DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0023] Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, there is shown a game piece 10 which is constructed in accordance with the present invention. The game piece 10 has a body 40. The body 40 is integrally formed and is made from plastic material which is well known in the art of dice manufacturing. The body 40 is hexahedrally shaped and possesses a first face 28, a second face 30, a third face 32, a fourth face 34, a fifth face 36, and a sixth face 38. The first face 28, the second face 30, the fourth face 34, and the fifth face 36 are each of equal size. In particular, each of the faces 28, 30, 34, and 36 are substantially rectangular in shape and possesses approximately the same size as one another. Each of the faces 28, 30, 34, and 36 has gaming indicia 26 secured thereto. What is meant herein by the term “gaming indicia” is any indicia associated with the game piece which is utilized in the playing of a game in accordance with the rules of the game. For example, gaming indicia, as shown in the drawings, may take the form of a number of dots 16 which are imprinted, embossed, painted, or otherwise secured to the game-piece 10. Gaming indicia may also take the form of other codes, characters, color schemes, or the like which may likewise be secured to the game piece 10. It should be appreciated that as used herein, gaming indicia is distinguished from trademarks or any other decorative indicia which is often placed on game pieces to identify, for example, the manufacturer of the game piece.

[0024] The third face 32 and the sixth face 38 are also of equal size. In particular, each of the faces 32 and 38 is substantially square in shape and possesses the same approximate size as one another. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the faces 32 and 38 are devoid of gaming indicia. Due to the presence of gaming indicia thereon, each of the first face 28, the second face 30, the fourth face 34, and the fifth face 36 is considered to be a playing face 14. It should be appreciated that each of the playing faces 14 possesses a length L and a width W, and the length L is greater than said width W. Preferably, length L=1¼″ and width W=⅝″. Each of the playing faces 14 is further defined by two lateral edges 20 and two end edges 18. The lateral edges 20 form a ninety degree (90°) angle with the adjacent playing face 14 (i.e. the faces 28, 30, 34, and 36). The end edges 18 form a ninety degree (90°) angle with an adjacent end face 12 (i.e. the faces 32 and 38). Due to the rectangular shape of the playing faces 14, each intersection of a lateral edge 20 with an end edge 18 also creates a ninety degree (90°) angle. Moreover, as a further result of the rectangular shape of the playing faces 14, the lateral edges 20 are longer in length than the end edges 18. In one exemplary embodiment, each of the lateral edges 20 is twice as long in length as each of the end edges 18. Conversely, each of the end edges 18 of the end faces 32 and 38 are equal in length as a result of the square shape of the end faces 32 and 38.

[0025] The playing faces 14 are divided into two equal halves or “squares” by a separator 22. In particular, the separator 22 separates or otherwise divides each of the playing faces 14 into two equal sized indicia-bearing portions 24. Each indicia-bearing portion 24 can be imprinted, embossed, or painted with a plurality of dots 16 which represent numbers from one to six. Also, the indicia-bearing portion 24 of a given playing face 14 may be devoid of the dots 16 in order to represent the number “zero”. Thus, each game piece 10 has four playing faces 14 with two indicia-bearing portions 24 per playing face 14 thereby creating a total of eight indicia-bearing portions 24 per game piece 10. A full set of the game pieces 10 (see FIG. 3) includes seven game pieces 10 which results in a total of twenty-eight playing faces 14. In one exemplary embodiment, each of the twenty-eight playing faces 14 in a full set of game pieces 10 is distinct. This means that the combination of numeric representations from zero to six on the two indicia-bearing portions 24 contained on one playing face 14 is distinct and unique from any other combination within a full set of the game pieces 10.

[0026] Many different games can be played with a full set the game pieces 10. For example, FIG. 3 shows a full set of the game pieces 10 positioned in exemplary positions according to the rules of one such basic game. The rules of the basic game, while different, are no more difficult than the traditional rules of dominoes. The basic game can accommodate any number of players since the game is based on turns with a full set of the game pieces 10. First, the players determine among themselves who has the first turn. Then, the first player rolls a full set of the game pieces 10, much as one would roll a number of traditional dice. If the player fails to roll any doublets during the first roll (i.e. at least one game piece 10 with both indicia-bearing portions 24 having matching gaming indicia 26 such as two “fives”), that player's turn is over and the next player may begin their turn. The value of a given game piece 10 is defined as the value of gaming indicia 26 of the upwardly facing playing face 14 of the game piece 10 when the game piece 10 is positioned on a gaming surface 42 such as a tabletop.

[0027] As described above, a doublet occurs when the playing face 14 of the game piece 10 contains identical indicia-bearing portions 24. An example of a doublet combination is a playing face 14 which contains identical indicia-bearing portions 24 displaying five dots 16 each. If the player rolls a doublet, the player can begin to form a chain of game pieces 10. A chain is built by placing a plurality of game pieces 10 adjacent to one another such that the abutting indicia-bearing portions 24 have a predetermined relationship with one another. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a chain may be built by placing a plurality of game pieces 10 adjacent to one another such that the abutting indicia-bearing portions 24 match one another. A number of different types of junctures created by abutting game pieces 10 are illustrated in FIG. 3. One type of juncture occurs when one of the game pieces is a doublet, as shown in the juncture of die 44 and die 46 in FIG. 3. Another type of juncture occurs when there is no doublet involved in the juncture such as the juncture of die 48 and die 50. Once a player has formed a chain of at least two game pieces 10, the player can choose to end his or her turn.

[0028] A player's turn is ended automatically if the player has used all seven game pieces 10 in the formation of a chain. However, if a player is not able to play all seven game pieces 10, the player may choose to either roll again or to end the turn. If the player rolls again and is not able to play at least one of the game pieces 10 just rolled, the player loses all the points built up in that turn. However, ending a turn will allow the player to keep all the points accumulated during that turn. Points are accumulated as follows: each doublet in the chain is worth two points and all other played game pieces 10 are worth one point. The points for a turn are summed, and the game is over once all players have had an equal number of turns and at least one player has a point total in excess of fifty points. In the event that more than one player has more than fifty points, the winner is the player with the most points.

[0029] Another game that can be played using a full set of game pieces 10 is “Fives”. This game is based on the popular domino game known as “Caribbean Dominoes”. The object of this game is to have the highest point score of 100 or more at the end of the game. As with the basic game described above, in Fives the players determine among themselves the order of the players' turns. The player with the first turn rolls the full set of game pieces 10 and puts into play the highest doublet. If no doublet was rolled, then it is the next player's turn. After the highest doublet has been put into play, the next player looks at the remaining game pieces 10 and connects one with a matching indicia-bearing portion 24 to begin a chain of game pieces 10. The remaining players may each connect one game piece 10 with any of the pieces in play, according to the rules of the basic game, with the exception being that a doublet can have up to four game pieces 10 abutting thereto. The scoring is as follows: at the end of each player's turn, the value of all open ended game pieces 10 in the chain is added together. If the sum of these game pieces 10 is a multiple of five, the player scores that multiple. If the sum is not a multiple of five, the player scores nothing. When all seven game pieces 10 have been played, the next player continues to play by rolling the full set of game pieces 10, playing the highest doublet rolled and continuing play as previously described. Players continue to take turns until one or more players reach 100 points, at which point the player with the highest point total is declared the winner.

[0030] A third game that can be played with a full set of game pieces 10 is called “More and More”. To play, players first determine their own order. The player with the first turn rolls the full set of game pieces 10 and puts into play the highest doublet. The next player then attaches a matching end of one of the remaining game pieces 10 to the starting doublet. A chain is formed by attaching game pieces 10 in the same manner as in Fives. Scoring is as follows: at the end of each turn, the player adds up the point values of all open ended game pieces 10 in the chain. If this total is more than the total from that player's previous turn, the player scores this amount of points. If the total is not more than the previous total, the player scores nothing. The game is over when one or more players collect 200 or more points, and the player with the most points is declared the winner.

[0031] A fourth game that can be played is called “Progression”. In this game, the winner is the player with the highest point score after seven rounds of play. Once players have determined who has the first turn, the first player begins a “Round of Blanks”. Specifically, the first player rolls the full set of game pieces 10 and tries to connect all of the game pieces 10 that have blanks (i.e. “zeros”) together into one chain. The player does not have to have any doublets in the chain, but there cannot be any game pieces 10 in the chain that do not have blanks. Only those game pieces 10 that have blanks and are part of the chain can be scored by totaling up the numbers on the game pieces 10, and that total is the player's score for that round. After all players have taken a turn, the first player then begins the “Round of One”. The above process is repeated, except the game is now based on game pieces 10 that have gaming indicia 26 including a “one”. The game continues in such a fashion throughout the “Round of Six”, after which the game is over and the player with the highest cumulative point total from all seven rounds is the winner.

[0032] A fifth game that can be played using a full set of game pieces 10 is “Line Ups”. In this game, the goal is to have the highest point score of 200 or more at the end of the game. Once the players have determined their order, the first player rolls the full set of game pieces 10 and tries to connect all seven game pieces 10 into one or more chains, the longer and fewer chains, the better. Chains do not have to have a doublet, and doublets can be played on all four edges of the playing face 14. At the end of each player's turn, the player counts up the number of game pieces 10 in each chain, one chain at a time. The player takes the number in each chain and multiplies it by itself to make points. After adding up all points from the chains made, the player subtracts one point for each single game piece 10 not in a chain. The winner is the player with the highest point score over 200 after all players have taken an equal number of turns.

[0033] A sixth game that can be played using a full set of game pieces 10 is “Even Up”. As with “Line Ups”, the goal of this game is to have the highest point score of 200 or more at the end of the game. Once the players have determined their order, the first player rolls the full set of game pieces 10 and puts into play the highest doublet. However, if no doublet was rolled, it is the next player's turn. The next player looks at the remaining game pieces 10 and connects one with a matching end to the starting doublet. Anytime the player begins a turn with no plays among the remaining unplayed game pieces 10, the player must re-roll all unplayed game pieces 10. If there is still no play, then the next player gets to roll, and so on. The game pieces 10 are connected similarly to as in “Line Ups”. At the end of each turn, the player adds up the point values of all open ended game pieces 10 in the chain. If this total is an even number, then the player scores this amount of points. However, if the total is an odd number, the player scores nothing. The winner is the player with the highest point score over 200 after all players have taken an equal number of turns.

[0034] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description is to be considered exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

[0035] There are a plurality of advantages of the present invention arising from the various features of the game pieces described herein. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of the game pieces of the present invention may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of a game piece that incorporate one or more of the features of the present invention and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.