Patent Publication Number: US-2005127605-A1

Title: Board game

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/525,817, filed Nov. 28, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is related to the field of board games, and more specifically to a board game for a plurality of players and having a substantial tactical component. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a first embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the game components of the first embodiment game before the start of same.  
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the game components and game of  FIGS. 1-2  in mid-game.  
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the game components and game of  FIGS. 1-2  at the end of a game.  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a corner of the game board of  FIG. 1 , showing the perimeter trough.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)  
      The present disclosure describes a board game preferably to be played by four players. The board game has a unique layout and rules of play, providing a substantial strategic component of play.  
      Turning to  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of the game  1  includes a game board  10 , shown as a square-shaped surface having markings thereon to demarcate game piece positions. Of course, other shapes of the game board can be utilized, such as rhomboidal or other parallelogrammatic configurations suitable for use by four players.  
      In the embodiment illustrated, the markings preferably are depressions  12  formed in the game board  10 . Depressions permit appropriately sized game pieces to nestle therein, preserving positional retention of game pieces and allowing the game board to weather minor jostling without the need to begin a game anew. Depressions also permit a greater variety of three-dimensional game piece shapes to be selected, as the game pieces need not have a flat resting surface to mate with a flat game board.  
      More specifically, a plurality of depressions  12  are disposed on each side of the game board. In the embodiment shown herein, 72 hemispherical depressions (“spaces”) are arrayed around the periphery of the board  10 , with each side comprising nineteen spaces (four corner game spaces and four rows of seventeen intervening game spaces).  
      Card outlines  14  are provided in the game board  10  to guide placement of game cards. In the embodiment shown, decorative depressed outlines are provided in the central region of the board for game cards  16 . The card placement guides can alternatively be recessions in the game board, graphic outlines, or other graphical cues.  
      A perimeter trough  18  parallels the outer edge of the game board  10  as shown. The trough is preferably implemented when spherical player game pieces  20  are used and serves to retain loose game pieces that would otherwise roll off the game surface. The trough may have a cross-section that is semi-circular, U-shaped, rectangular, V-shaped, or other configuration as desired.  
      A similar plurality of player start (“S”) spaces are provided on the game board  10 , as is a corresponding plurality of player home (“H”) spaces.  
      As used in the instructions herein, the perimeter space immediately adjacent each start area S is denominated the start gate  22 ; the perimeter space immediately adjacent the home area H is denominated the home gate  24 .  
      The spaces in the board surface preferably are shaped to receive correspondingly shaped game pieces; in this embodiment, game pieces are marbles or other round objects and the spaces are hemispherical depressions. In alternative embodiments, the game spaces can be posts or other projections, and the game pieces can include a receptacle structured to couple with the post/projection. In yet another embodiment, the game spaces can be holes and the game pieces can include a post or peg aspect for insertion into the game space hole. Such holes can be cylindrical or other shapes as desired.  
      In the embodiment discussed herein, five game pieces  20  are allotted per player ( FIGS. 1-5 ). Each player&#39;s set of game pieces is preferably visually distinct from the other three sets of player game pieces, such that all players can readily differentiate the pieces.  
      The game further includes a game card deck  16 , which preferably is two standard deck of playing cards. That is, the game card deck would total 108 cards and include two runs of each suit (ace through king (104 cards)) and four jokers.  
      In play, the numeric cards (ace through 10) are accorded their number values. The face cards are given a conventional numerical value: jack=11, queen=12, and king=13.  
      It can be readily appreciated that the game board as described above has a unique layout. The present invention is intended to be played by four players in two two-person teams. Combined with the unique rules of play, the board game described herein provides substantial tactical considerations and creates many opportunities to develop strategies of offense and defense.  
      In the embodiment shown, a player begins with five player game pieces resting in the player start area. The object of the game is for a team of two players to move their ten combined player game pieces (five for each player) from the players&#39; start areas clockwise around the board and into the players&#39; home areas, before in their opponents can move their player game pieces likewise.  
      Play begins by dealing five cards to each player; at the cards but is intended to conceal them from the other players. The remaining cards of the deck are placed in a pile to be used during subsequent game play.  
      When it is a player&#39;s turn, he draws a card from the deck, then makes a play by discarding a pile to the discard deck. The value of the discarded playing card corresponds to the player&#39;s move. For example, a five of spades permits the player to move a total of five spaces. The values of the playing cards, as well as special card details, are listed in  
                       TABLE 1                       Card   Value   Details                                            Ace   1   —       Two   2   —       Three   3   —       Four   4   —       Five   5   —       Six   6   —       Seven   7   May be divided among any two of player&#39;s pieces       Eight   8   Must move counter-clockwise (cannot be used on               game pieces in home area)       Nine   9   —       Ten   10   —       Jack   11   —       Queen   12   —       King   13   —       Joker   —   Used by the player to remove any opponent&#39;s piece               to its start area, or to trade positions with the               player&#39;s piece and any opposing player&#39;s piece               not in the start or home areas                  
 
      A player may only use an ace or face card to bring player game pieces out of the home area. Lacking an ace or face card, the player must pass and wait his next turn to bring player game pieces out of the start area.  
      Once out of the home area and in active play on the game spaces, each player plays in turn. A player must make a move if he has a game piece on the board that can be moved. An exception is if the only playable card in the player&#39;s hand is an eight or joker.  
      As can be seen from Table 1, certain cards have special playing characteristics, including cards that require play opposite to the flow of pieces around the board.  
      Landing on an opposing game piece bumps that piece back to its start area. Similarly, landing one a partner&#39;s game piece bumps it to the “home gate”, the game space on the periphery adjacent the player&#39;s home area.  
      A particularly advantageous tactic is for Player 1 to play a game piece to the teammate Player 2&#39;s home gate, then play to land a game piece on Player 2&#39;s game piece elsewhere. Landing bumps Player 2&#39;s piece to its home gate, which in turn bumps Player  1 &#39;s game piece residing there to Player 1&#39;s home gate. A team can thus cover significant distances of the board with relatively few moves and simultaneously play two game pieces on the brink of or into the respective home areas.  
      A player game piece can enter the home area only by moving it the exact number of spaces needed to end on an empty home area space. For this reason, a player having four parked pieces and one remaining piece that must move, for example, three spaces to land on the only open home area position cannot move until he draws an ace, two or three. This rule adds excitement and suspense, in that a player game piece is left in the home gate and therefore on the game spaces, where it remains vulnerable to attack by the opposing team.  
      A player failing to draw a card before discarding on a play is penalized by playing the remainder of the game with one fewer card in hand (i.e., four rather than five). Options are thereby reduced in subsequent plays. This penalty adds a mental burden to the game and encourages teammates to monitor one another and opponents for potential or actual violations.  
      It should be apparent that teamwork and significant strategy is involved, both offensive and defensive.  
      Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. I claim all modifications and variation coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.