GB2360709A

GB2360709A - Board game

Info

Publication number: GB2360709A
Application number: GB0007684A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Horace Papworth
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-03-30
Filing date: 2000-03-30
Publication date: 2001-10-03
Also published as: GB0007684D0

Abstract

A board game comprises a board (1) marked out with discrete positions (6) to delineate a closed path (3). The path contains a plurality of sections (4) corresponding in number to the intended number of players. Each section containing a respective start branch (7) and a home branch (8). Each branch is located off the closed path (3) and each contains a predetermined number of positions for playing pieces not on the closed path. Figure 1 shows a hexagonal board for six players, but it is possible to incorporate an inner square for four players Fig 2 (not shown). Also included in said board game are a plurality of sets of playing pieces, one set per player. The number of pieces in each set corresponds in number to said predetermined number of positions. Other components of said board game include, at least one deck of playing cards and a set of instructions setting out the rules by which players move their pieces around the closed path (3) between their respective start branch (7) and home branch (8).

Description

2360709 BOARD GAME

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to what is commonly known as a board game, in which a playing surface, or board, is used as the vehicle for playing pieces of some kind which are moved around the board by a number of players according to a set of rules.

Background to the Invention

A considerable variety of board games are already in existence, ranging from fairly simple games, with comparatively few playing pieces, and designed primarily for children, to more complex strategic games involving much larger numbers of playing pieces and requiring adult concepts of spatial planning.

The present invention is designed to offer a game which will hold the interests of children and adults alike but without the need for advanced skills or complex equip ment.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, the invention provides a board game comprising:

a board marked out with discrete positions to delineate a closed path, the path containing a plurality of sections corresponding in number to the intended number of players; each said section containing a respective start branch and a home branch, each of which branches is located off the said closed path and each of which contains a pre determined number of positions for playing pieces not on said closed path; a plurality of sets of playing pieces, one set per player, the number of pieces in each set corresponding in number to said predetermined number of positions; at least one deck of playing cards; and a set of instructions setting out the rules by which players move their pieces around said closed path between their respective start and home branches.

The said positions on the board may be marked out as holes, depressions, printed areas or the like.

The playing pieces may be pegs, balls, counters, figures or the like.

The board may be of generally hexagonal construction.

2 - Each said section of the closed path may consist of a stretch of the path adjacent a respective edge of the board.

The board may also be marked out with at least one further closed path provided with a different number of said sections, each containing respective start and home branches, whereby the game may be played with a different number of players than are required for the first closed path.

The said further closed path(s) is/are conveniently located nearer to the centre of the board than the first closed path.

The said further closed path may conveniently define a square.

Each said stretch of the closed path may conveniently contain eighteen discrete positions for playing pieces.

Each said set may conveniently contain five playing pieces, in which case each said start and home branch also contains five said positions.

Each set of playing cards preferably contains four Jokers.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig 1 shows a first design of board for six players; and Fig 2 shows a second design of board for either six or four players.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiments

As shown in Fig 1, the board 1 is generally hexagonal. It may be made of wood, plastics or other rigid or semi-rigid material. Alternatively, it may be of printed card or other light material. The board may be designed to be folded along a line across its cen tre, generally indicated by chain-dotted line 2, so as to be more compact when not in use. It may be convenient, in this case for the board to have sides such that when the board is fold ed it creates a box to contain the cards and/or playing pieces. This would be particularly useful if the game were designed as a "travel" version.

The board is marked out to delineate a closed path, generally indicated by a dotted line at 3, which, in the illustrated embodiment, is the same shape as, and set in from, the perimeter of the board. The path may be defined in a number of different ways to suit the type of playing pieces. For example, there maybe a succession of,hol.es to accommodate pegs as playing pieces. Alternatively, the path may consist of depressions to locate playing pieces in the shape of balls. The path may also be simply marked out by printed areas on the board so that counters, figures or characters may be used as playing pieces. It may even be possible for the board to have magnetic characteristics so as to allow magnetic playing pieces to be used. This option may be particularly useful if the game is miniaturised for play whilst travelling.

Each stretch 4 of the closed path that runs adjacent to the edges 5 of the board is allocated, in play, to a particular one of the players. In the preferred embodiment, there are eighteen positions 6 for playing pieces in each stretch but other numbers may be used instead. The inventors believe that eighteen positions provides an interesting level of play.

Play progresses in a clockwise direction. Each player starts with preferably five pieces initially located in respective positions in a start branch 7. The object of the game is to move the playing pieces from the start branch to that player's home branch 8. The start branch 7 preferably joins the main path at the eighth position in from the upstream corner of that stretch and the home branch 8 preferably three positions in from the same corner, the home branch therefore joining the closed path five positions upstream from the start branch. These positions are the preferred positions where there are eighteen positions along each of the stretches but of course other numbers may be equally suitable.

It should be noted that, for clarity, only the details of one of the stretches 4 has been illustrated in Fig 1.

Since the home branch is located upstream of the start branch, each player would expect to move every one of his pieces around substantially the whole of the closed path. The winner is the player who first succeeds in moving all of his pieces into the home branch, with each piece occupying a different position, hence there are the same number of home positions per player as there are playing pieces per player.

In order to make the board look more interesting and to differentiate more readily between the start and home branches, the positions in the start branches are preferably arranged in a cruciform pattern whereas the positions in the home branch are marked out as an L-shape. Of course, the exact shapes have no influence on the way that the game is played and it is therefore possible to adopt any other convenient shape for either or both branches. It may also be possible to use the same shape of branch for both the start and home branches as long as it is clear which is which.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig 2, the board is the same as in Fig 1 except that a further closed path in the shape of a square 9 is provided nearer the centre of the board to enable either six players to use the hexagonal path or four players to use the square path. The features described with respect to Fig 1 would also be provided in the arrangement shown in Fig 2 but they are omitted from this Figure for the sake of clar ity, only the general outline of the hexagonal path being indicated at 10. The same variations as to the details of the path and pieces apply equally to the inner path as to the outer path. It may nevertheless be desirable that a different arrangement for the path and the pieces be adopted for the inner path as compared to the outer. For ex ample, pegs and holes may be use in one path whereas counters may be used in the other.

is The game is played according to a set of rules as follows. For present purposes it is assumed that there are six players and that the hexagonal path is in play. Players may play as individuals or may play as partners. Partners are paired alternately around the board.

Each player is dealt six cards face down from the first deck. One of those cards must be played in each player's turn. After each turn a player draws another card from the deck. Once the deck is exhausted players draw from another deck. Play continues in this way through a third and possibly a fourth deck until all the cards have been used.

Of course, if a player succeeds in moving all of his pieces into the home branch, play ceases, regardless of how many cards or decks remain unplayed. Play moves from the starting player to the next player to the left.

A player may not move a piece from his start branch until he turns over a face card or an ace. When this happens the player merely moves one of his pieces "into play" by taking it out of the start branch and onto the playing path. Once in play, a piece is moved according to the face value of the card turned over, namely by one posi tion, if the card is an ace, or ten positions if the card is a face card, or by the same num ber of positions as the denomination of any of the other cards.

There are, however, exceptions. When a seven is turned over, its value may be split between two pieces in play. When an eight is turned over, the player has to move a piece backwards by that amount.

When a joker is turned over, so long as the player concerned has a piece in play, i.e. on the playing area of the board, he may transfer, in one move, any of the pieces in play, regardless of whose piece it is, to any position in the game. For example, he may move one of his own or one of his partner's pieces to the entrance to the appropriate home branch or he may move an opponent's piece back into his start branch and thus out of play.

Once a piece is in the home branch, it is safe from interference by an opponent but it is still in play to the extent that it must be moved into a vacant position within the home branch, by turning over the required number card, before it can be considered truly "home".

There is no opportunity for a player to "pass". If he has a card and a piece in play he must move that piece even if it might mean moving it past the entrance to that player's home branch. Landing on a partner's piece promotes that piece to the entrance to his home branch. However, if a player lands on his own or an opponent's piece, that piece has to be returned to that player's start branch and therefore out of play. It is permissible for a player to jump over another player's piece but he may not jump over his own piece.

The game may optionally include a rule whereby a player forgoes his next turn if he fails to take a card from the deck after playing his turn and before the next player turns over his card in his turn.

Play ceases when a player successfully moves all of his pieces into his "home" be- fore any other player.

Claims

1. A board game comprising:

a board marked out with discrete positions to delineate a closed path, the path containing a plurality of sections corresponding in number to the intended number of players; each said section containing a respective start branch and a home branch. each of which branches is located off the said closed path and each of which contains a pre determined number of positions for playing pieces not on said closed path; a plurality of sets of playing pieces, one set per player, the number of pieces in each set corresponding in number to said predetermined number of positions; at least one deck of playing cards; and a set of instructions setting out the rules by which players move their pieces around said closed path between their respective start and home branches.

2. A board game as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the said positions on the board are marked out as holes, depressions, printed areas or the like.

3. A board game as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the playing pieces are pegs, balls, counters, figures or the like.

4. A board game according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the board is of generally hexagonal construction.

5. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each said sec tion of the closed path consists of a stretch of the path adjacent a respective edge of the board.

6. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each said stretch of the closed path conveniently contains eighteen discrete positions for playing pieces.

7. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the board is also marked out with at least one further closed path provided with a different number of said sections, each containing respective start and home branches, whereby the game may be played with a different number of players than are required for the first closed path.

8. A board game as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the or each said further closed path is located nearer to the centre of the board than the first closed path.

9. A board game as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein the said further closed path is conveniently defined as a square.

10. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each set con tains five playing pieces, and each start and home branch also consists of five positions.

11. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each set of playing cards contains four Jokers.

12. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the board is made of wood, plastics or other rigid or semi-rigid material.

13. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the board has magnetic characteristics so as to allow magnetic playing pieces to be used.

14. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the board is designed to be folded along a line across its centre, in order to make it more compact when not in use.

15. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the board has sides such that, when the board is folded, it creates a box to contain the cards and/or playing pieces.

16. A board game, substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, the drawings.