WO1996030094A1

WO1996030094A1 - Game of chance

Info

Publication number: WO1996030094A1
Application number: PCT/AU1996/000171
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ashley Ross Kausman; Mark Simon Fine
Original assignee: Myriad Gaming Corporation Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 1995-03-27
Filing date: 1996-03-27
Publication date: 1996-10-03
Also published as: NZ303633A; AUPN197895A0

Abstract

A game (1) of chance particularly a board, table, electronic or computer game, and a method of playing the game (1). The game (1) includes a game playing surface (2) with a marked playing area (3) having a game start position (6) and a game finish position (7). A plurality of icons (9) representative of respective game players are provided for movement over the marked playing area (3) from the start position (6) to the finish position (7). At least one random selector generator (10) is operable to determine which of the icon(s) (9) is/are to be moved and the extent of such movement. A determination of which of the icon(s) (9) is/are to be moved and the extent of movement depends on, in combination, markings on the game playing surface (2), the position of the icons (9) on the marked playing area (3) and the result of an operation of the random selector generator (10). The game (1) is won by the player whose icon (9) is first to reach the finish postion (7). The game (1) is suitable for betting or wagering.

Description

GAME OF CHANCE

This invention relates generally to a game of chance, and in particular to a board, table, electronic or computer game and a method of playing the game. The game is suitable for betting or wagering thereon and, accordingly, is applicable for use in casinos and other betting or wagering establishments. It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the game and its play in relation to that application. However, it is to be understood that the game is intended for more general application and use.

Wagering is a very popular pastime and when licensed by governments generally affords a lucrative source of income for a State, as well as for private individuals or companies (and shareholders) which hold the licences concerned and/or the premises where such wagering occurs. Such wagering is generally conducted in casinos and other gaming and licensed wagering premises which, in addition to providing well known and established wagering games, may also provide new games to attract and hold the interest of patrons. The present invention offers a new wagering game that is suitable for wagering and, as such, for use in a casino or like environment.

Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention provides a game of chance including: a game playing surface with a marked playing area having a game start position and a game finish position; a plurality of icons representative of respective game players and being movable over the marked playing area from the start position to the finish position; and, at least one random selector generator operable to determine which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and the extent of such movement, wherein a said determination of which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and the extent of said movement depending on, in combination, markings on the game playing surface, the position of the icons on the marked playing area and the result of an operation of the random selector generator.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of playing a game of chance including the steps of: a) providing a game playing surface with a marked playing area having a game start position and a game finish position; b) allocating to a plurality of game players a respective representative icon movable over the marked playing area from the start position to the finish position; c) allocating to each icon at least one indicia which is indicative by at least one random selector generator upon operation thereof; d) operating the at least one random selector generator to display indicia determining which of the icons is/are to be moved over the marked playing area and to determine the extent of such movement; and e) moving the respective icon(s) over the marked playing area to the extent determined by the random selector generator.

Preferably, a plurality of the random selector generators are provided.

With this arrangement, at least one generator is operable to determine which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and at least one other generator is operable to determine the extent of such movement. Preferably, in playing the game all random selector generators are operated simultaneously.

The generators are preferably distinctively identifiable to enable recognition of which of them determines icon movement and the extent of icon movement, respectively. That may be achieved by providing generators with different colour markings for distinctive identification.

In one preferred arrangement, each random selector generator is a die operated by tumbling. Three dice may be provided. In that arrangement, a combination of two of the dice are used to determine which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and the other single die is used to determine the extent of such movement.

In an alternative preferred arrangement, the random selector generator is electronic random result generating means operable to produce separate determinations of which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and the extent of such icon movement. The electronic random result generating means may be provided by at least one electronic random result generating device to determine which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and at least one other electronic random result generating device to determine the extent of such icon movement.

In preferred arrangements, the game playing surface is provided on a board or table. In alternative preferred arrangements, the game playing surface is provided on a visual display screen such as a computer screen or an electronic game playing device screen.

Preferably, the marked playing area of the playing surface includes separate regions extending between the start and finish positions for reception of respective icons. Each region is preferably marked: a) with one or more respective indicia which, if displayed by the random selector generator, signifies that the icon on that region is to be moved, and b) with a scale indicating an extent of icon movement over the respective region as determined by indicia displayed by the random selector generator.

Preferably, the scale is provided by a series of space positions between the start and finish positions. With this arrangement, the extent of movement of an icon is a measure of the number of region space positions advanced by the icon away from the start position toward the finish position.

In one preferred arrangement, wagering is conducted on one or more outcomes of game play. Wagering can include placing wagers on one or more of the following outcomes of game play: (i) the result of the game including the first icon to reach the finish position;

(ii) an operation of the random selector generator determining a particular icon to be moved;

(iii) an operation of the random selector generator determining a particular extent to which an icon is to be moved; and (iv) operations of the random selector generator determining a particular icon to be moved and a particular extent of such icon movement.

Preferably, each icon has applied to it a probability that it will be determined for movement upon operation of the random selector generator. That in turn enables allocation to each icon of a wagering odd that it will be the first to reach the finish position in a play of the game.

In one preferred arrangement, the random selector generator is operable so that the probability varies between at least some of the icons that any one icon will be determined for movement over the marked playing area. Thus, in this arrangement each icon has applied to it a probability that the icon will be determined for movement upon operation of the random selector generator, and that probability differs or varies between at least some of icons. This varying probability then enables allocation to each icon of varying wagering odds that the respective icon will be the first to reach the finish position in a play of the game. In one preferred arrangement, this varying probability is achieved by the provision of eight icons representative of eight game players, and two, six-sided dice for determining the icon(s) to be moved during a play of the game. With this arrangement, those icon(s) to be moved is/are determined by the following schedule of combined numerical face value of the two dice after tumbling:

Player/Icon Dice Face Value

A 2 and 3

B 4 and 10 C 6

D 7

E 8

F 5 and 9

G 11 and 12 H Any double value

The letters A to H identify respective icons.

In another arrangement the probability does not vary between icons.

Thus, each icon has the same probability that it will be determined for movement over the marked playing area. In turn, each icon can be allocated the same wagering odds that it will be first to reach the finish position.

The following description refers to preferred embodiments of the game of the present invention and its method of play. To facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made in the description to the accompanying drawings where the game is illustrated in those preferred embodiments. It is to be understood that the game and its method of play are not limited to the preferred embodiments as hereinafter described and as illustrated in the drawings.

In the drawings where the same reference numerals refer to the same or like game components:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an overall layout of the game according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an overall layout of the game according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to each of the drawings, there is generally shown two embodiments of a game of chance 1 , based on a race between contesting game players. The players may represent humans (eg. runners), animals (eg. horses), machines (eg. racing cars) or objects (eg. bottles), or any other race contestants. In these embodiments, eight players A-H contest each game 1 , although it should be appreciated that other player numbers may be equally suitable. Each player A-H may represent one or more casino or other gaming premise patrons.

The game 1 has a game playing surface 2 which, in these embodiments, is provided by a board or table (not shown). It should be appreciated, however, that in other embodiments, the game playing surface 2 may be provided by other means including visual display screens of computers or other electronic game playing devices.

The game playing surface 2 has a marked playing area 3 which, in these embodiments, is in the form of a race track 4 for the contesting players. The race track 4 is elongate and has separate race lane regions 5 for each of the players

A-H extending from a start position 6 to a finish position 7. The race track 4 as shown is straight but may be curved or otherwise shaped.

Each race lane region 5 is marked by dividing into a series of space positions 8, shown in these embodiments as "squares" arranged end-to-end along the race lane regions 5. Depending on who or what the players A-H represent, those spaces 8 may represent different race track distances, for example "lengths" of a horse race track.

The contesting players A-H are represented by respective icons 9. During game play, those icons 9 are moved along their respective race lane regions 5 from the start position 6 to the finish position 7. In essence, the declared winner of the game is the first player A-H to reach the finish position 7.

The game 1 includes at least one random selector generator 10 operable to determine which of the icon(s) 9 is/are to be moved along its respective race lane region 5 and the extent of such movement. In these embodiments, each random selector generator 10 is a die 11 and three such dice 11^*, 11" and 11"' are used to determine the outcome of the game involving 8 player icons 9. Two dice 11', 11" are of one colour (eg. white) and the remaining die 11 "' is of a contrasting colour (eg. red) in order to distinguish them for their respective purposes during game play. In that regard, the dice 11 ', 11" are used to determine which of the icon(s) 9 is/are to be moved, whilst the remaining die 11"' is used to determine the extent of such icon movement. All dice 11 are evenly weighted and have face indicia values of from 1 to 6.

When playing the game 1 , according to the preferred embodiments, all three dice 11', 11", 11"' are tumbled simultaneously by a race game "Starter" who may be, for example, a casino employee or a casino patron who may or may not be a game player. The dice 11 ', 11", 11"' are shuffled and then tumbled to rest by being thrown or rolled or spun or released by hand (not shown), or tumbled to rest by a machine such as a dice shuffler 12 positioned on the game playing surface 2. The shuffler 12 may be operated by hand (not shown) or electrically such as through switch button 13 controlled by the Starter.

The three dice 11', 11", 11'" when tumbled and, if released, come to rest in an area (not shown) on the game playing surface 2 demarcated by boundaries for a "fair" tumble. The outcome of each die 11', 11", 11'" is that face value which rests uppermost with only one face on each die 11 ', 11", 11"' being considered uppermost in each tumble.

All game players A-H as represented by the icons 9 start a game at the start position 6 behind a "Start Line" and have the same distance or space positions 8 (for example 13) to advance before crossing a "Finish Line" to the finish position 7. The total face value of the two dice 11', 11" determines which icon(s) 9 advance from the start position 6 toward the finish position 7. The face value of the remaining die 11"' determines the distance, as represented by the number of space positions 8 the particular icon(s) 9 advance along the respective race lane regions 5.

In these embodiments, the 8 players A-H and their icons 9 are each allocated the following face value outcome or outcomes of a tumble of the dice 11 ', 11":

Plaver/lcon Total Dice M 1'. 11") Face Value

A 2 and 3 B 4 and 10

C 6

D 7

E 8

F 5 and 9 G 11 and 12

H Any double value

Thus, for example, if the face value of the two dice 11 ', 11" totals 9, the icon 9 of player F advances by the number of space positions 8 shown on the remaining die 11'". In the case of a "double" (ie. both dice 11', 11" showing the same face value), both of the player icons 9 representing the total on those dice 11', 11" and the icon 9 of "any double" player H are advanced. Thus, for example if the face outcome of the two dice 11', 11" is double 4, then the icons 9 of both players E and H are advanced by the number of space positions 8 determined by the remaining die 11"'.

The icons 9 may be individually identified, for example, by names, colours, symbols or numbers. Thus, where the players A-H represent horses then each icon 9 may be in the shape of a horse and/or allotted a horse's name and jockey colours. As previously indicated, the declared winning player A-H is the one whose icon 9 first crosses the Finish Line to the finish position 7. In the event of two icons 9 advancing across the Finish Line on the same dice tumble - which could occur if a "double" is thrown - the icons 9 can be considered to have moved simultaneously. Thus, one of the two following results can be obtained: a) If both advancing icons 9 are at the same initial position 8 (ie. the same number of space positions from the Finish Line) advancing them simultaneously means that they both cross the finish line simultaneously and a "dead heat" is declared. b) If one icon 9 is closer to the Finish Line than the other, advancing the icons

9 simultaneously means that the icon 9 that was initially closer to the Finish Line is the icon 9 that crosses the Finish Line first and the represented player is therefore declared the winner of the game.

Once an icon or icons 9 cross the Finish Line to the finish position 7, the race and game is completed. A race result is then declared.

The game 1 may be played with or without wagering. Preferably, where the game 1 is wagered upon, the playing surface 2 also includes wagering regions 14 marked out for the reception of wagering tokens such as "chips" or money (not shown). Regions 14 are duplicated in the game embodiment of Fig.

1. Such regions 14 may be marked with odds for a wager as determined by the nature of the result which is the subject of a wager and a probability of that result occurring. In these game embodiments providing for 8 game players A-H and two dice 11 ', 11 " for determining which of the icon(s) 9 is/are to be moved along their respective race lane regions 5, there is a variation in the probability that any one icon 9 will be determined for movement along their race lane regions 5. Thus, there is a varying probability between the icons 9 that any one of them will win a game race. This varying probability is particularly suitable where the game is played with wagering since varying wagering odds then can be allocated to at least some of the icons 9.

Various aspects of the game 1 can be wagered upon, with variations within these aspects. Any one or more of those aspects may be adopted for wagering on the game 1. Four broad game aspects and some variations which can be wagered upon are as follows:

1. THE RESULTOFOVERALLRACEGAME

Persons may wager on many facets of the overall game outcome, including: (a) "Winner" - which player will be declared the winner. (In the event of a dead heat, two winners are declared and patrons are paid at half face value.) (b) "Stalls" - which player will not advance from the Start Line by the time a winner is declared.

(c) "Dead Heat" - that a "dead heat" will be declared.

(d) "Any Bolter" - that any particular player will cross the Finish Line before all other players have crossed the Start Line.

(e) "Super Bolter" - that a nominated player will cross the Finish Line before all other players have crossed the Start Line.

2. THE RESULT OF A TWO "WHITE" DICE 11', 11" THROW OR ROLL Persons may wager on the outcome of the two "white" dice 11 ', 11", including:

(a) "Contestant" - which player advances on a particular dice tumble.

3. THE RESULT OF A "RED" DIE 11 '" THROW OR ROLL Persons may wager on the outcome of the "red" die 11"', including:

(a) "Odds or Evens" ^*- that the face value of the red die 11"' will be 1 ,3,5 or 2,4,6, respectively.

(b) "High or Low" ^*- that the face value of the red die 11"' will be 1-3 or 4-6, respectively.

^* All of these wagers may lose if the result of all three dice 11 ', 11", 11'" is the same ("Any Triple") 4. THE RESULT OF A THREE DICE 11', 11", 11'" THROW OR ROLL

Persons may wager on the outcome of all three dice 11 ', 11", 11"', including:

(a) "Any Triple" - that the same face value (all values from 1-6) will appear on all three dice 11', 11", 11'". (b) "Specific Triple" - that a particular face value (any one value) will appear on all three dice 11 ', 11", 11'".

(c) "Any Straight" - that any run of three consecutive numbers (1/2/3, 2/3/4. 3/4/5, 4/5/6) will appear on the three dice 11', 11", 11"'.

(d) "Specific Straight" - that a particular run of three consecutive numbers will appear on the three dice 11 ', 11", 11"'.

In the illustrated embodiments of the game 1 , the aspects that can be wagered on are depicted on the wagering regions 14. Those aspects and the offered wagering odds are as follows:

(a) "Winner" - set out in region boxes 15 as well as in the finish position 7 of each race lane region 5. The wagering odds represent the odds offered that the respective player icon 9 moving along the race lane region 5 will be the first to reach the finish position 7 and be declared a winner in a play of the game 1. Those odds offered may be, for example, as follows: Player/Icon Odds

A 33/1

B 5/1 C 8/1

D 9/2

E 8/1

F 2/1

G 33/1 H 6/1

In the event of a Dead Heat both winners are paid at half the odds as indicated in region box 16.

(b) "Stalls" - set out in region boxes 17, 18. This wager at the offered odds is that either of the nominated player icons 9, remains at the start position 6 behind the Start Line when a winner has been declared. The odds offered may be, for example, as follows:

Plaver/lcon Odds

A Even money

G Even money (c) "Dead Heat" - set out in region box 19. This wager at the odds of, for example, 100/1 is that a "dead heat" between icons 9 will be declared, (d) "Any Bolter" - set out in region box 20. This wager at the odds of, for example, 125/1 is that any particular icon 9 will cross the Finish Line before all other icons 9 have crossed the Start Line. (e) "Super Bolter" - set out in region box 21. This wager at the odds of, for example, 15000/1 is that the nominated icon A or G will cross the Finish

Line before all other icons 9 have crossed the Start Line. Finally, it will be appreciated that various modifications and/or additions may be made to the game and its method of play without departing from the ambit of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

Claims

Claims:

1. A game of chance including: a game playing surface with a marked playing area having a game start position and a game finish position; a plurality of icons representative of respective game players and being movable over the marked playing area from the start position to the finish position; and, at least one random selector generator operable to determine which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and the extent of such movement, wherein a said determination of which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and the extent of said movement depending on, in combination, markings on the game playing surface, the position of the icons on the marked playing area and the result of an operation of the random selector generator.

2. A game as claimed in claim 1 , and including a plurality of the random selector generators, at least one generator operable to determine which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and at least one other generator operable to determine the extent of such movement.

3. A game as claimed in claim 2, wherein the generators are distinctively identifiable to enable recognition of which of them determines icon movement and the extent of icon movement, respectively.

4. A game as claimed in claim 3, wherein the generators have different colour markings for distinctive identification.

5. A game as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each random selector generator is a die operated by tumbling.

6. A game as claimed in claim 5, wherein three dice are provided, a combination of two of the dice being used to determine which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and the other single die being used to determine the extent of such movement.

7. A game as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the random selector generator is electronic random result generating means operable to produce separate determinations of which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and the extent of such icon movement.

8. A game as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electronic random result generating means includes at least one electronic random result generating device to determine which of the icon(s) is/are to be moved and at least one other electronic random result generating device to determine the extent of such icon movement.

9. A game as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the random selector generator is operable so that the probability varies between at least some of the icons that any one icon will be determined for movement over the marked playing area.

10. A game as claimed in claim 9 when appended to claim 6, wherein eight icons are provided representative of eight game players, and the icon(s) to be moved during a play of the game is/are determined by the following schedule of combined numerical face value of the two dice after tumbling: Plaver/lcon Dice Face Value A 2 and 3

B 4 and 10

C 6

D 7

E 8 F 5 and 9

G 11 and 12

H Any double value where the letters A to H identify respective icons.

11. A game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the random selector generator is operable so that the probability is the same between icons that any one icon will be determined for movement over the marked playing area.

12. A game as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the game playing surface is provided on a table.

13. A game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the game playing surface is provided on a board.

14. A game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the game playing surface is provided on a visual display screen.

15. A game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the game playing surface is provided on a computer screen.

16. A game as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the marked playing area of the playing surface includes separate regions extending between the start and finish positions for reception of respective icons, each region being marked: a) with one or more respective indicia which, if displayed by the random selector generator, signifies that the icon on that region is to be moved, and b) with a scale indicating an extent of icon movement over the respective region as determined by indicia displayed by the random selector generator.

17. A game as claimed in claim 16, wherein the scale is provided by a series of space positions between the start and finish positions, the extent of movement of an icon being a measure of the number of region space positions advanced by the icon away from the start position toward the finish position.

18. A game of chance substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to either one of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

19. A method of playing a game of chance including the steps of: a) providing a game playing surface with a marked playing area having a game start position and a game finish position; b) allocating to a plurality of game players a respective representative icon movable over the marked playing area from the start position to the finish position; c) allocating to each icon at least one indicia which is indicative by at least one random selector generator upon operation thereof; d) operating the at least one random selector generator to display indicia determining which of the icons is/are to be moved over the marked playing area and to determine the extent of such movement; and e) moving the respective icon(s) over the marked playing area to the extent determined by the random selector generator.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the steps of operating the at least one random selector generator includes operating a plurality of generators, at least one generator after each operation displaying indicia determining which of the icons is/are to be moved and at least one other generator after each operation displaying indicia determining the extent of such movement.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein all of the random selector generators are operated simultaneously.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20 or 21 , wherein the step of operating the random selector generator includes tumbling three dice having the indicia on faces thereof, a combination of two of the dice providing the indicia determining which of the icons is/are to be moved and the other single die determining the extent of such icon movement.

23. A method as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 22, wherein the steps of operating the random selector generator and moving the icons is repeated until at least one icon is moved from the start position to the finish position of the marked playing area.

24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 23, and including the further step of wagering on one or more outcomes of game play.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the step of wagering includes placing wagers on one or more of the following outcomes of game play:

(i) the result of the game including the first icon to reach the finish position;

(ii) an operation of the random selector generator determining a particular icon to be moved; (iii) an operation of the random selector generator determining a particular extent to which an icon is to be moved; and

(iv) operations of the random selector generator determining a particular icon to be moved and a particular extent of such icon movement.

26. A method as claimed in claim 24 or 25, and including the further steps of: a) applying to each icon a probability that the icon will be determined for movement upon operation of the random selector generator; and b) allocating to each icon wagering odds that the respective icon will be the first to reach the finish position in a play of the game.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wheerin varying probabilities are applied to at least some of the icons.

28. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the same probability is applied to each of the icons.

29. A method of playing a game of chance, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to either one of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.