AU707871B2

AU707871B2 - A games apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU707871B2
Application number: AU55844/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Steven Novic
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-06-08
Filing date: 1996-06-07
Publication date: 1999-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-07
Also published as: AU5584496A

Description

THIS INVENTION relates to a games apparatus and in particular but not limited to a games apparatus for playing a tennis game using cards and dice.

In one aspect the present invention resides in a games apparatus comprising a games board including two separated facing sides, each side having a grid layout comprising pattern of parallel elongate directional lines and intersecting diagonal directional lines intersecting at token locating points across the board.

Preferably the games board includes an upstanding generally centrally disposed net portion separating said sides where the games apparatus is employed as a tennis, badminton, volleyball or other similar type net game or where an obstacle is employed part way along the board.

The present invention may be employed for any kind of game involving at least two players where a token is moved either longitudinally along the ,parallel lines and diagonally along the diagonal lines.

15 The games apparatus preferably employs playing cards utilised for play and particularly for commencement of the game. Preferably the points of intersection of the diagonal and parallel lines represents a major token site while the points of intersection between two diagonal lines represents a minor token site thereby providing at least two sets of distinctive token sites on each side of the board.

In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and be put into practical effect reference will now be made to application of the present invention to a tennis game although it will be appreciated that the inventive board, and grid layout utilised in the present invention for the movement of tokens can be utilised in other games as well as in the typical example as applied to tennis.

The parallel lines and the diagonal lines are preferably different colours indicating different directions across the board. Typically the diagonal lines are in parallel sets of diagonal lines and are also of different colours thereby providing three options in the sense of direction either longitudinally or diagonally to the right or left on the board depending upon the colour selected. To this end it is preferable to utilise a direction selection means such as a spinning pin device utilised to select one of the three directions or a dice having opposed pairs of the three colours on six sides of the dice thereby providing equal 3-1 chance of getting one of the three colours upon throw of dice.

~The present preferred embodiment illustrates application of the invention to a tennis game and wherein:- Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a typical board layout; and Figures 2 to 7 illustrate exemplary game cards suitable for utilisation with the games board of Figure 1 Referring now to Figure 1 there is illustrated a games board 10 having a S.peripheral edge 11, there being provided surrounding peripheral token sites 12 at spaced locations around the periphery of the board. The board surface is divided into a grid layout having a pattern of longitudinally extending parallel lines 13 intersecting with diagonal lines 14 arranged in parallel across the board and diagonal lines 15 also arranged in parallel across the board but intersecting the lines 14 at 900 thereto. In the illustrated embodiment the longitudinally extending parallel lines 13 are of a light colour while the lines 14 can be blue and the lines 15 can be brown. A coloured dice is utilised as described previously during the playing of the game in order to select one of the three directions according to the colour of the lines 13, 14 or corresponding to the colour thrown on the dice.

An upwardly projecting net 16 separates the games board, the net 16 in the embodiment of Figure 1 being shown folded over and actually covering a first row of large token sites 17 it being appreciated that for the purpose of preparation of Figure 1 as a photocopy the net was laid down but during the playing of the game the net would be upright located at 900 to the board surface thereby exposing the nearest line of large sites on the right hand side of the board. The grid layout on each side is a mirror image although colour and markings can vary.

o. The games board includes large sites as mentioned previously where 5* 15 lines 13, 14 and 15 intersect but where lines 14 and 15 only intersect there :are small token sites. As can be seen the games board is divided up in the sense of a standard tennis court layout with service courts and singles and doubles marking. Each service court includes numbered ball sites from 1 to 25 and these sites are so numbered and utilised during playing of the game.

S**

Playing of the game employs service cards and in this case typical examples of these are shown in Figures 2 to 7 so that during commencement of a game a player may select a service card from a stack and if for example the player picks up the service card illustrated in Figure 5 the play would move a ball token into the opponent's service court and locate that ball token on the smaller token sites and on the token site numbered 19. If on the other hand the player had picked up the card of Figure 6 then the token would be located on the small token site carrying the number 11.

Each player would have a player token, the player tokens being confined to movement between the larger token sites and in order to play at the ball the player would normally through a dice or a pair of dice enabling the player to approach the ball. The player would have to approach the ball within one token site of the ball in order to move to the next stage of the game. The two possibilities are illustrated in Figures 8 and 9. If the player does not throw enough to place his player token within range the turn moves to the other player who wins the point.

Further details of the invention are set out below including the rules for playing a typical game. Some of the details are repeated for completeness and clarity of context.

15 1. THE BOARD The tennis board game is designed as a real tennis court for single and doubles matches.

S

Each side of the court is identical and consists of big and small circles connected with three different coloured lines.

On each serving court there are numbers on small circles, which numbers are used only when serving.

The six different coloured circles on each side of the court give some extra advantage or disadvantage to each player when the ball lands on one of these circles (refer to Extra points).

6 The three differently coloured sets of parallel lines (13, 14 and 15) are used to indicate the ball direction, when the ball token passes the net and they are identical colours to the colours on one of three dices.

2. SERVING Before starting to play a game the Serving Cards are placed in stacks beside the board. Four different stacks are usually employed with card instructions facing down.

Decide which side player is going to serve first.

First service is from the right hand side of the court (first big circle from the middle of the court), to the left hand side serving court across the net this area usually has blue numbered small circles).

After a winning or loosing point the serve is from the left hand side of 9*R9 the court (first big circle from the middle of the court) to the right hand side serving court across the net this area usually has red numbered small circles).

99" 15 The service is changed after each winning or loosing point.

After winning or loosing the first game (refer to Points Counting), the service alternates till the game is won or lost. Alternatively the exchange of service and scoring is similar to normal tennis.

3. SERVING CARDS The player who is serving picks up one card from one of four stacks and plays by moving the ball token according to the instruction on the selected card typical instructions and the outcomes are as follows: ACE Winning Point LET (NET/IN) A let does not count, and the server draws another card.

OUT First service lost. Draw another card for a second serve.

NET/OUT If the second card is the same as the one in the bracket, the point is lost FAULT The receiver puts up a winning point.

PLAY The serving player is positioning the ball in the opponents Serving Court on the number (small circle) according to the serving card instructions.

The opposition player runs to return the ball by throwing two dices.

The game is in progress! 4. DICE/S With the Tennis board game there are three dices.

Two ordinary ones and one dice with three different colours, opposite sides of the dice have the same colour..

The three coloured dice must be used with every throw of the dice 15 when hitting the ball, because it shows a direction of the ball once the move count is over the net as the colours on the dice correspond to the grid line colours.

2 dice are used when a player is moving his player token to a position to hit the ball.

Once the player is in a position to hit the ball (eg. Figures 8 and 9) he can elect to use less than 3 dice, for a tactical return of the ball, use 1, 2 or 3 dice, which will depend on how "hard" the ball is going to be "hit".

To hit a short ball (drop shot), use 1 dice.

For a medium return, use 2 dice.

8 For a long return, use 3 dice.

How many dice are thrown depends upon where the opposition player is positioned on his side of the court.

After throwing the dice, move the ball forward on the court towards the net along the elongate lines, across the net, and then the ball token follows the line colour which is shown on the three coloured dice. The number of positions the ball is moved is the total number shown on the dice (refer to Ball movement).

BALL MOVEMENT The ball is moving on big and small circles in straight line until it reaches the net and passing the net is follows the coloured line according to Sothe three coloured dice.

*o.

~Green the ball moves straight.

Blue the ball moves right.

15 Brown the ball moves left.

The total number shown on the dice will be how many circles the ball :will move.

If the number is less than the number of circles to the net, the ball is short hit (net) and is a lost point for a player who is returning the ball.

When the ball is across the net and by following the coloured line goes across the white line, then the ball is out and its a loosing point for a player who is returning the ball.

6. PLAYERS MOVEMENT 9 The player tokens can move on the board only on big circles in any direction.

To run towards the ball the player throws 2 dice and moves on big circles toward the ball for a total number of 2 thrown dices.

If the total number of 2 dices is less than the 'number of big circles before the ball is reached, the player didn't reach the ball and is a loses a point.

To be able to return the ball, the player should be in a position as shown in Figures 8 or Figure 9.

Figure 8 B ball 99o9 P- player The ball is on a small circle ~Figure 9 B-ball 15 P player The ball is on a big circle 7. EXTRA POINTS

NET

In some forms of the game selected place circles have the word "NET" •marked on them.

9.

9 9 When the ball crosses the net and lands on a circle marked with the word "NET", the player who returned the ball throws 1, 2 or 3 dice once more and makes a move with the ball in direction of a colour on the coloured dice and for the number of circles as shown on the dice.

This creates an added deviation in addition to the line deviation at the net.

The ball this way could fly out by hitting the net or land closer or further from the opposite player.

PASSING SHOT If the ball lands on one of the "NET" circles and the opposition players token is more than 3, 4, 5 and 6 big circles away from the ball in any direction, then its a winning point for the player who hit the ball.

TOP SPIN The player must be between the ball (circle where the ball landed) and the net.

SIf the number of big circles is higher than the top spin circle indicates that its a winning point for a player who hit the ball.

LOB

pp If the player is between the ball and the net and the number of big circles is higher from the number of a lob circle, then its a winning point for a player who hit the ball.

FAULT

Lost 1st service (draw another card for a 2nd service. If this card is p "Fault" again then its a lost point).

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention, many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set forth.

11 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:- 1. A games apparatus comprising a games board including two separated facing sides, each side having a grid layout, the layout including pattern of parallel elongate directional lines and intersetting diagonal directional lines intersecting at token locating points across the board.

2. The games apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the points of intersection of the diagonal and parallel elongate lines represent major token sites, and the points of intersection between the diagonal lines represent minor token sites, thereby providing at least two set of distinctive token sites on each side of the board.

3. The games apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein an upstanding net or obstacle portion separating said sides is employed at least part way along or across the board.

4. The games apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the net or obstacle 15 portion is generally centrally disposed.

The games apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the board is adapted for a game involving at least two players, and the apparatus includes a token moveable longitudinally along the elongate lines and/or *a ao 9- diagonally along the diagonal lines.

20 6. The games apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the apparatus represents a tennis, badminton, volleyball or other similar games.

Claims

7. The games apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the apparatus includes playing cards for playing the games and/or for commencement of the games.
8. The games apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 7 wherein the diagonal lines include two or more parallel sets of diagonal lines.
9. The games apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the parallel sets of diagonal lines are of different colours for indicating different directions across the board. The games apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 9 wherein the elongate lines and the diagonal lines are of different colours for indicating different directions across the board.
11. The games apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the elongate lines and the parallel set of diagonal lines provide three options in the sense of direction either longitudinally or diagonally to the right or left on the board. 15 12. The games apparatus according to anyone of claims 9 to 11 wherein the apparatus includes a direction selection means for selecting one of the directions. S13. The games apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the direction selection apparatus comprising a spinning pin adapted to select, by chance, 20 one of the directions.
14. The games apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the direction selection apparatus comprising a dice having different colours on at least two sides thereof. 13 The games apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the dice having opposed pairs of the three colours on six sides thereof.
16. The games apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 15 wherein the board includes spaced first side lines, and end lines joining respective ends of the first side lines, and a medial line extending between the first side lines and disposed at a position between the net or obstacle and each end line.
17. The games apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the board is a tennis games board and the area defined by each medial line and the net is a service court.
18. The games apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the board is a badminton games board and each medial line is a service line.
19. The games apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the board is a volleyball games board and area defined by each medial line and the net is a front court. S 15 20. The games apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 18 wherein the board includes a second side line spaced from each first side line and the second side lines are employed for doubles games. a. 21. The games apparatus according to any one of claim 7 to 20 wherein the o. paying cards include service cards for indicating whether a serve is OUT, 20 FAULT, ACE, NET-OUT, NET-IN OR PLAY.
22. The games apparatus according to claim 21 wherein each of the service cards having the word "PLAY" thereon also includes an indication of where a ball token is to be placed on an opponent's court. 14 22. The games apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said indication is represented by a numeral corresponding to a numeral on the opponent's court.
23. The games apparatus according to any one of any one of claims 1 to 22 wherein the apparatus including means for determining the number of token locating sites to be transverse by a ball token.
24. The games apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the determining means is one or more dice with different numbers on sides of the or each dice DATED this 19th day of May 1999 STEVEN NOVIC By his Patent Attorneys INTELLPRO 0 0 0* o 0 *0 0 ABSTRACT A games apparatus is provided for playing board games such as tennis, badminton, volleyball, and the like. The apparatus includes a games board having a grid layout of pattern of parallel elongate directional lines (13) and intersetting diagonal directional lines (14, 15). The intersections between the diagonal lines (14, 15), and between the elongate lines (13) and the diagonal lines (14, 18) respectively define minor token sites (12) and major token sites The board has line markings representing the court layout of tennis, badminton, volleyball or the like, including service courts or front court depending on the type of game. The token sites in the service court for tennis or the opponents court for other games court are numbered. In serving a ball token for the tennis games, for example, a card from a stack of service cards is picked. Each service card has one of the indications of whether the service is OUT, FAULT, ACE, NET-OUT, NET-IN or PLAY. Each PLAY card has a numeral indicating where in the opponents's service court the ball token would land. In playing, a dice is used to provide an indication of the direction of movement of the ball token and one or more dice with numbers thereon are provided for determining the number of token sites the ball token would transverse.