US20170028294A1

US20170028294A1 - Basketball card game

Info

Publication number: US20170028294A1
Application number: US14/811,961
Authority: US
Inventors: Matthew Treece
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-07-29
Filing date: 2015-07-29
Publication date: 2017-02-02

Abstract

A basketball card game is played where participants utilize basketball player cards and a unique skill score rating system to possess a required number of skill category cards to win the game. Themes and actual player statistics related to the game of basketball are employed to develop each player's skill score in the various skill categories. No one skill wins championships, successful teams must be fundamentally sound and participants act as the coach to best utilize the basketball talents of their team (player cards in hand) to possess more skill category cards than any other participant.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a card game, and more particularly to a playing card game that uses cards that include player ratings and statistics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Basketball player trading cards are popular and act to capture attributes and likenesses of many culturally historic players and fan favorites of this great performance art, but fail to incorporate generations of basketball players within a simple, entertaining, and effective playing card game process. Additionally, trading cards are meant to be collected. They are not manufactured to be utilized in a playing card game. The value of the cards decreases if their corners show wear and tear or if the card becomes damaged.
There have been numerous games that utilize informational playing cards to simulate playing various sporting events or theme-based games using comparisons of characters or objects and their attributes related to such topics as baseball, basketball, hockey, wrestling, physical geography, and military equipment. Several examples are detailed below.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,022,023 and 6,012,721 each disclose basketball card games that simulate a basketball game. The games are determined arbitrarily based on dice rolls and card draws. Neither game uses actual player statistics and relative comparisons of their skill attributes against each other.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,467,997 and 6,921,075 each disclose games that utilize informational playing cards covering of a variety of themes and subjects. Round and game winners are determined subjectively by the participants, rather than in an objective manner utilizing skill and statistics of real world players or items.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,092 discloses a card game to simulate a game of hockey. As above, the card values are not assigned based on actual player or real world statistics as a comparison.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,392,986 discloses a WAR-type game where players compete for cards based on statistical comparisons of wrestlers, aliens, military equipment, monsters, or athletes. The game is a fantasy game based on fictitious cards created by the designer. The game does not include skill score comparisons of basketball players based on real world statistics of the players.
Therefore, there is a need for a card game that includes skill-based comparisons of basketball players that are based on their real world statistics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to various exemplary embodiments, including games, cards, and method of playing and of using the same.
These and other features and advantages of exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is the obverse side of an exemplary basketball player card template according to the present invention.

FIG. 1B is the reverse side of a basketball player card as in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 shows several exemplary skill score calculations for various levels of basketball competition to determine the skill score ratings as in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 3 is an example of a basketball player card (showing the obverse side) according to the template shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 4 shows the obverse side of a skill category card (free throws) according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an example of game play according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numeric values and ranges are provided for various aspects of the implementations described. These values and ranges are to be treated as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. In addition, a number of materials and ingredients are identified as suitable for various facets of the implementations. These materials and ingredients are to be treated as exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims.
The invention relates to an apparatus and method of play for a basketball card game using a pack of basketball player cards and a unique skill score calculation system in which participants (up to four) compete with each other to possess a required number of skill category cards to win the game. There are seven basketball skill category cards: scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-point field goals, and free throws. Each basketball player card has an obverse and a reverse side. The obverse side contains individual player data, such as biographic information and a prominently displayed skill score rating for each of the seven skill categories. The skill score ratings consist of whole numbers, ranging in value from 1-10, and are based on actual player statistics. The reverse side is generic and non-informational and is unrevealing of the player's identity and skill attributes contained on the obverse side, so as to prevent other players from knowing the identity of the card. There is only one card for each basketball skill category, which prominently lists or identifies one and only one of the seven skill categories on both sides of a single card—so that with seven total cards, each skill category is accounted for.
Several game variations are envisioned, including methods of playing “5-Card Draw”, “7-Card Stud”, and “Draft Your Own Team”. Prior to play, the seven skill cards are placed to the side of playing area for all to see—these will be competed for one at a time during each possession of play. When playing either of the first two game variations (“5-Card Draw” or “7-Card Stud”), the player cards are shuffled and five (or seven, depending upon game variation chosen) are dealt one at a time face-down (obverse side down) to each participant. The remaining player cards are placed face-down as a draw pile. When playing the “Draft Your Own Team” variation, players take turns selecting a twelve man roster, but thereafter, the rules and game follow similarly that of “5-Card Draw” or “7-Card Stud”.
Participants chose to utilize player cards that they were randomly dealt (or that they drafted themselves) to possess as many of the skill cards as possible. In “5-Card Draw”, each participant replenishes his/her team by drawing one card from the draw pile following each possession of play. In the “7-Card Stud” variation, participants must make the best use of the hand of basketball player cards they were initially dealt.
In each game variation, play begins by “shooting for ball” in which the free throw skill card is competed for. All players select one of their player cards to compete in this category and reveal their card simultaneously on this first play of the game. The winner of this skill card will be the participant playing the basketball player card with the highest free throw skill score rating. Ties on this or any other skill card competition are broken by a tie-break determination sequence. The winner of the free throw skill category card takes possession of the free throws skill card. The used basketball player cards (the single player cards played by each participant) are eliminated from game play. When playing “5-Card Draw”, each participant replenishes his or her team by drawing one card from a face-down draw pile (which includes those player cards not initially dealt out to the participants) following each possession or skill card competition. When playing “7-Card Stud”, participants are not allowed any more cards than originally dealt; they must compete for skill category cards using only the basketball player cards which comprise their team in hand.
The winner of each skill card possession has the advantage of selecting the next skill category card to be competed for and places it to the center of the playing area. The participant to the selector's left is the first to play by placing a player card obverse side up on this new skill category and play continues clockwise, with each participant playing one player card (obverse side up for all to see) to compete for possession of the skill card selected. The previous skill card winner will play last and can adjust his/her strategy as desired depending upon the other participants' cards played. The participant playing the highest skill score for this category wins possession of that skill card. Play continues in this way until a single participant has earned and possessed a required number of skill cards to win the game.
The card game incorporates both artistic and strategic play and the science of chance and statistics. This game is first and foremost an amusement, but simultaneously captures the essence of basketball as a team game, for no one player (and therefore no one basketball player card) can do it all alone. Possessing a good balance of key fundamental basketball skills is essential to be successful. A unique skill score rating calculation and game design and method permits the incorporation of basketball player cards from different eras or generations into a common game process.
Trading cards typically lose value when they are handled, worn, or damaged. The basketball player cards and skill category cards of this invention are meant to be played with. They are to be of uniform size and shape (for example, about 3″×4.5″) with rounded corners and are to be constructed so that they are flexible and durable, having a slick finish such is customary with a deck of traditional playing cards because they are intended to be regularly handled, shuffled, and dealt. The game provides a playing card game utilizing historical statistical data from players (performance artists) of the game of basketball. Providing fans a card game that they can play—acting as coach to best utilize the basketball talents of the player cards they have in hand.
The invention includes apparatus and methods of playing a basketball playing card game for up to four participants. Several game variations are described including: “5-Card Draw”, “7-Card Stud”, and “Draft Your Own Team”. The equipment is the same for each of these game variants and includes fifty individual basketball player cards and seven basketball skill category cards.
Each basketball player card has an obverse and a reverse side. Referring to FIG. 1, the obverse side of the card (FIG. 1A) contains individual player data such as biographic information 10, statistics 12, and a prominently displayed skill score rating 14 for each of the following seven skill categories: scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-point field goals, and free throws. The reverse side (FIG. 1B) is generic and non-informational and is unrevealing of the player's identity and skill score attributes contained on the obverse side. In this way, the other game players do not know which playing cards the other players have until they are revealed.
The basketball player skill score ratings are generally whole numbers, ranging in value from 1-10 (1 being the lowest or worst value and 10 being the highest or best value), and are based upon actual historical player statistical averages. For example, a player that averaged 10.0 rebounds per game in real life (e.g., the NBA) would have a higher skill score rating for rebounds than a player that averaged 7.0 rebounds per game in real life. Skill score calculations are provided for different levels of basketball competition and are assigned according to how an individual player's statistics compare to their peers in each of the seven skill categories. In this manner, a historic range of players (artists of the game of basketball), to include those of the past, present, and future can be easily incorporated into the game. FIG. 2 shows an exemplary method for skill score calculations utilizing regular season career statistics for professional men's leagues (considering players with at least 250 games played), for professional woman's leagues (considering players with at least 100 games played), and for the men's collegiate or amateur level (considering players with at least 50 games played) are given as an example.
The basketball player cards and skill category cards are all to be of the same uniform size and shape (for example, about 3″×4.5″) with rounded corners and are to be constructed so that they are flexible and durable, having a slick finish such is customary with a deck of traditional playing cards because they are intended to be regularly handled, shuffled, and dealt. The fifty basketball player cards include the identities and corresponding basketball related statistics of fifty different or unique basketball players, but preferably include the following quantities and position types: ten point guards, ten shooting guards, ten small forwards, ten power forwards, and ten centers. An example basketball playing card is shown in FIG. 3. The seven skill category cards can contrast in color compared to the basketball player cards, so that the skill cards easily stand out, and generally include one skill card of each of the following categories: scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-point field goals, and free throws. The skill category cards prominently list or identify one and only one of the seven skill categories on both sides of a single card. An example skill category card is shown in FIG. 4.
Participants compete via a unique game process to possess a required amount of skill category cards to win the game. Individual skill category cards are won by a participant playing a basketball player card with a higher skill score in that category than played by any other participant. The apparatus and methods of play for these game variations is described below.
5-Card Draw:
Participants place the seven skill category cards so each is visible off to the side of the playing area. Each skill category card is competed for separately during each possession or round of play. The fifty basketball player cards are shuffled and dealt, five cards (one at a time) face down (obverse side down) to each participant. The remaining basketball player cards are placed in a single stack, face-down as a draw pile. These are the “reserves” or “bench” players from which participants will replenish their teams.
An example of a round or possession of game play is shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 depicts a standard first round of a typical game. Every game begins by “shooting for ball” (a common expression used to determine which team gets the first possession in a pick-up game of basketball), in which the free throws skill category card is placed in the center of the game area. Each participant acts as the coach of the team in his/her hand and selects one of his/her five player cards to compete for the free throws skill category card. Participants must reveal their selected card simultaneously on this first possession or play of the game. Player cards of Participants 1, 2, 3, and 4 are shown in FIG. 5 as chosen by each participant. The participant playing the highest skill score for the free throws category wins possession of the free throws skill card. In FIG. 5, the free throws skill score rating of Participant 3, playing Billy Basketball, is higher than that of the free throws skill score rating of the other 3 participants. Billy Basketball has a free throws skill score rating of “10”, while the player selected by Participants 1 and 2 have ratings of “9” and the player selected by Participant 4 has a free throws skill score rating of “8”. Thus, Participant 3 gains possession of the free throws skill category card.
From time to time, the participants may choose players that have the same skill score rating for a particular skill category. Skill score ties are broken, on this or any other skill category competition, by proceeding through an established tie-breaker determination sequence for those participants that have a skill score tie.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 3, in the case of a skill score tie, the participants next consult the number of championships won on the basketball player cards that were just played. The participant playing a card with the higher value of championships won wins the tie-breaker and possession of the skill card. If there is still a tie after consulting the number of championships won, participants next consult the “average” for that skill in question, as shown in the statistics section 12 of the player card. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, Billy Basketball has won 5 championships and has a 90.2 average for free throws in the statistics section 12. In the unlikely case there is still a tie, participants finally refer to the number of “games played” in the biographic information section 10 of the player card. Again, the higher value always wins possession of the skill card in question.
Like the real game, the game according to the present invention has a particular flow and pace to it and emulates many themes found in the game of basketball. Game transition and role playing are important. Basketball is about a balanced attack. No one skill wins championships. Participants need offensive and defensive capabilities. And most importantly—teamwork. Following each possession (each skill category competition), the used basketball player cards are taken out-of-play for the remainder of this particular game and each participant replenishes his or her team by selecting another basketball player card from the draw pile (“the bench”). Thus, each participant always has five players under his or her control.
The participant that won the free throws skill card will try to control the flow of the game. Like in make-it-take-it (a common basketball term in which the team scoring gets to maintain possession of the ball), the participant that just earned the free throws skill card selects the next skill category card to be competed for and places it to the center of the game area. The participant to the selector's left is the first to play on the newly selected skill category. Play continues clockwise allowing the selector to size-up the competition and decide just how high to elevate his/her game—or perhaps rethink the strategy if someone else plays this particular category's best basketball player card. After all participants have played on the newly selected skill category, the participant playing the highest skill score for this category wins possession of the skill card. Ties are always broken by the tie breaker sequence noted above as required.
Each participant replenishes his or her team with one card from the draw pile following each possession and whomever won the last skill category card has the advantage of selecting the next of the remaining skill categories to be competed for. Play continues in this manner until one, and only one participant has mastered enough basketball fundamentals to win the game—demonstrated by possessing a required number of skill category cards.
Winning: It takes a team and a balance of skills. If two participants are playing, the game is won by earning (possessing) at least 4 of the 7 skill category cards. If there are three or four participants, a game victory is only achieved if a single participant earns more skill category cards than any other participant. This will be three or four skill cards, depending upon the circumstances. Earning four is always a winner. Earning three skill category cards is a winner if no other participant has earned as many as three skill cards. If no one participant meets these criteria, then “it's a jump ball”, and a game replay is in order.
Participants reshuffle all fifty basketball player cards and “run it back” (which is a pick-up basketball saying meaning to “play again”). Participants may choose to play a single game, a best of five-, or a best of seven-playoff series by keeping track of their game victories.
7-Card Stud:
Participants place the seven skill category cards so each is visible off to the side of the playing area. One skill category card is competed for separately during each possession of play. The fifty basketball player cards are shuffled and seven dealt (one at a time) face down (obverse side down) to each participant. The remaining basketball player cards are no longer needed in this game variation and can be placed aside.
This variation is played and won by the same method as described in “5 Card Draw” with the exception that participants do not replenish their hand following each skill card competition or possession of play. In “7-Card Stud”, to secure a win, each participant must make the best use of the basketball player cards that they were initially dealt.
Draft Your Own Team:
In this variant, participants draft their own twelve man team. The seven skill category cards are placed so that each is visible off to the side of the playing area. One skill category card will be competed for separately during each possession of play. The fifty individual basketball player cards are turned face up (obverse side up) and spread out so that they are all visible to the participants. Participants take turns selecting one basketball player card at a time until each participant has a team roster of twelve basketball player cards of his or her choosing.
Prior to play, each participant shuffles his or her twelve player roster and places it face down (obverse side down). The participants then choose to collectively play “5-Card Draw” or “7-Card Stud” using only the basketball player cards that they have drafted. If playing “5-Card Draw”, participants deal themselves the top five cards from their own twelve player roster and replenish their team from their own draw pile (from their own bench) following each possession or skill card competition. Play is then conducted according the method described in “5-Card Draw” except participants only draw from their own team roster or team draw pile. If playing “7-Card Stud”, after shuffling their basketball player cards, participants simply deal themselves the top seven basketball player cards from their team roster and conduct play according method described in “7-Card Stud”.
2-on-2 (Franchise Packs):
A fourth game variation, “2-on-2” (also called “Franchise Packs”, “Team Play” and “Rivalry Packs”), requires a customized fifty card pack that includes two sets of twenty-five basketball players each. Each set is made up of players that have played for the same team, however, not necessarily at the same time. Each of these two sets will generally include five basketball players of each position type: five point guards, five shooting guards, five small forwards, five power forwards, and five centers so that there are twenty-five players associated with each team set.
“2-on-2” is a team concept in which two participants are on the same team and will compete against two other participants that are on the same team. Participants collectively choose to play by game rule methods described in “5-Card Draw” or “7-Card Stud”. However, each team plays using only its own twenty-five basketball player card set to compete against the other team's twenty-five basketball player card set. To win, a team of two participants must together possess four of the seven skill category cards. Participants may choose to play a single game, a best of five-, or a best of seven-playoff series by keeping track of their team's game victories.
To play the card game based on the game of basketball, the game participants are competing for plurality of playing cards that include skill category cards using player cards. The method includes providing at least five player cards to each card game participant, each player card representing a specific basketball player with skill score ratings for the specific basketball player, the skill score ratings corresponding to the skill category cards and being calculated based on actual statistics of the specific basketball player.
Next, one of the skill category cards is selected to be played in the first round of the game. Each of the card game participants selects one of the player cards for play in the first round of the card game to compete for that skill category card. The winner of the round is determined by comparing the skill score rating corresponding to the skill category card for each of the player cards played during the first round of the card game. The participant who plays the player card that has a higher skill score rating corresponding to that skill category card obtains possession of the skill category card played in the first round of the card game. Subsequent rounds continue as the participants compete for the other skill category cards until one card game participant has obtained more skill category cards than can be obtained by any other card game participant.
Typically, the participant who gains possession of the skill category card selects the skill category card to be played for in the subsequent round of the card game. In the “five card draw” version of the game, after each round of the card game, the card game participants draw an additional player card from a draw pile of player cards. In the “seven card stud” version of the game, each card game participant is provided with seven player cards to begin the card game. In the “draft your own team” version of the game, each card game participant selects player cards so as to have a unique draw pile of player cards from the other card game participants.
Each of the player cards typically includes actual statistics of the specific basketball player. These statistics can be used to break ties in comparing the skill score ratings. The player cards would also include biographical information of the players to which they correspond. Such information may include: name, likeness, nickname, position, jersey number, number of games played, team(s) played for, college attended, height, weight, number of all-star games, and hall of fame induction year.
The typical skill categories represented on the skill category cards would be the following skills: scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-point field goals, and free throws. Other skills could also be utilized within the scope of the game.
The standard card game would include about 40 to 100 player cards, although 50 player cards are included in a typical version of the game. Special versions of the game would include versions where all of the player cards include players that played for a single basketball team or during a single era (e.g., 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, etc.). Alternatively, a set of the player cards may include players from two teams so that the franchises can go head-to-head.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific exemplary implementations, it is evident to those skilled in the art that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, the invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of playing a card game based on the game of basketball, the card game including a plurality of playing cards that include skill category cards and player cards, the method comprising:

(a) providing at least five player cards to each card game participant, each player card representing a specific basketball player with skill score ratings for the specific basketball player, the skill score ratings corresponding to the skill category cards and being calculated based on actual statistics of the specific basketball player;

(b) selecting one of the skill category cards to be played for a first round of the card game;

(c) each of the card game participants selecting one of the player cards for play in the first round of the card game;

(d) comparing the skill score rating corresponding to the skill category card for each of the player cards played during the first round of the card game to determine which player card has a higher skill score rating corresponding to that skill category card to determine which participant obtains possession of the skill category card played in the first round of the card game; and

(e) repeating (b), (c), and (d) with additional rounds of the card game until one card game participant has obtained more skill category cards than can be obtained by any other card game participant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the participant who gains possession of the skill category card selects the skill category card to be played for in the subsequent round of the card game.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein after each round of the card game, the card game participants draw an additional player card from a draw pile of player cards.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each card game participant is provided with seven player cards to begin the card game.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each card game participant selects player cards so as to have a unique draw pile of player cards from the other card game participants.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the player cards further include actual statistics of the specific basketball player.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein during the act of comparing the skill score rating corresponding to the skill category card, if the skill score ratings of two or more player cards are equal, the act of comparing further comprises comparing the actual statistics of the specific basketball player.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the skill category cards include one or more of the following skills: scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-point field goals, and free throws.

9. The method of claim 1, including seven skill category cards.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the player cards include actual biographical information for the specific basketball players to which they correspond.

11. A card game based on the game of basketball, comprising:

a plurality of skill category cards based on skills from the game of basketball; and

a plurality of player cards each representing a specific basketball player, the player cards including skill score ratings corresponding to the skills of the skill category cards, each skill score rating being calculated based on actual statistics of the specific basketball player.

12. The card game of claim 11, wherein the skill category cards include one or more of the following skills: scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-point field goals, and free throws.

13. The card game of claim 11, including seven skill category cards.

14. The card game of claim 11, wherein each of the player cards further include actual statistics of the specific basketball player.

15. The card game of claim 11, wherein the player cards include actual biographical information for the specific basketball players to which they correspond.

16. The card game of claim 15, wherein the biographical information includes one or more of the following: name, likeness, nickname, position, jersey number, number of games played, team(s) played for, college attended, height, weight, number of all-star games, and hall of fame induction year.

17. The card game of claim 11, including about 40 to 100 player cards.

18. The card game of claim 17, including 50 player cards and seven skill category cards.

19. The card game of claim 11, wherein the plurality of player cards correspond to specific basketball players that all played on a single basketball team or on two different basketball teams.