GB2191412A - Board game - Google Patents

Abstract

A board game including a rectangular board having a rectangular central area 10 simulating the playing area of a snooker or other similar game table, and a border divided into a plurality of spaces, some spaces 15 indicating inability for further play and some spaces 16 indicating ability for further play, playing pieces which can be moved from space to space in accordance with the rules, means, in the form of cards, providing questions and answers to be attempted by players to correspond with movement of balls 14 on the central area 10, in accordance with said rules. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Board game This invention relates to a board game which simulates, to some degree, the game of snooker.

The game of snooker basically involves a flat rectangular table with a low barrier around the edges in which there are openings at six positions, communicating with receptacles, referred to as pockets. The openings are at the four corners and at the mid points of the two longer sides.

Balls are rolled on the table surface and it is the object of the game to send the balls into the pockets using a cue ball struck by a cue. The balls have to be sent into the pockets in predetermined order and the delivery of the balls results in accumulation of points. There are however other games which may be played on such a table, including billiards and pool. The use of a snooker or billiards table requires a substantial area.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a board game which simulates snooker or other similar games but which does not require the large area needed for the normal game and which also has features of additional interest.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a board game comprising a board having a rectangular shape with a central rectangular area simulating the playing area of a table for snooker or other similar game, a border divided into a plurality of spaces, at least some of which carry markings indicating readiness for further play and at least some other spaces indicative of inability for further play, playing pieces which can be moved from space to space in accordance with rules, means providing questions and answers to be attempted by the players of the game, in accordance with the rules, and balls which when placed on the central area simulate balls used in the game of snooker or other similar game.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a plan view of a board for use in playing the game in accordance with the invention.

The drawing illustrates a board of rectangular shape and simulating a snooker or billiards table.

There is a central area 10 which simulates the playing surface of the table and may be appropriately coloured green. The edge of the board has a slightly raised portion, defining a border, divided into a number of spaces to which further reference will be made. At the four corners, and also at the mid-point of each of the two longer sides, there are spaces 11 simulating pockets. These are therefore situated in positions equivalent to those of the pockets of a normal snooker or billiard table.

Extending at an angle across the middle of the central area 10 is a strip 12 divided into a number of equal spaces. This extends from a D-shaped marking 13 on the table to the opposite end of the table.

Placed on the central area are a number of balls indicated at 14. These may be coloured to correspond with the normal coloured balls in a snooker game and include a group of red balls initially positioned in the triangular formation indicated. An incomplete set is shown on the surface. The balls 14 can be rolled on the surface and can also be deposited in the pockets 11, when required.

The playing pieces, which may conveniently be in the form of white discs, simulate the cue ball but there may be an equal number of these to the number of players playing the game.

Each white disc may be identified by any convenient means such as a fictitious name or any other means enabling players to identify their own white discs.

The rules for playing the game include provision for moving white discs from one space to another beginning at the D-shaped marking 13 and travelling down the strip 12 and from its end on to the spaces around the edge of the board. Some of the spaces 15 have arrows and others 16 have circles. There are still further spaces 17, to which further reference will be made, which represent penalty or bonus situations.

Also included in the game is a pack of cards of the following form, having questions on one side and answers on the other: Example 1 * (Questions) * * (Red) Who was Robin Hood's bride? * * (Yellow) What is the chemical formula * * for silver? * * (Green) Who was Bill and Ben's flower- * * pot friend? * * (Brown) Who ruled England between * * 1066-1087? * * (Blue) Who discovered radium? * * (Pink) FLUKE 'Well Done' * * (Black) What was Buddy Holly's back- * * up group called? * * (Answers) * * (Red) Maid Marion * * (Yellow) Ag * * (Green) Weed * * (Blue) William the Conqueror * * (Blue) Marie Curie * * (Pink) FLUKE * * (Black) The Crickets * Example 2 * (Questions) * * (Red) What is the highest mountain * * in the world? * * (Yellow) What tree produces acorns? * * (Green) Where was Jesus born? * * (Brown) What was the downfall for * * Sir Clive Sinclair? * * (Blue) What unit is sound measured by? * * (Pink) What was the secret of Samson's * * strength? * * (Black) Where did the Lord tell Jonah to * * go? * * (Answers) * * (Red) Mount Everest * * (Yellow) Oak Tree * * (Green) Bethlehem * * (Brown) The C.5 * * (Blue) Decibel * * (Pink) His long hair * * (Black) The city of Nineveh * On one side of each card, as indicated, are a series of coloured dots, adjacent each of which is a question. On the reverse side of the card are the corresponding answers.

The procedure for playing the game starts with a chosen player who rolls dice. This indicates the number of spaces over which that player moves his or her white disc. If the space on which the disc arrives is blank or has an arrow, the next player takes a turn by rolling the dice. If the first player's white disc arrives on a space 16 marked with a circle, this indicates readiness to answer a question. Another player asks the question corresponding to the red colour on a card.

If this question is correctly answered, this indicates that a red ball has been sent into the pocket.

It is now said that the player is in a break and can now choose a colour (other than red) for another question from the same player. The questions are graduated in difficulty from yellow through green, brown, blue and pink to black. Scores are amassed by answering questions.

When questions are answered correctly the balls are transferred from the board area 10 to a pocket of the player's choice. The reds remain in the pockets but the colours are removed again and placed on their spots in a manner similar to the game of snooker. However when all the reds have been used, the coloured balls are placed in the pockets in turn and the game finishes when the last black has been placed in a pocket. A break continues with alternating red and other coloured bails being placed in pockets, until the player fails to answer a question correctly or until a foul is committed. Scoring comprises one point for a red ball question correctly answered and correspondingly higher scores for the respective coloured balls.

There are hazards or bonuses identified by the spaces 17. In one such space the legend "You have snookered yourself" is given. In another "Free ball" and in a further such space "You have knocked the black in" are seen. If a foul or disadvantageous circumstance exists, the player stops and a further player takes a turn. If "Free ball" or "Fluke" bonus indications are found, these may be interpreted as advantages. In the case of "Free ball", if a player answers a question incorrectly, the "Free ball" allows him or her simply to request another question. A "Fluke" simply enables the player to score without the need to answer any outstanding questions, being credited with the score as if the question has been answered correctly.

The cards may also include "Fluke" circumstances.

If a player moves his white disc to a space already occupied by another player it is said that the opponent has been snookered. When it becomes the turn of such opponent, that player takes the lowest value ball on the table and has to answer the appropriate question. If he does so, he escapes the snooker situation, but if he is unable to answer the question, the player who was responsible for the snooker receives an appropriate number of points.

If a player's white disc lands upon a pocket space, he is said to have "gone in-off". He then forfeits an appropriate number of points.

It is possible for at least one of the spaces to indicate "In-off". If a player's white disc lands on such space, all the other players receive points and the player responsible for this circumstance must return the white disc to the D-shaped marking 13.

Winning the game is simply a matter of having achieved the highest score, but it is also possible to keep a record of the highest scoring break and prizes may be awarded to outright winners and to players having the highest break or other special circumstance.

It will be understood that the game can be played with fewer balls, for example basing it upon billiards. Alternatively the game of pool may be used as the basis and equivalent types of ball may be used, instead of those illustrated. Other refinements can be added to provide further features of interest in the game.

Claims (6)

1. A board game comprising a board having a central rectangular area simulating the playing area of a table for snooker or other similar game, a border divided into a plurality of spaces, at least some of which carry markings indicating readiness for further play and at least some other spaces indicative of inability for further play, playing pieces which can be moved from space to space in accordance with rules, means providing questions and answers to be attempted by the players of the game, in accordance with rules, means providing questions and answers to be attempted by the players of the game, in accordance with the rules, and balls which when placed on the central area simulate balls used in the game of snooker or other similar game.

2. A board game as claimed in claim 1 in which spaces marked to indicate advantages or disadvantages, in accordance with the rules of the game, are also provided.

3. A board game as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the means providing questions and answers comprise a number of cards, each card having questions associated with respective colours, which correspond to the colours of balls on the central area and equivalent answers to these questions.

4. A board game as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the board includes areas representing pockets, into which balls can be placed.

5. A board game as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the movement of playing pieces is governed by the rolling of dice to indicate a number of spaces on the board through which a piece should be moved.

6. A board game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.