GB1570196A

GB1570196A - Board games

Info

Publication number: GB1570196A
Application number: GB2443476A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: DENBY R
Current assignee: DENBY R
Priority date: 1977-06-24
Filing date: 1977-06-24
Publication date: 1980-06-25

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BOARD GAMES (71) We, LESLIE BUSBY (JNR) of 27 Wilkinson Avenue, Moorends, Doncaster, and RALPH GREY DENBY of "Ralglen", Coulman Street, Thorne, Doncaster, both British subjects, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to board games, and is particularly concerned with games in which a playing piece is caused to move over the area of the playing surface in accordance with random selection means such as dice.

According to the present invention, apparatus for playing a board game comprises random chance selection means to determine the extent of movement of a number of playing pieces, one for each participant, and a playing area, comprising a number of primary paths each extending from a start point to a finish point, and at least one continuous secondary path not directly connected to the start or finish points, but connected to the primary paths by a number of interconnecting paths, whereby a playing piece progressing from a start point to a finish point and directed by a mark on the playing area along an interconnecting path to the secondary path must return to a primary path before it can proceed to the finish.

Thus, in one form, the invention comprises three primary paths of generally circular configuration, a single circular secondary path lying within the primary paths, a central area lying within the secondary path and generally radial interconnecting paths leading from the primary paths through the secondary path to the central area. In the alternative, instead of having a single secondary path, there may be several concentric secondary paths.

It is preferred, but not essential, that the random chance selection means is a conventional die having the numbers 1 to 6, and when, as will become apparent later, six interconnecting paths are provided.

Certain areas of the paths may be marked with instructions those instructions being printed on the appropriate area. It is, however, preferred that those areas are marked with one or other of several symbols, and to provide an appropriate number of decks of cards bearing the same symbol or symbols and on which the instruction to be followed by the playing piece is provided.

The rules by which the game is to be played by two or more players are as follows. It will be understood that the following rules apply to the game when three primary paths and six interconnecting paths are provided and that the rules can be changed without departing from the invention when a different number of primary and interconnecting paths are provided.

The rules 1. The game is to be played by two or more players, and the order of play determined by any appropriate means.

2. Each player in turn shall throw the die, and each player shall have one throw only.

3. A player must throw a 1, 2 or 3 on the die to allow his playing piece to be placed at the start of the first, second or third primary path.

4. A player shall move his playing piece around the selected primary path in accordance with successive throws of the die unless instructed otherwise.

5. A playing piece landing on an area marked with a direction arrow shall on the next throw of the die be moved in the direction indicated.

6. A playing piece landing on an area with an instruction shall be moved immediately in accordance with the instruction given.

7. If a playing piece lands in the area at the end of the six interconnecting paths, that player shall on the next throw of the die determine by the number thrown which of the interconnecting paths shall constitute the exit from the area, and on the next succeeding throw move the playing piece along that exit path by the number thrown.

8. A playing piece reaching the primary paths along interconnecting paths can at the discretion of the player, be moved onto the first, second or third primary path if a sufficient number of moves are allowed the play ing piece by the number thrown on the die.

9. A player must throw the required number on the die to allow his playing piece to reach the finish at the end of the primary paths.

10. The first player to reach the finish shall be declared the winner, or if a number of games are to be played to constitute a series then the first, second and third players to finish shall be awarded an appropriate number of points, e.g. 10, 5 and 2, and the player with the highest aggregate number of points for the series, declared the winner.

In its simplest form, all six interconnecting paths may constitute exits from the area beyond the secondary path. However, to make the game more difficult, certain of the six interconnecting paths can be declared to be no exits from the area, providing a fewer number of available exits.

Again, in its simplest form, but one secondary path is provided, and to provide a more complicated game, a number (say six) of secondary paths can be provided with a variety of direction indicators to allow the escape of the playing piece back to the primary paths, to direct the playing piece on to other of the secondary paths or even to redirect the playing piece back into the area at the end of the interconnecting paths.

The game may take any suitable form.

Thus, it could simulate the movement of road traffic, when the instructions associated with particular areas of the primary paths can simulate hazards, vehicle faults and the like or police instructions, diversions, detours, and other instructions, to slow down or increase the progress of a playing piece around the primary paths.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a board layout for a game according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a plan view of an alternative arrangement of secondary paths for the game of Figure 1.

In Figure 1 three generally concentric primary paths 1 are provided, the paths extending from a start to a finish as indicated. Inwardly of the primary paths, a single circular secondary path 2 is provided, each primary path being connected to the secondary path by interconnecting paths 3 unevenly spaced around the primary paths. Each interconnecting path 3 extends beyond the secondary path 2 to a central area 4.

Thus with a playing piece placed at the start to each primary path, players in rotation take turns to throw, e.g. a die, and to move a respective playing piece in accordance with the number thrown by the die along its selected primary path. If a playing piece lands on a square of the primary path which coincides with a square of the interconnecting path, the playing piece is obliged on the succeeding throw to move by an appropriate number of squares along the interconnecting path. On each interconnecting path and on the secondary path certain squares are as shown marked with direction indicating arrows. If then a playing piece lands on a square marked with a direction arrow, the piece must on the next throw of the die by the respective player move in the direction indicated.This then allows a playing piece either to progress completely around the respective primary path from the start to the finish, be forced to move along one of the interconnecting paths and either around the secondary path 2 or into the central area 4. If a playing piece lands in the central area 4, the respective player on the next throw of the die determines which interconnecting path 3 shall constitute an exit from the central area, and on the next successive throw that player shall move the playing piece by an appropriate number of squares along the selected interconnecting path.

In addition to the provision of direction indicating arrows certain randomly selected squares 5 on the primary paths can be marked to provide additional instructions for a playing piece landing on that square. Preferably, the selected squares are marked with appropriate symbols and there is provided three decks of cards each deck bearing on its back face one of the symbols applied to the squares of the primary paths, and each card within that deck providing different additional instructions for movements of the playing piece.

To increase the complexity of the game slightly, instead of allowing all six of the interconnecting paths 3 to constitute exit paths, one or more (e.g. 3) can be designated as no exits thereby reducing the ability for playing pieces to leave the central area 4.

To provide for a rather more complicated game, the single secondary path 2 can be replaced by a number of concentric secondary paths as is shown by Figure 2 where six secondary paths are provided. As with the board layout of Figure 1 each concentric secondary path 2A has certain of its squares marked with direction indicating arrows so that a playing piece having been forced into the secondary paths along the interconnecting paths 3 can either be progressed around one secondary path turned on to another secondary path or as with the game of Figure 1 directed into the central area 4 which can again have all six secondary paths available as exits or certain of the secondary paths designated as no exits.

The game is therefore ideally suited to the simulation of the flow of traffic and when the randomly selected squares 5 can provide additional instructions in line with happenings in normal traffic conditions such as causing players to miss a turn by meeting a road obstruction, being forced to divert on to a designated different path (secondary or interconnecting) as a consequence of a diversion etc. It will therefore be understood that the game could be played as such or utilised to simulate something else.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. Apparatus for playing a board game comprising random chance selection means to determine the extent of movement of a number of playing pieces, one for each participant, and a playing area, comprising a number of primary paths each extending from a start point to a finish point, and at least one continuous secondary path not directly connected to the start or finish points, but connected to the primary paths by a number of interconnecting paths, whereby a playing piece progressing from a start point to a finish point and directed by a mark on the playing area along an interconnecting path to the secondary path must return to a primary path before it can proceed to the finish.

2. Apparatus as in Claim 1, wherein three primary paths of generally circular configuration are provided.

3. Apparatus as in Claim 2, wherein a single circular secondary path lying within the primary paths is provided.

4. Apparatus as in Claim 3, wherein a further area is provided not connected to the start or finish points, said further area being connected to the continuous secondary path by a number of interconnected paths.

5. Apparatus as in Claim 4, wherein generally radial interconnecting paths lead from the primary paths through the secondary path to the central area.

6. Apparatus as in any of Claims 2 to 5 wherein several concentric secondary paths are provided.

7. Apparatus as in any of Claims 1 to 6 wherein certain of the areas provided with instructions to be followed by a playing piece are marked with one or other of several symbols, there being an appropriate number of decks of cards each bearing one of the symbols and on which the instruction to be followed by the playing piece is provided.

8. Apparatus as in any of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the rules are as hereinbefore defined.

9. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1.

10. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. causing players to miss a turn by meeting a road obstruction, being forced to divert on to a designated different path (secondary or interconnecting) as a consequence of a diversion etc. It will therefore be understood that the game could be played as such or utilised to simulate something else. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. Apparatus for playing a board game comprising random chance selection means to determine the extent of movement of a number of playing pieces, one for each participant, and a playing area, comprising a number of primary paths each extending from a start point to a finish point, and at least one continuous secondary path not directly connected to the start or finish points, but connected to the primary paths by a number of interconnecting paths, whereby a playing piece progressing from a start point to a finish point and directed by a mark on the playing area along an interconnecting path to the secondary path must return to a primary path before it can proceed to the finish.