Patent Publication Number: US-2010127453-A1

Title: Game Apparatus and Method of Play

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to game apparatus and also a method for playing a game. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     Throughout the specification and claim, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. 
     According to one form, the invention resides in a game apparatus for use in a game in which a number of players can participate and comprising a playing surface and a number of playing pieces, the playing surface having a track comprising a number of lanes which are in one to one correspondence with the playing pieces, each playing piece being associated with one of the lanes, each lane comprising an equal number of spaces extending from a start space to a finish space, in use the playing pieces being moveable sequentially along the spaced of the respective lane from the start space to the finish space, said game apparatus further comprising a set of playing tokens divided into said number of subsets which are in one to one correspondence with the number of playing pieces, each playing piece being associated with one of the subsets of playing tokens, the playing surface further comprising a set of stations representing an outcome of the passage of at least one of the playing pieces from the start space to the finish space on the track in accordance with the disposing of a token, said stations associated with reward tokens which in use can be placed on one or more stations by the players, said stations also being representative of a reward available in the event of the designated outcome of the station being achieved, in use said playing tokens being intended to be displayed sequentially and the playing piece associated with the displayed playing token being moved along the track. 
     According to a preferred feature of the invention, the playing surface includes a number of stations around its perimeter representing the location of a player. 
     According to a preferred feature of the invention, at least one token of the set of playing tokens comprises a penalty token indicating a penalty to be applied to the rewards available at said stations, against one or more of the players. Typically, the penalty will be applied against tokens on one or more of the reward stations. 
     According to a further preferred feature of the invention at least one playing token of each subset of tokens comprises a bonus token indicating a bonus to be applied to the rewards available at said stations, to one or more of the players. 
     According to a preferred feature of the invention the set of playing tokens comprise a set of playing cards in which the suites of the card comprise the subsets. 
     According to preferred feature of the invention the reward tokens comprise items of currency. 
     According to preferred feature of the invention the reward tokens comprise items representative of a monetary value of currency. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there will typically be a plurality of reward stations including any number of the following:
         1. a set of “Winner” stations on which players may place reward tokens to indicate their wager on the first playing piece to reach the finishing space;   2. a set of “Quinella” stations on which players may place reward tokens to indicate their wager on the first and second playing pieces to reach the finishing space, whether in order or not;   3. a set of “Trifecta” stations on which players may place reward tokens to indicate their wager on the first three playing pieces to reach the finishing space; whether in order or not; and   4. at least one “binary” station on which players may place reward tokens to indicate their wager on an attribute of the subset of the first playing piece to reach the finishing space. Typically this will be a station that indicates a simple “either/or” wager such as Red or Black or Odd or Even.       

     According to the most preferred embodiment, all of the above described reward stations, are provided. 
     Other reward stations may be provided to give players options in their gameplay. 
     The playing surface may include other visually stimulating means such as actuable lights for example which may assist with the identification of winning reward stations. 
     It is also preferred that the playing pieces provided will be as realistic in appearance and movement as possible as this may enhance the players&#39; experiences. For example, the playing pieces may be animatronic animal pieces actuated from beneath the playing surface and moved along the track in response to the playing tokens displayed as a part of the game. 
     According to a an alternative form, the invention resides in a game, the game including a
         a playing surface and a number of playing pieces, the playing surface having a track comprising a number of lanes which are in one to one correspondence with the playing pieces, each playing piece being associated with one of the lanes, each lane comprising an equal number of spaces extending from a start space to a finish space, in use the playing pieces being moveable sequentially along the spaced of the respective lane from the start space to the finish space;   a set of playing tokens divided into said number of subsets which are in one to one correspondence with the number of playing pieces, each playing piece being associated with one of the subsets of playing tokens;   a set of outcome stations representing an outcome of the passage of at least one of the playing pieces from the start space to the finish space on the track in accordance with the disposing of a token, said stations associated with reward tokens which in use can be placed on one or more stations by the players, said stations also being representative of a reward available in the event of the designated outcome of the station being achieved, in use said playing tokens being intended to be displayed sequentially and the playing piece associated with the displayed playing token being moved along the track.   and steps of play including:   i. each player placing a desired number of reward tokens on at least one outcome station;   ii. a dealer displaying a playing token and moving the corresponding playing piece at least one space along the track as each playing token is displayed;   iii. repeating step (ii) until at least one playing piece has reached the respective finished space; and   iv. rewarding the players based on the wagers placed in step (i).       

     Typically, step (iii) is undertaken until at least three playing pieces have reached the finishing space. 
     There may also be a further chance to win apart from those chances outlined previously, namely a “Jackpot” chance. The Jackpot chance is preferably independent of the regular play of the game. A successful jackpot wager will typically be determined according to whether the playing token displayed immediately after the winning playing piece reaches the finished space, is of the same subset as the playing token which moved the winning playing piece to the finished space. If the playing token is of the same subset, then all players with a jackpot wager, are deemed successful. If the playing token is of a different subset, then all players with a jackpot wager are deemed unsuccessful. 
     The jackpot wager may be placed by each player choosing to place one or more reward tokens relative to their respective player station prior to the start of play in the game. According to a preferred embodiment, the jackpot is progressive with escalating rewards being allocated if successive playing tokens are of the same subset as the as the playing token which moved the winning playing piece to the finished space. For example, if the first playing token after the playing token which moved the winning playing piece to the finished space, is the of the same subset, then a first reward level is achieved by each player with a jackpot wager. If the first two playing tokens after the playing token which moved the winning playing piece to the finished space, is the of the same subset, then a second, higher reward level is achieved by each player with a jackpot wager. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, there may be five reward levels of jackpot, each higher than the previous level. 
     Typically, the playing tokens will be displayed by a independent dealer which will also monitor the wagers placed in the reward stations and pay to or collect from the players accordingly. 
     The dealer will also preferably actuate the movement of the playing pieces in response to the display of the playing tokens. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the reward to players for different stations may be marked or indicated on the playing surface adjacent the respective reward station. 
     In contrast to other games such as blackjack and its variations, the games played on the apparatus of the present invention can cater for more players to play the game at any one time, the game of the present invention uses fewer cards per game, there is no time wasted waiting for a player to make a decision in relation to gameplay only the wagers made, up to 42 different wagers are possible and the game is easy to learn and play. 
     The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of one specific embodiment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a representation of a playing surface according to one embodiment; and 
         FIG. 2  is a representation of a playing surface according to a second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT 
     The embodiment is directed to a table game which is meant to replicate a horse race. In which there is a dealer who controls the game a number of players. The game comprises a playing surface  11  of a form as shown in the accompanying drawing. The playing surface includes a track  13  which is sub-divided into four sets of a linear array of sequential spaces  13 A which extend between a start position  15  and a finish position  17 . The playing surface is associated with a substantially conventional deck of cards (not shown) comprising 52 cards of four different suites comprising hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades. The number of sets of spaces  13 A which correspond to the number of suites in the deck and each set of spaces  13   a  is associated with one of the suites of cards. Each set of spaces  13   a  is associated with a playing piece (not shown) which has the configuration of a horse and which bears an insignia relevant to the suite to which it belongs. 
     In addition, the playing surface comprises a first placement zone  19  which is entitled “Racing Cards”. In playing the game, cards from a shuffled deck, are sequentially displayed at the location zone  19  with their face exposed. The playing surface further comprises a second placement zone  31  which is located in association with the first placement zone  19  and comprises a set of six zones of which five zones are sequentially numbered 1 to 5 and the final zone is blank. 
     The playing surface is also provided with a number of playing stations  21  each associated with a horse shoe shaped panel which is illuminated to indicated the presence of a player. 
     Each playing station  21  is associated with a slot which is able to receive a coin of a particular value (e.g. $1). Each slot is provided with an activation means (not shown) which is able to activate suitable circulatory associated with a display (not shown). The display provides an indication of the value of a jackpot which is available to the winner of the game and which comprises the sum of the monetary value which has been deposited by all the participating players in the current game and which has been accumulated by previous games. 
     The playing surface further includes a tray in which the dealer holds the “chips” held by the dealer. 
     In addition, the playing surface is provided with a number of sets of stations which are representative of various winning combinations of the game. A first set of stations  25  are representative of a “first past the post” wager. The second set of stations  27  comprise three logos with appropriate representations or divisions to represent a “quinella” wager. The third set of stations  29  which correspond to a “trifecta” wager. A fourth set of wager stations  40  correspond to the binary wager on either red or black being the suit of the winning playing piece. 
     At the commencement of the game, the playing pieces are located at the start line  15  of the track  13  and each of the players purchase a set of “chips” (not shown) which have a monetary value. The players then place their chips as they desire at the various stations  25 ,  27  and/or  27  according to their expectation of the result of the game. In addition a player may locate a coin in the respective jackpot slot  21  associated with their station. At the commencement of the game the value of the jackpot is represented by the bets made by each of the players participating and that accumulated from previous games is shown in the display. The deck of cards is then shuffled by the dealer who then takes the cards sequentially from the top of the deck sequentially and places them upon the first location zone  19  with their display face uppermost such that the suite of the cards is exposed. When a card of a particular suite is placed upon the first location zone  19  the respective playing piece is moved one location. This process continues until a playing piece reaches the finish line  17  which decides a winner of the event which provides an outcome of the “first past the post” outcome. From that time onwards further cards are delivered from the deck onto the second location zone such that the first five cards are placed sequentially over the locations number 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and all further cards are located on the final second location. The game continues until a playing piece arrives second which will provide a “quinella” outcome. The game continues until a playing piece arrives third which will provide a “trifecta” outcome. 
     At the conclusion of the game those players having their tokens located on a station relevant to the winning combination (i.e. “first past the post”, “quinella” or “trifecta”) are rewarded and the remaining chips are claimed by the dealer. 
     In addition each of the set of cards comprise a first subset which comprise one card which is a protest card. If a protest card is delivered onto the first location  19  prior to a playing piece reaching the finishing line the value of all of the “first past the post” are devalued from 3 to 1 to 2 to 1 and the red/black wager is paid at 50% instead of 1-1. 
     If no protest card is delivered during the time that a playing piece reaches the finishing line the jackpot may be paid to the player winning subject to the subsequent appearance of one or more bonus cards as described below. 
     Each suite of the deck of cards is provided with a subset of bonus cards. If after a playing piece has reached the finishing post to win the game a bonus card is delivered onto the second location  31  during the duration of the delivery of next five cards (i.e. on to spaces  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5 ) until such time as a playing piece becomes the third one to reach the finish the jackpot becomes payable. The magnitude of the jackpot is dependant upon a bonus card being dealt and placed at space  1  and conforming with the suite of the winning playing piece and the number of consecutive bonus cards of the same suite delivered onto the following spaces 2, 3, 4 or 5 as follows:
         1 bonus card—$5 payable from the jackpot.   2 consecutive bonus cards—$50 payable from the jackpot   3 consecutive bonus cards—$200 or $500 payable from the jackpot   4 consecutive bonus cards—10% of the jackpot pool   5 consecutive bonus cards—100% of the jackpot pool       

     In this regard the bonus cards that are delivered must comprise the five bonus cards of the suite of cards relevant to the winning playing piece. Once a non-bonus card of the same suite or any card of another suite is dealt the magnitude of the jackpot is set. 
     The game apparatus according to the present invention provides a game which is representative of a horse race comprising four horses where each of the horses has an equal chance to win, come second, third or last place and bets may be placed upon the race according to a first past the post, trifecta or quinella. Players can place bets on the horse as they desire. 
     The game apparatus according to the preset invention renders itself to the form of a board game. 
     According to a second embodiment the card game may comprise a table game associated with electrical or lighting displays relevant for each of the stations and the track. 
     According to a third embodiment the card game may comprise a computer drive game which is played on a stand alone terminal or alternatively on-line though a network which can be a local network or through the Internet. 
     According to a further embodiment the playing cards of the first embodiment can be replaced by any other form of playing tokens desired and the number of subsets of tokens can be varied as desired. 
     The present invention is not to be limited in scope by any of the specific embodiments described herein. These embodiments are intended for the purpose of exemplification only. Functionally equivalent products, elements and methods are clearly within the scope of the invention as described herein.