Option board game

A board game utilizes a rectangular game board having a peripheral path of movement formed by a series of squares. Intersecting horizontal and vertical movement paths positioned on the interior of the game board connect with the peripheral movement path. Various squares of the movement paths are printed with individual letters of the key phrase "LIFE'S LITTLE PLEASURES" and also with the letters of the word "ZONK". Various squares of the movement paths are designated with monetary rewards or penalties. Certain squares are random chance squares, with the consequence of landing on these squares determined by reference to a random consequence chart. Players move game markers around the game board according to the throw of dice, and attempt to spell the key phrase, before spelling "ZONK" or going bankrupt.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to board games, and more particularly 
pertains to a new and improved option board game. Various types of board 
games are available which utilize a game board having a peripheral 
movement path formed by a series of squares. These conventional board 
games utilize player pieces whose movement is determined by the throw of 
dice. The present invention seeks to provide a more interesting and 
exciting game by adding an element of decision making to the play of the 
game. Players are required to make financial decisions regarding the 
purchase of letters required to spell the words of a key phrase, without 
going bankrupt. Random consequence tables are provided to simulate the 
random nature of the opportunities and consequences of life. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Various types of board games are known in the prior art. A typical example 
of such a board game is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,411, which 
issued to C. Hill et al on Apr. 20, 1976. This patent discloses a board 
game for two or more players simulating the popular conception of 
espionage. A set of pieces is allotted to each player who must play on an 
outer part of the board to collect various items used in espionage in 
order to qualify to play on an inner part of the board. The board is set 
out in sectors divided symbolically by barriers which can be bridged to 
move to an opposing player's sector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,337, which issued 
to W. Callender on Dec. 6, 1977, discloses a board game having spaces 
providing a path of movement for a game piece about the periphery of the 
board. Movement of the game piece is determined from instruction cards 
placed face down in separate stacks on the game board. Each stack is 
covered by a control card visibly depicting a different musical note. The 
game includes chance cubes having a different character letter thereon 
which corresponds to a note depicted on one of the control cards. In order 
to gain access to an instruction card to enable movement of the game 
piece, a player must compare the character letter on a cube with the notes 
depicted on the control cards and recognize the depicted note which 
corresponds to the character letter. Having done so, the player is 
entitled to remove the underlying instruction card and move the game piece 
accordingly. The game is designed to provide musical education. U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,252,320, which issued to G. Rouse on Feb. 24, 1981, discloses a maze 
board game for play by three players or groups of players. The game 
utilizes a game board bearing a substantially rectangular maze. The maze 
is divided into a number of spaces or steps and includes a number of 
blocking positions. The maze is delineated on three sides by residence 
strips which have designated residence positions. Play of the game is 
dictated by the roll of dice. The object of the game is to move a marker 
of token from a starting position through the maze to visit the space 
directly in front of a residence. Points are scored by visiting all 
residence locations on the board. U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,422, which issued to 
M. Shaw on July 21, 1981, discloses a board game which simulates attending 
college. The game utilizes a board upon which two separate paths of play 
are defined. One path of play is a college path which represents various 
academic financial occurrences which befall the student player. The other 
path defines a financial path which represents various financial 
occurrences which befall the player while working and not attending 
college. Each path is divided into intervals which designate various 
rewards or credits or detriments. Play begins on the financial path with 
the objective being to collect sufficient funds to attend college. Once 
sufficient funds to attend college have been obtained, play continues on 
the college path. U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,724, which issued to S. Brzezinski 
et al on Dec. 22, 1981, discloses a board game which utilizes a board 
having an inner area divided up into spaces for accommodating formation of 
words from letter pieces. Surrounding the inner area are a plurality of 
spaces defining a travel path for player pieces, which spaces include 
indicia referring the player's landing thereon to respective bonus, 
penalty and category cards which will control their next step in forming 
words in the central area. Play money certificates are utilized to 
accumulate the player's scores, based upon the letter value of words 
formed, and also to accommodate purchase of additional letters under 
certain conditions, as well as penalty payments. The throw of dice 
controls the movement of the player pieces while in the outer portion of 
the board. U.S. Pat. 4,415,160, which issued to H. Lamb on Nov. 15, 1983, 
discloses a medieval board game combining both fantasy and strategy game 
elements with chance. Each player assumes the role of a king or queen to 
manipulate men, gold and circumstances represented by playing cards in an 
effort to gain possession of an opponent's crown. The game pieces include 
a game board with castles represented thereon for defending each player's 
crown, and squares with indicia thereon which enable a player to draw a 
card when a game piece lands on one of the indicia. The cards represent 
men, gold, attack and defend moves, and circumstances such as penalties 
and rewards. The play is advanced by utilizing a white knight game piece 
and a black knight game piece for movement around the board in accordance 
with the throw of dice. 
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none 
of these devices provide a board game which utilizes a board having a path 
of movement divided into squares and designating various letters, various 
monetary rewards and various penalties. In conjunction with a score card 
having recessed locations for receiving various letter tiles determined 
from the movement of game pieces about the game board. Inasmuch as the art 
is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of board games, 
it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in 
improvements to such board games, and in this respect, the present 
invention addresses this need and interest. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of board 
games now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an 
improved option board game. As such, the general purpose of the present 
invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to 
provide a new and improved option board game which has all the advantages 
of the prior art board games and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, a representative embodiment of the concepts of the present 
invention is illustrated in the drawings and makes use of a rectangular 
game board having a peripheral path of movement formed by a series of 
squares. Intersecting horizontal and vertical movement paths positioned on 
the interior of the game board intersect the peripheral movement path. 
Various squares of the movement paths are printed with individual letters 
of the phrase "LIFE'S LITTLE PLEASURES" and also with the letters of the 
word "ZONK". Various squares of the movement paths are designated with 
monetary rewards or penalties. Certain squares are random chance squares, 
with the consequence of landing on these squares determined by reference 
to a random consequence chart. Players move game markers around the game 
board according to the throw of dice. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In 
this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those 
skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this 
disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing 
of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several 
purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the 
claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as 
they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved option board game which has all the advantages of the prior art 
board games and none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
option board game which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and 
marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved option board game which is of a durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved option board game which is susceptible of a low cost of 
manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly 
is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby 
making such board games economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved option board game which provides in the apparatuses and methods 
of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously 
overcoming oome of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved board game which utilizes a game board having a path of movement 
divided into squares designated with various letters, various monetary 
rewards and various penalties for determining the acquisition of letters 
utilized to spell words of a key phrase. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved board game which utilizes specially designated squares in 
conjunction with random consequence charts to determine consequences of a 
game piece landing on the square in accordance with the throw of dice. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved board game which utilizes a race track type game board imprinted 
with various letters and various monetary rewards to enable players to 
accumulate letters to spell words of a key phrase before accumulating 
letters to spell a penalty word. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTlON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof, a 
new and improved option board game embodying the principles and concepts 
of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 
10 will be described. 
More specifically, it will be noted that the first embodiment 10 of the 
invention includes a generally rectangular game board 12 having an outer 
peripheral movement path 14 formed by a series of squares. Intersecting 
horizontal 20 and vertical 16 movement paths are formed on the interior of 
the game board 12. The movement paths 16 and 20 intersect at a central 
"START" square 18. Random consequence charts 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 are 
printed on the game board 12 and are utilized to determine the consequence 
of landing on specially designated squares in accordance with the throw of 
a pair of dice. To begin the game, each player starts on the central 
square 18 and moves a game piece in accordance with the throw of a pair of 
dice. Initially, a player may move in any direction from the square 18. 
Thereafter, a player must proceed in the initially chosen direction and 
may only make right turns at intersecting paths of movement. However, if a 
player should subsequently land on the central square 18 during the 
further course of play, the player again has the option of moving in any 
desired direction on the following turn. 
With reference now to FIG. 2, further details of the play of the game of 
the present invention will be described. The squares of the movement paths 
are designated by various monetary rewards, by various monetary penalties 
and by various letters. The object of the game is to acquire sufficient 
letters to spell the words in the phrase "LIFE'S LITTLE PLEASURES" before 
acquiring the letters to spell the word "ZONK". Squares designated with a 
letter and a dollar amount give the player an option of purchasing the 
letter for the indicated amount or to ignore the offer in hopes of 
acquiring the letter at less cost or at a more favorable time. The smiling 
face symbol, the hour glass symbol, the boat symbol and the triangle refer 
the player to different random consequence charts to determine the 
consequences of landing on the particular square. The random consequence 
charts, to be described subsequently in greater detail, include various 
rewards and penalties determined in accordance with the throw of dice. 
Certain squares are designated as choice squares which give the player a 
choice of two options. For example, one choice square indicates an option 
between entering the random consequence chart designated by the boat 
symbol or purchasing one "E" for twenty five dollars. Certain other 
squares are penalty squares which require the player to pay a specified 
dollar amount. For example, the square designated "TAXES-PAY $300" 
requires the player to reduce his account balance by three hundred 
dollars. Other squares are designated as payday squares, for example, 
"COLLECT $30". As may now be understood, a player moves a game piece 
around the movement paths of the game board in accordance with the throw 
of dice, while endeavoring to collect the various letters and at the same 
time maintaining a sufficient monetary account balance. 
With reference now to FIG. 3, another section of the game board is 
illustrated. The random consequence chart 22 is designated as "SMALL 
CHANCE". Certain squares on the path of movement are designated by the 
word "ZONK" and one of the letters in the word "ZONK". For example, the 
"ZONK N" square requires a player landing on the square to accept the 
letter "N". 
In FIG. 4, another section of the game board 12 is illustrated. The smiling 
face symbol random consequence chart 24 and boat symbol random consequence 
chart 28 are illustrated. Adjacent the upper right hand corner of FIG. 4, 
an "INSURANCE" square is depicted. Upon landing on this square, a player 
may purchase a bankruptcy insurance policy good for up to three hundred 
dollars in case of bankruptcy. Once purchased, the insurance can only be 
used in case of bankruptcy and only after all other options have been 
depleted. No extra money left over after bankruptcy may be received from 
the policy. The various designated squares offering letters for sale are 
color coded yellow. The squares designated as choice squares are color 
coded green and offer a player a choice between two options. Payday 
squares which award a player a designated sum of money are color coded 
red. Squares designated as offering a free letter are color coded orange. 
In FIG. 5, another section of the game board 12 is illustrated. The hour 
glass symbol random consequence chart 30 and triangle symbol random 
consequence chart 26 are depicted. The smiling face symbol, the hour glass 
symbol, the boat symbol and the triangle symbol respectively symbolize 
wealth, time, pleasure and health. A player may not win the game unless 
all four of these symbolic random consequence tables have been played at 
least once. 
In FIG. 5, another section of the game board 12 is illustrated. 
In FIG. 6, an enlarged view of the lower left hand segment of the game 
board of FIG. 1, is illustrated. 
In FIG. 7, another random consequence chart 32 is illustrated on one 
section of the game board 12. This random consequence chart 32 is 
designated as the "LUCK OR DUCK" chart. 
In FIG. 8, a score board 34 is illustrated, for use in the play of the game 
of the present invention. The score board 34 has a plurality of recesses 
46 for the reception of letter tiles. Each of the recesses 46 is 
designated by a letter in the phrase "LIFE'S LITTLE PLEASURES" or in the 
word "ZONK". A player places a letter tile in the appropriate recess 46 as 
these letters are acquired. The first player to spell the phrase "LIFE'S 
LITTLE PLEASURES" before spelling the word "ZONK" is the winner of the 
game. It is contemplated that the game of the present invention may be 
played by two or more players, with each player provided with an identical 
score board 34. The score board 34 also includes a mechanical digital 
counter 38 which includes control increment buttons 40. The digital 
counter 38 is utilized to keep track of a player's bank account balance. 
The upper surface 36 of the score board 34 is disposed at an angle to 
enhance visibility. A drawer 42, disposed on a front face of the score 
board 34, is provided for the storage of letter tiles and other game 
equipment. A handle 44 is provided for manipulation of the drawer 42. 
In FIG. 9, a perspective view of a sample letter tile 48 is provided. Each 
player will be provided with a set of letter tiles consisting of four "L" 
tiles, four "E" tiles, one "P" tile, one "R" tile, one "N" tile, two "I" 
tiles, three "S" tiles, one "A" tile, one "Z" tile, one "K" tile, one "F" 
tile, two "T" tiles, one "U" tile and one "O" tile. 
In FIG. 10, a perspective view is provided of an example game player piece 
50. These pieces 50 may be color coded to distinguish between players. 
Alternatively, a variety of different shapes of player pieces 50 may be 
provided. 
In FIG. 11, a perspective view is provided of an example insurance policy 
card 52. Four such cards are provided for use in the play of the game of 
the present invention. These cards are given to players when bankruptcy 
insurance is purchased or awarded. 
In FIG. 12, a sample die 54 is illustrated. A pair of dice is utilized for 
determining the movement of the player pieces around the movement paths of 
the game board 12. 
In FIG. 13, an example play marker chip 56 is illustrated. Each player is 
provided with such a marker chip 56 for use in determining the most 
advantageous option of movement on the game board 12, when a player has 
more than one choice of movement. The player may place the chip 56 on the 
game board 12, to indicate the result of a first option of movement, while 
considering an alternative course of play. The marker chips 56 may be 
color coded in different colors to distinguish between players. 
Play begins in the central "START" square 18, with each player having a 
bank account balance of fifty dollars. Players move their game piece 50 
around the movement paths 14, 16 and 20 in accordance with the throw of 
dice. Play continues with each player attempting to accumulate money in 
order to acquire the letters to spell the phrase "LIFE'S LITTLE 
PLEASURES". Players who land on monetary penalty squares are required to 
pay the stated amount or be forced into bankruptcy. In order to satisfy 
these obligations, a player may sell back all letters previously bought 
for ten dollars a piece. If a player has previously purchased insurance, 
this insurance may be applied toward the debt, and is good for up to three 
hundred dollars. No extra money left over bankruptcy may be received from 
the policy. Players acquiring all of the letters of the word "ZONK" or 
forced into bankruptcy are eliminated from the game. During the course of 
play, each player utilizes a score board 34 (FIG. 8) to keep track of the 
acquired letters and their bank account balance. An element of chance is 
introduced into the play of the game by the dice and through the use of 
the six random consequence charts 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32. As may now be 
readily understood, the option board game of the present invention 
requires judgement and decision and is based on the ability of a player to 
think ahead. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.