An Improved Parlour Game.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 14th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
SIONAL SPE
TION.
An Improved Parlour Game.
I, WILLIAM DUNCAN RUSSELL HARRY KERR, of 28 Hout Street Cape Town,
South Africa, Forwarding Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to parlour games of the chess kind and is played by two
persons on a board divided in the manner hereinafter described to represent two
opposing countries, the object of each party to the game being to annihilate his
opponents army and take possession of his camp.
The game is of strictly military character and combines several chess moves as
well as nearly every movement made by attacking or defending armies.
For a parlour game it has the advantage of being almost as interesting to the
onlookers as to the players themselves; and as there is such a diversity of modes
of attack and defence the game is always taken up with renewed interest.
The board on which the game is played is preferably composed of a large
square divided into twenty smaller squares of equal size four squares in depth and
five in length, the dividing lines in each case representing the roadways to be
traversed by the soldiers. At each end of the said large square and adjacent to
its short sides the board is marked with a triangular-shaped camp or ground, the
apex of which is connected to the short side of the said large square. Each triangle is
divided into four parts by two lines one joining the centre of the base with the
apex and another line crossing the aforesaid line parallel with the base. The
eight small squares at each end of the large square is divided into two by a
diagonal line. Along the middle line of squares the board may be painted to
represent a river or other natural or artificial boundary dividing to two opposing
countries and the sides of such squares which cross the said river may be made
to represent bridges over which the enemy must pass to occupy their opponents
camp.
The pieces used by each player consist of one king, two knights and eight
soldiers. The king is placed at the rear centre of the camp, that is to say, at the
middle of the base of the triangle with a knight on each flank. The soldiers are
arranged one on each of the three intersections of the dividing lines of the
triangle and one on each of the five intersections of the dividing lines with the
short side of the large square.
Dated this tul
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: 1, WILLIAM DUNCAN RUSSELL HARRY KERR, of 28 Hout Street Cape Town,
South Africa, Forwarding Agent, 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 :-
This invention relates to parlour games of the chess kind and is played by two
persons on a board divided in the manner hereinafter described to represent two
opposing countries, the object of each party to the game being to annihilate his
opponents ariny and take possession of his camp.
The game is of strictly military character and combines several chess moves as
well as nearly every movement made by attacking or defending armies.
For a parlour game it has the advantage of being almost as interesting to the
onlookers as to the players themselves; and as there is such a diversity of modes
of attack and defence the game is always taken up with renewed interest.
The accompanying drawing represents a board arranged according to my
invention.
The said board is preferably composed of a large square A divided into twenty
smaller squares a of equal size four squares in depth and five in length the dividing
lines 6 in each case representing the roadways to be traversed by the soldiers.
At each end of the said large square and adjacent to its short sides the board is
marked with a triangular-shaped camp or ground B the apex of which is connected
to the short side of the said large square. Each triangle is divided into four
parts by two lines one b¹ joining the centre of the base with the apex and another
line crossing the aforesaid line parallel with the base. The eight small squares
at each end of the large square are each divided into two by diagonal lines b.
Along the middle line of squares as at c the board may be painted to represent a
river or other natural or artificial boundary dividing two opposing countries and
the sides of such squares which cross the said river may be made to represent
bridges as at d over which the enemy must pass to occupy their opponents
camp.
The pieces used by each player consist of one king, two knights and eight
soldiers. The king represented by C is placed at the rear centre of the camp
that is to say, at the middle of the base of the triangle with a knight D on each
flank. The soldiers which are indicated by E are arranged one on each of the
three intersections of the dividing lines of the triangle and one on each of the five
intersections of the dividing lines with the short side of the large square.
The best style of pieces for the game are small lead soldiers, with circular base
about the size of a shilling. The knights should be mounted on horses and the
kings, who should also be on horseback, should be slightly larger than the knights,
so as to be easily distinguishable.
The rules of the game are as follows:
1. Each player has one king, two knights, and eight soldiers.
The king is placed on the large tent in the rear centre of the camp with a
knight on each flank.
The soldiers are then placed on the eight remaining tents.
2. The king moves one space at a time and has the power to take any piece
with his move, as in chess.
The knight moves one space at a time, but jumps over each piece, he captures
and has the power to take as many pieces, in any, and all directions; as he i
able; providing he jumps in a straight line over each piece as he captures.it

page_text: He also has the right to stop capturing when he pleases, as possibly he may be in
a position to take three pieces, and stop with safety to himself, whereas if he took
the 4th piece, which is in a position to be taken, he would lose his knight.
3. The soldier has exactly the same move as the knight, but only has the power
to capture one piece at a time.
4. All pieces have the right to move in any direction, either backwards,
forwards, sideways or anglewise, providing they keep on the roadways.
5. Taking an opponents piece is not compulsory.
6. Any piece, once touched must be moved; unless it is off its position when
the player must say "adjust."
7. If a player loses his king, he can demand him back in place of the first piece
he succeeds in entering the triangular portion of the enemy's camp with after
such loss; and for each soldier thereafter, as a reward for valour, he can demand a
knight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A board or apparatus for playing the hereindescribed parlour game arranged.
substantially as above described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 14th day of October 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.