Abstract:
Game method and apparatus for racing to the white house by accumulating electoral votes until a winner number is attained, or the election is deadlocked The game is played by moving pieces along a path containing positions each representing the electoral votes of a state.

Description:
[0001]    This is a continuation of Provisional Application No. 61/124,970 filed Apr. 21, 2008 Confirmation No. 4139 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to games, and more particularly to a method and game which combines traditional board game elements and activity such as accumulating electoral votes in a race to the White House. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    Parlor games such as board games are widely employed in socializing with friends and acquaintances. Parlor games enable participants to relax from pressures and demands of day to day living. Sociable gatherings also frequently center about current events. One such event, in which conversation usually plays a significant role, relates to elections. When the election is to the highest office in the country, the interest of participants can become intense. 
         [0006]    The role of host in gatherings can be quite time consuming, especially where significant time must be devoted to preparation and serving of food and beverages. This can interfere with the host&#39;s attention to and interaction with guests. One approach to dealing with guests, while a host is occupied with other duties, is to have guests participate in games, particularly board games which can be conveniently played indoors or outdoors 
         [0007]    It will further be appreciated that parlor games can be a significant element of a social gathering. It is desirable to provide a game which can attract significance attention during the course of play. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention addresses the need for providing entertaining activities, such as parlor games. It also addresses the problem of accommodating the conflicting demands on the time and attention of hosts. 
         [0009]    To these ends, there is set forth a board game which incorporates at least some of the tasks associated with elections, particularly those for high public office such as the Presidency of the United States. 
         [0010]    The novel game includes a board game, player tokens or pieces which are moved along spaces arranged in paths on the board, an implement, such as a die for determining the progress of each player piece at each turn or move, and cards bearing instructions. 
         [0011]    Several categories of cards can be provided. Activity cards can be color coordinated with spaces on the board and require an action by each player landing on a space associated with the cards. For example, an activity card may bear a question requiring a response. A correct answer to a question appearing on an activity card entitles the player to proceed. Arrival at the end of each path determines, by order of finishing, which players receive which offices. Instruction cards are provided to guide each player in accomplishing his or her tasks. Preferably, there is a single path to be negotiated by all players, with victory at the terminus of the path. 
         [0012]    The invention provides a method of playing a game by accumulating responses until a prescribed totality has been attained, comprising the steps of: providing a path with sequentially disposed position spaces, moving a plurality of pieces along said path by selectively alighting on the position spaces, wherein each player&#39;s piece represents a specified identity, and each space can indicate a message assigned thereto which is determined when a piece alights on the space of that message; and playing the game until a prescribed number of messages have been attained. 
         [0013]    In accordance with one aspect of the method, each of said position spaces corresponds to the electoral vote of a different state and a player alighting on a particular space is eligible to obtain the electoral vote of the state corresponding to said particular space. 
         [0014]    In accordance with another aspect of the method the further step of permitting said player to selectively capture said electoral vote and prevent any other player from obtaining the selected electoral vote 
         [0015]    In accordance with a further aspect of the method the further step of having said player landing upon a space draw a card indicating a further action to be taken by said player. 
         [0016]    In accordance with a still further aspects of the method the further step of having said drawn card indicate that said player has violated election laws and is to go to jail for a specified number of player turns; the further step of said drawn card indicate that said player is receive addition campaign contributions; and the further step of having said drawn card indicate that said player is to pay a fine for electoral violations. 
         [0017]    In accordance with yet another aspect of the method. the position space on which a player lands is determined by chance; further steps of having the chance determination provided by the toss of a die. said die with no more that three choices to limit the excursion by each play of the game. 
         [0018]    In accordance with the invention, apparatus for playing a game by accumulating responses until a prescribed number of responses has been attained, includes a path with sequentially disposed position spaces, a plurality of pieces for moving along said path by selectively alighting on the position spaces, wherein each player piece represents an entity and each space can indicate a message assigned thereto which is determined when a piece alights on the space of that message; and means for displaying when a prescribed number of messages have been attained. 
         [0019]    The apparatus, wherein each of said position spaces corresponds to the electoral vote of a different state and each particular space includes means for permitting a player alighting thereon to obtain the electoral vote of the state corresponding thereto 
         [0020]    The apparatus further including means for said player to selectively capture said electoral vote and prevent any other player from obtaining the selected electoral vote; he further means for having payer take further action after landing on a space before his next turn of play. 
         [0021]    The apparatus includes means for indicating that said player is to go to jail for a prescribed number of player turns; means for indicating that said player is to receive additional campaign contributions. means for indicating that said player is to pay a fine for electoral violations. 
         [0022]    The apparatus further including means for determining by chance the position space on which a player lands; wherein the chance determining means comprises a die with less than six possible outcomes; change determining means is limited to one of three possible outcomes on said path for each play of the game. 
         [0023]    This and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0024]    Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of the board apparatus. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of an enlargement of one of the spaces of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of a controller for the board apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a special die for the board of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 4B  is an unfolded view of the special die for the board of  FIG. 4A . 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of an alternative board. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a chart of electoral votes. 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is map of the United States showing the electoral votes of each state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0033]    With reference to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, the game apparatus includes a board  10  which bears a plurality of position spaces arranged pentagonally in five progressions or paths  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  and  16 . Tokens or player pieces (not shown) are to be moved along the paths by alighting upon and occupying a position space. The exact number of spaces of movement is determined by a number generating device, for example, a chance device such as a die or dice (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). A player piece may be, for example, a miniature figurine or any small object which is readily placed on and occupies any position space of the paths. Player pieces are well known in board games wherein a representative token for each player is to be moved along and occupy serially arranged spaces on the board. Dice and other chance devices such as spinners are equally well known. 
         [0034]    Path  12  is seen to commence after a start space S, which can accommodate the tokens of the players. Path is divided into a plurality of sections  12   a,    12   b,    12   c,    12   d  etc., a different one for each of the states of the United States. Paths  13 ,  14 ,  15  and  16  are similarly divided for various different states. 
         [0035]    Each of the spaces is touch sensitive and connected to a controller  30  shown in  FIG. 3 . When a piece lands on a space for the first time, its sends a signal to the controller, depending upon the nature of the piece. Illustratively, three pieces can be employed, with a donkey representing democrats, an elephant representing republicans and an eagle representing independents. When the donkey lands on a space, it can be identified by a code signal that is transmitted to the controller  30 —which in turn posts the number of delegates obtained in the blue square B on the Register R of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0036]    The Board  10  also includes a Bank  11  and a Jail  17  which can be employed to temporarily house pieces that engage banking transactions and election law violations. 
         [0037]    An enlargement of a representative space  21  for one of the states, illustratively New York is shown in  FIG. 2 . The space includes three different switches  22 - d  (democrat)  22 - r  (republican and  22 - 1  (independent) for transmitting the number of won delegates to the controller  30  of  FIG. 3 . The use of switches is merely one technique for transmitting the numbers. As noted above coding of the pieces can be used with the space  21  then having a code reader. Once a space has been won the controller  30  disables that space from any further activity. 
         [0038]    When a die is used to control the turn of the players, a special construction can be used to regularize the movements of the pieces. As shown in  FIG. 4A  the die has only three spots so that a toss will come up only 1, 2 or 3. A disassembly of a possible such die is shown in  FIG. 4B . It will be appreciated that other forms of die and movement count can be employed. 
         [0039]    Another structure of the board is shown in  FIG. 5  where the spaces for the 50 states are arrange in a square of ten states each side and a diagonal of ten states leading to the White House. 
         [0040]    As shown in the table of  FIG. 6  each state has prescribed number of electoral votes, which are shown apportioned to the states on the map of  FIG. 7 . 
         [0041]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.