GB2239812A

GB2239812A - Game apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2239812A
Application number: GB9100683A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Anthony Mccorry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-01-11
Filing date: 1991-01-11
Publication date: 1991-07-17
Also published as: GB9100683D0; GB9000615D0

Abstract

A game apparatus comprises a receptacle (10) having a plurality of playing stations (12) located thereupon. Each playing station (12) has a cypher code (14), consisting of a series of digits, associated therewith. The receptacle (10) which has a bottom (16) and a side surround (18) may be hexagonal in plan and mounted on a plinth which projects a short distance beyond each side to provide a lodge (22). The playing stations (12) are located one along the top of each side of the surround (18). A plurality of elements (28), in the form of pegs, are provided in co-operation with the receptacle (10) to be used by each intended participant to indicate a selected digit from the cypher code (14) at a respective playing station in accordance with rules of a game being played. The pegs are each insertable into a hole (30) of a first row of holes provided with one hole (30) against each digit in the cypher code (14). A second row of holes (32) for each playing station (12) is provided in each lodge (22). <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR A GAME This invention relates to apparatus for playing a game and is intended particularly, hut not exclusively, for use in playing dice games.

An objective. of the present invention is to provide apparatus for use by a plurality of intended participants to compete in a dice game which combines both skill and chance.

Accordingly, the present invention is a game apparatus comprising a playing utensil having a plurality of playing stations located thereupon and each playing station having a cypher code associated therewith. The cypher codes for each playing station are desirably identical.

Preferably, the playing stations are located around a perimeter of the playing utensil. The playinq stations are desirably sequentially numbered in a clockwise direction.

Preferably also, the playing utensil is a receptacle having a bottom and a side surround. The receptacle may desirably be polygonal in plan and the playing stations may conveniently be located one along the top of each side of the surround. The top of the side surround may define a mouth of the receptacle, and a lip may desirably surmount the sides of the side surround. The receptacle is preferably hexagonal in plan. The receptacle is desirably mounted on a plinth which projects a short distance beyond each side to provide a ledge.

Preferably also, the cypher codes associated with the playing stations each comprise a series of Arabic numerals. Each cypher code preferably comprises the Arabic numerals 0 to 9 inclusive.

Additonaily, the cypher codes associated with the playing stations may beneficially be formed on elongate plaques securely fixed upon the top of the lip of each side of the receptacle at the locations of the playing stations. The elonqate plaques may desirably be fabricated from a material, or the material may be provided with a protective coatinq, from which water soluble ink can be erased.

Preferably further, a plurality of elements are provided in cooperation with the playing utensil to be used by each intended participant to indicate a selected digit from the cypher code at a respective playing station in accordance with- rules of a game being played.

The elements may beneficially be pegs, each insertable into a hole of a row of holes provided with one hole aqainst each digit in the cypher code. A second row of holes for each playing station may preferably be provided in ench ledge.

The elements may alternatively be covers shaped so that they can be removably attached over a digit of the cypher code. The elements, in the form of pegs or covers, are preferably used to indicate a digit which has been selected in accordance with the rules by a participant from his/her respective playing station during the course of the game.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a perspective view of playing utensil according to the present invention.

Referrinq to the drawing, a game apparatus comprises a playing utensil, in the form of a receptacle 10, havinq a plurality of playing stations 12 located thereupon and each playing station 12 having a cypher code 14 associated therewith.

The playing receptacle 10 has a bottom 16 and a side surround 18. The receptacle is polygonal in plan, preferably hexagonal as shown, and the playing stations 12 are located one along the top of each side of the surround 18. The top of the side surround 18 defines a mouth of the receptacle, and a lip 20 surmounts the sides of the side surround 18. The receptacle 10 is mounted on a plinth 22 which projects a short distance beyond each side to provide a ledge 24.

The playing stations 12 are located around a perimeter of the receptacle 10 and they are sequentially numbered 1 to 6 in a clockwise direction.

The cypher codes 14 for each playing station 12 are identical. The cypher codes 14 associated with the playing stations 12 each comprise a series of ten digits in the form of Arabic numerals 0 to 9 inclusive, 0 denoting 10, and the numerals being arranged 1 through to 0 as shown. The cypher codes 14 associated with the playing stations 12 are formed on elongate plaques 26 securely fixed upon the top of the lip 20 of each side of the receptacle 10 at the locations of the playing stations 12. The elongate plaques 26 are fabricated from metal, such as brass, or from plastics material.

Additionally, the material, or a protective coating over the material, is of a type from which water soluble ink can be erased.

A plurality of elements 28 are provided in cooperation with the playing receptacle 10 to be used by each intended participant to indicate a selected digit from the cypher code at a respective playing station 12 in accordance with rules of a game being played. The elements 28 are in the form of pegs, ten provided for each staion 12. Each peg is insertable into a hole 30 of a row of holes provided with one hole against each digit in the cypher code 14 as shown. A second row of holes 32 for each playing station 12 is provided in each ledge 22. The holes 30, 32 are formed by blind bores drilled into the material from which the receptacle is made.

In a modification, the elements 28 can be covers shaped so that they can be removably attached over a digit of the cypher code.

The elements 28, in the form of pegs or covers, are used to indicate a digit which has been selected in accordance with the rules by a participant from his/her respective playing station 12, during the course of the game. In the embodiment, the pegs are initially located one in each hole of the first row and have to be transferred to corresponding holes in the second row in accordance with the rules of the game. In an alternative embodiment if only the first row of holes are provided, the pegs are placed into a respective hole 30 in accordance with the rules of the game.

In a modification, where the elements 28 are covers of substantial "C" shaped in cross-section,each is used in cooperation with the plaques 26 on which the cypher codes 14 are formed. The covers are able to be removably clipped to a plaque 26 to cover from view a digit from the cypher code 14 formed on said plaque 26.

The covers are of sufficient width as to exclude from view only a selected digit from a cypher code 14 over which the cover has been removably attached. The covers are made from a resilient plastics material.

It is envisaged that the game apparatus, a preferred embodiment of which is hereinbefore described, is for use hy a plurality of participants to compete in dice games combining both skill and chance wherein the common object of the dice games in for each participant to select a playing station 12 at the beginning of a game and to thereafter take it in turn to cast a pair of dice 34 into the receptacle 10 and, in accordance with the rules of the game being played, to attempt to have all the digits of their respective cypher code 14 cancelled, by moving the pegs for each digit from the first row of holes to the second row, or placing each peg held into the holes of the first row, or by using the covers to blank off each digit in the respective code, the participant achieving this first being elected the winner of the game.

Participants competing in a dice game utilising the alternative modification of the game apparatus can cover from view the digits of the cypher code 14 associated with their chosen playing station 12 simply by crossing out said digits, according to the rules of the dice game being played, using a pen containing water soluble ink. The cypher codes 14 can be later uncovered by use of water moistened cloth.

Although, in the alternative modification of the game receptacle 10 it is desired that the plaques 26 are fabricated from a material from which water soluble ink can be erased, it is equally applicable for materials to be used to fabricate the plaques 26 from which other types of ink can be erased using suitable solvents.

The rule scheme outlined in the next, but one, six followinq paraqraphs is an example of a rule scheme for a dice game utilising the game receptacle 10 of the invention and which more clearly defines the objective of the invention.

The dice game can be played by between two and six participants and it is intended that two standard dice 34 should be used with the game receptacle 10.

Rules of a dice game utilisinq the game receptacle 10.

1. Each intended participant chooses a playing station 12.

2. Each participant takes it in turn to cast the two dice into the receptacle 10 until one participant scores at least one six or the equivalent sum by adding together the scores on the dice. This participant then recasts the dice into the receptacle 10 to begin the game.

3. Having cast the dice into the receptacle 10, a participant can choose to identify digits of his cypher code 14 at his chosen playing station 12 according to the sum of the scores on the dice of the individual scores of the two dice, provided that these digits have not already been identified and in the case of two differing individual scores on the dice both digits corresponding to the different scores must be available for covering from view.

4. The participant, in play, continues to recast the dice into the receptacle 10 until he is no longer able to identify any further available digits of his cypher code 14.

5. The next participant casts the dice into the receptacle 10 and continues to play in a similar manner to the last participant.

6. The game continues until one participant has succeeded in identifying all ten digits of his cypher code 14 at his chosen playing station 12 and is accordinqly elected the winner of the game.

The rules for a dice game to be played using the game receptacle 10 of the invention, as outlined above, can be manipulated to increase the difficulty and raise the skill factor of the game being played, for example, by obliging participants to remove a peg or cover from a digit previously identified, for their playing station 12 when they achieve a double score with their cast of the dice, except scores of double six or double one when they may elect to remove a peg or cover used to identify a digit on the playing station 12 of an opposing participant.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A game apparatus comprising a playing utensil having a plurality of playing stations located thereupon and each playing station having a cypher code associated therewith.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cypher codes for each playing station are identical.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the playing stations are located around a perimeter of the playing utensil.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the playing stations are sequentially numbered in a clockwise direction.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, 2 , 3 or 4, wherein the playing utensil is a receptacle having a bottom and a side surround.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the receptacle is polygonal in plan and the playing stations are located one along the top of each side of the surround.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the top of the side surround defines a mouth of the receptacle, and a lip surmounts the sides of the side surround.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein the receptacle is hexagonal in plan.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the receptacle is mounted on a plinth which projects a short distance beyond each side to provide a ledge.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the cypher codes associated with the playing stations each comprise a series of digits consisting of Arabic numerals.

11. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, wherein each cypher code comprises the Arabic numerals 0 to 9 inclusive.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims 5 to 11, wherein the cypher codes associated with the playing stations are formed on elongate plaques securely fixed upon the top of the lip of each. side of the receptacle at the locations of the playing stations.

13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the elongate plaques are fabricated from a material, or the material is provided with a protective coating, from which water soluble ink can be erased.

14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the elongate plaques are fabricated from a material provided with a protective coating from which water soluble ink can be erased.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein a plurality of elements are provided in co-operation with the playing utensil to be used by each intended participant to indicate a selected digit from the cypher code at a respective playing station in accordance wit rules of a game being played.

16. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the elements are pegs, each insertable into a hole of a row of holes provided with one hole against each digit in the cypher code.

17. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 16, wherein a second row of holes for each playing station is provided in each ledge.

18. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the elements are covers shaped so that they can be removably attached over a digit of the cypher code.

19. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 15 to 18, wherein the elements are used to indicate a digit which has been selected in accordance with the rules by a participant from his/her respective playing station during the course of the game.

20. A game apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.