A method of playing a card game is performed by a player making at least an ante wager and a wager on a bonus event to enter the card game. An initial hand of X cards is dealt to the player making the at least an ante wager and the wager on a bonus event. A hand of X cards is dealt to the dealer. The player decides to continue or end play of the game, the decision exercised by making a play wager to continue the game or forfeiting the ante and wager on a bonus event, ending a round of play of the game for that player. If a play wager is made by the player, at least one more card is dealt to the player; the player forming a best hand of X cards; comparing the player's best hand of X cards of the player against a best hand for the dealer with the dealer's X cards. The ante, wager on the bonus event and play wager are resolved based upon ranking rules of the card game, wherein X is an integer of 2-7 cards, especially, 4, 5 or 6 cards, and a preferred number of additional cards dealt to each player who makes the play wager is 1. It is a particularly useful format where the dealer does not receive any cards beyond X cards, and X is 5. The method is best practiced when a bonus wager is made, and the bonus wager is always paid if the rank of a player's hand making the wager exceeds a predetermined bonus rank. The method also is best practiced where the rank of a player's hand must exceed a predetermined game rank for the player to qualify to win on the ante and the play wager. A desirable predetermined game rank is at least a pair, especially a pair of 3's, 4's, 5's, 6's or 7's. A preferred predetermined bonus rank is at least two pair.
展开▼
