A New Game, and Board for Playing the same.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New Game, and Board for Playing the same.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me from
abroad by Edward Imerson Horsman of 223, Berkeley Place, Brooklyn, Kings
County, State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to a new game which can be played by two, three, or four
persons on a checkered board each person having a set of men distinguishable by
color or otherwise from those used by the other players; and the invention consists
mainly of a game board having a chequered surface a portion of which is separated
from the remainder in form of a central field, the corners or approaches to said
central field being also distinguishable, as hereinafter more fully described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specifi-
cation, wherein figure 1 is a diagram of the play-board of the improved game, and
figure 2 is a side view of one of the men used.
squares.
A represents the game board, the same being divided by lines that cross each other
at right angles into a number of small squares a a, the drawing shewing 256 such
Within the centre of the board a field B is formed, separately distinguish-
able from the remainder of the board by a heavy border line b, which field is
represented as having 36 squares a but the number of squares is not material. From
each corner of the board A the squares that approach the same are made distinguish-
able from other squares in a peculiar manner; thus there are shaded squares d, dotted
squares e, and squares marked with stars f, represented, but other means of indicating
these distinctions may be employed.
The board being constructed as shewn and each player having a proper number of
men somewhat like the man D shewn in figure 2, tlie game is played as follows: If
there be two players only they will respectively use two diagonally opposite corners I
and 2 of the board and set their men on the shaded dotted and starred squares ;
the drawing indicates that each player would therefore be supplied with eighteen men
some of the marked squares entering into the field B if desired. The object of each
player will be, by jumping his men in manner analogous to checkers, to get them all
into the field B before his opponent has an opportunity to do so; an analogous object
for each player being to block the opponent's path so that he will be less likely to
advance his men quickly. If three players use the board A they would use the three
corners 1. 2. 3. which have the dotted squares e and in which case each player would
have twelve men there being a dotted square indicated for each of these players also
within the field B. But if four are to play they will use the four corners employing
only the shaded squares, each player receiving nine men.
The special advantage of this game is that three players can enjoy it as well as two
or four and that it gives rise to many modifications.
It is evident that the number of shaded, dotted, and starred squares may be varied;
that all these squares so marked may be outside of the field B or some within said
field B and that various ways of indicating the differences between the squares may
be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is;
1. The game board A divided into cheanered sanaras
"
and having the control

page_text: 2. The board A divided into squares and having the inner field B, certain squares
leading to the said field being marked to be distinguishable from the remaining
squares, substantially as herein shewn and described.
3. The play board A having chequered surface within which is formed the inner
field B and having the squares d approaching said field from the corners separately
marked and having other separately marked squares near two of the corners and
other separately marked squares e near three of the said corners of the board, sub-
stantially as herein shewn and described.
Dated this 7th day of June 1890
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.