GB2202156A - Apparatus for playing a game - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for playing a game simulating snooker situations, comprising: (a) a first playing surface having a playing track comprising a plurality of spaces; (b) a number of said spaces having instructions associated with snooker situations marked thereon, such instructions being either of advantage, no advantage or disadvantage to a player; (c) a number of ''cue card'' or chance spaces; (d) six playing pieces respectively coloured yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black; (e) random number selection means, numbered from two to seven; (f) a second playing surface having a plurality of spaces for location of a plurality of cue or chance cards and a plurality of respectively coloured yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black cards having questions associated therewith and additionally including a second random number selection means.

Description

APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for playing a game simulating snooker situations and is primarily intended to be in the form of a board game although same may equally well be represented in other forms, e.g. a computer game.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for playing a game wherein situations experienced when playing snooker are reproduced in such game.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for playing a game simulating snooker situations, comprising a playing surface having a playing track comprising a plurality of spaces, a number of said spaces having instructions associated with snooker situations marked thereon; a plurality of playing pieces; and a random number selection means.

The apparatus of the present invention also preferably includes an additional playing surface containing scoring means and means associated with each colour of the balls utilised in the game of snooker to enable a player to attempt to score points dependent upon the colour of the ball selected.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for playing a game simulating snooker situations, comprising : (a) a first playing surface having a playing track comprising a plurality of spaces; (b) a number of said spaces having instructions associated with snooker situations marked thereon, such instructions being either of advantage, no advantage or disadvantage to a player; (c) a number of "cue card" or chance spaces; (d) six playing pieces respectively coloured yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black; (e) random number selection means, numbered from two to seven;; (f) a second playing surface having a plurality of spaces for location of a plurality of cue or chance cards and a plurality of respectively coloured yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black cards having questions associated therewith and additionally including a second random number selection means.

The first playing surface is preferably in the form of a game board, although in a preferred embodiment, such surface is incorporated in one portion of a container in which the same is to be marketed and sold. The second playing surface is also preferably in the form of a game beard, although in an alternative preferred arrangement, same can be incorporated in the other portion of the container in which the game is to be marketed and sold.

The first playing surface is preferably rectangular in shape and is intended to simulate a snooker table. It is of course possible for the surface to be circular if desired. The playing track is preferably provided in an outer or circumferential region of the playing surface and includes spaces corresponding to the pockets of an actual snooker table. In this connection, each of the spaces corresponding to the location of pockets on a snooker table, are coloured a respective colour corresponding to the coloured balls utilised in the game of snooker.

Certain spaces can contain information of advantage to a player, e.g. "free ball", "snookered"; other spaces can be marked with information of disadvantage to a player, e.g. "foul shot" and "in off", whilst other spaces can be blank and have no advantage to a player. The first playing surface also includes spaces coloured red and if the playing piece of a player lands thereon such corresponds to the successful potting of a red ball in the game of snooker. In addition, the playing surface may include spaces having chance or "cue card" information thereon which may or may not be of advantage to a player.

A playing piece will be provided for each player and is movable along the playing track for as many spaces as may be indicated by the random number selection means, which may be a numbered dice or other known means. There are six playing pieces in total, respectively coloured corresponding to the coloured balls utilised in snooker.

The interior of the first playing surface is preferably intended to simulate the interior portion of a snooker table and the playing pieces, prior to use, are located on the positions normally associated with the coloured balls utilised in snooker.

The first playing surface may be provided with a recess, triangular in form, corresponding to the normal position in which the red balls are located prior to a snooker game commencing. Such recessed space is suitable for the random number selection means, such as a dice, which is numbered from two to seven.

The second playing surface, which is also preferably rectangular in shape, has spaces marked thereon or therein for location of chance or "cue cards" and also cards coloured to correspond to each of the colours utilised in snooker and containing questions thereon or having questions associated therewith, the correct answering of such a question indicating that the colour selected has been successfully potted.

The second playing surface also includes a random number selection means, suitably in the form of a spinning device having seven sectors marked thereon, six of the sectors respectively corresponding to the six coloured balls utilised in snooker and the seventh sector being blank. Such blank sector means that no question may be answered.

The second playing surface also preferably includes scoring means for each of the players and in addition may include a recess wherein all of the playing pieces and the random number selection means for the first playing surface may be located, and when the game is in action such recess can be utilised for discarded cards.

The cards located on the "cue cards" space contain decisions made by the referee which the player must follow.

Whilst reference has been made to cards for clarity and simplicity, it is to be understood that the apparatus of the present invention is not to be considered restricted to the use of cards.

The invention will be further illustrated by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Fig. 1 is a plan view of the first playing surface; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the second playing surface; and Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views of the playing surfaces illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, such surfaces being shown as being located within the top and bottom portions of a container in which the game is to be marketed and sold.

As illustrated, the apparatus for playing the game comprises two playing surfaces and is intended for use by from two to six players, although when players play in pairs then the game can be played by from two to twelve players.

In order to play the game, a coloured playing piece, which may resemble a snooker player, is selected by each player, the colour thereof respectively corresponding to one of the colours of the coloured balls utilised in the game of snooker, a respective piece is located on the correspondingly coloured spot on the first playing surface.

Such spot constitutes the starting point for each player.

Normally, each player will roll the dice and the highest score will govern which player commences first.

The first player then rolls the dice and whatever score is indicated thereon, he will move his playing piece, suitably in the form of a snooker player, accordingly from his initial coloured spot starting point through the same coloured pocket on to the track and then move the correspondingly numbered spaces forward, usually in a clockwise direction. Accordingly, upon checking the dice, the player moves the number of spaces indicated, firstly through his own coloured pocket space. The numbering of the dice from two to seven precludes the possibility of a player landing initially on his own coloured pocket.

In Fig. 1, the white spaces would normally be coloured red and if a player's playing piece lands thereon, then this means that the player has successfully potted a red ball. The player then moves his score on the score board on the second playing surface by one point. In order to attempt the successful potting of a colour, the random selection means on the second playing surface, suitably in the form of a spinner, is operated and whatever colour the pointer on the spinner finishes on, with the exception of the blank sector, enables the player to answer a question from the question cards of that colour.

The questions will generally comprise general knowledge and contain two levels, one for adults and one for children.

It is also possible to vary the degree of difficulty of the questions increasing from the questions marked yellow to those marked black Once a colour has been selected by the spinning means on the second playing surface, then the player attempts to correctly answer the question. If successful, then the relevant coloured ball is considered to have been successfully potted and the appropriate number of points are marked on the score board and the player then continues by rolling the dice again. If the playing piece lands on another red square then a further point is added and another question, depending upon the colour indicated by the spinning means' is attempt. If the question is unsuccessfully answered, then that player's turn finishes and it is then the next player's turn.A player's turn can also be finished if his piece lands on a square penalising him.

Further, when rolling the dice, if the playing piece lands on a cross hatched square then there is no score indicating a missed pot, and the dice is passed to the next player.

If a playing piece lands on a space marked "foul shot" then each player, except the player whose piece has landed on such space, will receive the relevant number of points indicated.

If a playing piece lands on a space marked "free ball" then the player can select any colour question card without the spinning device of the second playing surface having to be operated.

If a playing piece lands on a pocket marked "in off" then the player with that colour will receive the relevant points. However, if the playing piece lands on its own pocket colour, e.g. a yellow playing piece lands on the yellow coloured pocket, then the player forfeits his total score and has to start from the beginning again.

If a playing piece lands on a space marked "snookered" then this means that all the other players are snookered and they have to roll a seven on the dice to continue.

Each player will have three rolls of the dice each and once seven has been rolled then it will release all of the other players. If a seven has not been rolled after each player has rolled the dice three times, then the dice is passed to the player who originally landed on the "snookered" space and continues with a fresh turn. After the dice has been rolled, all other players are released from the snooker.

If a playing piece lands on a space marked "cue card" then the player picks up a card from the "cue card" stack and the referee's decision appearing on the reverse of such card will have to be followed by the player. The decision may be to the benefit of a player or it may constitute a penalty. For example, the player may be freed from the next snooker which is obtained by one of his opponents, or the player may be entitled to a free ball on his next turn, whatever space is landed on, etc.

The termination of the game can be decided upon before commencement and suitably a particular score target of say 50 is selected. When a player reaches 50 on the score board, he then moves his snooker piece or player to the yellow spot on the imitation snooker table on the first playing surface. To pot the last six colours, the dice is rolled and whatever number the dice falls on the player must start answering the questions from that colour onwards.

If for example, a five is thrown, then the player would X have to answer questions from the pile of questions on the respective cards for blue, pink and black. If unsuccessful, then the player has to wait until his turn again, roll the dice again whatever the number the dice falls on will indicate the questions to be answered by the player from that number onwards up to the final black.

The winner of the game is the first person to reach a selected score, say 50, and to answer successfully the questions up to and finishing on the black.

It can thus be seen that the apparatus of the present invention, provides a game which simulates snooker situations and which will ultimately be of interest to children and adults. It is, of course, possible to vary the manner in which the game is played and to vary the markings appearing on the track of the first playing surface. In addition, rather than have questions on general knowledge, questions in other categories can be selected although it is believed that the asking of general knowledge questions is the fairest way of ensuring that each player has the same opportunity of winning the game.

It can thus be seen that the apparatus of the present invention relies on both luck, in relation to the number of spaces moved by each playing piece, governed by the random number selection means, combined with skill having regard to the nature of the questions asked.

As previously mentioned, it is also anticipated that the present invention could be utilised in the form of a computer game. In such case, the playing surfaces would become areas on the screen and the cards would be in the form of graphic illustrations.

The arrangement as illusted in the drawings means that the game can be played on opening of the container, and the integers utilised on the second playing surface, are located in their correct places. This avoids the need for a game board to be opened up and the various integers to be manually located in position.

Claims (18)

1. In apparatus for playing a game simulating snooker situations, comprising a playing surface having a playing track comprising a plurality of spaces, a number of said spaces having instructions associated with snooker situations marked thereon; a plurality of playing pieces; and a random number selection means.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including an additional playing surface containing scoring means and means associated with each colour of the balls utilised in the game of'snooker to enable a player to attempt to score points dependent upon the colour of the ball selected.

3. An apparatus for playing a game simulating snooker situations, comprising: (a) a first playing surface having a playing track comprising a plurality of spaces; (b) a number of said spaces having instructions associated with snooker situations marked thereon, such instructions being either of advantage, no advantage or disadvantage to a player; (c) a number of "cue card" or chance spaces; (d) six playing pieces respectively coloured yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black; (e) random number selection means, numbered from two to seven; (f) a second playing surface having a plurality of spaces for location of a plurality of cue or chance cards and a plurality of respectively coloured yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black cards having questions associated therewith and additionally including a second random number selection means.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the first and second playing surfaces are each in the form of a game board.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the first playing surface is incorporated in one portion of a container in which the same is to be marketed and sold and the second playing surface is incorporated in the other portion of the container in which the game is to be marketed and sold.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5, in which the first playing surface is rectangular in shape and is intended to simulate a snooker table.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the playing track is provided in an outer or circumferential region of the playing surface and includes spaces corresponding to the pockets of an actual snooker table.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which each of the spaces corresponding to the location of pockets on a snooker table, are coloured a respective colour corresponding to the coloured balls utilised in the game of snooker.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, in which certain spaces contain information of advantage to a player, other spaces are marked with information of disadvantage to a player, whilst other spaces can be blank and have no advantage to a player.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 9, in which the first playing surface also includes spaces coloured red, and if the playing piece of a player lands thereon such corresponds to the successful potting of a red ball in the game of snooker.

11. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 10, in which, additionally, the playing surface includes spaces having chance information thereon which may or may not be of advantage to a player.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, in which the first playing surface is provided with a recess, triangular in form,corresponding to the normal position in which the red balls are located prior to a snooker game commencing, such recessed space being suitable for the first random number selection means, such as a dice, which is numbered from two to seven.

13. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 12, in which the second playing surface, which is rectangular in shape, has spaces marked thereon or therein for location of chance cards and also cards coloured to correspond to each of the colours utilised in snooker and containing questions thereon or having questions associated therewith, the correct answering of such a question indicating that the colour selected has been successfully potted.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, in which the second playing surface also includes a second random number selection means.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, in which the selection means is in the form of a spinning device having seven sectors marked thereon, six of the sectors respectively corresponding to the six coloured balls utilised in snooker and the seventh sector being blank, such blank sector indicating that no question may be answered.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, 14 or 15, in which the second playing surface also includes scoring means for each of the players.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, in which the second playing surface additionally includes a recess wherein all of the playing pieces and,the random number selection means for the first playing surface may be located, and when the game is ip action such recess can be utilised for discarded cards.

18. An apparatus for playing a game simulating snooker situations, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.