AU2002216483A1 - Board game - Google Patents
Board gameInfo
- Publication number
- AU2002216483A1 AU2002216483A1 AU2002216483A AU1648302A AU2002216483A1 AU 2002216483 A1 AU2002216483 A1 AU 2002216483A1 AU 2002216483 A AU2002216483 A AU 2002216483A AU 1648302 A AU1648302 A AU 1648302A AU 2002216483 A1 AU2002216483 A1 AU 2002216483A1
- Authority
- AU
- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- playing
- player
- pieces
- board game
- piece
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
- A63F3/04—Geographical or like games ; Educational games
- A63F3/0423—Word games, e.g. scrabble
Description
BOARD GAME
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a game for two or more players. In particular, the
invention relates to a board game. However, it will be appreciated that the game may also
be played on a computer.
BACKGROUND ART
There are known numerous word games using two or more players who play letters that
are randomly selected onto a board to compose words. One of the most popular of these words games is "SCRABBLE™". In Scrabble™, words are formed using single letter tiles selectively placed on a game board, in a crossword-type pattern, with scoring
determined by point values assigned to the tile, and bonuses assigned to letter spaces on the board.
Games of this type rely on the player to base their strategy on the placement of tiles on the board in such a way as to gain the maximum points and bonuses available, with words
using uncommon letters giving a higher score. Thus older players, or players with an extensive vocabulary are more likely to use less common letters and thereby have an
advantage.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a board game which overcomes the
above difficulties and provides a board game wherein players may vary in age and
vocabulary, while still retaining an equal opportunity to win the game.
It is a further object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least
to provide the public with a useful choice.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the
ensuing description which is given by way of example only.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a game for a number of players comprising:
a playing surface which contains a plurality of defined spaces arrayed in two
dimensions within a framework;
playing pieces for placement on a playing surface, each playing piece having an
upper an a lower surface, both the upper and the lower surface including a
representation of one letter of an alphabet character set; wherein said pieces are placed in accordance with the following rules and objects.
Rules
The object of the game is to build a "bridge" of tiles from one side of the board to another side, before the opponent or other players complete their bridge from one side to another
side, each player taking a single turn in sequence.
Alternatively, the game is played in accordance with a rule in which each player's starting
side and finishing side may be determined before beginning play. If so desired, it may be
required that at least one tile be placed adjacent a yet further side of the board before tiles
reaching the finishing side is achieved.
A player's first placed word must touch the side defined as that player's starting side.
Each subsequent word forming a section of the "bridge" must be a complete word made from a single player's tiles, played in a single turn, incorporating one tile played during a previous turn.
Preferably, that playing surface is an array of 15 by 15 spaces per side.
Preferably, the area of each tile is equal or slightly less than the spaces defined upon the
playing surface. Preferably both the upper and lower surface of the tile have the same alphabetical representation. Preferably the upper and lower surface of the tile are visually
distinct from each other. Preferably there are a number of 'blank' tiles with no representation on either the upper or lower surface.
Preferably, the tiles maybe manufactured of material from the group: paper, cardboard,
plastic, and a combination of these.
Optionally, each player will choose individual tiles at random from a common pool of
tiles. Preferably, the player will be unable to view the alphabet character of the tiles as
the tiles are chosen.
Preferably, each tile will have the same alphabet character on the upper surface and the
lower surface. Preferably, the colour and/or case and/or font of the upper and the lower
surfaces will differ, to aid players to visually distinguish their own played pieces from
another player's played pieces.
A further aspect of the present invention is the provision of the above described board game wherein the alphabet character set is are selected from the group: English, Latin,
Cyrillic, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, Armenian or Georgian.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a playing piece showing one surface and a second surface;
Figure 2 shows a two player game with one completed bridge; and
Figure 3 shows a completed bridge from one side of the playing surface to the other.
Referring to Figures 2-3, a square board 2 is there shown. The board 2 has playing spaces
3 defined in a matrix of fifteen squares by fifteen squares. It will be appreciated that the orientation of the individual tiles will be appropriate to the players.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The rules of the game include the following:
The players determine the starting player, either by chance or by arrangement and
selection.
The players take turns sequentially. Each player starts by removing from the common pool of playing pieces a set of tiles 4. The tiles 4 (Fig. 1) are stored in such a way as to ensure that all players may remove tiles 4 as necessary, but no player may view the tiles
4 before the tiles 4 are removed from the common pool. The number of tiles 4 per player
may be determined before play commences.
The first player (north) places tiles 4 upon the board 2 using as few or as many tiles 4 as
is desired. Said tiles 4 must combine to spell a legitimate word 5 in a language
predetermined before play commenced.
The tiles 4 combining to make the word 5 may be placed vertically or horizontally. At
least one of the tiles 4 placed upon the board 2 must lie adjacent the first player's own side
of the board.
The first player then replaces the number of used tiles 4 by choosing the equivalent
number of tiles 4 from the common pool of tiles 4.
Play then passes to the next or second player (south).
Each player takes a turn to make a word 5 out of the tiles 4 pieces in his set. Each player's
first word 5 must start from that player's side of the board and may be placed either
vertically or horizontally. When play returns to the first player, the player then uses
further tiles 4 to form a second word 5b, which word 5b must incorporate any one tile 4
from any previous play by that same player only.
Play continues until one player completes a bridge from one side of the board 2 to another
side.
The degree of difficulty for this game may be lowered by allowing the borrowing of
another player's previously placed tile 4 as a component of the present player's word 5.
Optionally, the tile 4 borrowed by another player must be a vowel.
A player may block another player's continuation of its *bridge' by placing a word 5 in
such a way as to ensure the other player will not be able to build a further word using their previously played tiles 4.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3, a completed game is there shown. The north player has
completed a bridge from the north side to the south side. The south player has not
completed a bridge.
The playing pieces may be of any appropriate material for retaining colour, impressions
or the ability to be visually distinctive. The board may be of any appropriate material (if
non electronic). The playing surface may be permanently printed or impressed thereon.
While the preferred embodiment of the board 2 of the present invention has been shown
using two players, north and south, it will be appreciated that up to four players may play
at one time.
It will be appreciated that the size of the playing board and the number of squares upon
the playing board may differ. It will also be appreciated that the board may be portable.
Further, it will be appreciated that the orientation of the individual tiles will be appropriate to the players.
Also, it will be appreciated that the rules regarding the number of playing pieces chosen initially may be varied before each game or decided on before play commences. It will
also be appreciated that by the suitable arrangement of such rules, the same set of board
2 and tiles 4 can be used for a game for young children as an aid in learning to spell or for a player of any age with any degree of skill.
In a second preferred embodiment the board 2 and playing tiles 4 are all represented on a visual display unit (not shown) and the rules and operation of the game embodied on
a computer program. The game may be played electronically with the placement of tiles 4 being controlled by a keyboard, mouse, joystick or other means of instructing the
operation of a computer or electronic device. The computer program may also be embodied in a micro controller for a games machine, which may not necessarily be
viewed as a computer or a computer controlled device.
It will also be appreciated that the game may be played electronically as described above, with the players being remote from each other. For example, the game may be played across the internet or any other network of electronic machinery with the appropriate equipment at the site of each player.
It will also be appreciated that with appropriate programming in the second embodiment, and appropriate modification or addition to the rules for the first embodiment, that the game may be played by one player only, playing "against the computer" or with pre-set rules determining the play by one or more imaginary players.
Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof.
Claims (11)
1. A board game for a number of players comprising:
a playing surface which contains a plurality of defined spaces arrayed in two
dimensions within a framework;
playing pieces for placement on the playing surface, each playing piece having
an upper an a lower surface, both the upper and the lower surface including a
representation of one letter of an alphabet character set; wherein each player chooses a plurality of playing pieces from a common pool of playing the pieces;
a first player is determined; a starting and ending side is determined for each player;
the first player places some or all of his playing pieces upon the playing
surface to form a word in a language predetermined before play commenced;
each subsequent player in turn places playing pieces upon the playing surface
to form a word; wherein each subsequent word added to the playing surface must incorporate at least one playing piece previously played by the same player; and
play continues until one player forms a bridge of playing pieces in which each piece, except the first and last pieces, is adjacent two pieces, and the first and last pieces
are adjacent one piece.
2. A board game as claimed in claim 1 wherein each player attempts to build a bridge of playing pieces from one side of the playing surface to another side by placing playing pieces diagonally upon the playing surface in a manner selected from: vertically, horizontally and a combination thereof.
3. A board game as claimed in claim any preceding claims wherein at least one
of the first played pieces of each player must lie adjacent each player's own side of the playing surface.
4. A board game as claimed in any preceding claims wherein each subsequent word added to the playing surface to form a section of a bridge is comprised: wholly of a player's own playing pieces;.
of a player's own playing pieces, and incorporates one playing piece played by another player; wherein the playing piece incorporated is either a consonant or a vowel,
as predetermined by the players before commencement of play.
5. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the playing surface
is a playing surface with a framework which is a geometrically regular array of 15 by 15 spaces per side.
6. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the upper and lower
surface of the playing pieces are visually distinct.
7. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the upper and lower surfaces of each playing piece are visually distinct one from the other.
8. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the alphabet character set is selected from the group: English, Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew,
Armenian or Georgian or a combination of any of these.
9. A board game as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the playing pieces
are manufactured of material selected from the group: wood, paper, cardboard, plastic,
and a combination of these.
10. A board game for one or more players as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the rules of play are embodied in at least one computer program, the playing
surface being displayed on at least one visual display unit, and the placement of the playing pieces is conducted by means selected from: keyboard, mouse and other computer
control devices, and a combination thereof.
11. A board game substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to any
one of Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NZ508780A NZ508780A (en) | 2000-12-11 | 2000-12-11 | Combination of scrabble and chinese checkers word construction board game |
NZ508780 | 2000-12-11 | ||
PCT/NZ2001/000269 WO2002047777A1 (en) | 2000-12-11 | 2001-12-05 | Board game |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
AU2002216483A1 true AU2002216483A1 (en) | 2002-06-24 |
Family
ID=19928271
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
AU2002216483A Abandoned AU2002216483A1 (en) | 2000-12-11 | 2001-12-05 | Board game |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20040051246A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2002216483A1 (en) |
NZ (1) | NZ508780A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2002047777A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7118110B2 (en) * | 2003-02-26 | 2006-10-10 | Patrick Michael Kowalczyk | Method and apparatus for orthography board game |
CA2678508A1 (en) * | 2007-02-17 | 2008-08-21 | Bradley University | Universal learning system |
WO2010021991A2 (en) * | 2008-08-17 | 2010-02-25 | Mattel, Inc. | Electronic game |
US20110248446A1 (en) * | 2010-04-13 | 2011-10-13 | Tajinder Brar | Word tree built on consonant nodes |
US20130140771A1 (en) * | 2011-11-17 | 2013-06-06 | Word Winder, Inc. | System and Methods for Generating a Game Board and Playing Games Therewith |
US20140106835A1 (en) * | 2012-10-16 | 2014-04-17 | Small Games Co. | Electronic Network, Multi-Player Crosswords Game, And Method |
US9895601B1 (en) | 2015-03-24 | 2018-02-20 | Michael Wilk | Word game and method of play |
US20180154249A1 (en) * | 2016-12-02 | 2018-06-07 | Dennis Wik | Crossword and Anagram Game and Method of Playing Such a Game |
USD936743S1 (en) * | 2020-10-26 | 2021-11-23 | 2Skills Llc | Math game |
Family Cites Families (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3413004A (en) * | 1966-02-03 | 1968-11-26 | James A. Smith | Game apparatus comprising cards having columns of letters thereon and markers for placement on said letters |
GB1115042A (en) * | 1966-05-18 | 1968-05-22 | Ernest Charles Green | Games and teaching apparatus |
GB2093707B (en) * | 1981-02-26 | 1985-06-19 | White Peter Holroyd | Word game |
AU8257987A (en) * | 1986-12-11 | 1988-06-16 | Gardner, Ashleigh | Tile game |
US5139271A (en) * | 1989-03-17 | 1992-08-18 | Jacques R. Bez | Board game |
US5058896A (en) * | 1990-06-05 | 1991-10-22 | Bez Jacques R | Board game |
AU5337390A (en) * | 1989-03-17 | 1990-10-22 | Jacques R. Bez | A word forming board game |
US5324040A (en) * | 1990-08-10 | 1994-06-28 | Panda Rajenda D | Method of playing a board game by forming a sequence of words from start to finish |
US5395118A (en) * | 1994-05-10 | 1995-03-07 | Barrett; Robert E. | Crossword game board apparatus |
-
2000
- 2000-12-11 NZ NZ508780A patent/NZ508780A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2001
- 2001-12-05 WO PCT/NZ2001/000269 patent/WO2002047777A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2001-12-05 AU AU2002216483A patent/AU2002216483A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2001-12-11 US US10/450,037 patent/US20040051246A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20040051246A1 (en) | 2004-03-18 |
NZ508780A (en) | 2003-07-25 |
WO2002047777A1 (en) | 2002-06-20 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
MK4 | Application lapsed section 142(2)(d) - no continuation fee paid for the application |