GB2182856A

GB2182856A - Board game

Info

Publication number: GB2182856A
Application number: GB08627062A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Robert Harris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-11-15
Filing date: 1986-11-12
Publication date: 1987-05-28
Also published as: EP0223549A2; GB2182856B; GB8528181D0; JPS62120865A; AU6537186A; EP0223549A3; GB8627062D0

Abstract

A board game comprising a board having columns and rows of which the columns are arranged at an angle to the rows, the intersections of the columns and rows defining locations at each of one of which is a station defining a plurality of directions- two opposite directions in the length of the rows, two opposite directions in the length of the columns and two in opposite directions in the length of the diagonals of the columns/rows; and movable pieces each carrying a directional indication. <IMAGE>

Description

1 GB 2 182 856 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Board game This invention relatesto a board game and, more 70 particularly,to such a game of the nature of draughts and chess butof intermediate complexity.

The board game comprises a board having columns and rows of which the columns are arranged at an angle to the rows, the intersections of 75 the columns and rows defining locations at each of one of which is a station defining a plurality of directions -two opposite directions in the length of the rows,two opposite directions in the length of the columns and two in opposite directions in the length of the diagonals of the columns/rows; and movable pieces each carrying a directional indication.

The columns and rows may be arranged at right anglesto each other, the stations then defining eight directions -two opposite directions in the length of the rows, two opposite directions in the length of the columns and two in opposite directions in the length of each of the diagonals of the columns/rows. In this case, each station may be defined by an eight-legged recess in or design on the board. In this case,the pieces may each be of cruciform shape locatable in the recess or positionable on the design, one leg of the piece being differentfrom the others so as to provide the directional indication. This difference may be in the colour and or height of that leg relative 95 to the other legs.

In an alternative construction, the pieces may each be an eight-sided dice each side of which bears a pointer collectively defining the direction indication bythe direction in which points the pointer on the top face of the device.

The board may preferably be comprised of five columns and six rows.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described in greater detail, byway of example only, with referenceto the accompanying drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a representational diagram of the board, Figure2 is an enlarged scale, a plan view of one of the locations, and Figure3 is an isometricview of one of the pieces.

The board A, as shown in Figure 1, is laid out infive columns 1-5 and six rowsA-F, each intersection of the columns and rows defining a location 10. Ateach location 10, as more clearly shown in Figure 2, is an eight-legged recess 11 the opposed pairs of which point in opposite directions from the centre of the recess in the lengths of the columns, the rows and the two diagonals of the columns/rows.

The pieces, shown in Figure 3, are of cruciform-shape providing four legs 15-18 of which the leg 17 is of shorter heightthan and of different colourfrom the remainder of the legs. The different leg 17thus provides a directional indication on the piece.

The game is played bytwo players, one ateach end of the columns 1-5. Each player has ten pieces, the pieces of one player being a different colourthan that of the other player.

The rules of the game areas follows: - Each p I aye r sets out his pieces in the recesses of the two rows closest to him. He may arrange his pieces, directional ly, within the recesses, as he chooses although it has been found that directiona ly arranging them on the board is indicated by the arrow heads in Figure 1 gives a preferential startinc position.

The playerstake "turns".

In each "turn",the playercan make, at hischoice one ortwo moves; a "move" being eithera rotational move of the directional-indicator leg 17 c f the piece in one of the legs of the recess 11 occupie, 1 by itto the next adjacent (in either direction) leg of that recess 11 or a "step" by bodily movement of the piece f rom one location 10 to the next adjacent in the direction indicated bythe directional-indicator leg 17. If the player chooses to make two moves, these may be made with only one piece butthe "moves" may be both rotational, both "step" moves or one each. The player may not move two pieces one "move" each.

The pieces may not "jump" overanother piece,Ine path of stepping movement of any piece must be clear of pieces except when "capturing " an opponent's piece. Of course, a player could.capture" two pieces of his opponent if, in each.step" of the piece, an opponent's piecewas atthe relevant location.

The object of the game isto "capture" all of the opponents' pieces - a "capture" being effected by 1anding on" a location occupied by an opponents piece -the directional indication of therespective pieces being ignored.

To exemplifythe rules:

Thefirst player, atthe bottom end of the board, mightstart by moving the piece at location E3 afirst, rotational move, to point in direction of location D4 and then moving it one step to D4.

The second player, at the top end of the board, might move the piece on 133 two steps to location E 3.

The first player could then move the piece at location F3 two steps to "take" the second player's piece on D3 as the first player's piece previously at location E3 has been moved away.

The second player might now rotate, say,the piece at location B3two rotational movesto point inthe direction of the length of column 1.

Sothe gamewould continue until one player had "captured" all the pieces of the other.

Clearly, a board having a greater number of rows andlor columns may be used, each playerthen having a greater number of pieces if desired. Also, of course,the board need not be rectangular but could be diamond-shaped or even circular, as long as it carries the rows and columns.

The recesses 11 may be substituted by merely printed designs on the board although the recesses are preferably as serving the better positively to hold -125 the pieces against inadvertant movement.

The pieces do not need to be of cruciform-shape but may be of any shape which co-opertes with the recesses or pointed design to define the rotational position of the piece at any location.For example, the pieces maybe eight-sided dice each side of which 2 GB 2 182 856 A carried an arrowacting as a directional indicator; a rotational move then being one of rotation of the dice about any one of its axes to display as the top face adjacent to the top face previously showning In the above described embodiment, the stations each havethereatthe eight- legged recess 11. In an alternative,the recess may be in the shape of an eight-pointed starin theform of a pairof square-shaped recesses one rotated at45 degreesto the other. With such star-shaped recesses, the pieces may be cube-shaped of which the cross-section is a square of similarsizeto the squares of which the star-shaped recesses are formed. Again, as with the embodiment described above, the recesses may be substituted by star-shaped printed designs one at each station..

In the above described embodiment and in the described alternative, the columns and rows are at right-anglesto each otherwith, extending between thestationstwo diagonals. This arrangement provides eight-directional stations. In a further alternative, the columns may be arranged notat right angles butat60 degrees/120 degreestothe rows, therethen being operatively provided only one diagonal -i.e.that bisectingthe 120 degreeangle between the columns and rows -thusto defineat each station only six directions.

Again, althoug h as above described, there is envisaged only two players, a greater number of players may participate. For example, with the eight-directional stationsjour players could participate on a square board or eight could participate on an octagonal board. With the six-directional stations eitherthree or six players could participate. The number of participating players mentioned is, of course, the numberfora fully occupied board. Of course, the board does not have necessarilyto be fully occupied with thetotal number of possible players.

Claims

1. Aboard game comprising aboard having columns and rows of which the columns are arranged at an angle to the rows, the intersections of the columns and rows defining locations at each of one of which is a station defining a plurality of directions -two opposite directions in the length of the rows, two opposite directions in the length of the columns and two in opposite directions in the length of the diagonals of the columns/rows; and movable pieces each carrying a directional indication.

2. Aboard game as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the columns and rows are arranged at right angles to each other, the stations then defining eight directions -two opposite directions in the length of the rows,two opposite directions in the length ofthe columns andtwo in opposite directions in the length of each of the diagonals of the columns/rows.

3. Aboard game as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each station is defined byan eight-legged recess in or design on the board.

4. Aboard game as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the pieces are each of cruciform shape locatable in the recess or positionable on the design, one leg of 2 the piece being different from the others so asto provide the directional indication.

5. Aboard game as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each station is defined byan eight-pointed star-shaped recess in or design on the board.

6. Aboard game as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the pieces are each of square cross-section so asto fit in any one of the eight rotational positions of the piece atthe station, the pieces each having means identifying a particular one of the corners of the piece.

7. Aboard game as claimed in anyone ofthe preceding Claims, wherein the boad is comprised by five columns and six rows.

8. Aboard game substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Croydon Printing Corn pany (L1 K) Ltd,4187, D8991685. Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A l AY, from which copies rray be obtained.

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