A New Game of Skill, and Means or Apparatus for Playing the same.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New Game of Skill, and Means or Apparatus for Playing
the same.
I, WALTER STRANDERS of 15, Chippenham Road, St. Peter's Park, in the
County of Middlesex, Draughtsman and Designer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the means or apparatus for playing a new game of
skill; and it consists essentially of a board of variable form and arrangement
which is made up as the, game progresses whereby combinations are effected by
means of the several elements of the board.
For this purpose the invention consists of sets of flat square pieces of cardboard
or other suitable material which are played separately or along with pieces or
pawns which are placed thereon.
For the purpose of this game, the pawns are in sets of different colors, there
being as many colors as there are players, and the squares are also in sets colored
to correspond to the pawns which are played on them, the course of the
game being dependent upon the variable conjunction or association of the squares
as played by the respective players either along with the pawns or separately and
upon the positions of the pawns or pieces which are also played either along with
the squares on which they are placed or which are played upon squares previously
played or on the board when the latter is completed by the playing of all the
squares of a set.
Dated this 6th day of May 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New Game of Skill, and Means or Apparatus for Playing
the same.
I, WALTER STRANDERS of 15, Chippenham Road, St. Peter's Park, in the
County of Middlesex, Draughtsman and Designer, 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 relates to the means or apparatus for playing a new game of skill
and it consists essentially of a board of variable form and arrangement which is
made up as the game progresses whereby combinations are effected by means of
the several elements of the board.
For this purpose the invention consists of two or more sets of flat square pieces
of cardboard or other suitable material which are played separately or along with
as many sets of pieces or pawns which are placed thereon.
For the purpose of this game the sets of pawns are distinguished by different
colors (or otherwise) there being as many sets of pawns as there are players, and
the squares are also in sets colored or otherwise distinguished to correspond to
the pawns which are played on them, the course of the game being dependent
upon the variable conjunction or association of the squares and upon the relative
positions of the pawns and pieces as played by the respective players in turn, the
squares being played either separately or along with pawns placed on them and the
pawns or pieces being also played either along with the squares on which they
[Price 8d l

page_text: are placed as above mentioned or upon squares previously played whether or not
the board has been completed by the playing of all the squares of a set.
The squares and pieces are most conveniently distinguished by colors, but any
other means of distinguishing them might be adopted.
The accompanying diagram illustrates a game in progress between two players
whom I will designate "Red" and "Yellow." The "red" player is in the
diagram indicated by cross-hatching while the "yellow" player is plain. It will
be seen that "Red" has at present played fifteen squares and three pawns while
"Yellow" has played eighteen squares and seven pawns, and we must suppose
that no captures have been made and that it is "Yellow's " turn to play.
"Yellow" will do best by placing a square in space 1 and passing his pawn to
it from his square Q by which move he will capture the red pawns on red squares M
.and C.
"Red" places a pawn on his square N.
"Yellow places his last square in space 3 and passing his pawn from his
square B to his square A captures "Red" pawn on red square E.
"Red" places a square above space 1.
"Yellow" places a pawn on his square I.
"Red" places a square in space 4 and by passing his pawn from his square N
to his square above space 1 captures "Yellow"
space 1.
"Yellow" places a pawn on his square C.
pawns on squares GA and
"Red" places a square below R and by passing his pawn to it from his square
above space 1 captures "Yellow"
pawn on R.
"Yellow" places his last pawn on his square B.
"Red" places a square in space 5 and puts a pawn upon it.
"Yellow
now having no squares or pawns left to place, must in accordance
with Rule 12 move one of his pawns and cannot do better than move M to H.
"Red" places his last square above "Yellow's" square F and passing his pawn
to it from his square in space 5 captures the "Yellow's" pawn on F.
"Yellow" moves from C to D.
"Red" places a pawn on his square A.
"Yellow" moves from H to K.
"Red" places a pawn on his square in space 4.
"Yellow" moves from N to M.
$6
Red" places a pawn on his square J.
"Yellow" captures it by passing his pawn from his square M to his square H.
Red" captures the "Yellow
66
square O.
pawn by passing from his square A to his
"Yellow" captures by passing his pawn from his square K to R.
"Red" again captures by passing from his square below R to his square N.
"Yellow" moves from I to P.
66
Red" places a pawn on his square A.
"Yellow captures by passing from P to M.
"Red" places his last pawn on his square above space 1.
"
"Yellow moves from D to K.
"Red" having placed all his squares and pawns will now do best by moving
from his square above "Yellow" square F to his square K.
"Yellow" moves from K to O.
"
"Red moves from his square in space 4 to his square J.
"Yellow" captures by passing from M to H.
"Red" captures by passing from K to C.
"Yellow" captures by passing from B to A.
"Red" captures by passing from his square above space 1 to his square in
space 4.
"Yellow
66
"
moves to K.
"
Red moves from his
square in space 4 to his square F,

page_text: "Red
"
moves from A to D.
"Yellow" moves to square in space 3.
"Red" moves from F to square in space 4.
"Yellow must capture by passing to his
"
square
A.
"Red" captures and wins the game by passing to his square above space 1.
The rules of the game are as follows;
1. Each player is provided with 20 squares and 10 pawns of one color.
2. The first player places one of his squares upon the table, the next places one
close to the side of it and if three or four are playing, each in turn places one
close to a side of one of those already played.
3. The squares may not be placed corner to corner.
4. In placing a square the player may put one of his pawns upon it or not.
5. A pawn once placed upon a square may not be moved from it except for the
purpose of effecting a capture, or under the conditions given in Rule 12.
6. A player can capture one or more of his opponent's pawns that are in a
straight or diagonal line with one of his own, by passing it over them to a vacant
square of his color, and in doing so he may pass over any number of vacant
squares of any color in the line, but may not pass over one of his own pawns or an
open space.
7. When capturing a pawn or pawns, a player may at once place one of his
squares at the end of the line and pass his pawn to it.
8. A player finding that he can capture a pawn or pawns by placing a square
in the open space of a broken line and passing one of his pawns to it, may do so
at once and if the square thus placed fills the opening and he finds he can make
a better capture by passing his pawn over it to another of his vacant squares in
the line, he may do so.
9. A player may place a pawn on any one of his vacant squares but may not
place a square in another part at the same time and no more than one square may
be placed at once.
10. Capture is compulsory, but a player is not compelled to place a square for
the purpose of making a capture and when capture is possible without further
preparation, the player may not place a square or pawn for the purpose either of
extending the capture or capturing in another direction.
11. As long as a player has squares or pawns left to place, he must place them
unless he can capture.
12. When a player has used up all his squares and pawns and cannot effect a
capture at his turn to play, he must move one of his pawns to his first vacant
square in a straight line in any direction.
13. When two are playing, the winner is he who takes all ten of his opponent's
pawns. When three or four are playing, the winner is he who captures the last
of his opponent's pawns; or, to make a shorter game, the winner may be he who
first takes ten pawns of any color or colors.
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 I
claim is-
The herein described combination, with sets of pawns or pieces, of sets of
squares constituting the component parts of a board of variable form and arrange-
ment fortuitously made up during the progress of the game, as and for the purpose
specified.
Listed February 4th 1897
Boted Kebruary 4th IX9
W. STRANDERS,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.