August Board and Card Game Patents

System and method for playing a game of skill - We start with an electronic based network game. This patent was very difficult to figure out, and even now I'm not entirely sure that I get it.

In an effort to provide a legal, for money, online "Bingo"-like experience, you must implement a game of skill rather than pure luck, so this game presents each player with an empty board and then displays a dealer board with some patterns. You win based on how quickly you can construct your board to match the dealer's. I think.

Method and apparatus for providing insurance policies for gambling losses - Some kind of insurance policy you can buy at a slot machine or other area of a gambling establishment which covers you for more than just that area.

I'm not sure how an insurance policy is supposed to cover you for harm you deliberately do to yourself. I mean, once you're insured, what's to prevent you from betting more and more money once you're already losing?

Methods and system for facilitating a secondary card game - Another gaming device (gambling related), but I don't see why it couldn't be played at a table. The patent is very long and incomprehensible. There are two hands displayed. The first hand is some kind of high hand. You toss cards out of the second hand, and any replacement cards you pick that match the cards in the first hand are removed from the first hand. Then you score the first hand or second hand, or something.

System and method for playing community hand poker games utilizing dealer qualifying criteria - This patent has a problem with Texas Hold'em. So it allows the dealer to join the betting. The dealer must fold if his hand doesn't meet a certain minimum requirement, in which case the winning player(s) win his ante. I'm not sure how the dealer responds to bets if he doesn't fold. Does he automatically call every bet? That sounds dumb.

Hide and seek board game - Simple enough. It's a roll and move game based on Hide and Seek →. One player plays the traitor seeker.

Chess-like game involving hidden information - Nearly identical to the "Fog of War" chess variant on chessvariants.org, which the patent cites as a source. Requires a computer or moderator to play.

Method of playing a poker-type keno game - This patent has a problem with Texas Hold'em:

As is clear, many wagering choices need to be made by each player during the course of the game. For the player that is unsure of herself, this can be a cause of anxiety and intimidation, especially when playing along side people who are experienced in the game.

To solve this, five two-card hands are simply played face up to the board, and each player can place bets on whichever hand he or she wants as the hole cards are revealed.

Head to head challenge card game - This patent has a problem with Texas Hold'em:

Cards games are well known and myriad in implementation. However, the pace of some card games, such as Texas hold 'em, can be somewhat slow compared to other games. Since the take of the gambling establishment on such games can be fairly small, the relatively slow pace can further reduce the profitability of the game to the establishment as a result of the small take spread over a relatively long period of each game. Thus, despite the relative popularity of the Texas hold 'em game, the game is less profitable to gaming establishments than other games.

To solve this, the game allows one player to multiply the bets, which the other player can accept or forfeit.


Game having an electronic instruction unit - A Yahtzee like game where an electronic nudge tells you to start and you have a few seconds in which to roll a match for one of your cards. Gives annoying verbal instructions and quips, too.

Poker game played against multiple dealer hands. - Dealer gets two hands, and you can bet against either or both.

Card game - A Blackjack-like game, where cards are dealt, and sometimes discarded, and you can also bet against the dealer going bust.