GB2240279A - Board game apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Board game apparatus includes a board (1) with a circular playing surface divided into a central region (2) defining two opposing home bases (4A, 4B) each of which is marked out in squares, and an outer region (3) defining a playing track which is divided radially into a starting position (START) and a plurality of non-contiguous, radially elongate zones (5). The zones (5) include two sets of home lanes (5A, 5B) which are numbered from "1" to "6" in opposite senses from the starting position (START) and a set of eleven "neutral" lanes between the two sets of home lanes. The game apparatus also includes two dice and respective sets of playing pieces for two players. The game is of the backgammon family. <IMAGE>

Description

BOARD GAME APPARATUS The present invention relates to board game apparatus.

The board game apparatus according to the present invention cqmprises: a board with a playing surface which delimits a central region defining two opposing home bases and an outer region defining a playing track divided into a plurality of zones including two sets of home zones numbered from 1 to n in opposite senses from a starting position between the two sets, random chance selector means for indicating numbers from 1 to n, and playing pieces for two players, the players starting the game with their pieces in their opponent's home base and taking turns to move their pieces around the track in respective opposite directions from the starting position, under the control of the random chance selector means, to their own home zones and then to their home base, the players having to obtain from the random chance selector means a number corresponding to or higher than the number of a home zone in order to move a piece from that home zone to the home base.

In a preferred embodiment, the playing surface is circular and the zones of the track are non-contiguous and radially elongate, defining so-called "lanes" which can accommodate several playing pieces side by side.

In other cases, however, the zones of the track may take the form of contiguous segments able to accommodate stacks of playing pieces.

The game may be played in such a way that a player cannot place one of his pieces on a zone or lane already occupied by two or more of his opponent's pieces but can pass over such a zone or lane during the course of a move if the number indicated by the random chance selector means enables him to move onto a subsequent zone or lane. Moreover, the game may be played according to a rule whereby the first piece of any player to occupy a particular zone or lane can be blocked or checked if the opposing player succeeds in placing one or more of his own pieces on that zone or lane: the first player's piece cannot then be moved until the opponent's pieces have been moved away.

The game may be won simply by the first player to get all of his pieces to his home base. In an interesting variation, however, points are awarded to a player who gets all of his pieces to his home base in dependence on the number and locations of his opponent's pieces still in play on the track, and the game is won by the first player to reach his home base with all his pieces and to amass a predetermined number of points.

Although the random chance selector means may be of any suitable type, for example electronic or a roulette-type wheel, for the sake of convenience in preferred embodiments, the random chance selector means comprise at least one die such that n = 6 and the track may include a further set of unnumbered zones (or lanes) between the two home zones (or lanes) numbered 6 so as to provide a section of "neutral" track which affords more opportunities for the blocking or checking of an opponent's pieces than would be the case if the track merely consisted of the twelve home zones (or lanes). A further set of eleven zones (or lanes) has been found to be suitable.

Preferably, the game is played with two dice so that, in each turn, a player throws the two dice and the moves one piece around the track by a given number of zones corresponding to the numbers indicated by the dice considered individually or moves two pieces each by a respective number of zones corresponding to the number indicated by a respective die. Play may also proceed on the basis that, if the number indicated by one or both of the dice would put a piece belonging to one player on a zone or lane already occupied by two or more of his opponent's pieces, the move in question cannot be made. The game may, of course, be played in this manner with a single die, each turn requiring two throws of the die.

Each player has a sufficient number of pieces to make the game interesting without being too time-consuming.

Thirteen or fifteen pieces per player have been found to be appropriate.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagram of a board forming part of board game apparatus according to the invention.

As shown in the drawing, a board 1 has a circular playing surface divided into a central region 2 and an outer region 3. The central region 2 defines two opposing home bases 4A, 4B each of which is marked out with fifteen squares in three staggered rows of six, five and four squares respectively. The outer region 3 defines a playing track which is divided radially into a starting position marked "START" and twenty-three non-contiguous, radially elongate zones or lanes 5.

The lanes include two sets of home lanes 5A, 5B which are numbered from "1" to "6" in opposite senses from the starting position "START", and a set of eleven "neutral" lanes between the two sets of home lanes.

The game also includes two dice and respective sets of thirteen or fifteen playing pieces for two players.

The two sets of playing pieces may be of contrasting colours, for example red and blue, to match the respective home zones 4A, 4B and home lanes 5A, 5B and the pieces themselves may take the form of counters or so-called "checks" (not shown).

The lanes 5 of the playing track can accommodate up to six pieces side by side, the first piece to occupy a lane preferably being placed at its radially outer end which may be specially marked or coloured for the purpose. A line 6 may be marked near the radially inner end of each lane 5, the purpose of which will be explained below.

The game is played in accordance with the following principles and method of play.

1. The game is for two players.

2. The board 1 is set out with the player's pieces arranged on their opponent's home base 4A, 4B.

3. To determine who will lead off, each player throws the two dice and the player with the higher score begins the game as the first player.

4. The first player then commences play by throwing the two dice again, taking a first piece from the opponent's home base and moving it around the track in a respective sense from the nSTART" for the same number of lanes as the number indicated by the first die, and then moving the same piece or a second piece around the track for the same number of lanes as the number indicated by the second die. In other words, the numbers indicated by the two dice are considered separately for consecutive moves by one piece or successive moves by two pieces, but are not considered in total.

If it is assumed that the first player takes his pieces from the home base 4B, he will move his pieces around the track in an anticlockwise sense from the "START", initially crossing his opponent's home lanes 5B.

5. The first piece or check to occupy a particular lane 5 is placed in the marked or coloured area at its radially outer end.

6. When the first player has completed his opening moves, the second, opposing player throws the two dice and then proceeds to make two consecutive moves with one piece for the same numbers of lanes as the numbers indicated by the two dice or two successive moves with two pieces for the same respective numbers of lanes as indicated by the respective dice, again placing the first piece to occupy a particular lane in the marked or coloured area at its radially outer end.

On the basis of the above assumption, the second player takes his pieces from the home base 4A and moves them around the board in a clockwise sense from the "START".

7. Play the continues with the players taking turns and moving their pieces around the track in opposite senses in order to reach their own home lanes 5A, 5B and then to move their pieces onto their home bases 4A, 4B.

8. As the players move their pieces around the track there will come a time when a piece belonging to one player reaches a lane already occupies by an opponent's piece or pieces.

9. If a lane is occupied by only one piece belonging to one player, the other player can choose to place one or more of his own pieces in that lane (subject to the correct number being thrown on a die) and thereby block or check the movement of his opponent's piece for as long as his piece or pieces remain in the lane. The pieces accumulating in a lane are placed side by side along the lane up to a maximum of five, as indicated by the line 6 near the inner end of the lane, if the game is played with thirteen pieces per player, or up to a maximum of six if the game is played with fifteen pieces per player.

10. If a lane is already occupied by two or more pieces belonging to the same player, the other player cannot place any of his pieces on that lane until such time as only one piece remains (at the outer end of the lane). A lane closed to one player in such a way can be passed over by that player in the course of a move if the number thrown with the die permits; if the number thrown corresponds to the closed lane, the move in question cannot be made. In the event that a player cannot move on either throw of the dice, his turn is lost and play passes back to his opponent.

11. A lane is also closed to a player if it is filled by pieces of his own which are blocking one of his opponent's pieces as described in 9 above.

12. If the same number is thrown with both dice, a so-called double score, the player concerned is allowed to move four times the number of lanes shown by one die. These moves can be made all with one piece or with any combination of pieces up to four.

13. Once a player gets all of his pieces onto his home lanes 5A, 5B he can start to move those pieces to his home base 4A, 4B. In order to do this, he must throw on the dice the same numbers as the numbers of the lanes occupied by his pieces.

14. If there is not a piece on the home lane corresponding to the number thrown, a piece can be moved to the home base from the nearest occupied home lane with a lower number than the number thrown. If the home lane corresponding to the number thrown is not occupied but there is a piece on a home lane with a higher number, the piece from the higher-numbered lane can be moved further around the track by a number of home lanes corresponding to the number thrown.

15. As soon as one of the players gets all of his pieces onto his home base1 play stops and the player concerned counts the number of his opponent's pieces still in play on the track, awarding himself points in dependence on the locations of those pieces. In the embodiment described, pieces in the opponent's own home lanes are worth one point each, pieces in the "neutral" lanes are worth two points each, and pieces still in the home lanes belonging to the player who has reached his home base are worth three points each.

16. The game is won by the first player to get all of his pieces onto his home base and to score a predetermined number of points: for example, twenty-one points if the game is played with fifteen pieces per player or seventeen points if the game is played with thirteen pieces per player.

17. If the first player home does not obtain the appropriate number of points, play continues, giving the other player an opportunity to reach home and score sufficient points to win the game.

Although the game is described as being played by two players, it will be understood that each player may be constituted by a team of two or more individuals who take turns in sequence. A team version of the game may employ a board with a longer track having more "neutral" lanes than the one illustrated. Such a board may also have more home lanes.

Moreover, the board and the movements of the pieces thereon may be reproduced electronically or by a computer program. Furthermore, the board may be incorporated in a free-standing or wall-mountable panel with lights or other other display means for indicating the moves made in each turn by players through suitable remote control means. In such a case, the dice may be replaced by electronic random chance selector means actuable by each player in turn or by a referee or host in the event that the game is embodied as a so-called television game show.

Claims (8)

1. Board game apparatus, comprising: a board with a playing surface which delimits a central region defining two opposing home bases and an outer region defining a playing track divided into a plurality of zones including two sets of home zones numbered from 1 to n in opposite senses from a starting position between the two sets, random chance selector means for indicating numbers from 1 to n, and playing pieces for two players, the players starting the game with their pieces in their opponent's home base and taking turns to move their pieces around the track in respective opposite directions from the starting position, under the control of the random chance selector means, to their own home zones and then to their home base, the players having to obtain from the random chance selector means a number corresponding to or higher than the number of a home zone in order to move a piece from that home zone to the home base.

2. Board game apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, in which the random chance selector means comprise at least one die such that n - 6.

3. Board game apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, in which the track includes unnumbered zones between the two home zones numbered 6.

4. Board game apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, in which the track has eleven unnumbered zones.

5. Board game apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the playing surface is circular and the zones of the track are non-contiguous and radially elongate, defining lanes which can accommodate several playing pieces side by side as the players move their pieces around the track, a player being unable to place his pieces on a zone or lane occupied by two or more of the opposing player's pieces but being able to place one or more pieces on a zone or lane occupied by only one of his opponent's pieces in order to block or check the movement of his opponent's piece until he has moved his own piece or pieces.

6. Board game apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, in which there are two dice.

7. Board game apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which each player has thirteen or fifteen playing pieces.

8. Board game apparatus substantially as herein described with reference and, as shown in, the accompanying drawing.