Methods and apparatus are described for preserving and improving board games by changing the game board from a passive cardboard board to a dynamic computer controlled board while keeping the other tangible parts of the game unchanged—dice, game pieces, etc. The inherent values of board games are preserved, while improving the attractiveness of board games by using computing systems and advanced technologies.

An automated playing card retrieval system is used with a physical gaming table that hosts live wager-based games. The system includes a movable receiving component that receives dealt physical playing cards and an automated card removal component that removes the cards to a discard region after the game. The movable receiving component can be a mechanized tray, can display card(s) to player(s) seated away from the table during game play, and can receive cards at a first position, move to a second position where cards are removed, and move to a third position where cards are displayed at a position elevated from and at a substantially non-parallel angle to the table surface. Additional system components can include an automated card return component that returns cards to another location for a future game, a robotic dealer, an automated card shuffler, a card shoe, and/or the table itself.

An integrated apparatus for storage of consumer articles using a stackable and interlocking mechanism is disclosed herein. Specifically, in some embodiments, multi-layered stacking and control of consumer articles is achieved by forming couplings (e.g., male-female couplings) among the consumer articles such that they are subsequently placed in a stacking fashion. Such stacking can be employed in a symmetric, asymmetric and/or combination manner in order to form an interlocking mechanism between two or more of the stackable consumer articles, thus ensuring that the storage apparatus is stable and the consumer articles protected. In some embodiments, the consumer articles can be related to household articles, commercial articles, board games or any other suitable article.

A board game and method of implementing the game comprise displaying a squared oblong rectangular game board comprising a width comprising at least ten squares. A set of player pawns or markers pieces on the game board is envisaged. The player pawns are initially arranged for beginning play by retention with the players themselves. Game play is enabled by one or more users following the standard set of rules.

A management system in a facility providing games using a game table having play positions is provided with a member's card having a card RFID tag storing member information built in, and card RFID reader, which is installed at the play position of the game table and reads the member information from the card RFID tag.

A multi-color game board is provided that includes a game board having a single strip comprising a beginning start position of one color and an end position having the same color as the start position and a multi-color chance device in which a user of the game board apparatus may randomly select a color to designate the player's turn. One or more players may utilize the multi-color game board by rolling a colored die and moving from one colored position to another while trying to avoid rolling the die on a designated color

A spirit board for use with a living animal Oracle planchette.

In accordance with some embodiments, an RFID-enabled table game system provides for determining whether there is a variance between an expected balance of inventory and an actual balance of inventory in a game element container. If a variance is detected, the RFID-enabled game system may identify at least one characteristic associated with an RFID-enabled game element that is determined to be a source of the variance (e.g., a player position at which the RFID-enabled game element had last been detected, a denomination or value of the game element, and/or an identifier associated with the game element). In some embodiments, an alert may be output to game provider personnel (e.g., a dealer of a card game) at the end of a game play when such a variance is detected, thus allowing the variance to be corrected in an efficient and timely manner.

A thundering hoofs game system for a game of horse racing in a challenging and entertaining manner. The thundering hoofs game system may include a race track, horse-shaped figurines, saddle cloths, game move instructional cards, a calculator, a set of play money, auction forms, betting tickets, race card setup forms, a race-start indicator, a race-finish indicator, a stamp, trading cards, containers, a dice, a tote bag, and a set of user instructions in combination to provide a game about horse racing in a challenging and entertaining manner A method of using a thundering hoofs game system may include auctioning horses to owners, selecting the type of horse race to run with game-play, placing bets for a horse race, completing a horse race with game-play, and cashing in winning bets.

A fraud detection system which detects fraud in a game of performing collection and redemption of chips in accordance with a win or lose result includes a camera which captures an image of chips contained in a chip tray of a dealer, an image analyzing apparatus which analyses the image captured by the camera to detect an amount of the chips contained in the chip tray, a card distribution device which determines a win or lose result of a game, and a control device which compares the win or lose result of the game and the amount of the chips contained in the chip tray before and after collection and redemption of the chips to detect fraud.