GB2420723A

GB2420723A - Gaming table with a player and general display

Info

Publication number: GB2420723A
Application number: GB0426550A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carlos Darmoo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-12-02
Filing date: 2004-12-02
Publication date: 2006-06-07
Also published as: GB0426550D0

Abstract

A gaming system including a gaming table 4 at which one or more players play a card game electronically. The table 4 includes a player display 5, a display that is visible to all players 7, and control means 6 that automatically controls the progress of a game. An indication or representation of the cards appears on the player display 5. The players display may be concealed by, for example, folding so it is contiguous with the surface of the table.

Description

A GAMING SYSTEM

The invention relates to a gaming system including a gaming table for playing card games electronically without the need for a physical pack of cards.

Card games such as poker are traditionally played with conventional cardboard cards.

There is often an incentive to cheat in such games, particularly in those games where there is significant financial reward to be won. Where a dealer is required to distribute and collect cards and to control the progress of the game, the dealer has clear opportunity to cheat. A skilled dealer can influence the cards dealt and therefore influence the progress of the game. In some card games a player will also take the role of the dealer and that player will have clear incentive to cheat for his own benefit.

Even when the dealer is not a player, such as in a casino, the dealer may be persuaded to distribute the cards or control the progress of the game favourably for any one or a number of the players, or to cheat in favour of the casino. Also, players and casinos arc often suspicious of cheating and false allegations of cheating can arise. Solutions have been attempted to overcome the problem of cheating, for example, by the placing of cameras in casinos, but none of these has proved wholly effective.

Card games can also be played over the internet where the cards appear as representations on a computer screen. However, such games are not without problems - players can cheat by colluding to share knowledge of the identity of their respective cards with other colluding players. This knowledge can be used to their advantage against other players or, where the card game is one played in a casino, against an online casino. In addition, poker may be played in a form where one or more cards are visible to all players and there is no guarantee that all players are shown the same cards or in fact are treated equally and fairly at all. Players furthermore find that online card games lack the skill and judgement of a game with conventional cards due to the invisibility of the other players, which reduces opportunities for, for example, second-guessing and bluffing.

According to the present invention, there is provided a gaming system comprising a gaming table carrying at least one player display for viewing by a player and a display for general viewing, and control means for controlling a card game in which cards are viewed by the at least one player and generally and for reproducing those cards on the player display and the general display respectively.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of a table of a gaming system for playing cards electronically and including player displays and a general display, Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the gaming system of Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows an alternative arrangement of the gaming system of Figure 2 including internet access to an electronic account.

In the following, where the term "card" is used with reference to the present invention, it shall be understood that the term refers to a graphic indication or representation of the card.

Figure 1 shows a table 4 having eight player interfaces 5, a control terminal 6 and a generally visible display 7.

Each player interface 5 comprises a display, a computer (not shown) and a keypad (not shown). The display is a screen such as a plasma or LCD screen. These parts are formed by known components and will not be described further. Each display has shielding to allow only a player playing at the display to view the display and to inhibit other players from viewing the display. The player interfaces are provided around the periphery of the table 4.

The generally visible display 7 includes a display screen inset into a upper surface of the table 4 to be contiguous with the surface of the table 4. The screen is located in the centre of the table.

The control terminal 6 comprises a controlling computer 9 and a keyboard 10, illustrated in Figure 2. As further shown in Figure 2, the controlling computer 9 is networked to the player computers. The generally visible display 7 and control keyboard 10 are connected to the controlling computer 9. Gaming software is installed on all the player computers and the controlling computer.

The gaming software may, for example, be for playing electronically a card game, such as poker, in which cards are viewed by the player or players individually and are also viewed generally, in which the player or players gamble on the game, and in which the game is controllable both by the or each player and independently of the player. Where the card game is controlled independently of the or each player, the control system 6 controls the player display or displays to reproduce electronically required representation. These may be cards or other information such as amounts of money lost and won, which players have opted out of the game or been forced out, or, 1 5 if the game is one that requires a leader, the identity or position of the leader. The or a player, where allowed, controls the card game through the keyboard. In this way the or a player may request a further card or cards andlor select an amount to bet on the outcome of the game andlor opt out of the game andlor show cards to any other players andlor call to see the cards of any other players.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the total money available to each player can be inputted to the controlling computer 9 and physical arrangements made for the transfer of this money before and after the game. The amounts available at any time to each player need not be known to the other players. Money can be represented on the public display 7 and/or the players screens as chips or other representations.

In use, a game is selected and started at the control terminal. The progress of the game is fully automated. Players can opt into, out of, raise, call, show and perform all the actions possible in a conventional game of cards at the appropriate times, the times that any particular action is allowed being determined by the controlling computer 9.

By way of example only a detailed description is given in the following of each of the steps of a game of Texas Hold'em Poker.

(1) Two adjacent players pay by operation of the keypad into an electric common fund a sum of money, the amount being predetermined by the controlling computer 9.

The amount together with an indication of which players have placed the money is shown on the public display 7 (this step is usually termed "posting the blinds").

(2) Each player is randomly allocated two cards from the possible 52 cards in a conventional pack by the controlling computer 9 and these are displayed on the player displays. The identity of these cards is known only to the player to which the cards are allocated.

(3) Each player in turn clockwise around the table and beginning with the player to the left of those who posted the blinds uses his keypad to place a bet. The controlling computer 9 controls the order of placing of the bets and requires that the correct amount be placed (this is termed the "pre-flop").

(4) There is then the opportunity for players to place further bets, which may force other players to place further bets in order to remain part of the game. Players can also opt out of the game ("fold"). The controlling computer 9 controls the order in which the players play and ensures that all is in order to progress to the next step.

Indications of bets made, whose turn it is and who has opted out are shown on the public display.

(5) Three further cards are randomly selected by the controlling computer 9 and their respective identities are shown on the public display 7 (this is termed the "flop").

(6) Step (4) is repeated.

(7) A further card is randomly selected by the controlling computer 9 and the identity of this is shown on the public display 7 (this further card is termed the "turn" card).

(8) Step (4) is repeated.

(9) After all further betting is concluded, and the players have indicated that they do not wish to continue, the controlling computer 9 displays a first player's cards on the public display 7, these cards being previously unknown to the other players. The other players then choose either for their cards to be known or to opt out. The controlling computer 9 will automatically detect which of the players who has shown their cards has won and allocate the sum of all the bets to that player.

Referring next to Figure 3, the parts common to the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3 are given the same reference numbers and are not described is detail. In Figure 3, the controlling computer 9 is connected to a further display on which the progress of the game is controlled. This further display can be located remotely from the table 4. The controlling computer 9 also connects to the Internet 11 and to a casino computer 12 system. The internet connection 11 allows the downloading of new gaming software 1 5 or updates for current gaming software. Players can also access online banking facilities electronically for providing electronically money for playing a card game.

Credit or debit card details can be entered at each player interface 5 using the respective keypad. Funds can be accessed at any time over the course of a game. The controlling computer 9 also includes an electronic account for each player in which is stored electronically an amount of money available to the respective player, the player interface 5 being connected to the electronic account to permit each player to transfer money electronically for playing the game.

The present invention offers assurance to players that cheating is not taking place. A game whose progress is automated will progress correctly and no actions can be performed by the players out of turn. There is no possibility of the players cheating, by collusion or otherwise. There is no human dealer and therefore no possibility of such a dealer favouring any of the players or the casino.

It will be appreciated that there are a number of variations that can be made to the embodiments described about with reference to the accompanying drawings. The displays need not be plasma or LCD displays - they could be backlit. Instead of a keypad, a player could use a touch sensitive screen, a joystick device or indeed a conventional keyboard. The player interfaces 5 could access the internet and casino computer system directly and not through the control computer 9. The player interfaces do not each have to include a computer. The controlling computer 9 could be connected to each player display and keypad directly.

The table could be adapted to accommodate any number of players. More than one game could take place at the same time - the general display could display information relevant to all games. The controlling computer 9 could be operated remotely, over a casino computer system or the internet. The controlling computer 9 could also be, for example, in the same room as the table but not at the table - or could be located at the table. If at the table, the controlling computer 9 can have its own display or could utilise the publicly visible display 7. The controlling computer 9 could also be one of the player interfaces and could have a password-operated locking system to prevent player interference with the operation of the progress of the game.

The table could also be used for the playing of card games without the betting of money being required.

Claims

I. A gaming system comprising a gaming table carrying at least one player display for viewing by a player and a display for general viewing, and control means for controlling a card game in which cards are viewed by the at least one player and generally and for reproducing those cards on the player display and the general display respectively.
2. A gaming system according to claim I wherein the table includes a plurality of player interfaces.
3. A gaming system according to any preceding claim wherein the control means is located remotely from the table.
4. A gaming system according to any preceding claim wherein the control means is associated with the table.
5. A gaming system according to claim 4 wherein the or a player interface is associated with the control means.
6. A gaming system according to any preceding claim wherein the table has a surface, the generally visible display including a display screen inset into the surface of the table to be contiguous with the surface of the table.
7. A gaming system according to claim 4 wherein the control means controls the general display to display any one or more of: cards whose respective identities are know to all players, representations of chips, an indication of players taking part in the game and which player's turn it is to perform an action.
8. A gaming system according to any preceding claim wherein the or each player display is provided with shielding which extends to inhibit the viewing of the display by other players.
9. A gaming system according to any preceding claim wherein the player display is moveable between an operative position for viewing by a player and a folded position in which a surface of the display is contiguous with the surface of the

table.
10. A gaming system according to any preceding claim wherein the card game allows the or a player to gamble on the card game and wherein the control system permits a player to access online banking facilities electronically for providing electronically money for playing the card game.
11. A gaming system according to any preceding claim and including an electronic account in which is stored electronically an amount of money available to the or a player, the player interface being connected to said electronic account to permit the or a player to transfer money electronically for playing the card game.
12. A gaming system according substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.