is required to double his/her ante bet on the next hand (“Pay the Over”).
The new dealer, who is the player to the left of the previous dealer, then requests the antes from all the players and deals a new hand to each player, again beginning with the player to his/her left and proceeding clockwise. If a casino provides the dealer and collects a percentage from each pot (the “rake”), there is a “dealer chip”, which rotates one player to the left after each hand—the dealer then deals each hand as if he/she were sitting in the seat designated by the dealer chip.
B. Player vs. Other Players Variation with a Limit Format
Within this implementation (IIB), and like variation (IIA), each player plays against the other players and there is no House to play against. In this variation, however, the card game can be played in a “limit” format, in which the size of bets in each round of wagering, and the maximum number of raises each round, are agreed in advance. For example, the players might agree that the size of each bet in the first round of betting is 4 times the ante bet and the size of each bet in the second round of betting is 8 times the ante bet, and the maximum number of raises each round is 4.
III. Player Against the House Implementation
In yet another implementation, which can be played in a casino, online, video or home version of this implementation of the inventive card game, each player plays against the dealer (the House), and each player must put up an ante bet and must wager more money in order to be dealt a third card. No additional wager money needs to be bet by the player who chooses to stay with his/her original two (2) cards. The player vs. dealer variations of this card game can be played in the following four (4) variations.
A. First Variation
Within the first variation, before any cards are dealt, each player must place a bet (an “ante”). For instance, the bet can be placed in the “Bet” circle of a special card table, such as is described in IV, below. Each player and the dealer are then dealt, clockwise beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, one card face up. Each player is then dealt in turn a second card, also face up. The dealer is then dealt a second card, face down. If a player's first two cards are 4 and 4, the player immediately receives his/her bet on that hand plus winnings equal to 8 times his/her bet.
Each player can choose to buy a third card by placing an additional bet (the required amount stated prior to the initiation of play, usually an amount which matches the ante) next to the original bet in his/her Bet circle. After each player has decided whether to stay with the original two cards (“hold”) or to buy a third card, the dealer then turns up his/her down card. If the value of the dealer's two cards (only the final digit matters—for example, 4 and 14 and 24 are all the same value: 4) is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 9, the dealer receives a third card. If the value of the dealer's two cards (only the final digit matters—for example, 7 and 17 and 27 are all the same value: 7) is 5, 6, 7 or 8, the dealer does not receive a third card.
If the player's value is now closer to 8 than the value of the dealer's hand, without going over 8, then the player receives his/her bet(s) on that hand plus an equal amount in winnings. If the dealer's value is closer to 8, without going over 8, then the dealer collects the player's bet. If the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player has three cards and the dealer has two cards, then the player receives his/her bets on that hand plus an equal amount in winnings. If the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player has two cards and the dealer has three cards, then the dealer collects the player's bet. If the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player and the dealer have the same number of cards, the player receives his/her bet(s) but no winnings (“tie”) with one exception: if the dealer and the player each have a three-card hand with a value of 9 (known as “Two Over”), the player receives his/her bets on that hand plus winnings equal to 8 times his/her bets.
B. Second Variation
Within the second variation of this implementation, which is like the first variation (IIIA), the dealer also collects a percentage of each pot (“rake”).
C. Third Variation
Within the third variation, in addition to the rules of play against the other players at the table as described in Implementations I-II, each player also plays against the dealer (the House). In addition to the initial ante which each player makes, each player makes a “House Bet” equal in amount to the ante—both bets are made prior to the dealing of the first two cards. The dealer's position does not change and the dealer is an employee of the casino. The dealer deals the initial two cards in turn to each player, beginning to the left of the position designated by the dealer chip, and to the dealer as well—in each case, the first card face up, the second card face down.
After the first round of betting amongst the players, each player who has not folded his/her hand has the option to buy a third card by placing an additional House Bet (the required amount stated prior to the initiation of play, usually an amount which matches the ante) next to the original bet in his/her Bet circle—if the player chooses to buy a third card, it is dealt face up.
After each player has decided whether or not to buy a third card, there is a second round of betting amongst the remaining players. After the second round of betting, the players who have not folded reveal their hands. Any player who folds in the first or second round of betting forfeits whatever he/she had bet to that point in the hand as well as the House Bet(s).
The player the value of whose hand is now closest to 8, without going over, wins all the money which has been bet amongst the players on that hand (which excludes the House Bets). If there is an equal value between two or more top-value hands, a three-card hand beats a two-card hand. If there is an equal value between two or more top-value hands and each hand has the same number of cards, the players with these top-value hands split the pot evenly (“a tie”).
The dealer collects all the House Bets which the players have forfeited by folding. The dealer then turns up his/her down card and takes a third card face up when the value of his/her hand is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 9. If a player's first two cards are 4 and 4, the player receives from the dealer his/her bet on that hand plus winnings equal to 8 times his/her bet. In addition, each remaining player the sum of whose hand is now less than the sum of the dealer's hand (provided that the value of the dealer's hand does not exceed 8) loses his/her House Bet(s), which is collected by the dealer.
Each player the sum of whose hand exceeds the sum of the dealer's hand (provided that the value of the player's hand does not exceed 8) receives his/her House Bet(s) and receives an equal sum from the dealer in winnings. If the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player has three cards and the dealer has two cards, then the player receives his/her House Bet(s) on that hand plus an equal amount in winnings. If the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player has two cards and the dealer has three cards, then the dealer collects the player's House Bet(s). If the player's value is equal to the dealer's value, and the player and the dealer have the same number of cards, the player receives his/her House Bet(s) but no winnings with one exception: if the dealer and the player each have a three-card hand with a value of 9 (known as “Two Over”), the player receives from the dealer his/her House Bets on that hand plus winnings equal to 8 times his/her House Bets.
D. Fourth Variation
Within the fourth variation, as described in variations A-C of Implementation III, each player has the option to place an additional bet (also known as the “Chi” bet or the “Qi” bet) to be made before any cards are dealt in a hand, where the minimum and maximum size is designated by the casino. If the player's first two cards are a pair of Aces, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 9s or 10s, then the player receives his/her Chi bet plus winnings equal to 8 times the Chi bet. If the player's first two cards are a pair of 8s then the player receives his/her Chi bet plus winnings equal to 88 times the Chi bet. If the player receives any other two-card hand, the dealer collects the Chi bet. There is one additional payout which can be added at the discretion of the House in a multi-deck structure: If the player's first two cards are the Ace of Diamonds and the 7 of Diamonds (not necessarily in that order) and the dealer's first two cards are also the Ace of Diamonds and the 7 of Diamonds (not necessarily in that order), the player receives his/her Chi bet plus winnings equal to 10,000 times the Chi bet—this outcome is called “The Perfect”. At the discretion of the House, the requirements for The Perfect can be changed from the Ace and 7 of Diamonds for both player and dealer to the Ace and 7 of a different suit (Spades, Hearts or Clubs) for both player and dealer or to any two defined cards of a given suit for both player and dealer (e.g. the King of Hearts and the 8 of Hearts, the Ten of Diamonds and the 8 of Diamonds, etc.).
IV. Player Against the House Implementation, with Side Bet Variation
In a still further implementation, a special table is used, an example of which is seen in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, a special felt is situated upon on a standard blackjack table. The layout 10 of this table, mostly likely to be placed in a casino, is a semi-circle with the dealer positioned in the middle of the straight side, facing the players arrayed at locations ‘12’ around the semi-circle, and with dealer situated at location 14. On the felt in front of each player 12 is a large circle 20 in which the word “Bet” is written—this is the space in which each player 12 places his/her ante and subsequent bet to buy a third card (or House Bet(s) in III C., above). Above the Bet circle 20, closer to the dealer is a smaller diamond 22, in which the word “Chi” (or “Qi”) is written—this is the space where each player can place his/her Chi bet. In online or video-game versions of the card game for this implementation, the onscreen layout of the table is similar to above, and the player makes his/her decisions electronically.
V. Game Show Implementation
In yet another implementation, a card game is played as a game show. The game show can be played before a live audience, can be televised, or can be filmed for later broadcast. In this implementation, three contestants compete in a game show of perception and deception.
The method of playing the card game in this implementation provides rules that each player gets two cards—the first face up, the second face down. After a round of betting, each player who hasn't folded has the option to buy a third card, dealt face up. After another round of betting, the remaining hand with a value now closest to 8, without going over, wins. Only the final digit matters—for example, 5 or 15 or 25 are all the same value: 5. When there are two or more hands of top value, a three-card hand beats a two-card hand of equal value.
The three players each get a fixed amount (e.g.; $800 or $8,000) to wager. The first round is No Limit—each player can bet any or all of his/her money and bluffing is a big part of the game. Players have 8 seconds to make each decision—after a decision is made, the player hits a button and the digital clock in the background starts counting down again. Viewers of the game show are able to see the hidden cards of all the players—such as by use of ‘lip stick’ camera or ‘hole card’ camera. Before every hand is dealt, each player must “ante up” (e.g.; make an initial bet to start the action). If a player is dealt three 2s, he/she gets to draw a 4^thcard—if that card is the final 2 in the deck, the player wins a special prize. If any player's value is 9 (“an Over”), he/she must ante up twice on the next hand.
The two contestants with the highest totals continue on to Big 8—the players take turns choosing one of the 8 hostesses. The chosen hostess reveals an oversized card with a value between 1 and 8 (the higher the number, the greater the prize money). The hostess then chooses a category—People, Places, Things, Thoughts, Movies, Mind, Games and Grab Bag—and the player must correctly answer to win the prize.
The contestant with the highest total continues on to Double or Nothing . . . against an expert in psychology. The cards are reshuffled and the 8 hostesses briefly show their numbers to the player and the audience, but not to the expert. The clock counts down from 88 seconds as the player announces which hostess has the 8 card and the expert decides, in talking with the player and the hostesses, whether to choose “Truth” or “Lie”. If the expert is wrong, our contestant either doubles up; if the expert is right, our contestant loses everything.
At the end, the contestants for the next show are introduced. Viewers can go online (e.g.; via the Internet) to “back” the player of their choice—a lucky at-home participant, randomly chosen from the pool of people who backed the winner, is announced each show and receives a unique 8 to Win prize.
VI. Decision Optimization Matrix
The following matrix illustrates an optimization strategy. In this matrix, the rows indicate the player, the columns indicate the dealer, the symbol “t” indicates buying a third card, and the “f” symbol represents standing with two cards. For example, if a player has a two-card value of 5 and the dealer's one card showing is 7 (the capital “T”) then the player should take—that is, buy—a 3^rdcard. However, if the player has a two-card value of 6 and the dealer's one card showing is 8 (the capital “F”) then the player should stay with his/her original two cards.
$\begin{matrix} \underline{Decision Optimization Matrix} \\ \begin{matrix} 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 & 9 & 0 \\ 1 & t & t & t & t & f & f & f & f & t & t \\ 2 & t & t & t & t & f & f & f & f & t & t \\ 3 & t & t & t & t & f & f & f & f & t & t \\ 4 & t & t & t & t & f & f & f & f & t & t \\ 5 & t & t & t & t & t & f & f & f & t & t \\ 6 & t & t & t & t & t & f & f & f & t & t \\ 7 & t & t & t & t & T & f & f & f & t & t \\ 8 & t & t & t & t & t & F & f & f & t & t \\ 9 & t & t & t & t & t & f & f & f & t & t \\ 0 & t & t & t & t & f & f & f & f & t & t \end{matrix} \end{matrix}$
VII. Test Results
The following set of test results show three (3) iterations of ten million (10⁷) hands of cards in a card game implementation as described above. Each test shows the number of hands won and lost (ties are not included), and how many times the player won for each of the four (4) different ways that the player can win. The first number under ‘Win’ is winning with the two 4's case, called “Win#0”. The next is winning when the player and the dealer each have a three-card sum=9, called “Win#1”. The next is a normal win, beating the dealer, or the dealer having a 9 and the player having a different sum, called “Win#2”. The next is winning when the player and the dealer each have a hand of equal value but the player has a three-card hand and the dealer has a two-card hand, called “Win#3”. The final number on that row, called “Win#4”, is the actual real tie (when the player and the dealer each have a hand of equal value and each has the same number of cards) where the player simply gets their wager(s) back, which is not a truly a ‘win’ scenario.
The ‘Hand situations’ table shows how many of each of the 100 different types of results the player encountered (e.g. player has final value of 0, dealer has final value of 0; player has final value of 1, dealer has final value of 0, etc.). All these numbers added together, plus the Win#0 number, equal ten million (10⁷) because when the player wins on two 4's, the dealer's card is irrelevant, so it has not been recorded among the 100 different types of results the player encountered.
A. First Test.


Player	Dealer	Total
money	money	Won	Total Bet	Won/Bet

9716496	10283504	16289910	16573414	0.982894049469832
				(0.0171059505301684)

Won	Lost	Win#0	Win#1	Win#2	Win#3	Win#4

4698359	4628914	56842	50429	4386811	204277	672727

Hand Situations (Overlay the Strategy Matrix):


72337	72841	72855	72378	73252	72683	73635	68663	73699	114082
73154	71783	73259	72572	73548	72463	72769	68723	73262	113596
73422	72687	71849	72428	73405	72878	73297	68238	72825	112919
73013	72804	72895	71497	73083	72620	73807	68640	72295	114328
72864	73252	73001	72634	71668	72552	73288	67980	73775	113914
73162	73103	72694	72834	73115	71245	73324	68755	73304	113953
72942	72743	72742	72762	73322	72684	72802	68453	73236	113774
72985	71954	73055	72929	73128	73121	72876	67572	72909	113072
73694	72712	73245	73008	72885	72088	73466	68535	72026	112701
292299	291830	292801	290715	292743	290705	291423	274428	292151	449741

B. Second Test.


Player	Dealer	Total
money	money	Won	Total Bet	Won/Bet

9714388	10285612	16289968	16575580	0.982769109738543
				(0.017230890261457)

Won	Lost	Win#0	Win#1	Win#2	Win#3	Win#4

4695984	4630945	56789	50731	4383354	205110	673071

Hand Situations (Overlay the Strategy Matrix):


71510	73072	73627	72952	72990	73170	73634	68508	72803	113784
73183	71121	73331	72560	72975	72501	72528	67633	73278	112954
73227	72650	72155	73023	73623	72511	73321	68648	72770	113674
72866	73300	73057	72155	72667	72493	73197	68981	73220	113887
73178	72549	73448	73340	71935	72677	72944	68194	73448	113384
73623	72637	73516	72780	72683	71705	72467	68284	73591	113695
73175	72551	73453	72497	73193	72857	72087	68388	73019	113769
72500	72444	72866	72188	73208	72874	73338	67674	72901	113072
73031	72347	73058	73055	73232	73351	72931	68093	71881	114127
291849	291372	292296	291351	293358	291856	291953	273220	293748	449431

C. Third Test.


Player	Dealer	Total
money	money	Won	Total Bet	Won/Bet

9718587	10281413	16291638	16573051	0.983019843479634
				(0.0169801565203656)

Won	Lost	Win#0	Win#1	Win#2	Win#3	Win#4

4697461	4628579	57072	50359	4386074	203956	673960

Hand Situations (Overlay the Strategy Matrix):


72239	73153	73012	72725	72972	72618	73349	68575	73345	113283
73116	71235	73154	72814	73349	72860	73022	68047	73126	113067
73058	72584	71693	72660	73154	72301	73512	67949	73294	113577
73002	72704	73232	71658	73211	73107	73493	68925	73079	113544
73619	72909	73515	72800	71926	72988	73347	68004	73011	113512
72727	72779	72964	73272	73338	71502	73686	68845	73271	113191
72858	73092	73451	72465	72915	72975	71983	68179	73576	113303
73200	72565	72988	72629	73209	72634	73090	67054	73124	113305
73008	73291	73106	72521	73144	73063	73175	68264	71810	113141
292604	291104	292724	290535	293568	290419	293697	272960	292965	449230

The above three (3) tests show that the House has an advantage of 1.7% per unit wagered (2.9% per hand). Also seen is that the player wins more hands than the dealer and the player has an opportunity to be paid 8:1, whereas the dealer's win never exceeds even money. Still, the House has the advantage because of the ‘buy a 3rd card’ rule. Moreover, the forgoing tests make the following seven (7) assumptions:

- 1. The player wins immediately with a two-card hand of 4 and 4, and gets paid 8:1 (e.g.; $1 bet is returned with $8 winnings)
- 2. The player must double his/her initial “ante” bet to buy a 3^rdcard;
- 3. The dealer takes a third card with any 2-card value except 5 or 6 or 7 or 8;
- 4. If, after taking a third card, the dealer's hand has a value of 9 and the player's three-card hand has a value of 9 (known as “Two Over”), the player gets paid 8:1.
- 5. If the player and the dealer have hands of equal value, a 3-card hand beats a 2-card hand (with the exception of the 1^stcondition above: when the player has a 4 & 4, he wins immediately). Neither the player nor dealer wins when both have the same hand value and the same number of cards with the exception of the 4^thcondition above.
- 6. With the exception of #1 and #4 above, the player gets paid even money with a winning two-card or three-card hand.
- 7. The player uses optimal strategy based on percentage return in each situation.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Claims

1. A method of playing a card game, the method comprising:

dealing cards from a conventional deck of cards to a plurality of card players;

adding up the face value of each card in each player's hand; and

when the sum of the cards in each player's hand is more than one digit, the leading digit is removed to leave a single digit, wherein the card player having a resultant single-digit value now closest to 8, without going over 8, is the winner of the card game.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each card player plays against all other players.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each card player plays against another said card player who is a dealer performing said dealing cards from the conventional deck of cards to the plurality of card players.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein:

if the value of the dealer's cards is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 9, the dealer receives a third card; and

if the value of the dealer's cards is 5, 6, 7 or 8, the dealer does not receives a third card stays.