An apparatus and a method of play in the practice of the present invention that
are described below. An apparatus supporting the play of a casino table card game
according to the present invention may comprise: A playing surface; A card-delivery
device; A microprocessor operatively connected to the card-delivery device; Player
controlled election identifiers that provide a visible signal of an election; At
least two areas for display of at least partial card hands from which only one
card hand may be elected for a wagering game by a player; The card-delivery device
having at least one sensor thereon for sensing the presence of cards in a delivery
area of the card-delivery device from which cards may be removed; The at least
one sensor on the card-delivery device providing a signal to the microprocessor
that a sensed set of cards has been removed from the delivery area; and in response
to the signal, the microprocessor preventing players from entering a new election.
The apparatus delivery device is preferably a card-shuffling device. The card-shuffling
device may both shuffle cards and create sets of predetermined, preselected numbers
of cards to be used in play of a card game. The card-shuffling device may be capable
of being programmed to provide sets of cards of different numbers of cards to be
used in the play of a card game. The apparatus signal to the microprocessor could
comprise a signal that a sensed set of cards has been removed from the delivery
area is in response to removal of either a) at least a portion of a player's hand
or b) at least a portion of common cards. The signal to the microprocessor that
a sensed set of cards has been removed from the delivery area may be in response
to removal of at least a portion or all of common cards to be used in play of a
game. A method of using this apparatus also constitutes a practice of the present invention.