GB2171608A - Board game simulating e.g. association football - Google Patents

Abstract

A board game simulating association football or similar team sport comprises a playing surface subdivided into 12-24 squares along its length and 10-20 squares along its width, game pieces representing the members of two opposing teams and a game piece representing a ball. The game may be played with dice or the like or without dice by moving the game pieces according to predetermined rules.

Description

SPECIFICATION Board game The present invention relates to a board game simulating a team sport, for example association football.

According to the invention a board game comprises a playing surface marked to represent a pitch for a known sport involving two opposing teams and a ball subdivided into unit areas such that there are an even number of unit areas from 12 to 24 along the length of the pitch and at least 10 unit areas across the width of the pitch, a plurality of game pieces representing the members of the opposing teams and a game piece representing the ball.

The board game can be designed to simulate a variety of territorial sports involving a playing area (referred to herein as a pitch) comprising two territories defended by two opposing teams (generally of 5 or more members) and played with a ball (or similar object but referred to herein as a ball), possession of which is contested between the teams. Generally speaking each team will have the objective of placing the ball in a particular part of the opponent's territory (as with scoring a goal in football) and usually at least the majority of the members of one team will be free to move over at least the major part of the opponent's territory.

Examples of such team sports include rugby football, hockey, ice hockey, basketball and American football, but the board game is preferably designed to simulate association football played either with two full teams of 11 members or with reduced teams, for example of 7 members. For simplicity, therefore, it will be described hereinafter in relation to the association football embodiment.

The game is played on a board marked out to resemble a football pitch and then divided into squares. The pitch area should be at least 10 squares wide and could be up to 20 or even more squares wide, if desired. As with normal football pitches the pitch marked out on the board should be longer than it is broad, preferably at least 12 squares long and up to 24 or even more squares long. There must be an even number of squares in the length so that the pitch can be divided by the half-way line along boundaries, whereas it is desirable for there to be an odd number of squares in the width. (Of course it is possible to use rectangles, hexagons or other shapes instead of squares for the unit areas, and the invention covers this). Very convenient sizes have been found to be 15 squares wide by 18 squares long and 17 squares wide by 20 squares long.

The game is also played with game pieces representing the members of two football teams and a further game piece representing the ball. The teams may be full teams of 11 players, especially for the larger boards (e.g. 17 x 20), or may be reduced teams such as of 5 or 7 players, especialiy for the smaller boards (e.g. 15 x 18forteamsof7).

Generally for a given board size in terms of squares a decrease in the number of team members increases the pace of the game. Preferably, the game pieces representing the members of the teams are designed and constructed to look like footballers and each is mounted on a base, although they may in fact take any form. For convenience, these pieces will be referred to as "men". The piece representing the ball may be shaped like a ball or may have any other convenient shape, although it will be referred to as the."ball".

The board may also be equipped with items functioning as goal posts. Optionally one or more dice or other random number generators are included, although rules have been devised for playing the game without the need for generating random numbers.

The board itself need not be rigid provided that it has an appropriate playing surface. Thus the board can be a flexible sheet, for example of paper, plastics material or preferably of felt, and this can be rolled orfolded up when not in use.

The game is intended to be played between two players, each of whom controls one of the two teams. The object, as in football, is to score a goal by moving the ball off the playing area through the goal. The team scoring the most goals during the playing period (which may be any period agreed between the players) is the winner.

Two sets of rules have been devised, one employing dice or the like and the other not, but it is possible to add to or modify these rules at the choice of the players.

Rules for game using dice or the like Initially, having decided which player will kick-off first, each player sets up the 11 men of his team on any of the squares in his half of the field, subject only to normal football rules (player kicking off must have 2 or 3 men in the centre circle with the ball in the same square as one of them adjacent to the half way line, his opponent must have all his men outside the centre circle, both goalkeepers must be within the penalty area). Tactics will suggest the best places to position the men and skilful positioning will be the hallmark of a knowledgeable player.

The player who is due to kick off then throws a die or the like to determine the size of his first move, the value shown on the top face of the die. He then moves the ball sideways until it intercepts a square occupied by one of his men, counting the squares as he goes. This is equivalent to passing the ball to the second man. If the value of the move is more than the number of squares counted so far, he can then take the remainder of the move by moving either the ball, or the man in possession of the ball or both of them the appropriate number of squares forwards, backwards, sideways or diagonally.

The opponent then throws the die to determine the value of his move. He may move any one of his men the number of squares represented by the value of the move in any direction either in a straight line or with a change in direction (or in a modification of the rules may split the value of the move between two or more men). However during that move he must not move any of his men onto or through a square occupied by one of his opponent's men unless that man is also in possession of the ball (i.e. has the ball on the same square). If he moves his man onto the square occupied by the ball (with or without one of his opponent's men), he is said to have gained possession of the ball and for the remainder of his move he may move the ball and/or the man in possession of it.

Play then alternates between the opponents, each throwing the die to determine the value of his move and moving one of his men, and/or the ball if he has possession of it, the appropriate number of squares. At all times the object is to move the ball towards and through the opponent's goal but tactics will guide the way in which this object is achieved.

If a goal is scored by one player the ball is returned to the halfway line for his opponent to kick off and both players can reset their men in any position in their half of the field at this time.

If the ball crosses the boundary lines of the pitch along the side the remainder of the move is lost and the opponent takes his next move as a "throw in". If the ball crosses the goal line outside the goal posts the remainder of the move is lost and the next move is either a "corner" or a "goal kick" as in football. The normal rules as to "offside" can also be adopted.

Rules for the game without dice or the like For this version of the game it is desirable to mark the individual men within each team either with distinguishing numbers 1 to 11 (or some corresponding designations) or at least into three types, namely attacker, midfielder and defender.

Each attacker (or man numbered 7-11) when not in possession of the ball is allowed to move two squares in any direction whilst in the opponent's half of the field but only one square in any direction whilst in his own half. Each defender (or man numbered 1--4) when not in possession of the ball is allowed to move two squares in any direction whilst in his own half of the field but only one square in any direction whilst in his opponent's half. Each mid-fielder (or man numbered 5 or 6) when not in possession of the ball is allowed to move two squares in any direction in both halves of the field. The man in possession of the ball, or the ball itself or both, is allowed to move three squares in any direction in both halves of the field.

(It will be appreciated that these arbitrary restrictions may be modified by agreement between the two players before the start of the game, both as to the number of squares which can be moved and as to the number of men of each type, and such modifications are within the scope of the rules. However, the restrictions must not be modified whilst a game is in progress.) To set up the game the players position the men as they think best in their own half of the field (provided that an attacker is set to kick off). The player kicking off then moves the ball sideways three squares or until it intercepts another of his men, whereupon that man and/or the ball can move the remaining square or squares. The opponent then has his turn and moves one of his men subject to the restrictions mentioned above.

Play then alternates and at each turn one man (if not in possession of the ball) or the man in possession of the ball and/or the ball is moved subject to the restrictions mentioned above.

The other rules may be as in the version employing dice.

It will be appreciated that the version not employing dice is a game of pure skill, akin in this respect to chess or draughts, and one which depends on good initial positioning and skilful tactical play, thus providing considerable intellectual challenge. The version using dice is also very largely dependent on skill, although the additional element of chance may recommend it to other players.

Although the game has been described in terms of association football, the playing pieces, board and rules can be modified to simulate other games involving two opposing teams, such as rugby football, hockey, ice hockey or basketball.

Claims (13)

1. A board game comprising a playing surface marked to represent a pitch for a known sport involving two opposing teams and a ball subdivided into unit areas such that there are an even number of unit areas from 12 to 24 along the length of the pitch and at least 10 unit areas across the width of the pitch: a plurality of game pieces representing the members of the opposing teams and a game piece representing the ball.

2. A board game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unit areas are squares or rectangles.

3. A board game as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein there are 15 unit areas across the width of the pitch and 18 unit areas along the length of the pitch.

4. A board game as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the playing surface is marked to represent an association football pitch.

5. A board game as claimed in claim 4, wherein the plurality of game pieces are 22 game pieces representing 2 terns of 11 players.

6. A board game as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 which also includes a random number generator.

7. A board game comprising a playing surface marked to represent an association football pitch and subdivided into unit areas such that there are an even number of unit areas from 12 to 24 along the length of the pitch and an odd number of unit areas between 10 and 20 across the width of the pitch, a plurality of game pieces representing the members of two football teams, and a game piece representing a football.

8. A board game as claimed in claim 7, wherein the playing surface pitch is subdivided into 18 unit squares or rectangles along its length and 15 unit squares or rectangles across its width and the plurality of game pieces comprise 14 game pieces representing 2 teams of 7 players.

9. A board game as claimed in claim 7, wherein the playing surface pitch is subdivided into 20 unit squares or rectangles along its length and 17 unit squares or rectangles across its width and the plurality of game pieces comprise 22 game pieces representing 2 teams of 11 players.

10. A board game as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the playing surface is a flexible sheet which can be rolled up when not in use.

11. A board game as claimed in any of claims 7 to 10 which also includes a die.

12. A board game as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 or 7 to 10 which does not include a die or other raridom number generator but in which the game pieces are intended to be moved in accordance with rules during the game.

13. A board game substantially as described in Application No. 8501868 or substantially as hereinbefore described.