GB2203657A

GB2203657A - Board games

Info

Publication number: GB2203657A
Application number: GB08709475A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mohammad Ridha Ali
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-04-22
Filing date: 1987-04-22
Publication date: 1988-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 2007-04-22
Also published as: GB2203657B; GB8709475D0

Abstract

A board game comprises an equilateral triangular board 1, marked with a grid 2 dividing the playing surfaces into equilateral triangular spaces 3 and tetrahedral playing pieces 5 which at the commencement of the game are placed on triangles at each corner of the board. Each triangular space 3 bears one of a set of four different identifiers and each piece 5 bears the same set of identifiers, a different identifier appearing on each face. The set of identifiers may comprise colours, numbers, dots or braille markings. During the course of the game, the pieces 5 are tipped or rolled across the board from one space 3 to the next, the object being to traverse the board and capture the opponents' pieces. According to the rules, each piece 5 may only roll onto a space 3 where the identifier matches the identifier on the base of the piece 5. <IMAGE>

Description

BOARD GAME This invention relates to a board game for two or three players.

According to the invention, a board game is provided comprising an equilateral triangular board or playing surface marked with a regular triangular grid subdividing that surface into a plurality of adjacent rows of equilateral triangles, each row consisting of a plurality of equilateral triangles, each inverted with respect to its neighbour or neighbours and sharing a side or sides in common, alternate triangles in one row sharing a base in common with alternate triangles in the adjacent row, each of said triangles being identified by one of four identifiers, and a plurality of regular tetrahedral playing pieces, the four triangular faces of each tetrahedral playing piece being of substantially the same dimensions as the triangles formed on said board or playing surface by the triangular grid, and the four triangular faces of each tetrahedral playing piece being marked with a different one of said four identifiers; the game involving the principle of each player advancing his playing pieces step by step across the board by rolling or tipping each tetrahedral piece from one triangle to the next, such rolling or tipping taking place about one edge of the tetrehedron which, in that particular orientation of the piece, defines one side of the triangular base upon which the piece sits, from a first triangle on the board or playing surface having an identifier corresponding to the identifier on the base (when considered in that particular orientation? of that particular playing piece to a second, immediately adjacent triangle having an identifier corresponding to the identifier on that triangular face of the tetradedron which shares that one edge with said (temporary) base and which, in the ne orientation of the playing piece becomes the base, such step by step advancement across the board having the objective of advancing the pieces across the board or playing surface with or without "capturing" opponents' pieces on the way.

The game can be played by two or three players with va iouE objectives in mind, for example, by starting with all his pieces in one corner, the winner can be defined as the first player to move his pieces, or just one piece, right across the board from the apex of the triangle to the base, or the first player to move one of his pieces into an opposite (opponent's) corner, the opponent, or opponents, of course, trying to block the route whilst at the same time trying to move one of their own pieces into the corner occupied at the commencement of the game by the first player, or even more simply the winner can be declared as the player who first "captures" all of an opponent's pieces, "capture" taking place by one player moving one of his pieces onto a triangle already occupied by an opponent's piece.

Numerous other variations in the game can be devised without departing from the concept herein defined.

In one particularly preferred embodiment the three corners of the board or playing surface are identified by a different one of three identifiers, and the playing pieces are sub-divided into three equal sets, with each piece in each set being identified with an identifier corresponding to one of the three corner identifiers of the playing board or surface, there being three sets in all, each corresponding to a different one of the three corners, and wherein play commences with all the pieces of each set placed in the corresponding corner of the board, as identified by their respective corner identifiers, and with each piece in each set placed on a triangle whose identifier corresponds with the identifiers on the base (when considered in that particular orientation) of the particular piece placed on that triangle.

More particularly such an embodiment may comprise a game wherein the board or playing surface comprises a regular triangular grid defining 100 triangular playing spaces, and wherein each set of playing pieces comprises 8 total of six.

The identifiers provided on the board and on the playing pieces may be coloured markers, numerical indices, dots, braile markings and the like, or combinations thereof.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a board or playing surface of a preferred embodiment of the board game of this invention; Figure la is a perspective view of one playing piece forming part of the board game of Figure 1; Figure 2 is a plan view of a minor variant of the board shown in Figure 1; Figure 2a is a perspective view of a playing piece for that variant; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a board and a coinplete set of playing pieces according to the preferred embodiment of the invention and showing the board and pieces set up for play at the commencement of the game; and Figure 4 illustrates the rolling movement followed by each piece during the course of play from one triangle to the next.

Since the two variants (Figures l/la and 2/2a) differ only in the form of the identifiers used to identify the individual triangles on the playing surface, and the individual faces of each playing piece (numerical identifiers and coloured identifiers, respectively), and not in the manner of play, both variants will be described simultaneously.

In describing the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be convenient to start with Figure 3, which shows the board and the playing pieces set up for play at the commencement of the game.

As will be seen the game consists of an equilateral triangular board (1), the playing surface of which is marked with a triangular grid (2) subdividing the surface into 100 equilateral triangles or playing spaces (3).

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, each of these divisions is identified by one of four identifiers which are numerical indices in the case of Figure 1, and coloured indices in the case of Figure 2.

Viewed from each of the three sides, the playing surface of the board (1) can be considered as subdivided into 10 adjacent rows of triangles (numbered 1 to 10 in Figure 1), each row, apart from row 10 which consists of but a single triangle at each apex of the board, consisting of an odd number of equilateral triangles (19 in row 1, down to 3 in row 9) alternate triangles in each row being inverted with respect to its neighbours and sharing two sides in common (except, of course, the end triangles in the row), the inverted triangles sharing a base in common with alternate triangles in the next row.

Additionally, the three corners A, B, C of the board (1) are marked with one of three identifiers, which conveniently in both variants, are colours indicated by the cross-hatched areas (4a, 4b) on the edge of the board at corners B and C (Figure 3). For convenience, these can be called the red corner, the green corner and the blue corner; which is which does not matter so far as the present description is concerned.

As shown in Figure 3, each of the players in the red, green and blue corners, have a set, in this case six, tetrahedrally shaped playing pieces oI pyramids (5), initially (and in this version of the game only, since other initial arrays will be possible in other versions) grouped in a hexagonal array on six adjacent triangular spaces in each of the three corners of the board.

The individual playing pieces are shown in detail in Figures la and 2a, and each consist of a regular tetrahedron or pyramid, the triangular faces of which are of substantially the same size as the triangles 3 on the playing surface of the board. Moreover, each of the four faces is marked with a different one of four identifiers, corresponding to the identifiers of the triangles on the board, in the case of Figure la numerical indices from 1 to 4 (faces 3, 4 not being visible), and in the case of Figure 2a, differently coloured faces, e.g. white, brown, grey, yellow.

Additionally, each of the six pieces making up each set of playing pieces carries an identifier corresponding to one of the three corner identifiers on the board. In the case illustrated, the playing pieces of each set are identified by coloured markers 4c (red, blue or green) on each apex of the piece, and corresponding to the red, blue and green identifiers (4a, 4b) on the three corners A, B, C of the board.

At the commencement of play, each piece is placed in its respective corner on a triangle whose identifier (colour or number) corresponds to the identifier on that face of that particular piece which, in that particular orientation forms the base of the pyramid. This correlation between the identifiers on the base (for the time being) of the pyramid (i.e. a regular tetrahedron standing on one face) and the triangle on which it stands is maintained throughout the game, and is of the essence of this invention.

The game, at least in the preferred version, is played by each player in turn moving one of his pieces from one triangle to the next by tipping or rolling (see Figure 4) the piece about one edge, being one of the three edges which, in that particular orientation defines the base of the pyramid, it being a condition that the triangle on to which the piece is rolled or tipped shares a common boundary with the triangle upon which the piece is currently standing and has an identifier which corresponds to the identifier on that face of the tetrahedron which, in the new orientation, becomes the base of the pyramid. Other rules may prescribe that pieces may not roll backwards, or that each move may consist of two or more consecutive rolls, but such variations in the rules in no way depart from the concept of the invention.

Sirnilarly, and as already indicated, the objectives of the game ma) be very different. For example, it may simply be the objective to move one or all your pieces from your own corner to the immediately opposite row one, or alternatively, one of your playing pieces into one or both of the opposite corners, i.e. the opponents' corners, the opponents of course seeking to do the same thing, but in the opposite direction, whilst at the same time preventing you from obtaining your objective, e.g. by blocking tactics. The rules of the game may or may not prescribe that opponents1 pieces can be "captured" and removed from the board by any one player landing on a space already occupied by an opponents piece; indeed this can be an objective of the game, i.e. to capture all the opponent's pieces.

Nor is it essential to the concept of this invention to have 6 playing pieces in each set or even a grid of 100 spaces, these happen merely to give rise to a board and playing pieces of convenient dimensions, and are therefore preferred.

Other possibilities using the same size board (100 spaces) are three sets of playing pieces, e.g. seven, eight or fifteen in number, and which at the commencement of the game fully or partially occupy the first row of triangles along each side of the board (all except, of course, the extreme corners), the object then being a straight race across the board in three different directions, each player seeking to be the first to move one of his pieces to the opposite corner of the board. In this case, of course, it will be the three sides (not the three corners) of the board that will be identified by different identifiers, with corresponding identifiers on the three setc of pieces.

These ano numerous other variants are all within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A board game for two or three players comprising an equllateral triangular board or playing surface marked with a regular triangular grid subdividing that surface into a plurality of adjacent rows of equilateral triangles, each row consisting of a plurality of equilateral triangles, each inverted with respect to its neighbour or neighbours and sharing a side or sides in common, alternate triangles in one row sharing a base in common with alternate triangles in the adjacent row, each of said triangles being identified by one of four identifiers, and a plurality of regular tetrahedral playing pieces, the four triangular faces of each tetrahedral playing piece being of substantiallx the same dimensions as the triangles formed on said board or playing surface by the triangular grid, and the four triangular faces of each tetrahedral playing piece being marked with a different one of said four identifiers; the game involving the principle of each player advancing his playing pieces step by step across the board by rolling or tipping each tetrahedral piece from one triangle to the next, such rolling or tipping taking place about one edge of the tetrehedron which, in that particular orientation of the piece, defines one side of the triangular base upon which the piece sits, from a first triangle on the board or playing surface having an identifier corresponding to the identifier on the base (when considered in that particular orientation) of that particular playing piece to a second, immediately adjacent triangle having an identifier corresponding to the identifier on that triangular face of the tetradedron which shares that one edge with said (temporary) base and which, in the new orientation of fle playing piece becomes the base, such step by step advancement across the board having the objective of advancing the pieces across the board or playing surface with or without "capturing" opponents' pieces on the way.

2. A board game according to claim 1, wherein the three corners of the board or playing surface are identified by a different one ot three identifiers, and wherein the playing pieces are sub-divided into three equal sets, with each piece in each set being identified with an identifier corresponding to one of the three corner identifiers of the playing boara or surface, there being three sets in all, each corresponding to a different one of the three corners, and wherein play commences with all the pieces of each set placed in the corresponding corner of the board, as identified by their respective corner identifiers, and with each piece in each set placed on a triangle whose identifier corresponds with the identifiers on the base (when considered in that particular orientation) of the particular piece placed on that triangle, an objective being for each player to move one or more of his pieces from the starting corner to one or other or both of the opposite corners, or to the opposite side of the board, with or without "capturing" opponents? pieces on the way.

3. A board game according to claim 1, wherein the three sides of the board or playing surface are identified by a different one of three identifiers, and wherein the playing pieces are sub-divided into three equal sets, with each piece in each set being identified with an identifier corresponding to one of the three side identifiers of the playing board or surface, there being three sets in all, each corresponding to a different one of the three sides, and wherein play commences with all the pieces of each set placed along the corresponding side of the board, as identified by their respective side identifiers, and with each piece in each set placed on a triangle whose identifier corresponds with the identifiers on the base (when considered in that particular orientation) of the particular piece placed on that triangle, an objective being for each player to move one or more of his pieces from the starting side to the opposite corner of the board, with or without "capturing" opponents' pieces on the way.

4. A board game according to claim 2. wherein the board or playing surface comprises a regular triangular grid defining 100 triangular playing spaces, and wherein each set of playing pieces comprises a total of 6.

5. A board game according to claim 3, wherein the board or playing surface comprises a regular triangular grid definin 100 triangular playing spaces. and wherein each set of playing pieces comprises a total of 7, 8 or 15 pieces.

6. A board game according to claim 1, 2 or e wherein the identifiers on the triangular playing spaces on the board or playing surface, and the corresponding identifiers on the faces of the playing pieces are colours, numerical indices, dots, or braille markings.

7. A board game according to claim 2 or 3, or any of claims 3, 4, and 5 as dependent thereon, wherein the corner or side identifiers on the board or playing surface, and the corresponding identifiers on the three sets of playing pieces are colours.

8. A board game according to calim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.