GB2194454A

GB2194454A - Game

Info

Publication number: GB2194454A
Application number: GB08716959A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Gerald Boorman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-07-26
Filing date: 1987-07-17
Publication date: 1988-03-09
Also published as: GB8716959D0; GB8618284D0

Abstract

Apparatus for playing a game simulating snooker comprises three dice. One die 1 is marked to represent snooker shots to be played, a second die 2 is marked with representations of coloured snooker balls and a third die 3 is marked with representations of the playing of a snooker. Two players throw the dice in turn to play a game simulating the game of snooker. Adaptations of the game can be provided for the games of billiards and pool. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Game This invention relates to a game simulating the game of snooker, billiards or pool.

The game of snooker has increased greatly in popularity in recent years and is played by large numbers of people. Unfortunately, however, the size and cost of a conventional snooker table is such that it is impractical for many people to own one. Thus the opportunity for playing snooker is greatly limited by the need to use the facilities of a club or the like. The same restrictions apply to the games of billiards and pool.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for playing a game comprising random selection means, having markings representing snooker balls and markings representing snooker shots, for selecting a ball to be played and a shot to be played.

Preferably three distinct random selection means are provided, one having markings representing shots to be played, a second having markings representing coloured snooker balls and a third having markings representing a snooker.

Further according to the present invention there is provided apparatus for playing a game comprising random selection means, having markings representing billiard shots, for selecting a shot to be played.

Preferably three distinct random selection means are provided, one representing the cue ball and having markings representing shots to be played, a second having markings representing a red ball and a third having markings representing an opponent's ball.

Still further according to the present invention there is provided apparatus for playing a game comprising random selection means, having markings representing pool balls, for selecting balls to be played and a ball to be potted.

Preferably three distinct random selection means are provided, one having markings representing a black ball, and markings for selecting striped or spotted balls, a second having markings representing striped balls and a third having markings representing spotted balls.

Preferably also the random selection means are in the form of a six-sided die or spinner device.

The game is played in accordance with the rules hereinafter described.

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 pattern of a first die of a snooker game in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a pattern of a second die of a snooker game; Figure 3 is a pattern of a third die of a snooker game; Figure 4 is a representation of a score sheet for a snooker game of the present invention; Figure 5 is a pattern of a die of a first embodiment of a billiard game in accordance with the present invention; Figure 6 is a pattern of a first die of a second embodiment of a snooker game; Figure 7 is a pattern of a second die of a second snooker game; Figure 8 is a pattern of a third die of a second snooker game; Figure 9 is a pattern of a first die of a pool game in accordance with the present invention;; Figure 10 is a pattern of a second die of a pool game; and Figure 11 is a pattern of a third die of a pool game.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, apparatus for playing a game simulating the game of snooker comprises a first die 1, representing the cue ball, and a second die 2, representing the colours.

The cue ball die 1 has its sides marked with one of three different markings. These markings are POT 3, FOUL 4 and a BLANK SIDE 5 representing safe. The colours die 2 has each of its sides marked with a colour representing one of the six coloured snooker balls. These are yellow 6, green 7, brown 8, blue 9, pink 10 and black 11.

The game is played by two players and to commence each player throws the colours die 2 with the player throwing the highest value colour being the player who breaks. To break the player throws the cue ball die 1 thus playing a red. The marking which appears on the cue ball die signifies the shot played. POT 3 signifies that a red has been potted scoring one, BLANK 5 signifies that a red has been hit but not potted and FOUL 4 signifies that a foul stroke has been played scoring four away.

If a red has been potted then the player proceeds to play a colour by throwing both dice. The cue ball die 1 signifies the outcome of playing the colour shown by the colours die 2 with the scoring being as in snooker: Colour POT FOUL Yellow 2 -4 Green 3 -4 Brown 4 -4 Blue 5 -5 Pink 6 -6 Black 7 -7 As in conventional snooker a negative score is added to an opposing player's total rather than subtracted from the score of the player incurring the penalty.

If a colour is potted the player continues with the break playing reds and colours alternately until the break ends with either a FOUL 4 or a BLANK 5 being played.

A tally is kept of the number of reds potted and after the fifteenth red has been potted and a subsequent colour played only coloured balls remain. The coloured balls are played in ascending order of value as in conventional snooker using the cue ball die 1 only. The colours die 2 is used to indicate which colour is in play. When only the black remains then either a POT 3 or FOUL 4 ends the game.

Modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example an additional die 12, illustrated in Fig. 3, may be introduced to allow the possibility of a player playing a snooker.

When a player is on a colour he may opt to attempt a snooker. To do this he throws the snooker die 12 and if the word SNOOKER 13 appears then the opposing player must then throw the snooker die 12. If SNOOKER 13 then appears a foul stroke has been played with the colour showing on the colours die 2 from the previous play determining the penalty.

Other modifications have been envisaged, for example alternative types and shapes of die could be used and it is also possible to have the dice replaced by one or more spinners with similar markings to the dice.

Fig. 4 illustrates a card 14 which serves as a score sheet for the snooker game.

Referring to Fig. 5 of the drawings, apparatus for playing a game simulating the game of billiards, comprises a die 15 the faces of which are marked with symbols to represent the four most common scoring shots at billiards together with two non-scoring shots. The faces are marked as follows: Face 16, the word POT embodying a picture of a red ball and the numeral 3; Face 17, the words IN-OFF embodying a picture of a red ball and the numeral 3; Face 18, the words IN-OFF embodying a picture of a white ball and the numeral 2; Face 19, the word CANNON, pictures of both red and white balls and the numeral 2; The two further faces 20 are left blank.

The numerals give the score for the shot, the blanks 20 show 'no score'.

The game is normally played by two people to a score of 100, but these conditions are not essential and may be varied by prior agreement. A coin is tossed to decide who will start and the first player rolls the die 15. His 'break' continues until a blank 20 is thrown, the running total being called by the opponent and the final total scored. The die 15 is now passed to the other player and play continues until one player's total score reaches the agreed target.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, dice for playing a more complex representation of billiards are illustrated.

The dice comprises three dice, one representing the cue ball 21; one representing the red ball 22; and one representing the opponent's white ball 23. In this respect and others this game is a much closer simulation of the game of billiards than the embodiment described above. The cue ball 21 is marked with three symbols signifying the results obtained when it makes contact with another ball; these are HIT 24, POT 25 and IN-OFF 26 and they appear on 2 faces, 1 face and 3 faces respectively. Each of the other two dice 22 and 23 is marked on four faces with a picture of the appropriate ball, red 27 or white 28, and has two adjacent faces 29 blank. The game is normally played by two people to a score of 100, but these conditions are not essential and may be varied by prior agreement. A coin is tossed to decide who will start and the first player rolls the cue ball 21 and red ball dice 22 with results tabulated below, the opponent's ball dice 23 is thrown in all but the first case, as shown.

Cue Red White Ball Ball Ball 21 22 23 Score Shot and Result

IN-OFF Reds 3 Blank-White 2 Blank ----- -3 In-off red: break continues In-off white: break continues Cue ball pocketed direct: break ends White ball out of play for opponent's break

POT Red White 5 5 BBlank---- 3 \Blank Blank~2 < lank- O HIT -- Red White 2 B1Blank------ O \ Blank- White O Blank -1 Pot red and cannon: break continues Pot red: break continues Pot white: break continues without white ball No pot: break ends Cannon: break continues No score: break ends No score: break ends No contact made: break ends By convention minus scores are added to the opponent's total and not subtracted from the striker's score. Play continues until one player's total score reaches the agreed target. Once again as with the snooker game already described the dice may be replaced by spinners marked appropriately.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10 and 11 of the drawings, apparatus for playing a game simulating the game of pool, comprises three dice, an eight ball die 30, a spot ball die 31, and a striped ball die 32. The eight ball die 33 has representations of the black number 8 ball 34, the red number 7 spot ball 35 and the red number 15 striped ball 36. The spot ball die 31 has representations of the spot balls numbers 1-6 in their respective colours and the striped ball die 32 has representations of the striped balls numbers 9-14 in their respective colours.

The game is played by two people, the object being to pot all 7 balls of one set, spots 31 or striped 32, and then the number 8 ball 34 to win. Each player casts the eight ball die 30 until one player throws a red ball 35 or 36, signifying that he has potted the ball shown and thus deciding which die he will roll for the next six pots. These may be potted in any order, a check being kept of which balls have been potted. A turn continues as long as a player throws a ball not already potted. Once a player fails to score the turn passes to his opponent. The red ball must be potted first, and thereafter the player throws his own die until he attempts the number 8 ball 34. Potting this ball 34 wins the game.

Once again the dice may be replaced with a series of spinners marked with appropriate representations. Adaptations may be made using various other random selection devices marked appropriately.

Modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Apparatus for playing a game comprising random selection means, having markings repre senting snooker balls and markings representing snooker shots, for selecting a ball to be played and a shot to be played.

2. Apparatus for playing a game comprising random selection means, having markings repre senting billiard shots, for selecting a shot to be played.

3. Apparatus for playing a game comprising random selection means, having markings repre senting pool balls, for selecting balls to be played and a ball to be potted.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the random selection means further-includes markings representing the playing of a snooker.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein three distinct random selection means are provided, one having markings representing shots to be played, a second having markings representing coloured snooker balls and- a third having markings representing a snooker.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein three distinct random selection means are provided, one representing the cue ball and having markings representing shots to be played, a second having markings representing a red ball and a third having markings representing an opponent's ball.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein three distinct random selection means are provided, one having markings representing a black ball, and markings for selecting striped or spotted balls, a second having markings representing striped balls and a third having markings representing spotted balls.

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

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the random selection means are in the form of a spinner device.

10. Apparatus for simulating the game of snooker substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

11. Apparatus for simulating the game of billiards substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Fig. 5 or Figs. 6 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

12. Apparatus for simulating the game of pool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 9 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.