GB2231807A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Board game apparatus which can be used to simulate a table game such as snooker comprises a board 10, having a playing surface 11 divided into a set of discrete areas 14 and being marked with areas designated as 'pockets' 15, markers being provided to represent table game pieces and random chance means for generating numbers for determining marker movement For example, if a player has thrown a twelve, a white marker can be moved ten squares to contact a target marker and for the target marker to be moved two squares. Random chance means can also indicate the speed of a shot. The markers may be shaped like chess pawns. <IMAGE>

Description

GAME APPARATUS This invention relates to game apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a board game apparatus which can be used to simulate a table game such as snooker.

The application provides board game apparatus including a board marked to represent a game table and divided into discrete areas, means for indicating the existence of a "pocket" on the board, a plurality of markers indicating balls disposable on the board and random indicating means for generating numbers capable of application to movement of the pieces on the board, the apparatus and associated rules being so constructed and inter-related that a game simulating a table game can be played.

As used herein the phrase "table game" means snooker, billiards, pool or any other comparable game.

The areas can be rectangles created by dividing the board by sets of parallel lines. The areas can be squares. Alternatively, the areas can be hexagons.

The areas can be any other convenient shape, for example adjacent circles or other polygons.

The pockets can be four in number, one disposed adjacent each corner of a rectangular board.

Alternatively, there can be six pockets, one adjacent each corner and two adjacent the longer edges of a rectangular board. The markers can be in the form of counters or individual objects. The counters preferably are marked to represent snooker balls.

Preferably they are marked by being coloured to represent snooker balls. Alternatively, the markers can be shaped like chess pawns so as to be capable of easy movement. The random chance means can be a spinner or a die or two or more dice. A marker can be provided which represents a white ball.

Alternatively, the game can be played without a marker representing a white ball.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the single figure is a plan view of a preferred board game apparatus of the invention.

A preferred board game apparatus of the invention includes a board 10. Whilst a board 10 can be made from conventional material such as cardboard and, for transportation can be foldable about a centre line, it will be appreciated that the term "board" includes any convenient surface on which appropriate markings can be made. For example, the surface can be provided on a sheet of flexible material such as a sheet of cloth, or a fixed surface such as a table or the like.

On the board 10 is marked a rectangular playing surface 11 coloured green to represent a snooker table.

The playing area is divided by respective sets of lines 12,13 to define a plurality of square discrete areas 14.

At each corner and midway along each longer side an area 14 is designated as a pocket 15. Markers representing the various balls of a snooker game are distinguished by some characteristic such as colour, or by being marked and/or by being of different shapes from each other. The various markers are indicated in accordance with the following code: Ye = Yellow Gr = Green Br = Brown Bu = Blue Pi = Pink Ba = Black Re = Red Wh = White The apparatus also includes random chance means such as a die, a number of dice, a spinner or some other means of generating random numbers in accordance with action taken by the various players.

The embodiment is described particularly in relation to a game of snooker and in the first embodiment no "white" ball is provided. In this first embodiment a number of players (such as two) take turns to throw the dice. After each throw they move a selected "red" marker towards a "pocket" in accordance with the number indicated by the dice. The movement can, by rules of the game, be constrained to be in a straight or diagonal line along the areas.

Alternatively, one or more transfers between various straight lines can be allowed depending on the rules.

A player may move a red ball towards a pocket. If a red marker reaches a pocket square the player is deemed to have "potted" the red marker and can therefore throw again and attempt to "pot" a colour.

The player does this by moving a "colour" marker towards a pocket. of course, instead of trying to pocket a ball a player may attempt a "safety" shot.

In this fashion the game proceeds with players playing sequentially (or alternatively if only two players are playing). A score is kept as in a conventional game of snooker and the winner is the person who, at the end of the game" has the highest score.

In a second variation of the game a marker representing a "white" ball can be provided. In such a case, it is envisaged that two or three dice will be provided in order to generate movement numbers in the range 0 to 18. In such a version, the number of moves given by the random indicating means can be divided between the "white" marker and the selected target marker. For example, if a player has thrown a twelve, it is possible for the white marker to be moved ten squares to contract a target marker and for the target marker to be moved two squares. A snooker can be obtained if, in a game which allows one change of direction per throw, a player cannot contact a target ball without making two turns of direction.

Appropriate penalties can be awarded to the other player in such a situation.

The invention is not limited to the precise details of the foregoing embodiment and variations can be made thereto.

For example, instead of snooker the markers and the board can be arranged so as to simulate a pool table and a game of pool played with appropriate modification of the rules. By further modification of the rules and/or of the random indicating means the apparatus could be modified to play billiards.

In order to include some variation into either of the games, then random indicating means can be modified by the addition of a second random indicating means, or a second operation of the random indicating means indicative of the speed of a shot. Thus, it could be arranged that if a player has thrown a certain number on the die or dice, that player can then operate a separate random chance means which would indicate whether the shot was hard, medium or soft. (It will be appreciated that this could easily be arranged by using a single die, for example numbers 1 and 2 representing a soft shot, numbers 3 and 4 representing a medium shot and numbers 5 and 6 representing a hard shot). Following operating of the second means, the original throw can be adjusted, for example by having certain numbers added or subtracted from it or by being multiplied by a factor. Many other variations on this theme will be suggest themselves to the skilled reader.

The invention is not limited to the precise details of the foregoing and variations can be made thereto within the scope of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. Board game apparatus including a board marked to represent a game table and divided into discrete areas, means for indicating the existence of a "pocket" on the board, a plurality of markers indicating balls disposable on the board and random indicating means for generating numbers capable of application to movement of the pieces on the board, the apparatus and associated rules being so constructed and inter-related that a game simulating a table game can be played.

2. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the areas are rectangles created by dividing the board by sets of parallel lines.

3. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the areas are squares.

4. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the areas are hexagons, circles or polygons.

5. Board game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the pockets are four in number, one disposed adjacent each corner of a rectangular board.

6. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein there are two additional pockets, one arranged centrally of opposite sides of the board.

7. Board game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the markers are in the form of counters.

8. Board game apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the markers are shaped like chess pawns.

9. Board game apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 8, wherein the counters are marked to represent snooker balls.

10. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein they are marked by being coloured.

11. Board game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the random chance means is a spinner, a die or two or more dice.

12. Board game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a marker is provided which represents a white ball.

13. Board game apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.