1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a poker styled card game, and more specifically to a poker styled card game wherein a player attempts to achieve a high ranking 5-card poker hand by utilizing four cards dealt to that player and four community cards.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, one of the most popular poker games played is a variation of poker called Texas Hold Em. In Texas Hold Em, each player is dealt two cards, with the face of the cards being disposed toward the playing surface, referred to as “hole cards.” In a standard Texas Hold Em game, once each player has received their two hole cards, a round of betting occurs. In some games there are two compulsory bets at the commencement of the first round of play: the person immediately to the left of the dealer must place a bet equal to one half of the minimum predetermined bet, referred to as the “blind” and the player immediately to the left of the blind must place a bet equal to the minimum predetermined bet for that round, referred to as the “big blind.” Play proceeds around the table in a clockwise manner, with each player given the opportunity to either fold, call the bet of the big blind, or raise the big blind. Any player that has not folded is referred to as an “active player.” Once all bets have been called, three cards are dealt with the face of these cards being disposed opposite the playing surface (referred to as “the flop”) to establish the “community” cards (cards that each player can use to complete their poker hand). Another round of betting occurs, with each active player having the opportunity to fold, bet, raise a previous bet made in that round, or check. Once all bets have been called, a fourth community card (referred to as “the turn”) is added to the community with the face of this card being disposed opposite the playing surface. Another round of betting commences. Again, once all bets are called, a fifth and final card (referred to as “the river”) is dealt with its face being disposed opposite the playing surface. A final round of betting occurs. Once all bets have been called, the showdown occurs, wherein all active players reveal their hole cards to determine the winner of the game based upon the highest ranking 5 card poker hand created from the 5 community cards and that player's two hole cards. The winner typically receives the proceeds of the wagering, commonly referred to as “the pot.”
There have been countless variations of poker, and more specifically, Texas Hold Em, which itself appears to be derived from 7 card stud poker. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,448 (Moody) describes a variation of Texas Hold Em wherein players attempt to make the highest 5-card poker hand out of a set of hole cards and a set of community cards. In this variation, however, three hole cards are dealt to each player, and eight cards are dealt, some with their faces disposed opposite the playing surface, and some with their faces disposed toward the playing surface. These eight community cards are arranged in four groups of two cards with the community card layout being in the form of a directional compass with a pair of community cards at each point of the compass. The positioning of the pair of community cards on these respective points of the compass determine which, if any, of the cards in the respective pairs are disposed with their face toward or opposite the playing surface. Each player then can choose which pair of community cards he or she wished to utilize in completing their 5-card poker hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,101 (Moody) again describes a variation of Texas Hold Em, again with each player attempting to make the highest 5-card poker hand out of a set of hole cards and a set of community cards. In this variation each player is dealt 5 hole cards, with six cards being dealt with their face disposed toward the playing surface as the community. The community cards are arranged in a three row triangle pattern. A player may discard up to 5 of his or her hole cards. The dealer then positions the community cards with their faces disposed opposite the playing surface. Depending on how many hole cards a player discarded, predetermined cards in the community are used by that player to complete his or her 5-card poker hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,430 (Aramapakul, et al.) discloses a variation of Texas Hold Em wherein each player is dealt 3 hole cards. The player must discard one hole card. Five cards are then dealt with their faces disposed opposite the playing surface to serve as the community. These two hole cards and five community cards are then used to create a 5-card poker hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,188 (Poitra) discloses a variation wherein each player makes an initial wager prior to being dealt any hole cards. After this initial round of betting, each player is dealt two hole cards. Three cards are dealt, two with their faces disposed opposite the playing surface, and the remaining community card being disposed with its face disposed toward the playing surface, as the community cards. At this point, each player is given the opportunity to “double down.” Following this opportunity, the showdown occurs and all bets are resolved in favor of the player having the highest 5-card poker hand.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,983 (Chobanian) discloses a variation wherein each player initially is dealt 2 hole cards. A round of betting then occurs. Four community cards are then dealt with their faces disposed opposite the playing surface. Another round of betting occurs. Finally, each player is dealt one final hole card. A final round of betting takes place. Once all bets have been called, the showdown occurs, with the winner being that active player with the highest 5-card poker hand.
Among the deficiencies in the prior art is that the variations of Texas Hold Em involve complex instructions, which can intimidate the novice player. Additionally, a deficiency in the prior art is the limited number of hole cards utilized. When the number of hole cards is limited to two or three as seen in Texas Hold Em and its variations, the strategy of the game is limited, as a player has only to guess two cards of his or her opponent.
Thus, there is a need in the relevant art for a modified game of poker that provides a new variation of Texas Hold Em allowing for the inclusion of plurality of players that is easy to learn, is fast paced, and increases the skill necessary in determining the relative strength of a player's hand versus that of his or her opponent's.