US20120228827A1

US20120228827A1 - Apparatus and method for tracking an all-in playing card game

Info

Publication number: US20120228827A1
Application number: US13/481,945
Authority: US
Inventors: Dennis Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-10-25
Filing date: 2012-05-28
Publication date: 2012-09-13
Also published as: US20110095477A1

Abstract

An apparatus to track one or more all-in bets in a game with a standard deck of playing cards that includes a set of at least a first marker and a second marker, the first marker of the set of markers to identify an all-in pot a player is playing to win, the second marker of the set of markers to identify the player that is playing to win the all-in pot and at least one additional identifier on the first and second markers of the set to indicate that they are related to each other. There is also a method for tracking an all-in playing card game.

Description

The present application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 12/605,352 filed on Oct. 25, 2009 and claims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 12/605,352 filed on Oct. 25, 2009 the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus method for monitoring a playing card game. More specifically, the present invention is an apparatus and method for monitoring an all-in playing card game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Card games have been used as a form of entertainment and gambling throughout history. Of all of them, Poker, Baccarat, and Blackjack are among the most popular means of gambling in casinos. Even though they each follow their own set of rules, they are all based on a standard deck of playing cards. The deck consists of fifty-two cards separated into four suits of clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds.
In Poker the game requires that the cards receive ranks, with an Ace having the highest rank and two the lowest. Suits or sets of a kind (spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs) are equal in value. The player holding the highest hand wins. Some games use Wild Cards such as a Joker or perhaps a two and the player can allocate their value as he/she desires.
A poker hand consisting of five cards has the following ranking order starting with the highest rank and going to the lowest: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a kind, A Full House, A Flush, A Straight, Three of a kind, Two Pair, Pair, and High Card. Royal Flush is composed of 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace in the same suit. Straight Flush is composed of five cards that are in order and in the same suit. Four of a Kind is composed of four cards of the same rank. A full house is composed of three cards of a kind and a pair such as QQQAA. A flush is composed of cards that are in the same suit. A straight is composed of five cards in numerical order such as 4-5-6-7-8 regardless of their rank. Three of a kind is composed of three cards that are of the same rank and two cards of different ranks. Two pair is composed of two distinct pairs of cards and a fifth card. Pair is composed of two cards of the same rank plus three cards of different ranks. High Card is composed of a hand which is none of the previously mentioned ones.
In a game of Poker, players each start with a stake, which is the amount of the betting medium which each player has. The betting medium may be something of value, such as cash, coins or chips which represent cash value or it could be any items such as: chips, toothpicks, matchsticks or sugar cubes that have no value and are simply be used to keep track of the bets.
In a game of Poker, players may be required to put a bet into the pot before the deal. This bet may be in the form of an ante or a blind. If there is a bet (ante and/or blind) all players at the table have to match it. Any player who cannot match the bet would have to put all of his/her remaining stake in the pot and would be All-In. The dealer then deals the first round of cards around the table. The number of cards dealt, and whether they are face up or face down depends on the specific game. Once each round of cards has been dealt the players are given the opportunity to: Check, Call, Bet, Raise, All-In or Fold. Once all players have acted, there is said to be no more action. If more than one player remains in the hand the next round of cards are dealt. Once all of the cards have been dealt and all of the players have completed the action, the hands are compared and the winner or winners are determined and the pot or pots are awarded.
Play begins after each player has placed an initial bet, called the ante (if there is an ante), into the pot and or the blind or blinds (if there are blinds) have been placed. The term pot refers to the total accumulation of wagers made during a particular game. The pot can be made up of: the side pots (All-Ins) and the working pot (the remaining players pot). There may be a single pot and there can be as many pots are there are players minus one. The amount of money or stake which is used in the game varies and follows the following format. After the each round of cards has been dealt, betting begins. Betting is done in clockwise order starting with the first player to the left of the dealer (or dealer button if there is a non-playing dealer) and each player may have the option to: Check, Call, Bet, Raise, All-In or Fold.
If a player bets, that bet must be matched (called), raised or All-In by each player that wants to remain in the game. A raise includes matching the previous bet (calling the bet) and increasing the total bet (raise). A player who does not match a bet (call), raise or go All-In (bets his/her remaining stake), drops out of the hand (folds). A round of betting ends when either every player but one has folded, or when the highest bet or raise has been called (or gone all-in) by each remaining player.
All-Ins occur when a player wants to call but doesn't have enough stake to match the current bet or raise or when a player bets all of his/her remaining stake. If only he/she and one other player are playing, no more action is possible then the remaining cards are dealt and the winner is determined. If however there are other players involved in the game, a separate pot is created for each All-In and a pot is created (working pot) to hold the bets for the players who are not All-In. The game (betting) continues as usual in the working pot. When the hand is over, the player or players with the best hand win the working pot. Then the winner or winners of the working pot compares his/her hand with the player who went All-In. The best hand gets the All-In pot. If there is more than one All-In pot, pots are resolved in the reverse order that they are created with the first created pot resolved last and last created pot resolved first. When the hand is over if the All-In player wins the All-In pot he/she remains in the game, otherwise he/she is eliminated from the game.
All-In betting occurs when a player bets all of his or her remaining stake.

- A. All-In is less than the current bet or raise.
- B. All-In is more than the current bet or raise.
- C. Creating All-In pots.
- D. Resolving All-In pots.

A. All-In is less than the current bet or raise.
When it is a player's turn to act and he or she wants to call the current bet, but their total remaining stake is less than the bet, they announce that they are All-In and place all of their remaining stake as their bet. Action continues around the table until all players have had the opportunity to act. Once there is no more action on the table, All-Ins pots and the new working pot are created. Note: There is not always a working pot, and in games with a non-playing dealer, the dealer will announce, who is in for each pot and that there is or is not a working pot.
B. All-In is more than the current bet or raise.
When it is a player's turn to act and he or she wants to bet or raise the current bet and their stake is greater than the current bet or raise they may bet or raise to the maximum of their stake by going All-In. This becomes the current bet and all players must at least Call or go All-In to stay in the hand. Once there is no more action on the table, All-Ins pots and the new working pot are created.
C. Creating All-In pots.
Once all players have acted the dealer gathers the players' bets and creates the pot or pots prior to the next round of play. If there are any players All-In a pot must be created for each starting with the smallest All-In first. An amount equal to the All-In bet is taken from each of the players who are still in the hand. This is added to the existing pot. This now becomes the first side pot and is the pot that the first All-In player is playing for. An additional side pot is created for each All-In player going from the least amount All-In to the largest amount All-In.
Once all of the All-In side pots are created if there is still a pot, this is the working pot and all of the remaining players are playing for it and the All-In side pots. The first All-In player is playing for the first side pot. Each additional All-In player is playing for his or her side pot and all of the pots created before his or her side pot. Remaining players in the hand are playing for all of the side pots and the working pot. More than one player may be in for the exact same side pot if they are All-In and had the exact amount of stake left when they went All-In.
D. Resolving All-In pots.
All-In pots are resolved in the opposite order that they are created.
Once the last card has been dealt and all of the players have completed the final betting round, the winner or winners must be determined. If there are two or more players who still have a stake and are in the hand they are playing for the working pot and all of the side pots. They turn up their cards and a winner or winners of the working pot are determined. The winner or winners are awarded the working pot. The player or players in the last created All-In side pot now turn up their cards and compare them with the winner or winners of the working pot. The winner or winners are awarded the All-In side pot. If there is more than one All-In side pot the process continues with each All-In side pot until all of the pots have been awarded.
It is clear from the above detailed description of All-In betting, that All-In betting can be very difficult to keep track of in a poker game. The prior art solution is to take a stack of chips from each All-In pot and tip it toward the player who is in the All-In pot. It is up to the players and the dealer to know who is All-In and, what pot they are playing for and in what order they went All-In.
What is needed is a method for tracking an all-in playing card game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed an apparatus and method for tracking all-in bets in a game of poker with a set of at least a first marker and a second marker. The first marker of the set of markers identifies an all-in pot a player is playing for. The second marker of the set of markers identifies the player that is playing for the all-in pot. There is at least one similar identifier on the first and second markers of the set to indicate that they are related to each other.
In another embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a method of tracking all-in bets in a game of poker with a set of at least a first marker and a second marker. The first marker of the set of markers identifies an all-in pot a player is playing for. The second marker of the set of markers identifies the player that is playing for the all-in pot. There is at least one similar identifier on the first and second markers of the set to indicate that they are related to each other.
The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a set of pot and player markers that can be used to identify at least one all in pot and at least one all in player, in accordance with the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for tracking an all-in playing card game, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments will be described using terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well-known features are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.
Various operations will be described as multiple discrete operations, in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation.
The phrase “in one embodiment” is used repeatedly. The phrase generally does not refer to the same embodiment, however, it may. The terms “comprising”, “having” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise.
FIG. 1 is a top view of a set of pot and player markers that can be used to identify at least one all-in pot and at least one all-in player, in accordance with the principles of the invention.
Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a top view of a set of pot and player markers that can be used to identify at least one “all-in” pot and at least one “all-in” player. A set of markers 10 that are individual and separate members that can have a shape and size of a chip such as a round disk 12 with a distinctive color such as white, black, red, blue, green, orange, or any color. The disk can also be striped with waving lines, or have vertical, horizontal and/or diagonal stripes or lines of contrasting colors. The lines can be thick or thin, or the disk can display only two colors where each color occupies a portion of the disk where a portion is located in a circle, is pie shaped, and or is a circle within a circle. The shape of the marker can be a disk that has the size and shape of a chip, or it can have a diameter that is smaller or larger than a chip. The marker can be thinner or thicker than a chip. The marker can have a shape that is different than a disk shaped chip such as being square, rectangular, oval or any shape desired. Thus, the marker can have a shape, size and/or color, and any combination of shape, size and/or color.
The markers 12 shown in FIG. 1 are shown as being disk shaped. A set of markers consists of at least two markers having a common number such as the number “1”, 14 on one or each side of the disk. It is understood that a letter of the alphabet or a distinctive mark of symbol can also be used. As there can be more than one all in player during a hand, there can be a plurality of pairs of markers 12A, 12B . . . 12N where each pair of markers are similar. As there can be more than a single player that is all-in during a hand, each set of markers is not limited to two similar markers, but can have at least two of more similar markers such as three or four or more 12NN up to at least one more than the expected number of players that are in a game.
During a game, each “all-in” pot will have its own marker. Thus, each player and the dealer need only glance at the “all-in” pot(s) to know which pot is “all-in”. The marker on the pot will have a corresponding marker in front of the player of the “all-in” pot. It is not necessary for the dealer or any of the players to keep track of the “all-in” pots because both the pot and the player will have a marker.
When an “all-in” occurs, the player that is betting “all-in” has bet all of his/her chips. The dealer must now create an “all-in” pot for that player and any other player that may be “all-in” on the same betting round. The “all-in” player with the least amount of chips gets the “all-in” marker with the number “1”, or the lowest number on the marker, and the stack of chips being played also gets a maker with that number on it.
“All-in” bets are created starting with the player with the leaser amount of chips first, then the others, one by one. Each stack of chips and player get the next numbered marker. At the end of a hand the winners are resolved in reverse order. If more than one player is all in for the same pot, each player gets a marker with the same number on it, or the next sequential marker is given to the player and the marker is also on the pot to indicate, for example, that the pot with markers “2” and “3” means that the players with markers “2” and “3” are both playing for the same all in pot.
The identification of “all-in” players and pots which is here disclosed simplifies “all-in” pots and players by making it clear to the players and the dealer who is in for each pot when an “all-in” situation occurs.
In an embodiment, the markers have identifiers such as numbers on one or both sides. The markers can be the same size, weight and texture as the chips that are being used in the game. A minimum of two markers have similar numbers, and there can be as many numbers as there are players at a table minus one. The dealer keeps the markers when not in use and places them on top of the pot that is all-in and in front of the players that are all-in for that pot. The dealer retrieves the “all-in” marker as the pots are resolved.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method 200 for tracking an all-in playing card game, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
The method 200 steps include completing a round of betting 210, determining if one or more betting players are All-In players 220, placing a first marker type and any subsequent first marker types in front of the All-In player with a smallest bet 230, determining if there is a working pot 240, placing a corresponding second marker type on the working pot 250, adding to one or more all-in pots from a plurality of active players and the plurality of active players bets 260 and determining if there are any more additional all-in players 270.
The completing step 210 can include betting for any poker game. The first determining step 220 includes if the round of betting is the last round of betting 221. If it is not the last round of betting an additional completing step 210 is performed. If it is the last round of betting, it is then determined if there is a working pot 222. If there is a working pot, the working pot is awarded 223. If there is not a working pot it is determined if there are any all-in pots 224. If there are no all-in pots, the game is ended 228. If there are any all in pots, the all-in pot with the highest number is awarded 225 and the all-in markers from the players and the all-in pot are recovered 226. If there are any more all-in pots they are awarded to the all-in pot with the highest number as well 227. The having step 230 includes the step if two or more players are all-in with an exact same amount, the two or more players are each given a marker and the markers are placed on the pot the players are playing to win 231.
If there is a working pot after the having step 230 the marker is placed on the working pot and the working pot becomes the all-in pot 250. This pot becomes a last pot that the all-in player is playing for 242. This pot also includes additional all-in pots from each of the active players 243. If there are more all-in players 270, the having step 230 is repeated. If there are not more all-in players, any remaining bets become a new working pot 280 and the last round betting step 221 is repeated. If there is not a working pot after the having step 230, a corresponding marker is placed where the all-in pot is 232. This all-in pot is the last pot that the all-in player is playing to win 242. Additionally, all of the all-in players are playing to win the pot with their corresponding markers and other additional pots with lower numbered markers 243. After the placing step 250, the last pot playing to win step 242 is repeated. The all-in amount from each of the active players is added to the all-in pot 260. If there are more all-in players 270, the having step 230 is repeated. If there are not any more all-in players remaining bets are a new working pot 280 and the last round betting step 221 is repeated.
While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes of the form and details of the apparatus illustrated and in the operation may be done by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus to track one or more all-in bets in a game with a standard deck of playing cards, comprising:

a set of at least a first marker and a second marker;

the first marker of the set of markers to identify an all-in pot a player is playing to win;

the second marker of the set of markers to identify the player that is playing to win the all-in pot; and

at least one additional identifier on the first and second markers of the set to indicate that they are related to each other.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the as least one similar identifier is a number.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first markers are approximately equal size.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second markers are approximately equal size.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein there are at least two of the markers in the set of markers.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of markers are approximate in size and shape to one or more chips being used to place the one or more bets in the pot.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein there are an equal number of the sets of markers as there are of the players less one of the sets.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the set of markers has an identifier with a different value.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the game is poker.

10. A method for tracking an all-in playing card game, comprising the steps of:

completing a round of betting;

determining if one or more betting players are one or more all-in players;

placing a first marker type and any subsequent first marker types in front of the one or more all-in players with a smallest bet;

determining if there is a working pot;

placing a second marker type on the working pot making it a one or more all-in pot; adding to the one or more all-in pot an amount of one or more all-in bets from a plurality of active players and the plurality of active players bets; and

determining if there are any more additional of the one or more all-in players.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining if the one or more betting players are the one or more all-in players includes the round of betting that is a last round of betting.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the last round of betting includes the working pot and the one or more all-in pots.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more all-in pots with a highest number are awarded and the all-in marker types from the players and the one or more all-in pot are recovered.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the having step includes two or more of the players are all-in with an exact same amount and the two or more players are each given one of the marker types.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the marker types are placed on the pot the players are playing to win.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the placing step includes creating the one or more all-in pot without the working pot.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein determining if there is the working pot includes the marker type is placed on the working pot.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the working pot becomes a last pot that the one or more all-in players are playing to win.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the working pot includes one or more additional one or more all-in pots from each of the plurality of active players.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein all of the one or more all-in players are playing to win the pot with the marker types and other additional pots with one or more lower numbered marker types.