GB2090748A - Draughts game - Google Patents

Abstract

A game based on draughts for four players, is played on a board 1 divided into quadrants by two marker lines 5 and 6. Each player is allotted a respective set of counters 8, 9, 10 and 11 distinguished by colour and/or shape. A token may be passed round to keep a check on whose move is next. The lines 7 may be extended. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Counter and board games This invention reiates to counter and board games.

Draughts or checkers is a game which has been played for very many years and which has achieved worldwide popularity, mainly due to the fact that the rules of the game are easily learnt. However the game suffers from the disadvantage that it can only be played by two players at the same time. The invention has for its object the provision of a game based on draughts/checkers which is capable of being played by more than two players and which is highly entertaining.

According to the invention a counter and board game comprises a playing surface having marked thereon a chequered pattern incorporating squares of a first tone arranged in columns and rows, square of a second, contrasting tone alternating with the squares of the first tone along both the columns and the rows, a first marker line extending across the playing surface between two adjacent rows of squares, and a second marker line extending across the playing surface between two adjacent columns of squares and crossing the first marker line, the two marker lines being distinguishable from the boundaries between adjacent squares; and four sets of counters, the counters of each set being distinguishable from the counters of the other three sets.

The four sets of counters may be distinguished from one another by being of four different tones, for example black, blue, white and yellow. However the sets may also be distinguished by the shape of the counters. For example two of the sets could comprise conventional circular counters of black and white tone respectively, and two of the sets could comprise counters of triangular shape of black and and white tone respectively. The squares are preferably of black and white tone respectively.

In a preferred form of the invention each marker line bisects the chequered pattern in half. However, in an alternative embodiment, two further marker lines are provided each parallel to a respective one of the first-mentioned marker lines and each pair of parallel marker lines is disposed symmetrically with respect to the centre of the chequered pattern. The pattern may also incorporate a respective pair of short lines along each side of the pattern for denoting the area of the playing surface to be occupied by each player's counters at the beginning of a game.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, an example of a counter and board game in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the single Figure shows the board set outatthe beginning of a game.

The board 1 is marked with a chequered pattern 2 of black squares 3 alternating with white squares 4 comprising 16 x 16 squares in all, and is divided into quadrants by two marker lines 5 and 6 which may be of a distinctive colour, such as red. In addition a pair of short black lines 7 is provided along each side of the board 1 for denoting the area of the playing surface on which each player's counters are initially to be set out.

At the beginning of the game each player is allotted a respective side of the board 1 and a respective set of twelve counters 8, 9, 10 or 11 which are either black, blue, white or yellow. The player sets out his counters 8, 9, 10 or 11 in three ranks on the black squares only between the two short lines 7 on his side of the board 1. The players then take it in turns in a clockwise direction, for example white followed by black, followed by yellow, followed by blue, to move their counters diagonally in a generally forward direction, that is only on the black squares.

As in conventional draughts/checkers, a player may only move one counter by one square during his turn, unless the counter is adjacent an opponent's piece and the square immediately beyond the opponent's piece is free, in which case the counter may jump over the opponent's counter and the opponent's counter is removed from the board. If the player's counter is in a position to jump over another opposing counter after this jump, it may do so in a similar way to the initial jump and may continue to jump over opposing counters for as long as it is able.

When one of the player's counters crosses the marker line 5 or 6 ahead of it, that is line 5 in the case of black and blue counters and line 6 in the case of white and yellow counters, it is "crowned" and may then move diagonally either forwards or backwards on the board 1. Each piece is crowned by being turned over so as to display a spot on its opposite side. The black counters 8 and the blue counters 9 display a white spot whilst the white counters 10 and the yellow counters 11 display a black spot. In order to be crowned the piece must come to rest on the opposite side of the line. It is not sufficient for the piece to jump over the line and then jump back again in the space of a single turn.

Two versions of the game may be played. One, known as "singles", involves each player competing against the other three players, and the game is won by the player who has at least one piece left on the board when all the other players' pieces have been removed.

The other version, known as "doubles", involves opposite players teaming up in pairs, that is black and blue against white and yellow. In this game a player jumping one of his partner's pieces will not remove that piece from the board. Furthermore, at anytime during the game, a player may forfeit his move to his partner, so that, for example, blue may move one of his pieces during black's turn which is then followed by yellow's turn in the usual way. As an aid to retaining the correct sequence of play, a token piece may be passed around from player to player as the play proceeds. When a player forfeits a move to his partner, he retains the token piece and then passes it to the next player (that on his left hand) when his opponent has moved. The game is won by a team of two players when all the pieces of one of the opponents have been removed from the board 1.

In a modification of the illustrated embodiment each of the marker lines 5 and 6 is replaced by a respective pair of marker lines symmetrically disposed with respect to the centre of the board, each line being, for example, four squares to one side of the centre. A piece is then crowned onlywhen it crosses the line on the opposite side of the board to the player.

Claims (10)

1. A counter and board game comprising a playing surface having marked thereon a chequered pattern incorporating squares of a first tone arranged in columns and rows, squares of a second, contrasting tone alternating with the squares of the first tone along both the columns and the rows, a first marker line extending across the playing surface between two adjacent rows of squares, and a second marker line extending across the playing surface between two adjacent columns of squares and crossing the first marker line, the two marker lines being distinguishable from the boundaries between adjacent squares; and four sets of counters, the counters of each set being distinguishable from the counters of the other three sets.

2. A game according to claim 1, wherein each marker line bisects the chequered pattern in half.

3. A game according to claim 1, wherein two further marker lines are provided each parallel to a respective one ofthefirst-mentioned marker lines, and each pair of parallel marker lines is disposed symmetrically with respect to the centre of the chequered pattern.

4. A game according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the pattern also incorporates a respective pair of short lines along each side of the pattern for denoting the area of the playing surface to be occupied by each player's counters at the beginning of a game.

5. A game according to claim 4, wherein each short line extends a short distance inwards from the edge of the pattern between two adjacent columns or rows of squares.

6. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the four sets of counters are distinguished from one another by being of four different tones.

7. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the four sets of counters are distinguished by the shape of the counters.

8. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the squares are of black and white tone respectively.

9. A game according to any preceding claim, wherein the pattern is square.

10. A counter and board game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.