GB2268084A - Game - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a board 1, a plurality of latitudinal and longitudinal grooves or lines on the board to form a plurality of equal size squares, a plurality of pieces, optionally of different shapes, adapted to be placed and fit in the grooves or along the lines along the sides of the squares between corners of the squares. The surface of the board may carry game instructions. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a game.

According to the present invention there is provided a game comprising a board, a plurality of vertical and horizontal grooves or lines on the board to form a plurality of equal size squares, a plurality of pieces adapted to be placed and fit "in the grooves or along the lines along the sides of the squares between corners of the squares.

Preferably there are three different size pieces, the first being substantially the length of a line between two corners of a square, the second being substantially the length to span in a straight line between two furthermost corners of two squares, and the third being two connected sections at right angles to span substantially the length between opposite corners along two sides of a square. Preferably the pieces are composed'of four different colours, and the second and third pieces may be one colour or two colours.

Preferably the game has a bag for storing pieces, and from which pieces can be selected without previewing any piece selected.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plans view of the board, Figure 2 shows a cross section view of the board Figures 3a,3b, and 3c show the shapes of the pieces.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a board having a plurality of horizontal and vertical grooves. The grooves form eight rows and eight columns of squares, and each square is surrounded by four grooves. Marked on a number of squares are instructions which form part of the rules of the game to be described below.

Figure 2 shows a cross section of the board 1 of Figure 1 and it will be seen that the grooves are formed from cutting slots in one face of the board which may for example br half the width of the board deep. The board may be made of any suitable material such as cardboard, wood, or plastic Figures 3a,3b,3c show three different shaped pieces which may be used to play the game.

The basic piece, 3a, is a substantially planar rectangular member which can be inserted in a groove along the side of a square between two corners of square and is substantially the length of a line between two corners of a square.

The piece of Figure 3b is a substantially planar rectangular member substantially the length to span in a straight line between two furthermost corners of two squares. In the example shown it is is effectively a double basic piece with a dimension of two of the pieces (shown as X,Y) of Figure 3a put end to end plus a portion Z the width of the groove separating two squares.

Figure 3c is a substantially planar L-shaped member having two connected sections at right angles to span substantially the length between two opposite corners along two sides of a square. In the example shown it is effectively a double basic piece with a dimension of two of the pieces (X,Y) of Figure 3a put at right angles plus a corner section (Z) to accommodate the portion of the groove at the corner of the square.

The thickness of the each of the pieces of Figures 3a,3b,3c is such that they form a fit in the grooves in the board.

The pieces may be formed from four colours, such as green, yellow, red and blue. The basic piece, such as shown in Figure 3a, is of a single colour. Each of the pieces of Figure 3b and 3c may be of a single colour, or half one colour (portion X) and half another colour (portion Y). If of two colours, portion Z may be of a neutral colour such as white. Pieces may suitably be formed from plastics.

Whilst 64 squares are shown made from 8 rows and 8 columns, different numbers could be provided or used. Also whilst the game shown shows grooves around the squares and pieces to slot in the grooves, there could be just printed lines upon which pieces sit.

The object of the game, which may be played by any number of people but preferably 2 to 6, is to complete squares by fitting the pieces into the grooves to surround as many squares as possible on all sides with a piece.

At the start of the game all the pieces are placed in a bag (not shown). Players in turn remove one of the double pieces and fit it into an appropriate position on the board. When all the double pieces have been used players continue with the single pieces.

When a player completes a box he records his score according to a scale of points such as that given below and then must take an extra turn unless the instructions on the board specifically tell him not to do so. If, towards the end of the game, a player takes a piece which he is unable to use because of the restrictions imposed by the instructions given on the board, he must retain it and subtract 5 points from his final score.

Scoring: 1 A box with all 4 sides of the same colour scores 20 points 2. A box in which the sides are of 4 different colours scores 10 points 3. A box with 2 sides each of 2 colours (e.g 2 red/2 blue or 2 green/2 yellow) scores 5 points.

4. Boxes of any other constitution (e.g 3 red/l yellow or 1 red/l blue/2 green) scores 2 points.

It is not nescessary to use the whole board. A shorter version of the game may be played using 6 rows and 6 columns of squares and using fewer of the pieces.

Further modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Instead of the game comprising three different shaped pieces such as shown in Figures 3A,3B and 3C, all the pieces could be as shown in figure 3A and may also be formed from four different colours. The game may be then played as follows.

At the start of the game, in order to hasten the initial stages, each player may in turn take 2 pieces from the bag and fit them into/onto the board "adjacently", ie. either in series or at right angles to form the equivalent of pieces shown in figures 3b and 3c. When one third to half the board has been filled, players should continue by taking single pieces and completing squares as desribed above (The length of the game can be varied to some extent according to the point at which the change from 2 to a single piece is made). -NB No-squares may be completed until the change to single pieces has been made.

Scoring is done in the same manner as before.

Simplifying the number of pieces reduces manufacturing costs of the game. Again pieces may be suitably be formed of plastics, although other material such as wood may be used.

Claims (7)

1. A game comprising a board, a plurality of vertical and horizontal grooves or lines on the board to form a plurality of vertical and horizontal grooves or lines on the board to form a plurality of equal size squares, and a plurality of pieces adapted to be placed and fit in the grooves or along the lines along the sides of the squares between corners of the squares.

2. A game according to claim 1 wherein there are three different size pieces, the first being substantially the length of a line between two corners of a square, the second being substantially the length to span in a straight line between two furthermost corners of two squares, and the third being two connected sections at right angles to span substantially the length between opposite corners along two sides of a square.

3. A game according to claim 2, wherein the pieces are composed of four different colours, and the second and third pieces are of one or two colours.

4. A game according to claim 1 wherein the pieces are of identical size and being substantially the length of a line between two corners of a square.

5. A game according to clain 4 wherein the pieces are of four different colours.

6. A game according to any preceding claim further comprising a bag for storing pieces, and from which pieces can be selected without previewing any piece selected.

7. A game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.