GB2217214A - Board game apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a hexagonal board subdivided into a tessellated arrangement of equilateral triangles, and two to four sets of playing pieces, with at least seven pieces in each set. The triangles into which the board is subdivided alternate in type along rows of triangles such that edges of each triangle are parallel to two opposed edges of the hexagon, and the number of any type of triangle along any edge of the hexagon is at least four. The apparatus can be used to play a draughts-type game for 2, 3 or 4 players. <IMAGE>

Description

Board Game Apparatus Ihis invention relates to board games.

Draughts is a well-known board game for two players, employing a draughts board and twelve pieces for each player, in which each player moves his pieces in such a way that he attempts to jump over and capture his opponent's pieces.

Draughts is relatively limited, because: 1). Cnly two people can play at any one time.

2). The configuration of the board together with the constraints on types of movement of pieces provide relatively few alternative moves at any turn.

3). Ihe-combination of and 2) results in relatively predictable events from one game to another.

We have now devised a board game, which while retaining some of the characteristics of the traditional game of draughts, contains new features which provide an improvement relative to the traditional game by: 1). Allowing for 2,3 or 4 players.

2). Providing a greater number of alternative moves, to offer greater scope for decision-making, strategy and skill.

Providing the potential for events on the board to be more veried and less predictable.

According to the present invention, there is provided game apparatus comprising: (a) a game board having a playing configuration provided on the surface of the board, the playing configuration comprising a hexagon subdivided into a tessellated arrangement of equilateral triangles which alternate in type along rows thereof, the edges of each triangle being parallel to two opposed edges of said hexagon, the number of either type of said triangles contiguous with each edge of said hexagon being at least four; and (b) two to four sets of playing pieces, each set comprising at least seven said pieces.

The term "parallel" as used herein encompasses contiguity, whereby edges of said triangles are contiguous with (and thereby define) the edges of the hexagon.

Preferably, each set of playing pieces comprises ten pieces, such that each set can be arranged at the start of a game with four pieces on alternating triangles in a row along one edge, with three pieces along the next inner row on alternating triangles of the same type as the alternating triangles in the edge row, and with two pieces and one piece, respectively, in the next two rows.

Preferably all the pieces in each set are identical. It is also preferred that the game apparatus further comprises means for indicating enhanced value for at least some of the pieces in at least some of the sets of pieces, in accordance with rules for the game.

The two types of triangle are generally represented by different colours; for example, one type of triangle may be light in colour ("white") and the other type may be darker in colour ("black").

In a first embodiment of the invention, the hexagon may be regular in shape and divided into 96 of the triangles (48 of each type). In a second embodiment, the hexagon may be irregular and comprise sides of lengths comprising, successively, in order around the periphery of the hexagon, four, five, five, five, four and six edges of said triangles.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the game board is reversible andbprovided with a regular hexagon (as described above with reference to the first embodiment) on one face thereof and an irregular hexagon (as described above with reference to the second embodiment) on the other face thereof.

It is further preferred that the board (whether or not it is reversible), should be provided with one slit extending from an apex of the hexagon along edges of triangles of the two types and five radial hinged edges extending from the remaining five apices along edges of triangles of the two types to a point at which six triangles meet, such that the board can be folded into six stacked triangular flaps each of which contains at least 16 of the above mentioned triangles.

Apparatus according to the invention may be used for a game according to the following rules.

THE BOARD: A reversible hexagonal board is employed by hinging together six triangular flaps on five edges, in such a way that they can be unfolded to form the flat hexagonal board or folded so that each flap overlaps, and is overlapped by, its adjacent flap to form a neat stack of six triangular flaps.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the top flap on the stack when they are folded, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the stack showing how the six flaps are hinged together.

The board is reversible and has a different pattern of triangles on each face. Figure 3 shows the pattern on one face of the board and Figure 4 shows the pattern on the other face of the board. The numbers around the edges of the board in the drawings indicate different coloured strips, and the numbered triangles arranged in patterns pointing to the centre of the board represent the different coloured playing pieces set up ready for the game to begin.

THE PLAS G PIECES Forty hollow tetrahedrons of lOx 4 different colours are employed. Each player will use tetrahedrons (or Tri' 5 as they will henceforth be called) of one colour only.

The shape of these Tri '5 is shown in Figure 5. The Tri's are placed hollow side down during play (and may be stacked inside one another for efficient storage when not in use).

There are also twenty flat triangular shapes (crowns) included in the game; see Figure 6. These are to signify that a Tri has been promoted to enhanced value during the game and are placed on the Tri's as illustrated in Figure 7.

SETTING UP THE BOARD If there are 2 or 3 players, use the side of the board with three coloured edges and the larger triangles (see Figure 4). Each player arranges ten triangular pyramids (or Tri's) against the edge of matching colour as shown in the diagram. If there are 4 players, use the side of the board with four coloured edges and the smaller triangles. Each player arranges ten Tri's as shown in Figure 3.

HOW TO WIS The object of the game is to try to capture all of your opponents pieces. When pieces are captured they are removed from the board. The winner is the last player to have pieces remaining on the board. If a position is reached where remaining players agree that a decisive result cannot be achieved, then the winner is that remaining player who has captured the most pieces. If, after this rule is applied, there is still a tie, then the winner is the one who has the most pieces still on the board. If this rule does not produce a winner, then a draw is declared.

RULES FOR 2 AD 3 PLAYERS Players decide who starts and then make alternate moves. Tri's can only move onto black triangles in a maximum of four directions. They can move sideways or forwards of their current position relative to their base colour. For example, in Figure 4A, there are six adjacent black triangles to the Tri of colour 1, these being A,B,C,D,E and F. The four directions that this Tri can move from its current position are to triangle E or E, because that direction is parallel to its base colour, and to triangles D or C because that direction is forward relative to its base colour. Moving onto triangles F or A would be moving backwards relative to its base colour and is thus not allowed. Similarly, the legal moves for the Tri of colour 2 are to triangles K,H,G and L, because they are parallel to or forwards of its base colour.

when a player succeeds in moving a Tri onto one of the four black triangles adjacent to an edge whose colour is different from his own, then it is promoted to a "King".

Kings can move in any direction and are identified by placing a black triangular crown around their neck. A Tri can only be promoted at the end of its move.

The rules for capturing opponents pieces are similar to those in draughts. A player can capture an opponents piece(s) if, on his turn to move, an opponents piece is on a triangle adjacent to one of his pieces, and there is a vacant triangle on the opposite side of it for him to land on. The vacant triangle must be adjacent to the piece being captured and the three triangles (the one the attacking piece is on, the one the piece being captured is on and the vacantone the attacking piece will land on) must all be in a straight line. Pieces cannot be captured if the attacking piece has to "turn a corner . Players are not allowed to jump over or capture their own pieces. Pieces can only be captured when the attacking piece is moving in a legal direction relative to its base colour, unless the attcking piece has been promoted to a King.There is no limit to the number of opponents pieces that can be captured in any one move provided all of the above conditions have been met. Any player who is given the opportunity to capture a piece must do so, or else he will be ruled. out of the game and his pieceds taken off the board. A player presented with a choice of captures can of course select the most beneficial.

RULES FOR 4 PLAYERS: These are exactly the same as for 2 or 3 players except for the method of promoting Iri's. When there are 4 players, Tri's are promoted to Kings by landing on a black triangle with a side or corner touching any of the three edges in the opposite half of the board to their base colour. There are fourteen possible "promotion" triangles for each player to aim at. For instance, in Figure 3, player 1 can promote his Tri's by landing on any black triangle which touches edges 6,3 and 4.

Player 2 can promote his Tri's by landing on any black triangle which touches edges 3,4 and 5.

Claims (11)

CLAIMS:

1. Game apparatus comprising: (a) a game board having a playing configuration provided on the surface of the board, the playing configuration comprising a hexagon subdivided into a tessellated arrangement of equilateral triangles which alternate in type along rows thereof, the edges of each triangle being parallel to two opposed edges of said hexagon, the number of either type of said triangles contiguous with each edge of said hexagon being at least four; and (b) two to four sets of playing pieces, each set comprising at least seven said pieces.

2. Game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each said set of playing pieces comprises ten pieces.

3. Game apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein all the pieces, in each of said sets, are identical.

4. Game apparatus according to claim 3, in which the playing pieces are tetrahedron-shaped.

5. Game apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, which further comprises means for indicating enhanced value for at least some of the pieces in each of said sets.

6. Game apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said hexagon is regular and divided into 96 of said triangles, 48 of each type.

7. Game apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said hexagon is irregular and comprises sides of lengths comprising, successively in order around the periphery thereof, four, five, five, five, four and six edges of said triangles.

8. Game apparatus according to claim 6, in which the game board is reversible and comprises a hexagon as defined in claim 7 on the obverse thereof.

9. Game apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, in which the game board is provided with one slit extending from an apex of the hexagon along edges of triangles of the two types and five radial hinged edges extending from the remaining five apices along edges of triangles of the two types to a point at which six triangles meet, such that the board can be folded into six stacked triangular flaps each of which contains at least 16 of the above mentioned triangles.

10. Game apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. Game apparatus substantially as described herein.