WO1997018868A1

WO1997018868A1 - Gambling-table and fittings for playing the 'super wormhole action colours' game

Info

Publication number: WO1997018868A1
Application number: PCT/IT1996/000222
Authority: WO
Inventors: Felice Gaudioso
Original assignee: Felice Gaudioso
Priority date: 1995-11-24
Filing date: 1996-11-22
Publication date: 1997-05-29
Also published as: ITRM950256U1; IT235735Y1; ITRM950256V0; AU7709396A

Abstract

A gambling-table of semioval form for playing the 'Super Wormhole Action Colours'® game which is divided into two separate areas, the first of which is reserved to the eight players, the second to the croupier, each of the eight playing seats reserved to players is raised on the surface of the gambling-table and is designated by one of the eight colours of the game, the surface of the gambling-table having three sections with different functions, i.e. the section adjacent to the croupier, the central section, and the section adjacent to the players. The novelty relates further to fittings including boards, necks of playing cards and fiches for playing the game.

Description

Gamblincr-table and fittings for playing the "Super ormhole Action Colours" game

The present invention relates to the field of gambling halls intended as a set of fittings, equipment and furnishings for optimizing the play of newly devised games.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a gambling-table conceived to allow the card game so-called "SUPER WORMHOLE ACTION COLOURS"® to be played at the best, said game belonging to the "WORMHOLEGAME"® playing design the rules of which allow players to have an active function during the playing phases.

"SUPER WORMHOLE ACTION COLOURS"® is a match which is played in four hands, in each of them a croupier deals one or two necks of colour cards and one neck of score cards. 2 to 8 players may take part in the match with the aim at scoring the highest number of 8 different colours. The match has only one winner and is based on the colours and the scores (the latter are valid in case the different colours are tied) characterizing the matches of the "WORMHOLEGAME" design. In addition, Super Bonus Colours, so-called SBC, and Super Bonus Double, so-called SBD, are provided. Each player shall choice one of the eight gambling places identified each by one of the eight colours in the following succession: blue, brown, cyan, green, orange, pink, red, and yellow.

A colour represents one player in the match. In fact, any card of the colours dealt to the players in the first hand is combined with one of the eight numbers placed on the gambling-table and identifying one of the eight vertical columns of squares assigned to the players and receiving the cards. Said columns define the playing turn of the players to each other and the Joker score.

"SUPER WORMHOLE ACTION COLOURS"® is played with necks of cards formed of 8 colours (blue, brown, cyan, green, orange, pink, red, and yellow) and 12 scores (between 0 and 11). More particularly, the cards divide into Single- Colours cards, Double-Colours cards having colours combined in a fixed way, Single-Scores cards, and Double- Scores cards having scores combined in a fixed way, as disclosed in a preceding Utility Model of the same Applicant. One feature of such a new game is that the player is given the chance to raise after playing the second, third, and fourth hands. Furthermore, the player looks secretly at his cards in the third hand and lays one of the two Double-Scores cards received by the croupier down on the table.

In addition to dealing the cards the croupier also acts as cashier and manages the fiches that players win and lose gambling. Alternately, if the gambling-table is equipped with suitable computer means, the cash operations may be computerized by connecting the seats of the gambling-table to videodisplay and by supplying each player with a magnetic card.

The application of such schematic rules requires a new gambling-table for optimizing and rationalizing the play of the match. Such a result is achieved by providing a gambling-table of semioval form divided into two separate sections, the first of which is reserved to 8 players, the second to the croupier. The players are seated in a raised position with respect to the surface of the table, and each raised seat is marked with one of the eight above- mentioned colours. Two like extensions of the table are located at either side of the croupier. The surface of the gambling-table has three areas having different functions: the area near the croupier, the central area, and the area near the players.

The achieved advantages essentially consist in that the players may easily and at the best utilize the chances offered by the match, and the croupier can manage the play without any problem. A further advantage is given by the possibility of economic and industrial utilization of the game due to the proposed novelty.

These and other advantages will be better understood by anyone skilled in the art from the following description with reference to the accompanying, not limiting drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of the gambling-table for playing the "SUPER WORMHOLE ACTION COLOURS"® game according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a plan view both of the central board and a board relative to one of the eight playing seats having each a different colour from the other seats which boards may be part of the contents of a box for playing "SUPER WORMHOLE ACTION COLOURS"® as table game.

In its essential construction the fixture for playing the "SUPER WORMHOLE ACTION COLOURS"® game includes a gambling- table 1 of semioval form having two side extensions and comprising:

- eight sides for accepting the seats 11 of eight players taking part in the match in a raised position; each seat is marked with a different colour shown on the raised plane located in front of the seat occupied by each player, i.e. from the left to the right in the figure, A = blue, B = brown, C = cyan, D = green, E = orange, F = pink, G = red, H = yellow;

- an area 12 for accommodating the croupier, at either side of which two extensions 121a, 121b of the gambling- table are provided for supporting the card shuffling devices, card neck containers 122a, 122b, and fiche containers 123a, 123b;

a gambling area between the players' seats 11 and croupier's area 12 which may be further divided into three sections having different functions, i.e. section 13 near the croupier having eight squares used for laying the eight necks of playing cards, central section 14 having five horizontal rows each of eight squares, thus forming eight columns, each of them being assigned to one of the eight players, section 15 near the players comprising at each playing seat a gambling area (Al, Bl, Cl, Dl, El, Fl, Gl, and HI) belonging to the corresponding player and including from the raised coloured plane A through H onward to the centre of the table: a slot used by the player for positioning vertically a circular fiche; a group of four rectangular squares having the same size as the cards; and a group of further four squares, the two central squares of which having the same size as the cards, the two lateral squares having an elliptical form and the same size as the fiches. In total, the gambling area has four slots for the fiches, thirty-two rectangular squares for the cards in a central row, sixteen squares for the cards and sixteen squares for the fiches in a lower row.

Gambling-table 1 has in detail eight playing seats 11 accepting eight players and having each a raised plane, the surface of which is marked with one of the eight colours chosen by the players to take part in the game. The colours are in clockwise direction starting from the seat 11 at the left of the croupier: A = blue, B = brown, C = cyan, D = green, E = orange, F = pink, G = red, H = yellow. A little square display Ila located at the centre of the raised plane shows after the first hand one of the eight numbers combined with the colour representing the player. On the opposite side of the players' seats 11 the gambling-table 1 provides area 12 for the croupier who manages the play by shuffling and dealing the cards and performing also cash operations relative to the match. In this area, at either side of the croupier there are provided two like extensions 121a (at the left hand side) and 121b (at the right hand side) which are used for supporting two card shuffling devices. Two containers 122a and 122b adjacent to the surface of the gambling-table are used by the croupier for laying down the cards (container 122a) at the end of each match and for keeping (container 122b) the new necks of playing cards to be used thereafter. Two containers 123a and 123b are both used by the croupier for keeping the fiches of the bank.

The game is played on the surface of such a gambling-table 1 including three sections having different functions, i.e. section 13 adjacent to the croupier, central section 14, and section 15 adjacent to the players.

Section 13 adjacent to the croupier includes eight squares aligned in a row and having a grey bottom and the same size as the cards. The eight necks of cards used for the game are located in such squares. Each square is designated by 1 to 4 little circles depending on what hand is played in the game with the neck of cards located on that square. The little circles of the squares receiving the necks of the colour cards are white, while those receiving the necks of the score cards are black. Starting from the left hand side of the croupier, such section 13 has: the first square 131a designated by one white little circle and receiving the neck of the Single-Colours cards dealt out in the first hand; the second square 131b designated by one black little circle and receiving the neck of the Single-Scores cards dealt out in the first hand; the third square 131c designated by two white little circles and receiving the neck of the Single-Colours cards dealt out in the second hand; the fourth square 13Id designated by two black little circles and receiving the neck of the Single-Scores cards dealt out in the second hand; the fifth square 13le designated by three white little circles and receiving the neck of the Double- Colours cards dealt out in the third hand; the sixth square 131f designated by three black little circles and receiving the neck of the Double-Scores cards dealt out in the third hand; the seventh square 131g designated by four white little circles and receiving the neck of the Single- Colours cards dealt out in the fourth hand; the eighth square 131h designated by four black little circles and receiving the neck of the Single-Scores cards dealt out in the fourth hand.

Central section 14 includes five horizontal side by side rows 141, each comprising eight squares forming eight side by side columns 142 assigned to the eight players. The squares of the first horizontal row 141a receive open the eight cards of the first neck of Single-Colours cards in the first hand. Each card carrying a colour assigns a vertical column to the player having that colour which is then coupled to the number 1 to 8 located in such vertical column at the lower row 141b. Such a number 1 to 8 represents the playing turn of each player and the Joker Score. The second horizontal row 141b has eight squares carrying the numbers 1 to 8 which are coupled to each colour in the first hand. The squares with the numbers do not receive any card, however, the square with the number coupled to a colour whose corresponding playing seat is not occupied by a player will receive a card with that colour so as to signify that the corresponding vertical column is not "active", i.e. no cards are dealt to that column. The squares of the following rows receive the cards according to the playing turn, i.e. from the column carrying the lowest number to the column carrying the highest number. The squares of the third horizontal row 141c receive open the cards of the first neck of the Single-Scores cards in the first hand, i.e. one card for each player taking part in the match. The squares of the fourth horizontal row 141d as well as the squares of the following row 141e have half a height of one card as the Single-Scores cards of the second and the fourth hands are laid down by half onto the cards of the preceding hands. Such an arrangement of the cards on the gambling-table is made possible due to the double representation of the numbers on the Score cards which are divided into two fields carrying each a number upside down to the number in the other field. The squares of the fourth horizontal row 141d receive open the cards of the second neck of Single- Scores cards in the second hand, i.e. one card for each player taking part in the match. The squares of the fifth horizontal row 141e receive open the cards of the third neck of Single-Scores cards in the fourth hand, i.e. one card for each player taking part in the match.

Section 15 adjacent to the players includes the areas assigned to each player, i.e. the eight gambling areas (Al, Bl, Cl, Dl, El, Fl, Gl, HI) in which the cards are dealt according to the fixed succession of the colours in the playing seats and not according to the playing turn which is instead followed when dealing the cards to the squares of the central section 14. At each playing seat 11 there is a playing area formed of a slot 151 and two horizontal rows 152 and 153. Slot 151 is located in the upper part of the gambling area at the centre of the playing seat and is used by the player for positioning vertically a circular fiche.

Row 152 includes four rectangular squares located below the slot 151 and having the same size as the cards. Starting from the left of the croupier, the first square 152a at the right hand side of each player has a dark bottom and carries the writing Single Colours not visible in the figure. The croupier lays covered on such square the first of the two Single-Colours cards assigned to the player in the second hand. The second square 152b has a light bottom and carries the writing Single Colours not visible in the figure. The croupier lays open on such square the second of the two Single-Colours cards assigned to the player in the second hand. The third square 152c has a dark bottom and carries the writing Double Colours not visible in the figure. The player lays covered on such square one of the two Double-Colours cards received in the third hand after having looked at the same. The fourth square 152d has a light bottom and carries the writing Double Colours. After the choice the player lays open on such square the other card of the two Double-Colours cards received in the third hand. Row 153 includes four squares aligned below row 152. Two central squares 153b and 153c are rectangular and have the same size as the cards. The other two lateral squares 153a and 153d are of elliptical form and have the same size as the fiches. Starting from the left of the croupier, the first square 153a of elliptical form has a light bottom. The player lays on such square the starting fiche to take part in the match. The second square 153b of rectangular form has a dark bottom and carries the writing Double Scores not visible in the figure. The croupier lays covered on such square the Double-Scores card assigned to the player in the third hand. The third square 153c of rectangular form has a light bottom and carries the writing Single Scores not visible in the figure. The croupier lays open on such square the Single-Scores card assigned to the player in the fourth hand. The fourth square 153d is of elliptical form. On playing the match the fiches corresponding to any raise effected by the player are laid near such square.

The present invention is described according to a preferred embodiment thereof, however, it is self-evident that equivalent solutions may be conceived without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is particularly advantageous to resort to boards of plastic or paper material εhown in Fig. 2 which reproduce the arrangement of the already described squares located on the gambling-table. In such a case, there are provided as a maximum eight boards 2A-2H of different colours carrying the same squares of area 3 of the gambling-table encircled by dashed lines, each board being designated by one of the eight colours used in the game, and one board showing the arrangement of the squares located in area 4 of the surface of the gambling-table encircled by dashed lines. It is further self-evident to anyone skilled in the art that such boards together with the necks of cards and the fiches kept in a suitable box may form the means necessary to play "SUPER WORMHOLE ACTION COLOURS"® as a table game.

Claims

1. A gambling-table for playing the "SUPER WORMHOLE ACTION COLOURS"® game, characterized in that there is provided a semioval gambling-table with two lateral extension including: eight sides for accepting the seats (11) of eight players taking part in the match in a raised position; each seat is marked with a different colour shown on the raised plane located in front of the seat occupied by each player, i.e. from the left to the right according to the following succession: A = blue, B = brown, C = cyan, D = green, E = orange, F = pink, G = red, H = yellow;

- an area (12) for accommodating the croupier, at either side of which two extensions (121a, 121b) of the gamblmg- table (1) are provided for supporting the card shuffling devices, card neck containers and fiche containers;

- a gambling area between the players' seats (11) and croupier's area (12) which may be further divided into three sections having different functions, i.e. section (13) near the croupier having eight aligned squares used for laying the eight necks of playing cards, central section (14) having five horizontal rows each of eight squares, thus forming eight columns, each of them being assigned to one of the eight players, section (15) near the players comprising at each playing seat a gambling area (Al, Bl, Cl, Dl, El, Fl, Gl, and HI) belonging to the corresponding player and including from the raised coloured plane A through H onward to the centre of the table: a slot used by the player for positioning vertically a circular fiche; a group of four rectangular squares having the same size as the cards; and a group of further four squares, the two central squares of which having the same size as the cards, the two lateral squares having an elliptical form and the same size as the fiches, the gambling area having in total four slots for the fiches, thirty-two rectangular squares for the cards in a central row, sixteen squares for the cards and sixteen squares for the fiches in a lower row.

2. The gambling-table according to claim 1, characterized in that each playing seat (11) belonging to a player has a little square display (Ila) showing after the first hand one of the eight numbers combined with the colour representing the player.

3. The gambling-table according to claim 1, characterized in that on the opposite side of the players' seats (11) the gambling-table 1 provides an area (12) for the croupier who manages the play, where at either side there are provided two like extensions (121a) (at the left hand side) and (121b) (at the right hand side) which are used for supporting two card shuffling devices, two containers (122a, 122b) adjacent to the surface of the gambling-table and used by the croupier for laying down the cards (container 122a) at the end of each match and for keeping (container 122b) the new necks of playing cards to be used thereafter, two containers (123a 123b) being both used by the croupier for keeping the fiches of the bank.

4. The gambling-table according to claim 1, characterized in that said section 13 includes eight squares aligned in a row and having the same size as the cards, the eight necks of cards used for the game being located on such squares, said row corresponding to the five horizontal rows located in the central section (14) , each square of said row being designated by 1 to 4 little circles depending on what hand is played in the game with the neck of cards located on that square, said little circles of the squares receiving the necks of the colour cards are white, while those receiving the necks of the score cards are black, such section 13 having from the left hand side of the croupier onward: the first square (131a) designated by one white little circle and receiving the neck of the Single-Colours cards dealt out in the first hand; the second square (131b) designated by one black little circle and receiving the neck of the Single-Scores cards dealt out in the first hand; the third square (131c) designated by two white little circles and receiving the neck of the Single-Colours cards dealt out in the second hand; the fourth square (131d) designated by two black little circles and receiving the neck of the Single-Scores cards dealt out in the second hand; the fifth square (131e) designated by three white little circles and receiving the neck of the Double-Colours cards dealt out in the third hand; the sixth square (131f) designated by three black little circles and receiving the neck of the Double-Scores cards dealt out in the third hand; the seventh square (131g) designated by four white little circles and receiving the neck of the Single-Colours cards dealt out in the fourth hand; the eighth square (131h) designated by four black little circles and receiving the neck of the Single-Scores cards dealt out in the fourth hand.

5. The gambling-table according to claim 1, characterized in that said central section (14) includes five horizontal side by side rows (141) , each comprising eight squares forming eight side by side columns (142) assigned to the eight players, the squares of the first horizontal row (141a) receiving open the eight cards of the first neck of Single-Colours cards in the first hand, each colour card assigning a vertical column to the player having that colour which is then coupled to the number 1 to 8 located in such vertical column at the lower row (141b) , such a number 1 to 8 representing the playing turn of each player and the Joker Score, the second horizontal row (141b) having eight squares carrying the numbers 1 to 8 which are coupled to each colour in the first hand, wherein the squares with the numbers do not receive any card, however, the square with the number coupled to a colour whose corresponding playing seat is not occupied by a player will receive a card with that colour so as to signify that the corresponding vertical column is not "active", i.e. no cards are dealt to that column, the squares of the following rows receiving the cards according to the playing turn, i.e. from the column carrying the lowest number to the column carrying the highest number, the squares of the third horizontal row (141c) receiving open the cards of the first neck of the Single-Scores cards in the first hand, i.e. one card for each player taking part in the match, the squares of the fourth horizontal row (141d) as well as the squares of the following row (141e) having half a height of one card as the Single-Scores cards of the second and the fourth hands are laid down by half onto the cards of the preceding hands, such an arrangement of the cards on the gambling-table being made possible due to the double representation of the numbers on the Score cards which are divided into two fields carrying each a number upside down to the number in the other field, the squares of the fourth horizontal row (141d) receiving open the cards of the second neck of Single-Scores cards in the second hand, i.e. one card for each player taking part in the match, the squares of the fifth horizontal row (141e) receiving open the cards of the third neck of Single-Scores cards in the fourth hand, i.e. one card for each player taking part in the match.

6. The gambling-table according to claim 1, characterized in that section 15 adjacent to the playing seats includes the areas assigned to each player, i.e. the eight gambling areas (Al, Bl, Cl, Dl, El, Fl, Gl, HI) in which the cards are dealt according to the fixed succession of the colours in the playing seats and not according to the playing turn which is instead followed when dealing the cards to the squares of the central section (14), each playing seat having a playing area formed of a slot (151) and two horizontal rows (152, 153) , said slot (151) being located in the upper part of the gambling area at the centre of the playing seat and being used by the player for positioning vertically a circular fiche, row (152) including four rectangular squares located below the slot (151) and having the same size as the cards, the first square (152a) , starting from the left of the croupier and at the right hand side of each player, having a dark bottom and carrying the writing Single Colours, the croupier laying covered on said first square the first of the two Single-Colours cards assigned to the player in the second hand, the second square (152b) having a light bottom and carrying the writing Single Colours, the croupier laying open on said second square the second of the two Single-Colours cards assigned to the player in the second hand, the third square (152c) having a dark bottom and carrying the writing Double Colours, the player laying covered on said third square one of the two Double-Colours cards received in the third hand after having looked at the same, the fourth square (152d) having a light bottom and carrying the writing Double Colours, the player laying open on such square after the choice the other card of the two Double-Colours cards received in the third hand, row (153) including four squares aligned below row (152), two central squares (153b, 153c) being rectangular and having the εame size as the cards, the other two lateral squares (153a, 153d) being of elliptical form and having the same size as the fiches, the first square (153a) of elliptical form, starting from the left of the croupier, having a light bottom, the player laying on said first square the starting fiche to take part in the match, the second square (153b) of rectangular form having a dark bottom and carrying the writing Double Scores, the croupier laying covered on said second square the Double-Scores card assigned to the player in the third hand, the third square (153c) of rectangular form having a light bottom and carrying the writing Single Scores, the croupier laying open on said third square the Single-Scores card assigned to the player in the fourth hand, the fourth square (153d) being of elliptical form, the fiches corresponding to any 17

raise effected by the player being laid near such square on playing the match.

7. Fittings for playing the "SUPER WORMHOLE ACTION COLOURS"® game including in combination: eight boards (2A-

2H) as a maximum being of different colours and carrying the same squares of a corresponding area (3) of the gambling-table, each board being designated by one of the eight colours used in the game; a board showing the arrangement of the squares in a corresponding area (4) of the surface of the gambling-table (1) ; the necks of playing cards and the fiches.

8. The fittings according to claim 7, wherein they are kept in a suitable container and form as a whole the accessories necessary for playing "SUPER WORMHOLE ACTION COLOURS"® as a table game.

9. The gambling-table according to claim l, characterized in that the cash operations are computerized by connecting the playing seats to videodisplays and by supplying each player with a magnetic card.