GB2119263A - Board game - Google Patents

Abstract

Game apparatus comprises a playing board (1) having two opposing playing areas (2 and 3) each representing at least one octave of a piano keyboard and playing pieces (20) of two different colours, at least three of one colour and four of the other colour per octave of the playing board. In playing the game, the playing pieces are moved between the keys of the piano keyboard, the movement of the pieces being determined by random generation of the numbers 1 to 3, e.g. by using a die resembling a conventional die but in which the numbers 4, 5 and 6 have been replaced by a second set of the numbers 1, 2 and 3. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Board game The present invention relates to a board game.

According to the present invention there is provided a board game comprising a playing board comprising two opposing playing areas, each playing area representing at least one octave of a piano keyboard, and playing pieces of two different colours, at least three playing pieces being of one colour and at least four playing pieces being of the other colour per octave represented on the playing board.

The board game according to the present invention provides a game to be played by two players.

The playing board may comprise two piano keyboard representations put back-to-back i.e.

with their black key-containing edges adjacent each other. Each playing area of the board can be one, two or more octaves long although the two octave length is preferred. The playing board may be displayed on any suit- able material or by electronic means e.g. on a video display unit.

Each keyboard representation comprises white keys and black keys in the same way as the conventional piano keybaord.

The playing pieces used are of at least two different colours suitably black anf white to correspond to the colours of a conventional piano keyboard. The playing pieces can be of any suitable shape but, in view of the nature of the board game, the playing pieces preferably have the shape of written notes.

The number of playing pieces required depends upon the length of the playing board.

Generally each player requires three playing pieces of one colour and four playing pieces of the other colour (suitably three white pieces and four black pieces) per octave. Thus for the preferred two octave board each player will require six white pieces and eight black pieces i.e. a total of twelve white pieces and sixteen black pieces for the two players.

Movement of the playing pieces on the board is generally provided for by random generation of the integers 1 to 3. Thus the game according to the invention generally also comprises means for randomly generating representations of the integers of 1 to 3 incvlusive. It should however be appreciated that it is also possible to play the game without random generation of numbers if the rules are adapted accordingly.

Any suitable means may be used for randomly generating representations of the integers of 1 to 3. Electronic means may be used.

Alternatively there may be used a cube having on its six faces two sets of the integers 1, 2, 3. Thus the cube is similar to a conventional die except that instead of displaying the integers 1 to 6, it displays only the integers 1 to 3.

The integers 4, 5, 6 of the conventional die are replaced by a second set of the integers 1, 2, 3.

The invention is further illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1A shows a playing board one octave long; Figure iB shows the preferred playing board which is two octaves long; Figure 2 shows a preferred playing piece shape; Figure 3 shows a playing die for use according to the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1A, the playing board 1 shown comprises two opposing playing areas 2 and 3 each representing one octave of a piano keyboard arranged back-to-back. Thus each playing area comprises eight white keys; those indicated 4 and the start and destination positions 5 and 6 respectively, together with black keys 7 in their conventional positions.

In the playing board 11 shown in Fig. 1 B each opposing playing area 1 2 and 1 3 is two octaves long. Thus each playing area is made up of sixteen white keys comprising the white keys indicated 1 4 and the start and destination positions 1 5 and 1 6 respectively and the associated black keys 1 7.

Fig. 2 shows a playing piece 20 in the shape of a written note.

Fig. 3 shows a playing die 30 resembling a conventional die except that, instead of displaying the integers 1 to 6, it displays two sets of the integers 1 to 3.

The game may be played as follows: Each player plays from left to right of his playing area as shown in Figs. 1 A and 1 B.

The object of the game is for the player to move all of his playing pieces from his start position to his destination position. Each player is provided with three white playing pieces 20 as shown in Fig. 2 and four black playing pieces 20 as shown in Fig. 2 per octave of his playing area. Thus for the single octave length board of Fig. IA each player is provided with just three white playing pieces and four black playing pieces while for the preferred two octave length board of Fig. 1 B each player has six white pieces and eight black pieces.

Each octave coprises thirteen steps e.g.

moves from one key to the adjacent key.

Where two white keys have an intervening black key the two white keys are not considered adjacent each other but rather are considered to be two steps away from each other i.e. one step from the first white key to the intervening black key and one step from the intervening black key to the second white key.

Accordingly for each player on the board of Fig. 1A there are thirteen steps while for each player on the two octave length board of Fig.

1 B there are twenty-six steps.

To play the game each player, in turn, throws the playing die 30. This will result in the die showing the integer 1, 2 or 3. This throw can be used to advance one playing piece 20 the number of steps corresponding to the number shown on the die or, in the case of two or three being thrown, to move more than one playing piece provided the total number of steps moved corresponds to the total number shown on the die. Thus if three is thrown, one playing piece 20 can be moved three steps, one playing piece can be moved two steps and another playing piece moved one step, or three separate playing pieces can each be moved one step. The movement of the playing pieces will normally always be from left to right of the player's playing area but, as will be discussed below, movement from right to left can also be contemplated.

There are suitably restrictions on the mobility of the playing pieces. Normally only one playing piece is allowed to occupy a particular key at one time. In a variation of the game it can be permitted for two playing pieces temporarily to occupy the same key but in these circumstances one of the playing pieces must be moved in the player's next turn. Further normally only playing pieces of one colour, generally black, are permitted to be placed on the white keys and similarly only white playing pieces are allowed to be placed on the black keys. If desired black playing pieces may abnormally be allowed on black keys and white playing pieces may abnormally be allowed on white keys.However only one playing piece can be in such a position and such a playing piece position is considered to be "unstable" i.e. when the die is thrown in the player's next turn, that playing piece has to be moved. Also preferably when that playing piece is moved it must be moved the full number shown on the die i.e. if more than one is thrown, part of the number cannot be used to move another playing piece. If the playing piece ends up on another incongrous position i.e. with a white playing piece on a white key or a black playing piece on a black key, the playing piece is removed back to the start position. That is black cannot be on black or white on white twice in succession.

During the progress of the game each player preferably arranges his playing pieces in the form of "chords". Three playing pieces form a "chord" when the separation between the first and second playing pieces is four steps while that between the second and third playing pieces is three steps. If a player has playing pieces arranged in the form of a "chord" and an opponent's playing piece (not forming part of a "chord" of the opponent) is facing the "chord", then the opponent's play ing piece is removed back to the start position. Playing pieces which are arranged in the form of a "chord" are protected from being moved back to the start position.In the event that one player has his pieces arranged in a "chord" and more than one of his opponent's pieces are facing that "chord" (i.e. the opponent's pieces are on that part of his playing area opposite the "chord" within the range of eight keys of the "chord") and do not themselves form part of a "chord" then all of such of the opponent's playing pieces facing the "chord" can be removed back to the start position. There may occur a situation in play in which a single playing piece simultaneously forms part of two different "chord" arrangements. However if preferred according to the rules of the game used a single player piece can only form part of one "chord" and thus the player may have to choose between the two possible "chords".

If a player's pieces are arranged in the form of an "inverted chord" then, if the player so desires, the playing piece at the lowest position, i.e. furthest to the left, may move twelve steps i.e. one octave forward. An "inverted chord" is formed between three playing pieces if there are three stages between the first and second playing pieces and five steps between the second and third playing pieces.

Alternatively there can be five steps between the first and second playing pieces and four steps between the second and third playing pieces. It will be appreciated that it may be desirable for a player to move a playing piece from right to left in order to achieve an "inverted chord" arrangement and so take advantage of the possibility of moving the lowermost playing piece one octave to the right.

The winner of the game is considered to be the first player who gets all of his playing pieces to the destination position 6 after traversing one octave i.e. thirteen steps using the board shown in Fig. 1A or two octaves i.e. twenty-six steps using the playing board shown in Fig. 1B.

Claims (5)

1. A board game comprising a playing board comprising two opposing playing areas, each playing area representing at least one octave of a piano keyboard, and playing pieces of at least two different colours, at least three of the playing pieces being of one colour and at least four of the playing pieces being of the other colour per octave represented on the playing board.

2. A board game according to claim 1 wherein, on the playing board, each playing area comprises two octaves of a piano keyboard.

3. A board game according to claim 1 or 2 which also comprises means for randomly generating representations of the integers of 1 to 3 inclusive.

4. A board game according to claim 3 wherein the means for randomly generating representations of the integers of 1 to 3 comprises a cube having on each face thereof an integer from 1 to 3 and the cube bearing two sets of the integers 1 to 3.

5. A board game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.