GB1597706A

GB1597706A - Board games

Info

Publication number: GB1597706A
Application number: GB4190077A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Bonner Morgan B M
Current assignee: Bonner Morgan B M
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-09-09

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BOARD GAMES (71) I, BARBARA MARY BONNER-MORGAN, a British Subject, of 87 Victoria Road, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to board games comprising a board and a multiplicity of playing pieces.

The invention provides board game apparatus comprising a board, a multiplicity of playing pieces and random selector means, the board being marked to indicate a series of discrete areas, each area being distinguished from other areas by an individual combination of one of a set of numbers and one of a set of distinguishing features other than numbers, and the random selector means comprising a random number selector for determining one of said set of numbers and random selector marked with the same distinguishing features for determining one of said distinguishing features, the playing pieces being movable on the discrete areas of the board in accordance with the rules of the game which specify that a playing piece is placed initially on that discrete area of the board having the combination of number and other distinguishing feature produced when a player operates the random selector means, the apparatus further comprising a multiplicity of cards, each marked with a combination of one of said set of numbers and one of said set of other distinguishing features, there being one said card corresponding to each of said discrete areas.

the set of numbers preferably comprises six different numbers.

The set of other distinguishing features preferably comprises six different colours.

The random number determining means may comprise a six-sided die having one of said set of numbers on each face.

The random colour determining means may comprise a six-sided die coloured on each face with one of said set of colours, and each colour preferably represents a particular musical note.

Each discrete area of said series preferably represents a composer, and each card preferably represents a composer.

The apparatus may further comprise a set of currency tokens, which may be in the form of currency notes. Each currency note is preferably coloured one of said six colours.

The apparatus may further comprise tokens representing composers works, each token being one of said six colours.

A further role of the game preferably specifies that payment to a player is made in each of his turns in accordance with the combination of number and other distinguishing feature produced when a player operates the random selector means.

A further rule of the game preferably specifies that an instruction is issued to a player in each turn in accordance with the combination of number and other distinguishing feature produced when the player operates the random selector means.

A further rule of the game may specify that a problem is to be solved by a player, solving of the problem promoting advancement the nature of the problem being determined by the combination of number and other distinguishing feature produced when the player operates the random selector means.

The apparatus preferably comprises a book containing problems to be solved, the book being divided into sections corresponding to possible combinations of colour and number.

The apparatus may further comprise a card giving the mathematical relationship between the note values of said six colours.

The invention further provides apparatus for playing a game comprising a multiplicity of playing pieces, a random number selector, a random colour selector and a board as hereinafter described, the playing pieces being arrangeable on the board in accordance with the rules of the game, as hereinafter stated.

By way of example, one embodiment of board game apparatus according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a board showing overall layout of the markings; Figure 2 is a plan view of a sector of the circular central area of the board; Figure 3 shows an enlarged square of the board showing the type of details appearing in each square; Figure 6 shows an example of one variety of playing piece; Figure 5 shows an example of a currency note; Figure 6 shows a composer card; Figure 7 shows a currency converter, and Figure 8 shows a page of a music quiz.

As shown in Figure 1, a board is marked with twentyeight playing squares, indicated by numerals 10 to 37. As shown in Figure 3, each square has an area 40 in which a portrait of the particular composer appears, the name of that composer at 41, the year of his birth at 42, his place of birth at 43, the year of his death at 44, the place of his death at 45, and a number and note value of the composer at 46. Each composer has one or six colours associated with him; green, orange, blue, yellow, pink or white. These colours are denoted in Figures 1 and 3 by heraldic representation; green : angled hatching, orange : cross hatching, blue : horizontal hatching, yellow : stippling, pink : vertical hatching, white white.

The above colours denote music note value; green corresponds to semibreve , orange corresponds to minim , blue corresponds to crotchet , yellow corresponds to quaver pink corresponds to semiquaver , and white corresponds to demisemiquaver Moving round the board clockwise from square 10 (Mozart), the details of the composers are as follows: Square 10 represents Mozart, number value 2, note value quaver (yellow).

Square 11 represents Sibelius, number value 3, note value semiquaver (pink).

Square 12 represents Vaughan-Williams, number value 4, note value demisemiquaver (white).

Square 13 represents Dvorak, number value 5, note value semibreve (green).

Square 14 represents Wagner, number value 2, note value minim (orange).

Square 15 represents Puccini, number value 1, note value crotchet (blue).

Square 16 represents Purcell, number value 3, note value quaver (yellow).

Square 17 represents Brahms, number value 6, note value semi-quaver (pink).

Square 18 represents Weber, number value 3, note value demisemiquaver (white).

Square 19 represents Vivaldi, number value 4, note value semibreve (green).

Square 20 represents Shostakovich, number value 6, note value minim (orange).

Square 21 represents Rimskykorsakoff, number value 2, note value crotchet (blue).

Square 22 represents Verdi, number value 6, note value quaver (yellow).

Square 23 represents Grieg, number value 2, note value semiquaver (pink).

Square 24 represents Bach, number value 6, note value demisemiquaver (white).

Square 25 represents Schumann, number value 1, note value semibreve (green).

Square 26 represents Handel, number value 5, note value minim (orange).

Square 27 represents Schubert, number value 4, note value crotchet (blue).

Square 28 represents Tchaikovsky, number value 5, note value quaver (yellow).

Square 29 represents Rachmanninov, number value 4, note value semiquaver (pink).

Square 30 represents Liszt, number value 5, note value demisemiquaver (white).

Square 31 represents Beethoven, number value 3, note value semibreve (green).

Square 32 represents Mendelssohn, number value 4, note value minim (orange).

Square 33 represents Elgar, number value 6, note value crotchet (blue).

Square 34 represents Britten, number value 4, note value quaver (yellow).

Square 35 represents Haydn, number value 6, note value semibreve (green).

Square 36 represents Debussy, number value 1, note value minim (orange).

Square 37 represents Chopin, number valve 5, note value crotchet (blue).

Triangular areas 50, 51, 52 and 53 on the board represents educational sections of the orchestra in the form of pictures of instruments formed in the four sections of the orchestra, namely brass, tympani, strings and woodwind.

An example of an instrument playing piece is shown in Figure 4. Each playing piece is preferably a plastics moulding of a musical instrument mounted on a flat base and suitable for moving round the board. Examples of instruments which may be used as playing pieces are: a drum, a cornet, a saxophone, a French horn, a violin, a flute, a trombone, a clarinet, a piano, a harp.

Alternatively, the playing pieces may each be a single instrument, for example a drum, each with a distinguishing mark to allow ease of location, or coloured in six different colours.

Alternatively, six wooden playing pieces of different shape may be used, for example, a circle, a square, a triangle, a rectangle, an oval and an isosceles triangle. Additionally, further distinguishing features may be added to the wooden shapes, for example, the name and a picture of a famour conductor. The wooden playing pieces may be coloured.

The apparatus further comprises a plurality of composer cards, one composer card corresponding to each composer appearing on the boad. As shown in Figure 6, each composer card comprises a section 55 including the name and number and note value of the particular composer. A portrait of the composer appears at 56. The area 55 is coloured in accordance with the note value of the composer. In the area 57 ten works of the composer are set out, and on the rear of each composer card the life history of the particular composer is explained.

The apparatus further comprises tokens representing composer works. The tokens are distinguished by colour (which corresponds to that of the associated composer). The tokens may be flat and circular, or may be in the shape of the musical note corresponding to a particular colour. The tokens are preferably of plastics material or cardboard.

The apparatus further comprises currency in the form of paper notes approximately 4" x 2". As shown in Figure 5, each currency note has the note value of the currency, in that example a quaver, marked in word form and symbol form. Each currency note is coloured in accordance with its note valve; a semibreve being worth two minim, a minim two crotchets, a crotchet two quavers, a quaver two semiquavers and a semiquaver two demisemiquavers.

The apparatus further comprises two dice, one die being a conventional number die having six faces numbered from 1 to 6 and the other die being a music or colour die. The music die has six faces; one face is marked with a semibreve symbol coloured green, a second face is marked with a minim symbol coloured orange, a third face is marked with a crotchet symbol coloured blue, a fourth face is marked with a quaver symbol coloured yellow, a fifth face is marked with a semiquaver symbol coloured pink and a sixth face is marked with a demisemiquaver symbol coloured white.

Thus, when the two dice are thrown, a number from one to six is selected by the number die, and a musical note corresponding to one of the six note currency values is selected by the music or colour die.

The apparatus further comprises a currency converter card (Figure 7) which shows the mathematical relationship of one note to another, each note having its specific colour; semibreve green, minim orange, crotchet blue, quaver yellow, semiquaver pink and demisemiquaver grey, as used throughout the game.

The apparatus further comprises a Music Quiz Book for use in an advanced form of the game. The Music Quiz Book has six pages, one page being shown in Figure 8, and each page is a different colour and divided into six sections. In each section is a list of musical terms and musical form with meanings alongside. The colour is music note linked throughout.

As shown in Figure 1, the area surrounding centre circle 60 is divided into six sectors, sector 61 being green, sector 62 orange, sector 63 blue, sector 64 yellow, sector 65 pink, and sector 66 white. As shown in Figure 2 each sector is divided into 6 sub sub-sectors. Figure 2 refers to sector 61 (green, semibreve), and it will be appreciated that other sectors are marked with the note corresponding to the colour of the sector. Each subsector has a number and colour/note value. In each subsector is found an instruction to be followed by the player who has thrown that number and colour/music note combination. Examples of instructions are: "Advance to Back", "Go back one square", "Take 2 semibreves", "Forfeit 4 crotchets". In the central area 60 is the name of the game and orchestral layout and a picture of St. Cecilia, although these features are not shown in the drawings.

Area 70 between the circular area 60 and the opportunity sections 50 to 53 is preferably marked with examples of musical notation, but area 70 is not involved with actual playing of the game.

Rules The game is preferably for between 2 and 8 players, although more than 8 players may play.

To begin Arrange the board on a suitable surface.

Each player chooses an instrument playing piece.

One player is appointed keeper of the music shop, where the composer cards, currency and discs representing composer's works are stored.

The keeper of the music shop issues each player with four sets of currency; a set of currency being one token of each note value. Each player also receives a currency converter, or if there are more than six players, the currency converters are shared.

Each player shakes both dice, and the player who throws the highest combination of number and colour starts the game.

The object of the game is to acquire a full set of composers, that is one composer of each colour, each with ten discs representing the composer's works.

The play The first player throws the two dice to indicate a number and a colour. The first player moves his instrument to the square of the composer having the number and colour he has thrown. If there is no composer square on the board having the thrown combination, for example 2 , the player must wait until his next turn when he attempts again to throw a suitable combination.

The order of play continues in a clockwise direction, each player playing similarly.

Movement of a player's instrument after initial placement on the board is in a clockwise direction and determined by the number he throws with his number dice in a particular turn. For example, if a player has his instrument on Sibelius and throws a three, his instrument will move to Wagner. Once a player's instrument is on the board, the colour die does not affect its movement.

In each turn the currency shop keeper pays each player currency notes to the value he has thrown; for example, if the player throws 4 and "green", the currency shop will pay four semibreve notes.

The currency shop pays the player whether or not he succeeds in starting by throwing a combination corresponding to a square on the board.

A player may buy a composer on whose square he has landed, provided that composer is not already owned, for the value of that composer stated on the board, and the keeper gives him the composer card in return for payment.

If a player's instrument lands on the composer already owned by another player, a forfeit must be paid to the owner to the value of that composer plus one currency note of that composer's colour for each work owned.

If a player's instrument lands on a composer whose colour is the same as a composer already owned by that player, the player may buy the further composer but must immediately offer it for auction to the highest bidder. If no bids are forthcoming, the player must sell the composer to the bank for the note value of the composer.

After a player as moved his instrument playing piece to a square of the board he must find the subsections in the Instruction Circle with the number and colour/note he has thrown. The instructions from the Instruction Circle must be followed.

On his turn the player may also buy the works, in the form of discs, of composers he owns, the cost per work being the same as the cost of the associated composer.

The winner is the first player to collect a composer of each colour and a set of ten works for each of these composers.

Alternatively, if the game is terminated before a player collects a full set of composers and their works, the winner is the player having the highest total value of composers, composers works and currency.

Quickie game If players wish to play a quick game a player is chosen to be keeper of the music shop to look after currency and musical works. The composers are dealt out in a clockwise direction commencing on the left of the keeper until all the composer cards are dealt out. Four sets of currency and a currency converter card are given to each player. An auction of surplus composer cards is carried out, the players remembering that only one of each colour/music note may be retained by each player; the auction commencing from the left of the keeper. If no bidders are available for a particular composer card it must be retained to the music shop for the value on the card. Each player shakes both dice, and the player who throws the highest combination starts the game.

The game is then proceeded as follows: The first player throws his dice and places his playing piece upon the composer section on the board corresponding to the combination he has thrown. He may need to pay a forfeit unless he possesses that composer card. He may buy works for the composer cards he possesses and follows the instructions on the instruction circle. The order of play continues in a clockwise direction, each player playing similarly. In all other respects player proceeds in the same manner as set out under the heading "The Play".

Advanced rules Each time the player throws the two dice, the combination he throws will correspond to a particular section of the Quiz book. The player must attempt to give a definition of the musical terms and forms appearing in that section, and, if correct he has the option of moving to the composer square on the board matching the dice thrown thereby having 2 turns in all. In the second move be purchases the composer if he wishes. If there is no sector corresponding to his throws e.g. 2 he may move three spaces forward or may stay where he is. The music shop gives a second currency amount corresponding to the thrown dice if the player is successful at solving the meanings of the words.

It will be appreciated that, while the apparatus and rules of the game have referred to a game involving classical music, the invention could be applied to pop-music. Further variations may involve ballet, opera, politics, history, war, literature, art, medicine, or indeed football.

Amendments to the board hereinbefore described can be conveniently carried out by providing a sleeve which slips over the board to cover the musical details and present details of the particular subject represented on the sleeve.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. Board game apparatus comprising a board, a multiplicity of playing pieces and random selector means, the board being marked to indicate a series of discrete areas, each area being distinguished from other other areas by an individual combination of one of a set of numbers and one of a set of distinguishing features other than numbers, and the random selector means comprising a random number selector for determining one of said set of numbers and a random selector marked with the same distinguishing features for determining one of said distinguishing features, the playing pieces being movable on the discrete areas of the board in accordance with the rules of the game which specify that a playing piece is placed initially on that discrete area of the board having the combination of number and other distinguishing feature produced when a player operates the random selector means, the apparatus further comprising a multiplicity of cards, each marked with a combination of one of said set of numbers and one of said set of other distinguishing features, there being one said card corresponding to each of said discrete areas.

2. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the set of numbers comprises six different numbers.

3. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the set of other distinguishing features comprises six different colours.

4. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the random colour determining

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. must sell the composer to the bank for the note value of the composer. After a player as moved his instrument playing piece to a square of the board he must find the subsections in the Instruction Circle with the number and colour/note he has thrown. The instructions from the Instruction Circle must be followed. On his turn the player may also buy the works, in the form of discs, of composers he owns, the cost per work being the same as the cost of the associated composer. The winner is the first player to collect a composer of each colour and a set of ten works for each of these composers. Alternatively, if the game is terminated before a player collects a full set of composers and their works, the winner is the player having the highest total value of composers, composers works and currency. Quickie game If players wish to play a quick game a player is chosen to be keeper of the music shop to look after currency and musical works. The composers are dealt out in a clockwise direction commencing on the left of the keeper until all the composer cards are dealt out. Four sets of currency and a currency converter card are given to each player. An auction of surplus composer cards is carried out, the players remembering that only one of each colour/music note may be retained by each player; the auction commencing from the left of the keeper. If no bidders are available for a particular composer card it must be retained to the music shop for the value on the card. Each player shakes both dice, and the player who throws the highest combination starts the game. The game is then proceeded as follows: The first player throws his dice and places his playing piece upon the composer section on the board corresponding to the combination he has thrown. He may need to pay a forfeit unless he possesses that composer card. He may buy works for the composer cards he possesses and follows the instructions on the instruction circle. The order of play continues in a clockwise direction, each player playing similarly. In all other respects player proceeds in the same manner as set out under the heading "The Play". Advanced rules Each time the player throws the two dice, the combination he throws will correspond to a particular section of the Quiz book. The player must attempt to give a definition of the musical terms and forms appearing in that section, and, if correct he has the option of moving to the composer square on the board matching the dice thrown thereby having 2 turns in all. In the second move be purchases the composer if he wishes. If there is no sector corresponding to his throws e.g. 2 he may move three spaces forward or may stay where he is. The music shop gives a second currency amount corresponding to the thrown dice if the player is successful at solving the meanings of the words. It will be appreciated that, while the apparatus and rules of the game have referred to a game involving classical music, the invention could be applied to pop-music. Further variations may involve ballet, opera, politics, history, war, literature, art, medicine, or indeed football. Amendments to the board hereinbefore described can be conveniently carried out by providing a sleeve which slips over the board to cover the musical details and present details of the particular subject represented on the sleeve. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. Board game apparatus comprising a board, a multiplicity of playing pieces and random selector means, the board being marked to indicate a series of discrete areas, each area being distinguished from other other areas by an individual combination of one of a set of numbers and one of a set of distinguishing features other than numbers, and the random selector means comprising a random number selector for determining one of said set of numbers and a random selector marked with the same distinguishing features for determining one of said distinguishing features, the playing pieces being movable on the discrete areas of the board in accordance with the rules of the game which specify that a playing piece is placed initially on that discrete area of the board having the combination of number and other distinguishing feature produced when a player operates the random selector means, the apparatus further comprising a multiplicity of cards, each marked with a combination of one of said set of numbers and one of said set of other distinguishing features, there being one said card corresponding to each of said discrete areas.

means comprises a six-sided die coloured on each face with one of said set of colours.

5. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 as dependent on claim 2 or claim 4, in which the random number determining means comprises a six-sided die having one of said set of numbers on each face.

6. Board game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which each other distinguishing feature represents a particular musical note.

7. Board game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which each discrete area of said series represents a composer, and each card represents a composer.

8. Board game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a set of currency tokens.

9. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the currency tokens are notes.

10. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 9, in which each currency note is coloured one of said set of six colours.

11. Board game apparatus as claimed in any of claims 3 to 10 comprising tokens representing composers works, each token being coloured one of said set of six colours.

12. Board game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, a rule of the game specifying that payment to a player is made on each of his turns in accordance with the combinations of number and other distinguishing feature produced when a player operates the random selector means.

13. Board game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, a rule of the game specifying that an instruction is issued to a player on each turn in accordance with the combination of number and other distinguishing feature produced when the player operates the random selector means.

14. Board game apparatus as claimed in of claims 6 or any one of claims 7 to 13 as dependent on claim 6 further comprising a card giving the mathematical relationship between the musical note values of the six colours.

15. Board game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, a rule of the game specifying that a problem is to be solved by a player, solving the problem promoting advancement, the nature of the problem being determined by the combination of number and other distinguishing feature produced when the player operates the random selector means.

16. Board game apparatus as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a book containing problems to be solved, the book being divided into sections corresponding to possible combinations of number and other distinguishing feature which can be produced when a player operates the random selector means.

17. Apparatus for playing a game comprising a multiplicity of playing pieces a random number selector, a random colour selector and a board substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings, the playing pieces being arrangeable on the board in accordance with the rules of the game as hereinbefore stated.