Poker Game Pot Segmentation for Skilled Player Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional poker game mechanisms fail to effectively address bad beats, where a player with a weaker hand wins due to luck, leading to unfair outcomes and player elimination, especially in tournaments where skilled players are disadvantaged.
Innovation Solution
A return feature that allows players to continue playing by returning a portion of the pot if they made an all-in wager, activated by specific events such as a raise or multiple all-in wagers, ensuring they don't lose their entire stake, and providing a mechanism to reward better decision-making.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional poker game rules are used, then the game is simple to operate, but skilled players are disadvantaged due to bad beats caused by luck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pot into multiple portions: a return portion (e.g., 25%) that is returned to the player with the best hand at the time of all-in, and a remaining portion that is awarded to the player with the best final hand. This segmentation allows the system to reward skilled decision-making while preserving the traditional poker outcome structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by determining the best hand at the time of the all-in wager before the hand is completed. This preliminary assessment allows the system to identify and reward the player who made the best decision at a specific moment, even before knowing the final outcome, thereby reducing the impact of luck on skilled players.
2Reliability
If a return feature is implemented to reduce luck impact, then skilled players are rewarded, but the game mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The return feature is applied locally to specific situations rather than globally to all hands. It specifically applies when a player goes all-in and is called or raised, creating a distinct condition that triggers the return mechanism. This localized application reduces overall system complexity while maintaining fairness in critical scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of pot distribution by introducing a return portion with a specific percentage (e.g., 25%) that is allocated differently from traditional rules. This parameter change creates a clear, quantifiable mechanism that is easy to implement and understand, reducing the perceived complexity of the return feature.
3Duration of action of moving object
If players are returned a portion of the pot, then they can continue playing, but the pot distribution becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies discarding and recovering by returning a portion of the pot to the player with the best hand at all-in time, effectively recovering some of their stake. This allows players to continue playing with reduced loss, extending their duration in the game while maintaining a relatively simple pot distribution structure with just two portions.
Data Source
AI summary
A return feature for poker games may be activated after at least two all-in wagers to a pot have been made. The player having the current best hand at the time of the all-in wagers may be returned a portion of the pot regardless of whether or not the player ultimately wins. This allows this player to continue playing should he or she lose the all-in wager. The return feature may return various portions of the pot to a player and may be used in both electronic and non-electronic embodiments of poker.