GB2095568A - Football board game - Google Patents

Abstract

The game has a football field, two teams of player dummies, a ball and dice. In addition to two penalty circles (5), there are one hundred and eleven circles (9 to 13) and at least six numbered circles (14) utilised in penalty situations. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Football board game The invention relates to a football board game comprising a board, sheet or other appropriate layer marked on its surface with the conventional markings of a football field,two teams of player dummies, a ball and dice.

Football is a very popular sport throughout the world. Many attempts have been made to provide an indoor game representative of this sport. Most indoor football games comprise mechanically movabie player dummies and/or a ball that can be moved by compressed air.

In known football games, described in British Patent Specifications No. 1 1 89 254 and No. 1. 508 561, moving of the ball is accomplished by movable player dummies.

On the other hand, British Patent Specifications No. 1 281 799 and No. 1 185 598 describe football games where the ball is moved by compressed air.

An object of the present invention is to provide a football game with much simpler means.

According to the invention a football game of the kind comprising a board, sheet or other appropriate layer marked on its surface with the conventional markings of a football field, two teams of player dummies, a bail and dice, is characterised in that the football field is marked additionally with symbols at positions spaced over the playing area of the field, there being difference groups of symbols, each marked in a distinctive way, for setting the initial positions of the two teams respectively, for setting playing positions during play, and for setting positions for the goal keeper, and in that the symbols are connected by an array of longitudinal, transverse and angled movement lines along which players and/or the ball are moved from symbol to symbol in accordance with the throw of the dice and rules.

By means of the specially marked football field, a game can be developed which is based on the strategy of football, and which, although of simple construction, still requires the players to think deeply and combinatively.

In order that the invention will be more fully understood, one exemplary embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a plan view of the marked football field.

Apart from a board, sheet or similar marked with the football field, the other pieces for the game are: two sets of eleven player dummies and two dice.

Referring to the drawing, the game board is rectangular and of suitable length and breadth dimensions to represent a football field, and has smaller rectangular areas projecting centrally from its ends to represent the goals 1.

The board is marked with the conventional markings for a football field, including a centre line 2, centre circle 3, penalty areas 4, penalty spots 5, goal areas 6, goal lines 7 and corner areas 8.

The penalty spot positions are represented by distinctive circles (in the drawing they incorporate the number "11"). In accordance with this invention, other positions on the board are marked with a total of 131 circles (of which 1 21 are within the playing area and 20 are within the goals 1) as shown in the drawing, which are divided into 6 different distinctive groups as follows: Fifteen-double, striking team circles 9, of which five are spaced along the centre line 2 and the remainder are located at five normal initial formation positions symmetrically in each half of the field.

Ten-double, lined defending team circles 10, which are located at five positions symmetrically in each half of the field.

Eighty four-single, lined movement position circles 11, arranged in a symmetrical pattern over the playing area of the board, and in the goals, as shown in the drawing.

Six-single goal-keeper circles 1 2 incorporating the letter "K" symmetrically arranged three spaced along and adjacent each goal line 7, Four-single corner circles 1 3 incorporating the letter "S" at each corner area 8, and Twelve-single, lined numbered circles 14 comprising two sets each incorporating a numberal ''1'' to "6", each set being located at symmetrical positions within a goal 1.

Appropriate ones of the circles, including those for the penalty spot, are joined by an array of longitudinal, transverse and angled movement lines 15, 16, 1 7 respectively with represent lines of travel for the player dummies and/or the ball used with the game, which travel is determind by the throw of the dice, in accordance with a set of rules.

The rules are as follows: (i) the game is terminated after twice 45 minutes, or when an agreed number of goals have been scored.

(ii) the team possessing the ball is the striking team. A player of the striking team is on the same position circle on the field as that for the ball when the dice is thrown. The team not possessing the ball is the defending team.

(iii) the kick-off team has its players initially positioned on the double circles 9, viz.

the five along the centre line 2 and the five in his own haif. The other team's players are arranged on the ten double, lined circles 10.

The ball is positioned with the kick-off player on the centre spot.

(iv) the game starts with the kick-off, by throwing the dice; the kick-off team having been decided by a draw.

(v) each team has its own dice and the teams throw their own dice in turns. After one dice throw the striking team first positions his players according to the number thrown, then shoots the ball again according to the number thrown (when shooting the ball the player possessing the ball does not move), whereas the defending team only positions his players in response to his throw and in accordance with the rules presented below.

(vi) the defending team can only win the ball from the striking team in one of the following ways: a. the striking team throws one point, or b. the defending team throws six points, or c. the ball shot to a free spot is reached first by the defending team, on an appropriate throw of the dice.

(vii) if the striking team throws six points: makes his step; if the defending team throws one point, fails to step.

(viii) when the ball is won according to (vi) a or b above then, to changeover, the ball remains in position, the striking player occupying that position steps back towards his goal to the nearest free circle and the nearest standing defending player steps forward to the ball position.

(ix) on the marked football field the player can move and be positioned in the following ways: a. a number of steps according to the points thrown can be effected in any direction along the movement lines 1 5 to 1 7 either by a single player, or by several players distributing the points amongst themselves.

b. a step of a player means: that a player positioned on a circle is moved to an adjacent circle that is in connection with the previous one through a movement line.

c. a player is not allowed to jump over another player, d. only one player can be positioned on a circle, e. the displacement of the goal-keeper is also considered a step, f. a single player may be positioned beside each of the three goal-keeper circles 1 2.

g. a striking player is not allowed to be positioned on the goal-line of the defending team whilst a defending player must not be positioned on his own penalty spot 5 and on the goal-keeper circles 12, but they are allowed to pass through the penalty spot, (x) the ball can be passed on the football field in the following ways: a. the ball can move from a player only along the movement lines 1 5 to 1 7 in a straight line and can change direction only through a circle on which a fellow player is positioned. The length of the pass of the ball is determined by the value of points thrown.

b. a single step of the ball lies in: that the ball moves from one circle to an adjacent circle connected therewith by a movement line.

c. if the ball is moved to a circle occupied by a defending player and then the ball is then made to exit the field in a straight line unimpededly, the game can be resumed by a throw-in, or by corner kick, from the point where the ball left the field, d. if the striking team moves the ball to a circle occupied by a defending player and it does not have sufficient steps to exit the field according to the previous rule, then the defending team wins the ball, whether or not the ball reaches the player with a number of steps equal to or less than the number determined by the dice.

e. the ball may be passed while making a step (e.g. to and fro), but it is not allowed to repeat a step (e.g. to and fro, to), f. the ball can be kicked-off from goal into the field, and it will be won by the player that reaches it first on the throw of the dice, g. there are circles on the field (altogether 1 8) where certain straight movement lines terminate; if no player is occupying such a circle, the ball has to stop even if the value of the dice would allow further steps, h. to make a goal, the ball must reach a position behind the goal-line of the defending team. This can be accomplished by shooting directly for goal, or by shooting after a pass to a fellow-player. After the goal the game is resumed by a centre kick-off.

i. if the value thrown is greater than the value enabling the ball to pass the goal line of the defending team then the shot missed the goal and the game is resumed by a kick-off from the goal line.

(xi) Other situations that can occur during the game are covered by the following: a. Throw-in: this is accomplished in cases described above, in the following way: one of the players is positioned on the circle where the ball exited the field and the ball is also placed here. After a dice-throw the game continues from this position according to the rules described above.

b. kick off from goal: The game continues from a circle adjacent to a goal-keeper circle 1 2. Both teams can position their players at will, the striking team first.

c. Penalty kick: if the striking team has a player possessing the ball inside the penalty area and throws a six, or the other team throws a one, then the striking team has a penalty kick. In this case the defending team positions his goal-keeper on any one of the three goal-keeper circles 12, whilst the striking team position a player together with the ball, on the penalty circle 5. After throwing the dice a goal is shot if the striking team throw a number corresponding to one of the numbers incorporated in the numbered circles 14 and the line between the penalty circle and numbered circle is not blocked by the goal-keeper; otherwise the goal-keeper has cleared the shot.

d. Corner: in this case only the players of the defending team are allowed to position themselves on a circle 11 along the transverse line 1 6 adjacent the goal-touch line, while only the striking team can position a player in a circle 11 along the angled line 1 7 leading from the corner circle 1 3 used to the penalty circle 5. First the striking, then the defending team, position their players. The ball is released into the game by throwing the dice.

e. Send out: if the defending team blocks the field crosswise, then the last blocking player has to be sent out finally.

A board game with rules as described above enable football-fans-while developing their combinative thinking-to imitate the tactics employed in a real game of football, in a way based on original football rules, the marked field described above being suited to achieve this.

The throwing of the dice, moving of players and passing of the ball on such a specially marked field can also be accomplished electronically.

Claims (9)

1. A football board game comprising a board, sheet or other appropriate layer marked on its surface with the conventional markings of a football field, two teams of player dummies, a ball and dice, characterised in that the football field is marked additionally with symbols at positions spaced over the playing area of the field, there being different groups of symbols, each marked in a distinctive way, for setting playing positions during play, and for setting positions for the goal-keeper, and in that the symbols are connected by an array of longitudinal, transverse and angled movement lines along which players and/or the ball are moved from symbol to symbol in accordance with the throw of the dice and rules.

2. A board game according to Claim 1, characterised in that the initial setting positions for one team (the striking team) are different than those for the other (defending) team, such that, for kick-off, the players of the striking team are initially positioned in their own half of the field, whereas the players for the defending team are distributed in positions in both halves of the field.

3. A board game as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the symbols are in the form of circles, and in that in addition to two penalty circles, there are a total of one hundred and eleven circles spaced over the playing area of the field.

4. A board game as claimed in Claim 3 when dependent on Claim 2, characterised in that the circles over the playing area of the field include a group of ten defending player initial setting position circles distributed five in each half of the field, and a group of fifteen striking player circles comprising five spaced along the centre-line and five at normal formation positions in each half of the field, of which latter only five are initially occupied by the striking team in addition to those along the centre line, depending upon the direction the striking team is to play.

5. A board game as claimed in Claim 4, characterised in that the circles over the playing area further include a group of three goalkeeper circles spaced along adjacent each goal line, a group of seventy six movement position circles distributed evenly in each half of the field, and a corner circle in each corner of the field.

6. A board game according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, and in which each goal comprises an extended area projected centrally from each end of the field, characterised in that each goal has at least six circles spaced over its said extended area, each circle having a numeral ''1" to "6" thereon, and in that at least some of these numbered circles are joined by movement lines to the associated penalty circle via a respective goal-keeper circle, the arrangement being such that, in play, penalties can only be scored by throwing a number corresponding to a numbered circle which is along a movement line from the penalty circle not impeded by the goal-keeper, who has previously been positioned on a selected one of his goal-keeper circles.

7. A board game as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that two dice are provided, one for each team,

8. A board game in which the board is marked substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

9. A board game as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the positioning and/or movement of the player dummies and the movement of the ball is determined by dice throwing, and in accordance with a set of rules as set out in the accompanying description.

1 0. A marked board for a football board game as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.