Title:
Board game apparatus
United States Patent 3908998
Abstract:
A board game on which two opposing players move game-pieces across a plurality of spaces in the board toward a goal thereon. The two players each have a set of a plurality of game-pieces with each game-piece having indicia thereon indicating the ranking, relative to the other game-pieces, of its power or authority to capture other game-pieces on the board. Each goal has a disabling zone adjacent thereto through which all game-pieces entering the goal must pass. When a player's game-piece is in the disabling zone of an opposing player it temporarily loses its power or authority and may be captured and removed by any opposing game-piece regardless of its ranking of power or authority. Preferably, the board has a protection zone which may be entered by only some of the game-pieces which will thereby be free from capture by other game-pieces while remaining in such protection zone.
US Patent References:
Game
Beresford - October 1922 - 1433336
BOARD GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING PLAY PROGRAMMING MEANS
Liston - January 1973 - 3709498
Game
Beresford - October 1922 - 1433336
BOARD GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING PLAY PROGRAMMING MEANS
Liston - January 1973 - 3709498
Application Number:
05/352090
Publication Date:
09/30/1975
Filing Date:
04/18/1973
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
International Classes:
A63F3/02; A63F3/00
Field of Search:
273/131-134
Primary Examiner:
Lowe, Delbert B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Barnes, Kisselle, Raisch & Choate
Claims:
I claim
1. A game apparatus comprising a board having a plurality of columns extending longitudinally of said board and each containing a plurality of spaces with laterally adjacent spaces of adjacent columns being generally aligned with each other to form a grid-like array of said spaces defining a playing area on said board, first and second sets of a plurality of game-pieces each adapted to be received on one of said spaces of said board and to be moved on said spaces independently of the other of said game-pieces on said board, each of said game-pieces of each set having animal ranking indicia means individually associated therewith on an upper face thereof visibly exposed to the view of both players of said game apparatus when situated at the opposite longitudinal ends of said board, said ranking indicia means visibly identifying a differing power or rank thereof relative to every other of said game-pieces of said set, said ranking indicia means of each set of game-pieces depicting a selected set of members of the animal kingdom each differing from every other said member and characteristically capable of connoting said ranking of the power of the game-pieces relative to one another, goal indicia means on first and second selected ones of said spaces distinguished in appearance from the remainder of said spaces and defining first and second goal spaces disposed on said board respectively adjacent the longitudinally opposed ends of said playing area, and disabling zone indicia means on selected third and fourth sets of said spaces identifying said third and fourth sets of spaces as disabling spaces by differing in appearance from the remainder of said spaces and from said goal spaces, said third and fourth sets of disabling spaces being disposed to surround the associated first and second goal spaces respectively and thereby separate said goal spaces from all of the remainder of said spaces such that members of said first and second sets of game-pieces must pass through said fourth and third disabling spaces respectively in order to enter said second and first goal spaces respectively, each of said disabling spaces being effective to decrease the power or rank of at least some opposing game-pieces only while such opposing game-pieces are in an opposing disabling space.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said board includes position indicia means in certain of said spaces other than said disabling or goal spaces indicating the initial position before starting to play the game of at least some of the gamepieces of each of said sets of game-pieces within said playing area, said position indicia means of each set being located in a spaced array occupying selected spaces in a set of rows of said spaces extending laterally of said playing area, said rows being disposed in the vicinity of and at least encompassing and extending laterally on either side of the associated goal and disabling spaces, said position indicia means of each set including a first indicator identifying the initial position of the highest ranking game-piece of said set and being disposed at one lateral end of a first one of said rows disposed closest to the opposing end of said playing area, a second indicator identifying the initial position of the second highest ranking game-piece of said set disposed at the lateral end of a second one of said rows disposed farthest from the opposing end of the said playing area and laterally opposite the location of said first indicator, a third indicator identifying the initial position of the third highest game-piece of said set located at the lateral end of said second row laterally opposite said second indicator, and a fourth indicator identifying the initial position of the lowest ranking game-piece of said set located at the end of said first row laterally opposite said first indicator.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said board includes protection zone indicia means on first and second selected sets of said spaces distinguished in appearance from said disabling spaces, from said goal spaces and from said game-piece position indicator spaces and defining first and second protection zones on said board each made up of a plurality of said spaces arranged in a contiguous array, said protection zones being separated from one another laterally of said board by at least one longitudinally extending row of said spaces, said zones each extending longitudinally of said playing area intermediate said first rows of said position indicia means and being spaced laterally inwardly of the longitudinal border of said playing area disposed closest thereto by at least one longitudinally extending row of said spaces, said protection zones providing spaces which cannot be entered by some of the ranked game pieces of both of said sets of game-pieces, said longitudinally extending rows of spaces disposed laterally adjacent said zones providing spaces across which all of said game-pieces can pass around said protection zones in traveling from a starting position toward the opposing goal space.
1. A game apparatus comprising a board having a plurality of columns extending longitudinally of said board and each containing a plurality of spaces with laterally adjacent spaces of adjacent columns being generally aligned with each other to form a grid-like array of said spaces defining a playing area on said board, first and second sets of a plurality of game-pieces each adapted to be received on one of said spaces of said board and to be moved on said spaces independently of the other of said game-pieces on said board, each of said game-pieces of each set having animal ranking indicia means individually associated therewith on an upper face thereof visibly exposed to the view of both players of said game apparatus when situated at the opposite longitudinal ends of said board, said ranking indicia means visibly identifying a differing power or rank thereof relative to every other of said game-pieces of said set, said ranking indicia means of each set of game-pieces depicting a selected set of members of the animal kingdom each differing from every other said member and characteristically capable of connoting said ranking of the power of the game-pieces relative to one another, goal indicia means on first and second selected ones of said spaces distinguished in appearance from the remainder of said spaces and defining first and second goal spaces disposed on said board respectively adjacent the longitudinally opposed ends of said playing area, and disabling zone indicia means on selected third and fourth sets of said spaces identifying said third and fourth sets of spaces as disabling spaces by differing in appearance from the remainder of said spaces and from said goal spaces, said third and fourth sets of disabling spaces being disposed to surround the associated first and second goal spaces respectively and thereby separate said goal spaces from all of the remainder of said spaces such that members of said first and second sets of game-pieces must pass through said fourth and third disabling spaces respectively in order to enter said second and first goal spaces respectively, each of said disabling spaces being effective to decrease the power or rank of at least some opposing game-pieces only while such opposing game-pieces are in an opposing disabling space.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said board includes position indicia means in certain of said spaces other than said disabling or goal spaces indicating the initial position before starting to play the game of at least some of the gamepieces of each of said sets of game-pieces within said playing area, said position indicia means of each set being located in a spaced array occupying selected spaces in a set of rows of said spaces extending laterally of said playing area, said rows being disposed in the vicinity of and at least encompassing and extending laterally on either side of the associated goal and disabling spaces, said position indicia means of each set including a first indicator identifying the initial position of the highest ranking game-piece of said set and being disposed at one lateral end of a first one of said rows disposed closest to the opposing end of said playing area, a second indicator identifying the initial position of the second highest ranking game-piece of said set disposed at the lateral end of a second one of said rows disposed farthest from the opposing end of the said playing area and laterally opposite the location of said first indicator, a third indicator identifying the initial position of the third highest game-piece of said set located at the lateral end of said second row laterally opposite said second indicator, and a fourth indicator identifying the initial position of the lowest ranking game-piece of said set located at the end of said first row laterally opposite said first indicator.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said board includes protection zone indicia means on first and second selected sets of said spaces distinguished in appearance from said disabling spaces, from said goal spaces and from said game-piece position indicator spaces and defining first and second protection zones on said board each made up of a plurality of said spaces arranged in a contiguous array, said protection zones being separated from one another laterally of said board by at least one longitudinally extending row of said spaces, said zones each extending longitudinally of said playing area intermediate said first rows of said position indicia means and being spaced laterally inwardly of the longitudinal border of said playing area disposed closest thereto by at least one longitudinally extending row of said spaces, said protection zones providing spaces which cannot be entered by some of the ranked game pieces of both of said sets of game-pieces, said longitudinally extending rows of spaces disposed laterally adjacent said zones providing spaces across which all of said game-pieces can pass around said protection zones in traveling from a starting position toward the opposing goal space.
Description:
This invention relates to games and more particularly to a game with a board in which two opposing players move game-pieces across a plurality of spaces on the board.
Objects of this invention are to provide a board game which is interesting, challenging, attention retaining, educational and entertaining to the players thereof. These and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawing, the single FIGURE of which is a plan view of the board used in this game with the game-pieces in the proper positions on the board for beginning the game.
As shown in the drawing, a board 10, preferably of a rigid self-supporting material such as paperboard or sheet plastic, has a plurality of spaced parallel longitudinally and laterally extending lines 12 and 14 respectively on an upper face thereof defining a rectangular grid playing area made up of longitudinal columns extending across the playing area and each containing a plurality of square spaces 16. Preferably, board 10 has seven such longitudinal columns with each column containing 10 spaces, although a larger or smaller number of columns and/or spaces can be used.
In accordance with one feature of the invention, board 10 has goals 18 and 20 adjacent each longitudinal end of the playing area and designated by rings which may have distinguishing colors, such as red and blue respectively. Each ring encircles the term "den" in the spaces 16' at the opposed ends of the center column of spaces.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, goals 18 and 20 are each surrounded by a disabling zone designated by three symbols 22, 22' and 22" and three symbols 24, 24' and 24" respectively, received in the three spaces 16" immediately adjacent each goal and each enclosing the term "trap." Preferably, the "trap" symbols are a four-sided square graphically indicating the crossed sticks of a trap, and are further identified by the colors red and blue for traps 22, 22' and 22" and 24, 24' and 24" respectively. Two protection zones 26 and 26' each set off from surrounding spaces by being given a different color therefrom, such as green, are each enclosed by a rectangular border line 28, 28'. Zones 26 and 26' are each designated by the term "river" and are located on the playing area of board 10 between goals 18 and 20 and indicate zones of the playing area which only some tokens or game-pieces 30 may enter. Preferably, zones 26 and 26' are symmetrically located on the playing area and are each completely surrounded by spaces 16 across which all game-pieces 30 may pass as explained hereinafter.
Two sets of an equal number of game-pieces 30, suitably colored, such as red and blue, for identification by the players, are used with board 10. Each game-piece 30 of both sets has a given ranking, relative to the other game-pieces, of its power or authority to capture or remove other game-pieces from board 10. Preferably, each game-piece 30 comprises a flat disc of a plastic material with an animal embossed on its upper face to indicate the power or authority of the game-piece. Preferably, each set has eight game-pieces 30 with each piece differing from the others in the set as indicated by a picture of an elephant 32, lion 34, tiger 36, leopard 38, wolf 40, dog 42, cat 44 and rat 46 embossed respectively thereon as indicia of the power of each game-piece in that order. Thus, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, the classical power ranking of the animal kingdom is employed, with the elephant having the greatest and the rat the least power in the order named. Preferably, each game-piece 30 can only capture all other game-pieces of the same or lesser power, except for the elephant game-pieces 32 which preferably cannot capture rat game-pieces 46 and rat game-pieces which can capture elephant game-pieces 32 as well as opposing rat game-pieces.
The initial starting position of the game-pieces 30 of each set is indicated by placing, as by imprinting or embossing, the names 48 of the animals depicted on the game-pieces on board 10 in those spaces 16 in which the corresponding game-pieces should be placed. The particular pattern shown in the drawing of the initial location of each game-piece 30 has been empirically found to be preferable. In this pattern, the initial position of the game-pieces 30 of one set at one end of the board is identical to and rotated 180° with respect to the position of the game-pieces of the other set at the other end of the board. Thus, when the pattern for each set of game-pieces is viewed from its associated adjacent end of board 10, with the first column of spaces on the left-hand side and the last column of spaces on the right-hand side, the tiger game-piece 36 is initially positioned in the end space of the first column, and the elephant game-piece 32 is also initially positioned in the column, but in the third space from the end. The cat game-piece 44 is positioned in the second space from the end of the second column and the wolf game-piece 40 is positioned in the third space from the end of the third column. The leopard game-piece 38 is positioned in the third space from the end of the fifth column and the dog game-piece 42 is positioned in the second space from the end of the sixth column. The lion game-piece 34 is positioned in the end space of the seventh or last column, and the rat game-piece 46 is positioned in the third space from the end of the last column.
In playing the game, two opposing players take turns in succession, each moving only one of his game-pieces 30 usually one square at a time on board 10. Play may be initiated by the toss of a coin. The game is won by the first player to move any one of his game-pieces 30 into the opposing player's goal or den 18 or 20. Preferably, each game-piece 30 may be moved forward, backward, or sideways, but not diagonally, from the space 16 in which it is located to an immediately adjacent space 16 or 16". In accordance with its ranking of power or authority, each game-piece 30 may capture an opponent's game-piece by being moved into the space 16 occupied by such opponent's game-piece. Captured game-pieces are removed from board 10 and preferably may not be further used in playing the game. Only the rat game-pieces 46 can enter the "river" protection zones 26, 26' and while therein are free from capture by all other game-pieces except by the rat game-piece 46 of the opposing player. The rat game-pieces 46 can move in the river spaces 16 just as they can on "land" spaces 16. Preferably, there are spaces 16 surrounding each "river" protection zone 26 or 26' across which all of the game-pieces 30 may pass. A rat game-piece 46 may capture opposing elephant and rat game-pieces 32 and 46 when moving out of protection zone 26 or 26' into such surrounding spaces 16. Whenever lion and tiger game-pieces 34 and 36 are on a space 16 contiguous with a boundary line 28 of a "river" protection zone 26 or 26', they may leap laterally or longitudinally across the "river" protection zone and either forward or backward to the opposite space 16 contiguous with the boundary line 28 on the other side or end of the protection zone. For example, a lion or tiger game-piece 34 or 36 may leap sideways or forward or backward from contiguous spaces 16a or 16b across "river" protection zone 26 or 26' to contiguous spaces 16a' or 16b' respectively. However, if an opposing rat game-piece 46 is occupying a river space directly in the path of the proposed leap, the lion or tiger game-piece is thereby blocked from such a leap.
Whenever any game-piece 30 is received on a space 16" of an opponent's "trap" disabling zone 22 or 24, such game-piece temporarily loses its power or authority and becomes subject to capture by any game-piece of the opposing player. If such game-piece is moved out of the opponent's "trap" 22 or 24, its power or authority to capture other game-pieces is restored. However, a player's game-pieces disposed in his own "trap" 22 or 24 do not lose their power or authority and, moreover, may not be captured by an opponent's game-pieces while in their own "trap." A player may not move any of his game-pieces 30 into his own "den" goal 18 or 20.
It is to be understood that the ranking of the relative power and authority of the various game-pieces 30 of each set, and some of these rules governing the movement of game-pieces 30, may be varied and modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.
From the foregoing description, it will now be apparent that the protection zones in which only some of the game-pieces may enter and across which other game-pieces may leap, and combination disabling and protection "trap" zones surrounding the goals or "dens" to temporarily negate the normal power or authority of opposing game-pieces received therein, as well as other features of this invention, provide a board game which is interesting, challenging, attention-retaining and entertaining to the players thereof. The use of game-pieces with animals depicted thereon or shaped to the likeness of such animals is particularly educational and attention-retaining with respect to young players of the game embodying this invention.
Objects of this invention are to provide a board game which is interesting, challenging, attention retaining, educational and entertaining to the players thereof. These and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawing, the single FIGURE of which is a plan view of the board used in this game with the game-pieces in the proper positions on the board for beginning the game.
As shown in the drawing, a board 10, preferably of a rigid self-supporting material such as paperboard or sheet plastic, has a plurality of spaced parallel longitudinally and laterally extending lines 12 and 14 respectively on an upper face thereof defining a rectangular grid playing area made up of longitudinal columns extending across the playing area and each containing a plurality of square spaces 16. Preferably, board 10 has seven such longitudinal columns with each column containing 10 spaces, although a larger or smaller number of columns and/or spaces can be used.
In accordance with one feature of the invention, board 10 has goals 18 and 20 adjacent each longitudinal end of the playing area and designated by rings which may have distinguishing colors, such as red and blue respectively. Each ring encircles the term "den" in the spaces 16' at the opposed ends of the center column of spaces.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, goals 18 and 20 are each surrounded by a disabling zone designated by three symbols 22, 22' and 22" and three symbols 24, 24' and 24" respectively, received in the three spaces 16" immediately adjacent each goal and each enclosing the term "trap." Preferably, the "trap" symbols are a four-sided square graphically indicating the crossed sticks of a trap, and are further identified by the colors red and blue for traps 22, 22' and 22" and 24, 24' and 24" respectively. Two protection zones 26 and 26' each set off from surrounding spaces by being given a different color therefrom, such as green, are each enclosed by a rectangular border line 28, 28'. Zones 26 and 26' are each designated by the term "river" and are located on the playing area of board 10 between goals 18 and 20 and indicate zones of the playing area which only some tokens or game-pieces 30 may enter. Preferably, zones 26 and 26' are symmetrically located on the playing area and are each completely surrounded by spaces 16 across which all game-pieces 30 may pass as explained hereinafter.
Two sets of an equal number of game-pieces 30, suitably colored, such as red and blue, for identification by the players, are used with board 10. Each game-piece 30 of both sets has a given ranking, relative to the other game-pieces, of its power or authority to capture or remove other game-pieces from board 10. Preferably, each game-piece 30 comprises a flat disc of a plastic material with an animal embossed on its upper face to indicate the power or authority of the game-piece. Preferably, each set has eight game-pieces 30 with each piece differing from the others in the set as indicated by a picture of an elephant 32, lion 34, tiger 36, leopard 38, wolf 40, dog 42, cat 44 and rat 46 embossed respectively thereon as indicia of the power of each game-piece in that order. Thus, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, the classical power ranking of the animal kingdom is employed, with the elephant having the greatest and the rat the least power in the order named. Preferably, each game-piece 30 can only capture all other game-pieces of the same or lesser power, except for the elephant game-pieces 32 which preferably cannot capture rat game-pieces 46 and rat game-pieces which can capture elephant game-pieces 32 as well as opposing rat game-pieces.
The initial starting position of the game-pieces 30 of each set is indicated by placing, as by imprinting or embossing, the names 48 of the animals depicted on the game-pieces on board 10 in those spaces 16 in which the corresponding game-pieces should be placed. The particular pattern shown in the drawing of the initial location of each game-piece 30 has been empirically found to be preferable. In this pattern, the initial position of the game-pieces 30 of one set at one end of the board is identical to and rotated 180° with respect to the position of the game-pieces of the other set at the other end of the board. Thus, when the pattern for each set of game-pieces is viewed from its associated adjacent end of board 10, with the first column of spaces on the left-hand side and the last column of spaces on the right-hand side, the tiger game-piece 36 is initially positioned in the end space of the first column, and the elephant game-piece 32 is also initially positioned in the column, but in the third space from the end. The cat game-piece 44 is positioned in the second space from the end of the second column and the wolf game-piece 40 is positioned in the third space from the end of the third column. The leopard game-piece 38 is positioned in the third space from the end of the fifth column and the dog game-piece 42 is positioned in the second space from the end of the sixth column. The lion game-piece 34 is positioned in the end space of the seventh or last column, and the rat game-piece 46 is positioned in the third space from the end of the last column.
In playing the game, two opposing players take turns in succession, each moving only one of his game-pieces 30 usually one square at a time on board 10. Play may be initiated by the toss of a coin. The game is won by the first player to move any one of his game-pieces 30 into the opposing player's goal or den 18 or 20. Preferably, each game-piece 30 may be moved forward, backward, or sideways, but not diagonally, from the space 16 in which it is located to an immediately adjacent space 16 or 16". In accordance with its ranking of power or authority, each game-piece 30 may capture an opponent's game-piece by being moved into the space 16 occupied by such opponent's game-piece. Captured game-pieces are removed from board 10 and preferably may not be further used in playing the game. Only the rat game-pieces 46 can enter the "river" protection zones 26, 26' and while therein are free from capture by all other game-pieces except by the rat game-piece 46 of the opposing player. The rat game-pieces 46 can move in the river spaces 16 just as they can on "land" spaces 16. Preferably, there are spaces 16 surrounding each "river" protection zone 26 or 26' across which all of the game-pieces 30 may pass. A rat game-piece 46 may capture opposing elephant and rat game-pieces 32 and 46 when moving out of protection zone 26 or 26' into such surrounding spaces 16. Whenever lion and tiger game-pieces 34 and 36 are on a space 16 contiguous with a boundary line 28 of a "river" protection zone 26 or 26', they may leap laterally or longitudinally across the "river" protection zone and either forward or backward to the opposite space 16 contiguous with the boundary line 28 on the other side or end of the protection zone. For example, a lion or tiger game-piece 34 or 36 may leap sideways or forward or backward from contiguous spaces 16a or 16b across "river" protection zone 26 or 26' to contiguous spaces 16a' or 16b' respectively. However, if an opposing rat game-piece 46 is occupying a river space directly in the path of the proposed leap, the lion or tiger game-piece is thereby blocked from such a leap.
Whenever any game-piece 30 is received on a space 16" of an opponent's "trap" disabling zone 22 or 24, such game-piece temporarily loses its power or authority and becomes subject to capture by any game-piece of the opposing player. If such game-piece is moved out of the opponent's "trap" 22 or 24, its power or authority to capture other game-pieces is restored. However, a player's game-pieces disposed in his own "trap" 22 or 24 do not lose their power or authority and, moreover, may not be captured by an opponent's game-pieces while in their own "trap." A player may not move any of his game-pieces 30 into his own "den" goal 18 or 20.
It is to be understood that the ranking of the relative power and authority of the various game-pieces 30 of each set, and some of these rules governing the movement of game-pieces 30, may be varied and modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.
From the foregoing description, it will now be apparent that the protection zones in which only some of the game-pieces may enter and across which other game-pieces may leap, and combination disabling and protection "trap" zones surrounding the goals or "dens" to temporarily negate the normal power or authority of opposing game-pieces received therein, as well as other features of this invention, provide a board game which is interesting, challenging, attention-retaining and entertaining to the players thereof. The use of game-pieces with animals depicted thereon or shaped to the likeness of such animals is particularly educational and attention-retaining with respect to young players of the game embodying this invention.