GB2134395A - Board game apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus includes a board (10) having thereon zones (12,14) depicting athletic sports events, each zone being divided to indicate a plurality of stages (28) of each respective event, and movable pieces in sets of different colours representing athletes, each set including a piece for each of the events. A random event indicator such as a suitably marked die (Figures 3A-F) is used to indicate respective ones of the events and a random stage indicator (which may be a conventional die) indicates degrees of movements of the pieces from one stage of a respective event to another stage. A score card is provided for noting progress of the movable pieces on the different zones of the board. The apparatus may also include cards bearing instructions requiring particular movements on respective events, and referred to in dependence on the random event indicator. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Games apparatus This invention relates to games.

According to the invention, there is provided a game apparatus comprising a board having thereon zones depicting a plurality of athletic sports events, each zone being divided to indicate a plurality of stages of the respective event; movable means in sets distinguishable by different colours for representing athletes, each set including a movable means for each of the events; a random event indicator having means corresponding to each of the events for randomly indicating respective ones of the events in dependence on chance; a random stage indicator having means for indicating degrees of movements of movable means from one stage of a respective event to another stage thereof in dependence on chance; and scoring means for noting at least certain progress of at least some of the movable means on different zones of the board.

The apparatus may also include cards bearing instructions requiring particular movements of the movable means on respective events, and further indicating means on the random event indicator for indicating that one of the cards is to be referred to.

The random event indicator may comprise a 6-faced die having on each of five of its faces a respective symbol indicating a respective one of the zones, and on its sixth face a word or other indicia constituting said further indicating means. The random number indicator may be a die of conventional type.

The zones of the board may, for example, depict a 400 m flat race, a 100 m hurdles race, a shot put event, a javelin event, and a long jump event. The 400 m event may, for example, be depicted by an ovoid or ovaloid zone divided into a plurality of tracks, each track having thereon an equal number of stages, a starting point and a finishing point. The 100 m hurdles event may be represented by a longitudinally extending course, also divided into a similar number of tracks each provided with an equal number of stages and having a starting and finishing point.

The shot put, javelin and long jump events may each have a starting area and a progress area extending away from the starting area and divided into a plurality of stages, and each extending to a finishing point.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a board; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a movable piece for moving on the board; Figures 3A to 3F represent six faces of a random event indicator in the form of a die; Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of a convention al die; Figure 5 illustrates a score card; and Figures 6A to 6L represent twelve instruction cards.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, the game apparatus has a board 10 having thereon zones depicting a plurality of athletic sports events. The zones on the board include a zone 12 which depicts a track for a 400 metres flat race; a zone 14 depicting a track for a 100 metres hurdle race; a zone 16 depicting a shot put event; a zone 18 depicting a javelin event; and a zone 20 depicting a long jump event.

The zones 12 and 14 are each divided to provide five tracks 22 each having a starting line 24 and a finishing line 26, and each divided into a plurality of stages 28. The shot put, javelin and long jump zones 16, 18 and 20 each have a starting area 30, a plurality of stages 32, and a finishing line 34. Symbols 36 are provided adjacent to each of the zones to indicate the respective zones.

The games apparatus also includes movable means in the form of pieces 38 each having a base 40 supporting a miniature Figure 42 depicting an athlete. The game includes five differently coloured sets of such pieces, each set inciuding five pieces, one for each event.

The game also includes a random event indicator in the form of a 6-faced die having on each of five of its faces a respective symbol 44 indicating a respective one of the zones by virtue of the fact that the symbols on the die correspond to the symbols 36 adjacent to the respective zones. The die bearing the symbol 44 is depicted by the reference numeral 46, and in its sixth face is provided with a word or other indicia 48 constituting a further indicating means.

This die 46 can be used in association with a random indicator in the form of a conventional die 50.

A scoring means in the form of a score card 52 is divided to provide columns 54 representing positions of the first, second and third movable piece to complete each event, and rows 56 each bearing a symbol 58 corresponding to the symbols 36 for indicating the particular events to which the columns 54 relate. The apparatus also includes a set of instruction cards being instructions requiring particular movements of the movable pieces 38 in respective events, each card bearing a symbol 60 corresponding to one of the symbols 36 for indicating the event to which the card relates, an indication of required movements of movable pieces in response to that card and, on all but one card, a visual indication of an alleged fault which is indicated as having taken place. The further indicating means 48 on the die 46 refers to these cards.

In addition, the game can be provided with a set of rules indicating the method of play. The rules can be along the following lines: Rules Each player takes one set of pieces 38 of one colour, and places one piece at a respective starting line 24 or starting area 30 so that one piece is at the start of each event. The players then decide who will start the game and the order in which play will continue.

The first player to move will then throw both dice simultaneously and the die 46 will normally indicate an event while the die 50 will indicate a number. The player will move the piece at the start of the event indicated forward by the number of stages indicated by the die 50. The next player then throws both dice and moves a piece in a similar manner. This process is repeated throughout the game.

Should the die 46 at any time land so that the indicia 48 is uppermost, the player who threw the die will pick up the uppermost instruction card (the cards normally being placed downwardly on the board) and will follow the instructions on the card.

Thus, the card will indicate a specific event and, normally, the number of stages that a piece on that event will have to be moved backwards. However, one of the cards shown allows the player to select any specific event and to move his piece on that event forward for the indicated number of stages.

When the indicia 48 is indicated on the die 46, the die 50 is ignored.

When a piece for any player reaches the finishing line 26 or 30 of any particular event, that player places the piece which reached the respective finishing line, on that row and column of the card 52 indicating the event and the position in which the piece finished the event, if possible. The game ends as soon as all of the positions on the score card have been filled. Each player is then awarded 5 points for a first position, 3 points for a second position, and 1 point for a third position. The player with the highest total number of points scored is the winner of the game.

Claims (6)

1. A game apparatus coprising a board having thereon zones depicting a plurality of athletic sports events, each zone being divided to indicate a plurality of stages of the respective event; movable means in sets distinguishable by different colours for representing athletes, each set including a movable means for each of the events; a random event indicator having means corresponding to each of the events for randomly indicating respective ones of the events in dependence on chance; a random stage indicator having means for indicating degrees of movements of movable means from one stage of a respective event to another stage thereof in dependence on chance; and scoring means for noting at least certain progress of at least some of the movable means on different zones of the board.

2. The apparatus of Claim 1, which also includes cards bearing instructions requiring particular movements of the movable means on respective events, and further indicating means on the random event indicator for indicating that one of the cards is to be referred to.

3. The apparatus of Claim 2, wherein the random event indicator comprises a 6-faced die having on each of five of its faces a respective symbol indicating a respective one of the zones, and on its sixth face a word or other indicia constituting said further indicating means.

4. The apparatus of Claim 2, wherein the zones on the board depict at least a shot put event, a javelin event, and a long jump event, each having a starting area, a progress area extending away from the starting area and divided into a plurality of stages, and a finishing point.

5. The apparatus of Claim 2, wherein the zones on the board depict two race events each having a plurality of tracks, each track having thereon an equal number of stages, a starting point and a finishing point.

6. A game apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.