BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to card games and, more specifically, to a gaming card game using one or more standard decks of playing cards involving a dealer and up to seven players wherein each player is playing his or her hand against the dealer&#39;s hand. The principal application of the invention is commercial casinos, which entice the gaming public with a variety of card and other gambling games. However, the invention may also be practiced in other settings, wherein amusement is derived from a gambling game employing playing cards. Private gatherings, social clubs, and other recreational endeavors drawing numbers of gambling devotees together can employ the present invention. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There are numerous card games involving one or more decks of playing cards and incorporating gaming or gambling with tokens. These card games may be suitable for the purposes for which they where designed, but have lost a certain measure of allure to the gaming public due to excessive long standing familiarity. It is thus desirable to provide a new and novel card game wherein a number of players each pit their hands against a dealer&#39;s hand. 
     Games such as blackjack, poker, and others pit a dealer against a plurality of other players. The value of the player&#39;s hands, taken individually, is pitted against that of the dealer&#39;s hand. This may be accomplished by simple arithmetic addition, or by arbitrarily awarding superior status to certain cards or to certain combinations thereof. 
     However, all prior art games known to the applicants fail to offer an automatic opportunity on every deal to split a card holding into two independently pursued holdings, as occurs in the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to card games and, more specifically, to a gaming card game using one or more standard decks of playing cards. The participants include a dealer and up to seven players, wherein each player is playing his or her hand against the dealer&#39;s hand. In the play, the players pit the game value of their cards against the game value of the dealer&#39;s cards. Each player is given an opportunity to divide his dealt holding into two new holdings. Each of the resulting new holdings are pitted independently against corresponding holdings of the dealer. Alternatively, the player can attempt to gain the stake by playing fewer than the number of dealt cards, with some cards being withdrawn from play. 
     It is further desirable to provide variations of the aforementioned card game by varying the value of the cards, by varying the number of wagering steps in a hand and value of tokens wagered, and by allowing a player to split one hand into two hands based on the value of his two card hand. In addition, combinations of players&#39; cards can be made, in certain situations, by combining cards from the dealer with his or her own original cards. The option to divide the holding and to pursue a stake with fewer than the originally dealt cards, and the option to utilize another&#39;s cards mark significant differences between prior art card games and the novel game. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a card game suitable for gaming which is new to the gaming public. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel card game using one or more decks of playing cards and a plurality of tokens. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel card game using one or more decks of playing cards and a plurality of tokens wherein a player has an opportunity to win back his or her ante without continuing to play the full deal. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel card game wherein players can better their hands based on cards held in another hand. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel card game wherein players can increase the number of cards in their hands after dealing has been terminated. 
     Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     FIG. 1 is an illustration of a representative hand or deal after dealing and prior to play, to be played according to the game of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an illustration of a subsequent step in the play of the hand displayed in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an illustration of the continuation of the hand displayed in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is an illustration of the continuation of the hand displayed in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is an illustration of a different representative hand or deal to be played according to the game of the present invention, shown with play partially underway. 
     FIG. 6 is an illustration of the combination of the hand displayed in FIG.  5 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention sets forth a card game in which a plurality of players individually pit their hands against that of a dealer. All prospective players who wish to partake in a hand place one or more tokens into a designated area in front of themselves, as an ante, thereby signalling to the dealer that they wish to play a hand. The cards are dealt out by the dealer one at a time to both players and the dealer. The cards are laid face down in front of each player and the dealer until each participant has three cards face down. The dealer then finished the dealing by placing first a single card face down, this being designated the Player&#39;s “sting” card, for each of the non-players in this seven player card game, and secondly a final card. The final card will hereinafter be referred to as the dealer&#39;s “sting” card, and is placed face down in a predetermined location between the dealer and the players. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates the initial position in a representative deal. Cards have been dealt to players at playing positions  10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16  on a playing surface  1 , such as a table bearing indicia demarcating areas devoted to placement of cards and of tokens for wagering. The dealer (indicated as position  2 ) has dealt three cards  18 ,  20 ,  22  to each participant who has put up an ante. The ante is in the form of a token  24 . In the illustrated deal, since there are fewer than seven players, an additional players “sting” card  11  was set aside to complete the seven player field. In addition the dealer has placed an additional card, that being the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  28  in the predetermined location, which is sting box  30 . 
     Each player picks up and assesses his or her three cards  18 ,  20 ,  22  and selects one of the three cards  18 ,  20 ,  22  as his or her sting card and places the selected sting card face down in front of him or herself. This is shown in FIG. 2, wherein the selected card for all active players (occupying positions  10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 ) is arbitrarily designated sting card  20 . In addition, each player decides whether he or she will play the remaining two cards  18 ,  22  against the dealer&#39;s two card hand. The player signals the dealer of his or her decision by either surrendering the two cards, which option risks forfeiting the ante, or alternatively by placing one or more tokens  32  into the player&#39;s designated wagering area  34  as an additional wager based on the remaining two cards  18 ,  22 . The remaining two cards  18 ,  22  are to be played as a hand independently of card  20 , and will be pitted against the dealer&#39;s two card hand. Thus each player can potentially undertake two separate wagers arising from the one deal, or if preferred, proceed with only one wager. 
     In the illustrated example, the player at position  10  has surrendered the option to bet on cards  18 ,  22 , instead choosing to proceed only with sting card  20 . The stake corresponding to sting card  20  is token  24 . It will be seen that no other tokens are placed on betting area of position  10 . 
     As seen in FIG. 3, the dealer then turns the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  28  face up and, in turn, each of the seven players&#39; “sting” cards  11  or  20 . Should any of the players “sting” cards  11  or  20  be of equal value to the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  28 , the dealer pays one or more tokens to said player whether or not he or she surrendered the hand which includes cards  18 ,  22 . In summary, active players have the option to invest the entire future of the deal selectively in a single comparison by employing his or her sting card  20 , or in a combination of two comparisons, one being sting card  20  and the other being the remaining two cards  18 ,  22 . 
     In the illustrated example, none of the non-players&#39; or players&#39; “sting” cards  11  or  20  is of equal value to the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  28 . 
     Turning now at FIG. 4, the dealer combines the three card dealer&#39;s hand including cards  36 ,  38 ,  40  and the dealer&#39;s sting card  28  to create the best possible two card hand. The resulting two card hand, which comprises cards  28 ,  38 , is then pitted against the hands comprising cards  18 ,  22  of the players. In addition, any players having surrendered their two card hand  18 ,  22  and not having matched the dealer&#39;s sting card with their player&#39;s “sting” card  20  forfeits their ante (token  24 ). This condition characterizes the player at position  10 , and cards  18 ,  20 ,  22  and token  24  of position  10  are accordingly deleted from the view of FIG.  4 . The hand then continues for all seven players with the exception of the non-players and those players who surrendered their two card hand  18 ,  22  and their ante (token  24 ) if no players “sting” card  20  matches the value of the dealer&#39;s “sting” card. 
     The dealer exposes the dealer&#39;s three cards  36 ,  38 ,  40  and including the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  28  must have at least a queen high for the dealer to continue playing. The players expose their two card hands  18 ,  22  which are compared to the dealer&#39;s best two card hand (cards  28 ,  38 ) out of the four cards  28 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40 . The dealer&#39;s two card hand  18 ,  38  is compared to each player&#39;s two card hand  18 ,  22  in turn. When the dealer&#39;s hand is higher than any given player&#39;s hand, the player forfeits his or her ante (token  24 ) and the bet (tokens  32 ). This comparison is continued for all player&#39;s and completes the hand. 
     Play continues for the remaining players by comparing the value of their hands against the value of the dealer&#39;s hand in the following manner. Should any of the players “sting” card  20  be of equal value to the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  28  then each and every player can selectively create a new two card hand optionally combining the value of the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  28  to better his or her hand. In addition, the player or players matching the value of the dealer&#39;s sting card  28  are allowed to create the best four card hand using their original two card hand  18 ,  22 , their respective “sting” card  29  and the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  28 . 
     In none of the seven player&#39;s “sting” cards  20  is of equal value to the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  28  then the dealer can selectively use the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  28  to better the dealer&#39;s two card hand. 
     The hand is concluded when the dealer claims all tokens  24 ,  32  in front of each player having a hand of less value than the dealer&#39;s hand or by paying a player or players a predetermined amount of tokens based on whether that player&#39;s hand is of equal or greater value than the dealer&#39;s hand. 
     Turning now to FIG. 5, the dealer has displayed the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  128 , the non-players “sting” cards  111  and the player&#39;s “sting” cards  120 . Two of the four player&#39;s “sting” cards  120  (these being players at positions  110  and  116 ) match the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  128 . The dealer pays out one or more tokens, matching the original ante, to each of these players. The player or players having matched the dealer&#39;s “sting” card retrieve their winnings and the hand continues without those players having previously chosen not to play their two card hand. 
     The dealer turns over the dealer&#39;s three cards  136 ,  138 ,  140  and must have a Queen or better to continue playing. The players turn over their two card hands (cards  118 ,  122 ) and create the best three card hand combining the values of their original two cards  118 ,  122  and the dealer&#39;s sting card  128 . This procedure is not followed by the player&#39;s having matched the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  128 . This player or players create the best four card hand using the original two card hand (cards  118 ,  122 ), their “sting” card  120 , and the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  128 . The dealer is only allowed to build the best two card hand out of the dealer&#39;s three cards  136 ,  138 ,  140 . 
     FIG. 6 is an illustration of the continuation of the hand displayed in FIG.  5 . The dealer exposes the dealer&#39;s three cards  136 ,  138 ,  140 , which must have a queen or high or better for the dealer to continue playing. The players expose their two card hands derived from the originally chosen two cards  118 ,  122  plus the sting card  120 . The player or players whose sting card  120  has matched the sting card  128  of the dealer then designate the best four card hand, drawing from the original two cards  118 ,  122 , their “sting” cards  120 , and the dealer&#39;s “sting” card  128 . The player at position  116  enjoys this option, the four cards being indicated by broken line  131 . 
     The dealer&#39;s two card hand (cards  136  and  138 , in the depiction of FIG. 6) is compared to each player&#39;s hand in turn. This comparison is made in the case of players at positions  112  and  114 . When the dealer&#39;s hand is higher than the player&#39;s hand, the player forfeits the ante (token  124 ) and the bet (tokens  132 ). If the novel game is based on the rules of poker, then the dealer&#39;s combination of cards  136  and  138  (indicated by broken line  133 ) defeats the holding of the players at positions  112  and  114 . This comparison is continued for all player&#39;s and completes the hand. If one or more player&#39;s hands is greater than the dealer&#39;s hand then the dealer pays out one or more tokens based on a predetermined payment schedule based on the value of the player&#39;s hand. 
     Valuation of cards for the purpose of determining the high card may be based on any preselected criterion. Illustratively, it may be based on those of poker. In such a case, a two card combination of any pair would be rated higher than a two cards of different rank, even if the numerical value of the dissimilar two cards exceeded the numerical value of the pair. Alternatively, the valuation may be based on numerical total or any other preselected characteristics possible with playing cards. Hence the final game can, in limited aspects, simulate poker or any other known card game. 
     In summary, the significant steps of the game may be stated in general terms as dealing a predetermined number of cards to the dealer and to the players, having each player establish a first stake (token  24  or  124 ), and designating a first portion of dealt cards of each player as corresponding to the first stake. The first portion of dealt cards corresponds to sting card  20  or  120 . Each player then elects to designate his or her remaining dealt cards ( 18 ,  22  or  118 ,  122 ) of each player selectively as corresponding to a second stake (tokens  32  or  132 ) and alternatively to withdraw the remaining dealt cards from active play. Cards  18 ,  22  and  118 ,  122  of position  10  illustrate cards withdrawn from active play. 
     Pitting sting cards  20  or  120  against sting cards  28  or  128  of the dealer is to be regarded as making a first comparison in which the first portion of cards dealt to a player are compared to a corresponding number of cards held by the dealer. A first winning card combination is determined from the comparison, even if the combination requires only one card. In alternative embodiments of the invention (not described herein), the first comparison could conceivably pit plural cards of the players against plural cards of the dealer. The first comparison results in awarding the first stake selectively to a player and to the dealer according to whichever of the player and the dealer holds the first winning card combination. 
     The step of segregating cards  18 ,  22  (or  118 ,  122 ) from card  20  (or card  120 ), and placing a wager in the form of tokens  32  or  132  may be generalized as practicing steps of establishing a second stake. When sting cards  20  or  120  are compared to sting card  28  or  128  of the dealer, the comparison determines whether a match occurs as a result of the first comparison. If a match occurs, as was described with reference to FIG. 5, then the player having a matching sting card  120  is allowed to recombine his or her dealt cards together with at least one dealt card of the dealer to define a new card holding. 
     A third comparison is made between the recombined dealt cards of the player and a corresponding number of cards dealt to the dealer. This is described in FIG.  6 . The third comparison determines a second winning card combination as a result thereof. The second stake is awarded to the holder of the second winning card combination. 
     It should be noted that the step of dealing a predetermined number of cards to the dealer and to the players comprises the further step of dealing a first predetermined number of cards to at least one player, and a different and lesser predetermined number of cards to at least one other player. This is the case wherein players at positions  10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 , (or  110 ,  112 ,  114 ,  116 ) have the first predetermined number of cards, and the non-players holding a single card  11  (or  111 ) have a lesser predetermined number of cards. 
     It should further be noted that a first predetermined number of cards  136 ,  138 ,  140  is dealt to the dealer, while a different and lesser second predetermined number of cards  18 ,  20 ,  22  (or  118 ,  120 ,  122 ) is dealt to each player. The dealer is allowed to select among the greater predetermined number of cards to establish a dealer&#39;s hand to be compared to hands of the players, whereas each player is limited to select from the lesser second predetermined number of cards to establish a player&#39;s hand to be compared to the hand of the dealer. 
     In this case, the step of determining a first winning card combination is based on comparing the dealer&#39;s hand established by allowing the dealer to select among the greater predetermined number of cards with each player&#39;s hand established by limiting each player to select from the lesser second predetermined number of cards. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
A card game to be played by preferably seven players completing individually against a dealer. The card game is generally patterned after conventional gambling games such as poker, but includes novel features practiced as steps of a method of play. One feature is that of having each player arbitrarily divide his or her initially dealt cards into two groups each of which is independently pitted against the dealer in two separate comparisons. Two stakes are thus established, one corresponding to each comparison. A second novel feature is that of being allowed to recombine cards to establish a new competitive position if the first comparison with the dealer results in a draw. A third novel feature is that the recombination can utilize a card from the dealer's holding. To play the novel game, the dealer is dealt four cards whereas the players are each dealt but three. The dealer's card holding which participates in the first comparison is predetermined, whereas for the players, this holding is selected at the player's discretion.