A New or Improved Game.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1899-Accepted, 30th Sept.,
1899
A New or Improved Game.
I, ALLSEY OSCAR BROWNE, of Birmingham, State of Alabama, United States of
America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
My invention has for its object the production of a game which two or more
persons may play, and in such manner that by properly combining, in rows or
lines, movable parts, such as dominoes cards or dice having definite numbers or
indications affixed to them, individual scores may be effected and a total number of
points scored, the first of the players to score such a total number being the
winner of the game.
The invention will be fully understood by referring to the accompanying
drawing, which is a perspective view of the board upon which the game is
played.
The board B, as illustrated, is constructed by cutting or otherwise producing a
series of parallel grooves in a board of the proper length and width, in such
manner as to leave definite spacing strips S, S, Sz, to S7, inclusive, the two lower
strips S and S7 being of substantially the same length as the board itself and the
remaining strips S³, S4, S3, S2, S and S relatively shorter, as shown.
In the spaces between the strips are painted, printed or otherwise affixed illus-
trations of the dominoes, cards, dice or movable parts used in playing the
game, the parts, when dominocs are used, being arranged preferably in the
following order.
On the lower line between the strips S and S7, the double-blank, blank-six,
blank-five, blank-four, blank-three, blank-two and blank-one in succession.
Between the strips S and S", the double-six, double-five, double-four, double-
three, double-two and double-one.
Between the strips St and S, the six-five, five-four, four-three, three-two and
two-one. Between the strips S3 and S4, the six-four, five-three, four-two and
three-one. Between the strips S2 and S3, the six-three, five-two and four-one.
Between the strips S¹ and S3, the six-two, and five-one. Between the strips S
and S, the six-one.
and S is placed the numeral 5; upon
Upon the six-one between the strips
the blank-one between the strips S and S7 is placed the numeral 10; upon the
double-blank between the strips S and S7 are placed the numerals 15 and 20.
At the left of the grooves between the several strips S₁ to Se inclusive are placed
the numerals 15, 20, 30, 35, and 40. At the bottom of the vertical lines of
dominoes are placed from left to right the numerals 20, 25, 30, 35, 30 and 30.
the extreme left of all of the strips, in a line parallel with the hypotenuse of the
triangle made by the left hand ends of the strips S to So inclusive, is placed the
numeral 40.
At
The numerals 5, 10 and 15 in the several corners of the triangle, made by the
strips to S inclusive are arbitrary, while the numerals at the extreme left of
the ends of the several rows of dominoes indicate in multiples of five the summation
of the spots upon the several rows of dominoes between said strips.

page_text: To illustrate 15, the number at the left of the row between the strips S¹ and S³
illustrates the nearest multiple of 5 of the summation of the spots upon the two
dominoes six-two and five-one, the number 20 illustrating in like manner the
summation of spots on the dominoes between the strips S2 and S3, and so on.
The number 20 at the extreme left of the row of dominoes between the strips S
and S7 illustrating the summation of spots upon the dominoes in that line.
like manner the vertical summation of the spots in the extreme right hand line
is 30; in the next adjacent line to the left 30; in the next adjacent line to the left
of that line 35; in the next to the left 30; in the next to the left 25 and in the
last extreme left hand vertical line 20.
In
The number 40 in the line parallel with the hypotenuse of the triangle is an
arbitrary number, such that when added to all of the numbers indicated upon the
face of the board the total summation will amount to four hundred which is the
arbitrary name I have chosen to my novel game.
The game is played preferably as follows:
All of the dominoes are placed in the box-lid or cover, or upon a table, face
down and well shuffled. It may be played by two or more persons. If two
play each draws fourteen dominoes; if three play each draws nine dominoes, in
which event a single domino will be left over; this domino should be placed upon
the smooth part of the board with the spots up, so as to be played in its regular
place when the game has progressed far enough. If four play each draws seven
dominoes; if five play each draws five dominoes and the three dominoes left
over should be placed, spots up, upon the smooth part of the board to be played
each at the very first opportunity. If six play each draws four dominoes and,
the four remaining dominoes should be placed, spots up, upon the smooth part of
the board, to be played each at the very first opportunity. If seven play each
draws four dominoes, and so on.
Suppose now four persons to be playing the game each therefore draws seven
dominoes. In order to start the game the person having the double-blank must
play first in the lower left hand corner and he who plays this domino scores 15,
putting the domino in position, face up. It is now the turn of the player next
to the left of the one who first played. This player has three opportunities to play
to wit, six-blank, the domino which should be placed adjacent to double-blank;
or blank-one in the lower right hand corner which counts 10; or,. six-one in
the upper right hand corner, which counts 5. Suppose blank-one to be played in
the lower right hand corner, then the next player to the left has four possible
plays; to wit, blank-six adjacent to the double-blank; or two-blank to the
left of blank-one; or double-one above blank-one; or six-one in the upper right
hand corner. Should he play six-one he scores 5. In like manner the game pro-
ceeds a play being only possible after the three arbitrary dominoes double-blank,
blank-one and six-one have been played, as already indicated, by placing the
proper domino adjacent to the right or left, or above or below, as the case may
be, in such manner as to proceed toward the completion of either a horizontal or
vertical line in the proper sequence.
It will often happen that a player may have several dominoes that could be
played and it is then at his option to elect which he shall play; of course, the
player's judgment should dictate the best play; or, if he has but one domino
which can be played, that must be played regardless of the consequence. The
only chance for a player to make a count except in the three corners wherein 5,
10 to 15 is scored is effected by completing one of the several horizontal or
vertical lines.
It will be apparent therefore, that each player must direct his efforts to the
completion of such line or lines as will make the greatest total score. He must
not, however, for any reason, withhold a domino with which he hopes to complete
a line later; if that be the only domino in his hand which can be played at that
time the play must be made and the opportunity for finishing the line left to
another.

page_text: Since the lines of the triangle intersect or cross each other, it will be often
possible to finish two lines and not infrequently three lines by playing a single
domino. For example, suppose that the second line or line of doubles needs only the
double-three to complete, it should be remembered that a line can be completed
anywhere, in the middle as well as at either end. Suppose that the ninth line
which crosses the second line at this point needs only the double-three also for
its completion it is apparent, therefore, that the player who plays the double-three
in position at this time will complete two lines; namely, the second horizontal
and the ninth vertical line, thereby making a score of 35 and 40 or 75.
It will be obvious that various combinations of the dominoes may be made if
the above order is followed and that much good judgment, as to the proper play
will be necessitated. The last or thirteenth line scoring for the player the
arbitrary number 40 may, of course, be completed by anyone of the seven dominoes
running from double-blank to six-one in diagonal sequence.
It is to be understood that there is no prescribed order in which any of the lines
are to be completed, such order of completion being entirely dependent upon the
caprice or whim of the various players and their judgment as to the possible
dominoes held in the hands of their opponents.
It is to be remembered also that there is a place for every domino and that
cach domino should be in its play put in its proper position, above the like
domino painted, printed or otherwise affixed to the board B, the three corner
plays double-blank, blank-one and six-one being the only arbitrary plays
allowed.
It may occur during the progress of the game that some player cannot play,
in which event I have deemed it advisable that another player should draw a
domino from the hand of the player who cannot play and place the same upon the
board, spots up, to be played in its place as soon as the game has progressed far
enough. All dominoes placed spots up upon the smooth part of the board become
the common property of all of the players and it is the duty of all alike to watch
closely the progress of the game, so that these exposed dominoes may be played
at the first opportunity, it being required as before that these dominoes, like those
regularly played, shall only be played in their proper sequence or proper position;
but, should the playing of any such exposed domino finish a line or fill a
it does not count for any player.
corner,
After all of the dominoes have been placed in position and the triangle com-
pleted, they are shuffled as before and the game proceeds in the same manner,
until someone of the players makes a total score of four hundred.
Although I have specifically defined the manner in which I prefer to play the
game, I do not limit myself to any special set of rules, as it is apparent that
many modifications of the rules herein before indicated may be adopted and still
come within the scope of my invention. Nor do I limit myself to any special
type of device or apparatus for effecting the result attained, as it is obvious that
the same result might be attained with the use of ordinary dice, by arranging them
in the grooves with the spots of the various denominations up or exposed in the
same manner as are the dominoes. Or, in fact, a game of similar character might
be arranged with common playing cards giving to each individual type of card,
as the king for instance, a definite valuation, the essence of my invention lying
in the arrangement of rows of movable parts, having displayed upon some part of
each a definite valuation so that when said rows are completed, a predetermined
O sequence, the summation of the valuations are counted or appropriated to the count
of the player completing such row or rows.
5
declare that what
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
I claim is:
1. A game provided with rows or parts having each a definite numerical value
or indication and permanently arranged in a predetermined sequence, in com-

page_text: bination with movable parts having like individual valuations or characters and
adapted to be placed upon said fixed rows of parts in a prearranged order, sub-
stantially as described.
2. A game consisting of a board or base having rows of parts of definite valua-
tion or indication permanently affixed thereto, and arranged in a predetermined
sequence, in combination with movable parts of like valuation or character adapted
to be arranged over said fixed parts in a definite or prearranged order, said fixed
rows or parts having summation values which count for the player when the
movable parts are placed upon the fixed parts in the definite or prearranged order,
substantially as described.
3. A game consisting of a board or base B having painted or otherwise affixed
to the surface thereof a set of dominoes in a definite order, in combination with
a movable set of dominoes adapted to be placed over the fixed dominoes in the same
order, substantially as described.
4. A game consisting of a board or base B having strips or grooves which divide
it into rows, in combination with dominoes painted or otherwise affixed thereto in
definite sequence between said strips or grooves, and movable dominoes adapted
to be placed over the fixed dominoes in a definite or prearranged order, sub-
stantially as described.
For the Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I.Mech.E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.