Board game apparatus

A game apparatus is useable by at least a first and a second player and includes a master matrix. The master matrix is subdivided into an array of n submatrices and the n submatrices are further subdivided into n subdivisions each. An identifying number, letter, or color is attached to each submatrix in order to identify each submatrix. A number, letter or color corresponding to the numbers, letters or colors used to identify the submatrices is attached to each subdivision within each submatrix to identify each of the subdivisions. Each player utilizes a plurality of colored playing pegs which are positionable within each subdivision to identify subdivisions previously occupied by that player. Each player is also supplied with a pair of marker pegs to permit the identification of his previous move.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to games, and more particularly to tic-tac-toe 
related games. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The game of tic-tac-toe is a simple readily learned game. Little playing 
strategy is required or available. As a result, tic-tac-toe is seldom 
played more than a few times in succession since only a minimal level of 
challenge is presented. 
The game of chess, on the other hand, is a highly sophisticated, complex 
game which is played mainly by a comparatively small number of highly 
devoted and motivated followers of the game. Chess is an exceedingly 
complex game and a lengthy period of time is required to complete a single 
game. For these reasons, chess also fails to appeal to the masses. 
U.S. Patent No. 3,879,040 (Smith) discloses a three dimensional tic-tac-toe 
game apparatus. This patent illustrates one approach to adding complexity 
and the requirement for strategic planning into the basic tic-tac-toe game 
to stimulate player interest and to increase the market appeal of the 
patented product. The three dimensional game is more sophisticated and 
complicated than an ordinary tic-tac-toe game, but falls far short of the 
complexity and mental challenge which are intrinsic to the game of chess. 
Other adaptations and modifications of the tic-tac-toe game are shown in 
U.S. Patent Nos. 3,588,113 (Nelson), 3,747,926(Odom), 3,889,953 (Grasham). 
Each of these three patents discloses an adaptation of the tic-tac-toe 
game which adds further complexity to stimulate player interest and 
enjoyment of the game. Other less relevant game related inventions are 
disclosed in the following U.S. Patents: 1,521,095 (Harris), 1,714,792 
(Kurihara), 2,949,306 (Gitelson); 3,659,851 (Lang), 935,755 (Grundy), and 
3,355,821 (Buenger). 
Nowhere in the prior art is there disclosed a tic-tac-toe related game 
which is played on a conventional two dimensional game board and which 
requires that a player plan one move ahead in order to successfully 
produce score generating combinations of playing pegs on the board. This 
requirement for planning at least one move ahead when making a particular 
move vastly increases the enjoyment and challenge of the game without 
substantially increasing the amount of time required to complete a single 
game. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a game 
apparatus which is played in a manner similar to tic-tac-toe, but which 
requires strategy and advanced planning to out score one's opponent. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus 
which is mechanically simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus 
which can be played by two or more persons. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a game 
apparatus the size of which can readily be increased in size to increase 
the challenge and playing time required to complete a single game. 
Briefly stated, and in accord with one embodiment of the invention, a game 
apparatus is useable by at least a first and a second player. The game 
apparatus comprises a master matrix and dividing means for dividing the 
master matrix into an array of n submatrices. An additional dividing means 
is provided to divide each of the n submatrices into n subdivisions. First 
identifying means attached to each of the submatrices identifies each 
submatrix. Second identifying means corresponding to the first identifying 
means and attached to each subdivision identifies each subdivision within 
each submatrix. Subdivision occupation identification means is 
positionable within each subdivision to identify subdivisions previously 
occupied by the first player and subdivision previously occupied by the 
second player. Latest move identification means is positionable within 
each subdivision to identify the subdivision most recently occupied by the 
first player and the subdivision most recently occupied by the second 
player.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In order to better illustrate the advantages of the invention and its 
contributions to the art, a preferred hardware embodiment of the invention 
will now be described in some detail. 
Referring to FIG. 1, master matrix 10 is subdivided into nine rectangular 
submatrices, such as submatrix 12, by vertical strips 14 and 16 and by 
horizontal strips 18 and 20. The size of master matrix 10 is commonly 
described as being a 9 .times. 9 matrix. 
Through the addition of a plurality of vertical and horizontal lines, each 
of the nine submatrices is further subdivided into nine subdivisions, such 
as subdivision 22. An aperture, such as aperture 24 of FIG. 3, is drilled 
in the center of each subdivision in order to receive a wooden or plastic 
peg of the type illustrated in FIG. 2. 
Referring again to FIG. 1, the centrally located subdivision within each 
submatrix contains a large letter for identifying each of the nine 
submatrices. The submatrices are consecutively labeled, beginning with the 
upper left submatrix which is designated by the letter "A" and ending with 
the final submatrix "I" in the lower right corner of the master matrix. 
The means for identifying each subdivision within each submatrix must 
correspond exactly to the means used to identify each of the submatrices. 
The same nine symbols in the form of letters are used to identify both the 
submatrices and each of the subdivisions within each individual submatrix. 
As will be seen, the requirement that the same nine symbols be used to 
identify the nine submatrices, and each of the nine subdivisions within 
each submatrix of a 9 .times. 9 master matrix is essential and fundamental 
to the structure and play of the game. It is not essential, however, that 
the geometric positioning of the identifying symbols within the 
submatrices and subdivisions correspond. For instance, the letters "A" 
through "I" in each of the subdivisions could be arranged in vertical 
columns instead of in the horizontal rows as shown even though the letters 
identifying each of the submatrices were arranged in horizontal rows. 
Three different types of pegs 26 are provided each player. Two or more 
players can participate in the playing of a single game, but for 
simplicity it will be assumed that only two players are participating in 
the game. The game board illustrated in FIG. 1 contains eighty-one 
subdivisions. For a game involving two players each player should be given 
approximately forty playing pegs. Each of the two groups of forty playing 
pegs should be of a different color, such as green and blue, so that a 
single color can be associated with a particular player. Each player is 
also provided with two marker pegs. The shaft of each player's marker peg 
should be the same color as that player's playing pegs, while the head of 
each marker peg can be colored black to distinguish the marker pegs from 
the playing pegs. Additionally, each player can be provided a single 
all-white tactical peg. 
The method of playing the game will now be described by referring to FIGS. 
1 and 4. The moves made by the first player will be sequentially 
identified by the numbers "1" through "10", while the moves made by the 
second player will be sequentially identified by the letters "A" through 
"J". The letters used to identify each submatrix and each subdivision 
within each submatrix have been deleted from FIG. 4 to simplify FIG. 4. 
Reference must be made to FIG. 1 to identify the various submatrices and 
subdivisions shown in FIG. 4. 
To commence the game the first player places his first marker peg in any 
subdivision within the master matrix. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4 
the first player has placed his marker peg in subdivision "B" of submatrix 
"A". 
The second player then places his first marker peg in any unoccupied 
submatrix of the master matrix. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4 the 
second player has placed his first marker peg in submatrix "G", 
subdivision "D". 
The fact that the first player has made his first move in a subdivision 
identified by a letter "B" requires that his second move must be 
positioned in any of the nine available subdivisions within submatrix "B". 
As FIG. 4 indicates the first player has chosen to move into subdivision 
"I" of submatrix "B" and so indicates by positioning his second marker peg 
in that subdivision. Immediately after accomplishing that move, the first 
player removes the marker peg previously inserted in subdivision "B" of 
submatrix "A" and replaces it with one of his colored playing pegs to 
indicate that he owns that particular subdivision. 
The second player's first marker peg was positioned within a subdivision 
identified by the letter "D". Therefore, the second player's second move 
must fall somewhere within submatrix "D". FIG. 4 indicates that the second 
player has chosen to occupy subdivision "C" of submatrix "D". This second 
move is indicated in FIG. 4 by the letter "B". The second player marks 
this new position with his second marker peg and removes his first marker 
peg from subdivision "D" of submatrix "G" and replaces it with one of his 
colored playing pegs. 
The fact that the first player's second or latest move lies within a 
subdivision identified by the letter "I" requires that the first player's 
third move fall somewhere within submatrix "I". As can be seen, the first 
player's third move has been placed within subdivision "A" of submatrix 
"I". Similarly, the second player's third move must be positioned within 
submatrix "C" since his second move occupied a subdivision identified by 
the letter "C". 
A special rule applies when a player occupies a subdivision having the same 
designation as the submatrix within which that subdivision lies. Such an 
event has occurred after the second player's third move when he positioned 
his marker peg in subdivision "C" of submatrix "C". When this event occurs 
the second player is permitted to occupy any unoccupied subdivision within 
submatrix "C". For his fourth move the second player has elected to move 
into subdivision "F" of submatrix "C" as is indicated by the letter "D". 
Occasionally a player will be unable to move into the submatrix which his 
latest move requires him to occupy. When this event occurs, the player 
loses his turn. When that player's next turn arrives, his marker peg can 
be placed in any unoccupied subdivision on the master matrix. 
As was mentioned earlier, each player can be provided with an all-white 
tactical peg. This single tactical peg can be used on a one time basis by 
each player at any time he chooses and can be placed in any unoccupied 
subdivision on the master matrix. In this way a player is able to 
interfere on a one time basis with another player or may be able to score 
points which would otherwise be impossible to obtain. 
The primary object of the game is to accumulate more points than your 
opponent or opponents. FIG. 5 illustrates six possible peg alignments 
which can be utilized to allow a player to score points. Since the 
combination of pegs shown in FIG. 5 "E" and "F" requires a particular 
alignment of four pegs, these two combinations may be chosen to allow a 
player to accumulate more points than the combinations illustrated in FIG. 
5 "A" through "D", which require the alignment of only three pegs. 
Normally the winning combinations illustrated in FIG. 5 will reside within 
a single submatrix although this is not a necessary limitation. The 
similarity between scoring techniques of the present invention and those 
used in the well known game of tic-tac-toe will be evident from an 
observation of FIG. 5. The present game can be played until it is 
impossible for any player to accumulate additional score or until all 
subdivisions of the master matrix are filled with pegs. 
While the preferred embodiment of the game has been described in terms of a 
board having a 9 .times. 9 rectangular master matrix composed of 
rectangular submatrices and rectangular subdivisions, it would be equally 
possible to arrange a game board in a virtually unlimited number of 
different geometric configurations. For example, the master matrix might 
assume the shape of a large circle while each of the submatrices is 
designated by smaller non-overlapping circles within the master matrix. 
Each submatrix could then include a number of subdivisions equal in number 
to the total number of submatrices within the master matrix. Furthermore, 
it is unimportant how many or how few subdivisions and hence submatrices 
are used to form a single game board. The 9 .times. 9 configuration 
illustrated in connection with the description of the preferred embodiment 
merely represents a convenient size. A longer, more challenging game can 
be played when the size of the master matrix is enlarged by increasing the 
number of submatrices and thereby the number of subdivisions. The 
essential requirement of the game board is that the number n of 
subdivisions within each submatrix always equal the number n of 
submatrices within the master matrix and that the means for identifying 
each submatrix correspond to the means for identifying each subdivision 
within each submatrix. 
In the preferred embodiment of the game board described above, a plurality 
of letters has been used to identify each submatrix and each subdivision 
within each submatrix. Any other means can be used to identify the various 
elements of the game board. Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, or color 
coding of the game board are readily available alternatives. Color coding 
can be accomplished by applying nine different colors to the circumference 
of each of the nine different submatrices used in the preferred embodiment 
of the game. Then each of the subdivisions within each submatrix can be 
identified by applying one of those nine colors to each of the 
subdivisions within each submatrix. For example, if submatrix "A" were 
color coded blue by applying blue to the circumference thereof, each 
subdivision previously identified by the letter "A" could be identified by 
applying a blue coloring to those subdivisions. 
While the preferred embodiment of the game utilized playing pegs as a means 
for identifying occupied subdivisions, it would be apparent that Velcro 
strips or checker-like playing pieces could be placed within the boundary 
of each occupied subdivision to accomplish the same purpose. Similarly, 
while marker pegs were described in conjunction with the preferred 
embodiment to serve as a latest move identification means, specially 
colored or labeled checker like pieces or Velcro strips could be used for 
the same purpose. 
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed game 
apparatus may be modified in numerous other ways and may assume many other 
embodiments other than the preferred forms specifically set out and 
described above. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims to 
cover all such modifications of the invention which fall within the true 
spirit and scope of the invention.