GB2189159A - Apparatus for playing a board game - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a board 1, dice 2, 3 and 4, information cards 5, category identification cards 6, player tokens 7, a display board 8, a segment position code card 9, postcard segments 10, and one key card 11 associating categories with landmarks 13 shown on the board 1. Each player is a tourist who arrives in a city or a country (e.g. Fig. 2). Starting from a hotel 12, a travel courier gives each player an information card 5 containing anagrams of the names of famous people. Each player must solve one of the anagrams and proceed to a landmark 13 in the city associated with the person. On doing this correctly each player receives a segment of a picture postcard 10. The winner of the game is the first player to form a picture postcard from the various segments 10 he receives during the course of the game. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for playing a board game This invention relates to apparatus for playing a board game.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for playing a board game comprising a board having a schematic plan of a geographical area and illustrating places associated with said area and with certain activities linked by pathways, means defining a plurality of clues associated with said activities for solving by players, a plurality of segmented illustrations for collection by said players, random selection means, and playing pieces, for movement on the board, the game being played in accordance with the rules set forth in the specification.

Preferably the geographical area illustrated is a distinct area such as a town or city, a country, or a region.

Preferably also the clues are in the form of anagrams of the names of well known persons associated with one of said activities.

Preferably also, the segmented illustrations are in the form of picture postcards of scenes from the geographical area.

Preferably also, the random selection means are in the form of a die.

The playing pieces may be in the form of representations of modes of transport and or representations of persons in characteristic dress.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatus for playing a game in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows the board of the apparatus of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 shows the front and rear faces of one of the tourist information cards of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

The game will be best described with reference to the rules set out hereinafter and to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings. Clearly, modifications to the rules may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

EQUIPMENT The apparatus comprises one playing board 1, three dice 2, 3 and 4, a pack of tourist information cards 5, thirty-six category identification cards 6, six player tokens 7, one picture postcard display board 8, one segment position code card 9, seventy-two picture postcard segments 10, and one key card 11 associating categories with landmarks 13 shown on the board 1.

OBJECT OF THE GAME Each player is a tourist who arrives in a city or a country, in the example shown this being the City of Glasgow. Starting from a hotel 12, a travel courier gives each player a tourist information card 5 containing anagrams of the names of famous people. Each player must solve one of the anagrams and proceed to a landmark 13 in the city associated with the famous person. On doing this correctly each player receives a segment of a picture postcard 10. The winner of the game is the first player to form a picture postcard from the various segments 10 he receives during the course of the game.

The game may be divided into two parts: (1) obtaining segments of picture postcards 10; and (2) collecting the correct segments to form a postcard.

(1) OBTAINING SEGMENTS The board 1, dice 2, 3 and 4, player tokens 7, tourist information cards 5 and category identification cards 6 are set out as shown in Fig. 1. The picture postcard display board 8 and the segment position code card 9 are displayed and the segments 10, each numbered 1 to 6, arranged in separate piles in the same positions as the segment position code card 9. The number of each segment corresponds with a number on the segment position code card 9, thus a segment 10 with a number 1 is a top left segment of a picture postcard. Also displayed is the key card 11 which shows the associations of the landmarks 13 and categories, for example, The Third Eye Centre 1 3A is associated with Modern Art.

START OF PLAY Each player selects a token 7 and is given six category identification cards 6, one card from each category.

The players each roll a die, the player rolling the highest number moving first. If this results in a tie, those concerned roll again.

The player with the first turn chooses, a hotel 12 to start from and places a token 7 on the hotel 12. At the hotel 12 a travel courier gives the player a tourist information card 5 which the player picks from the top of the pack. Each card 5 has six anagrams of famous people on the front 5A and the answers on the back 5B. Each famous person is from one of six General Categories as follows:1. ART 4. SPORT 2. MUSIC 5. LEADERS 3. LITERATURE 6. SCIENCE The player then rolls the smaller die 2, which is red, the number thrown corresponding with a category on the card 5 indicating-the anagram which must be solved, for example, if the player rolls a one, the relevant category is Art. The player places a category idenfification card 1 above the tourist information (T.I.) card 5 as a reminder of the anagram which is to be solved.

After this the first player's turn is over and the die is passed to the second player.

Continuation After each player has completed his first turn, the first player continues the game proceeding on one of two courses of action depending on whether or not the player has solved his anagram.

Anagram Unsolved The player proceeds to another hotel 12, to pick up a second T.l. card 5 by throwing the two larger blue dice 3 and 4 and moving his token 7 the indicated amount of spaces on the board 1. Players are not required to throw the exact number to land on a hotel 12 or landmark 13, provided the number thrown is large enough for the hotel 12 or landmark 13 to be passed. On arrival, which may take more than one turn, the player picks up a second T.I. card 5 from the top of the pack and throws the red die 2 to select a category and displays a category identification card 6 as above. The players turn is then over and the second player continues.

NOTE: A player whose token 7 is in a hotel 12 and who wishes to obtain a second T.I. card 5 to attempt a second anagram must proceed to a different hotel 12 to obtain the second card 5. Each player is permitted to hold only two T.l. cards 5 at any one time and thus if a player is in the situation where he cannot solve any of his two anagrams, he must surrender one of his cards 5 by replacing it at the bottom of the pack before he can receive another. Also, hotels 12 are the only positions on the board 1 where a player may pick up T.I. cards 5.

Anagram Solved In the situation where a player has solved his first anagram the player may wish to move to the landmark 13 on the board 1 associated with his first anagram, or if another hotel 12 is near at hand he may wish to follow the course outlined above to obtain a second T.l. card 5. If the player decides to go to the landmark 13 the correct landmark must be selected as each General Category is divided into four sub-categories and each of these is represented by a landmark 13 on the board 1, for example:: ART Renaissance (15th & 16th) Century-The Burrell Collection Baroque & Rococo (17th & 18th Century-Pollok House Impressionism (19th Century)-Art Gallery and Museum Modern Art (20th Century)-Third Eye Centre A full list of the six General Categories, the sub-categories and associated landmarks can be seen on the key card 11 associating categories with landmarks 13. Having decided which subcategory the famous person falls into the player proceeds to the landmark 13 on the board he thinks is associated with that person. This is accomplished by rolling the two blue dice 3 and 4 and moving his token 7 the indicated number of spaces on the board 1.On arrival, after one or more turns, at for example the Art Gallery and Museum 13B, the player declares that the answer to the anagram is Degas in the Art category shown on the card 5 in Fig. 3 and that he was an Impressionist. The T.l. card 5 is then turned over and the correct answer revealed. The card 5 is then replaced at the back of the pack and the player is allowed to choose a segment of postcard 10, numbered 1 to 6, from the top of any one of the piles. It should be noted that players do not reveal the identify of their collected segments 10 until the end of the game when they have completed a postcard. If the player had answered incorrectly the T.l. card 5 is replaced at the bottom of the pack and the player does not pick up a segment 10 of picture postcard.

(2) FORMING A PICTURE POSTCARD Each player is allowed to retain only one segment 10 of each number at any given time, thus as a player answers anagrams he will eventually reach the stage where has collected six segments 10, one of each number. The player may find that, for example, he has some of the same postcard or, alternatively, he may have six all of different postcards. Each player now aims to collect the six segments 10 of the one picture postcard. After picking up a sixth segment 10 the player must surrender a segment 10 before picking up another segment 10 of the same position number. This is done by replacing the discarded segment 10 at the bottom of its proper pile. The winner of the game is the first player to form correctly a picture postcard of a landmark 13 as shown on the picture postcard display board.

VARIATION Variations on the rules can be used for the end of the game. For example, it may be that more interaction between players is required and so each player is obliged to reveal the identity of one of his segments after receiving a sixth segment. This then gives other players a clue to which postcard the player may be trying to form.

Claims (8)

1. Apparatus for playing a board game comprising a board having a schematic plan of a geographical area and illustrating places associated with said area and with certain activities linked by pathways, means defining a plurality of clues associated with said activities for solving by players, a plurality of segmented illustrations for collection by said players, random selection means, and playing pieces, for movement on the board, the game being played in accordance with the rules set forth in the specification.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the geographical area illustrated is a distinct area such as a town or city, a country, or a region.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the clues are in form of anagrams of the names of well known persons associated with one of said activities.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the segmented illustrates are in the form of picture postcards of scenes from the geographical area.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the random selection means are in the form of a die.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the playing pieces are in the form of representations of modes of transport and or representations of persons in characteristic dress.

7. Apparatus for playing a board game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

8. A board game when played in accordance with rules substantially as hereinbefore described.