GB2133702A - Board game apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a board having a playing surface as shown and two distinguishable sets of playing pieces, the number of pieces in each set being half the total number of playing spaces in the outermost ring on the playing surface. The marked surface includes at least one radial gap between two of the concentric rings (as shown), each such gap zone being bridged by at least one playing space which maintains the alteration of characteristics (e.g. chequering) of the spaces across the gap. The rim of the board has a colour guide for the arrangement of pieces in groups of four or eight around the edge of the start of the game, the winner being the first to get four of his pieces into the central "target area" or to "capture" a sufficient number of the opposing pieces. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A board game The game is played with the following apparatus:- A board - Circular, chequered in sectors with annular bands, symmetrical, a central 'goal'. Bridges to two intermediate circles and thence to the outer four circle band.

This is shown on the accompanying diagram.

There are sixteen counters per player. The game is played according to the accompanying rules.

RULES The standard two player game The pieces or 'Men' are arranged in groups of four around the outside edge of the board in accordance to the colour guide along the rim. There are thirty two pieces in all. Sixteen red and sixteen blue.

The players move alternately, one piece at a time, one square at a time in ANYdirection with the player of the blue pieces having the first move.

Entry into the inner circles may only be gained through the bridges provided. The first player to get four of his or her pieces into the centre of the board is the winner.

Players may also win by a 'wipe out'. This is when a player has captured the majority of an opponents pieces so that the opponent cannot attain the winning score of four.

A player may move diagonally across all bridges except the two innermost bridges into the centre, here the player has to move DIRECTL Yonto the bridge before scoring.

Pieces are captured by jumping. A piece may jump in ANY direction, e.g. forwards, backwards, diagonally or sideways. It is also possible to capture several opposing pieces in a move containing a number of changes in direction by the capturing piece. Pieces are only jumped once. Captured pieces leave the board after the capturing move is complete. Jumping is optional. This also applies to a sequence of jumps. A player may finish his move halfway through a sequence of jumps if he feels that it is to his advantage to do so.

When a player gets one of his pieces home into the centre that piece is removed and can be placed on ANYvacant square on the outside edge of the board where it can be brought back into play at the players discretion providing that it is his turn.

If a situation arises where a player cannot move then his opponent can move as many times as he likes until either he wins or an opening is created for the stationery player.

Optional rule A player cannot enter the inner circles until he has moved all his pieces off the outside edge of the board but he may take a position on the white bridges.

Variation ofplay At the start of the game the pieces are arranged in groups of eight as follows: A red piece is placed on the outside edge directly opposite a bridge. Seven other reds are then placed in an anti-clockwise direction from the initial red piece to form a group of eight. The eight blue pieces are placed along the edge, the first being next to the eighth red and directly opposite a bridge. A group of eight reds are placed next to the blues followed by a group of eight blues. The rules are then the same as the standard two player game.

1. A board for a game, wherein the board is of circular shape and has a playing surface comprising a plurality of annular rings concentric about a central target area, each ring being divided into a plurality of zones of first and second characteristics alternating circumferentially and, where two such rings are immediately adjacent, radially, and where there is at least one radial gap between such rings and/or between the innermost ring and the target area, bridged by at least one zone which maintains the alternation of characteristics on the radial line through the bridge.

2. A board as claimed in claim 1, wherein, on opposite sides of any radial gap, the radially outer rings have more zones than the radially inner ones.

3. A board as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the bridges across any gap are circumferentially evenly spaced.

4. A board as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the bridges across any one gap all have the same characteristic.

5. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, when there are at least two gaps, the outermost one has more bridging zones than the next inner one.

6. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, when there are at least two gaps, the bridges across one are of different characteristics to those across the next.

7. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, when there are at least two gaps, each bridge across one of the inner gaps is circumferentially mid-way between an adjacent pair of bridges across the next outer gap.

8. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, in sequence from the periphery inwards, there are four rings, a bridged gap, a single ring, a bridged gap, a single ring, a bridged gap and the target area.

9. A board as claimed in claim 8, wherein the outer rings have 32 zones (16 of each characteristic) and the next inner ring has 24 zones (12 of each characteristic) and the next ring has 12 zones (6 of each characteristic).

10. A board as claimed in claim 9, wherein there are four bridges across the outermost gap, and two bridges across each of the other two gaps.

11. Apparatus for a game comprising a board as claimed in any preceding claim and two differentiable sets of playing pieces, the number in each set being equal, and their total corresponding to the total number of zones in the outermost ring.

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

Claims (11)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A board game The game is played with the following apparatus:- A board - Circular, chequered in sectors with annular bands, symmetrical, a central 'goal'. Bridges to two intermediate circles and thence to the outer four circle band. This is shown on the accompanying diagram. There are sixteen counters per player. The game is played according to the accompanying rules. RULES The standard two player game The pieces or 'Men' are arranged in groups of four around the outside edge of the board in accordance to the colour guide along the rim. There are thirty two pieces in all. Sixteen red and sixteen blue. The players move alternately, one piece at a time, one square at a time in ANYdirection with the player of the blue pieces having the first move. Entry into the inner circles may only be gained through the bridges provided. The first player to get four of his or her pieces into the centre of the board is the winner. Players may also win by a 'wipe out'. This is when a player has captured the majority of an opponents pieces so that the opponent cannot attain the winning score of four. A player may move diagonally across all bridges except the two innermost bridges into the centre, here the player has to move DIRECTL Yonto the bridge before scoring. Pieces are captured by jumping. A piece may jump in ANY direction, e.g. forwards, backwards, diagonally or sideways. It is also possible to capture several opposing pieces in a move containing a number of changes in direction by the capturing piece. Pieces are only jumped once. Captured pieces leave the board after the capturing move is complete. Jumping is optional. This also applies to a sequence of jumps. A player may finish his move halfway through a sequence of jumps if he feels that it is to his advantage to do so. When a player gets one of his pieces home into the centre that piece is removed and can be placed on ANYvacant square on the outside edge of the board where it can be brought back into play at the players discretion providing that it is his turn. If a situation arises where a player cannot move then his opponent can move as many times as he likes until either he wins or an opening is created for the stationery player. Optional rule A player cannot enter the inner circles until he has moved all his pieces off the outside edge of the board but he may take a position on the white bridges. Variation ofplay At the start of the game the pieces are arranged in groups of eight as follows: A red piece is placed on the outside edge directly opposite a bridge. Seven other reds are then placed in an anti-clockwise direction from the initial red piece to form a group of eight. The eight blue pieces are placed along the edge, the first being next to the eighth red and directly opposite a bridge. A group of eight reds are placed next to the blues followed by a group of eight blues. The rules are then the same as the standard two player game. CLAIMS

1. A board for a game, wherein the board is of circular shape and has a playing surface comprising a plurality of annular rings concentric about a central target area, each ring being divided into a plurality of zones of first and second characteristics alternating circumferentially and, where two such rings are immediately adjacent, radially, and where there is at least one radial gap between such rings and/or between the innermost ring and the target area, bridged by at least one zone which maintains the alternation of characteristics on the radial line through the bridge.

2. A board as claimed in claim 1, wherein, on opposite sides of any radial gap, the radially outer rings have more zones than the radially inner ones.

3. A board as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the bridges across any gap are circumferentially evenly spaced.

4. A board as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the bridges across any one gap all have the same characteristic.

5. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, when there are at least two gaps, the outermost one has more bridging zones than the next inner one.

6. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, when there are at least two gaps, the bridges across one are of different characteristics to those across the next.

7. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, when there are at least two gaps, each bridge across one of the inner gaps is circumferentially mid-way between an adjacent pair of bridges across the next outer gap.

8. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, in sequence from the periphery inwards, there are four rings, a bridged gap, a single ring, a bridged gap, a single ring, a bridged gap and the target area.

9. A board as claimed in claim 8, wherein the outer rings have 32 zones (16 of each characteristic) and the next inner ring has 24 zones (12 of each characteristic) and the next ring has 12 zones (6 of each characteristic).

10. A board as claimed in claim 9, wherein there are four bridges across the outermost gap, and two bridges across each of the other two gaps.

11. Apparatus for a game comprising a board as claimed in any preceding claim and two differentiable sets of playing pieces, the number in each set being equal, and their total corresponding to the total number of zones in the outermost ring.