GB2351454A - Apparatus for playing a game - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for playing a game includes a playing surface, which may be a board, a plurality of playing elements, which may be cards, each element bearing some information, and an information processor. The information processor, Fig. 5 (not shown) includes a means for inputting information such as a keyboard, a means for processing that information and a means for outputting the processed information to a display, for example a television screen. The information processor may be arranged to calculate and display the score or other information required to enable a game to be played using the playing elements and playing surface. In particular the apparatus may be used for playing a game based on trading shares, with an appropriate overlay, Fig 7, for the keyboard.

Description

2351454 APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME The present invention relates to

apparatus for playing a game and particularly, although not exclusively, to apparatus for playing a game based upon trading shares.

Many board and card games involve complex manual scoring and record keeping. This can be inconvenient and time consuming, particularly for the player or players chosen to score, and can impair enjoyment of the game. Also, errors in the calculation of the score or other information can lead to disputes among players.

A known board game involving buying and selling shares is described in EP 0297870. The share prices change throughout play in accordance with cards played by players. To keep a record of the prices these are written on a chart by a player. Each time cards are played the change in price must be calculated by a player and the chart rewritten or amended.

This is rather tedious and can spoil the flow of the game.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least mitigate, these and other problems experienced with games which require scoring and/or record keeping.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for playing a game comprising a playing surface, a plurality of playing elements each bearing some information and an information processor comprising a means for inputting information, a means for processing that information -2 and a means for outputting the processed information to a display.

Provision of an information processor, which may be used to calculate a score or other information relating to a game, and output this to players of the game, overcomes the need for tedious manual calculations and record keeping.

The playing surface preferably comprises a board and is preferably separate from the playing elements and information processor. The playing surface may be divided into a plurality of playing areas some or all of which bear the name of a company.

The apparatus may further comprise a plurality of playing pieces each bearing a number, to represent a number of shares, and which may be placed onto an area of the playing surface bearing the name of a company to indicate a holding of shares in that company. The playing pieces may be provided in different colours to differentiate the holdings of different players.

The playing elements are preferably cards, but may comprise counters, chips or any other suitable element. At least some of the playing elements preferably each bear the name of a company and an indication as to whether the share price of that company will rise or fall.. Some playing elements may bear a different type of information.

The information processor is preferably electric or electronic. The means for processing is preferably programmable. The means for inputting information preferably comprises a keyboard. The keyboard may comprise a removable overlay.

The information processor is preferably arranged to output company names and associated share prices. It is also preferably arranged to increase or decrease the share prices at random following input of certain information carried on the playing elements. The information processor is preferably arranged to store and output on request the share holding or holdings of each of a number of players. The information processor is preferably arranged to store and output on request a value representing the amount of money held by each of a number of players.

The apparatus preferably further comprises a display arranged to display the information output by the information processor. The display may be a television set, computer monitor, liquid crystal display or other suitable display.

There may also be provided a plurality of notes, representative of amounts of money.

The apparatus enables a game to be played, in accordance with rules, involving trading shares. Shares may be purchased with notes and the share holdings represented with the playing pieces. Alternatively or additionally the amount of money of each player and their share holding may be stored by the information processor. Then, the playing elements may be played in turn by players, the effect of which will be to modify share prices. Each time a card is played the information it bears can be input into -4 the information processor which may be arranged to update the share price.

Share prices may also vary according to rules, for example as a result of the purchase or sale of shares. In this. case the information processor is preferably arranged to modify the share prices accordingly when appropriate information is input, for example the numbers of shares purchased or sold.

The provision of an information processor facilitates the playing of such a game by removing the need for one or more players to continually update share prices and other information. This adds realism to the game.

Reprogramming the information processor could allow the game to be modified, or a different game to be played.

In other embodiments apparatus according to the invention could allow the scoring, or other management, of existing games to be automated.

One example is Scrabble (RTM) where the elements comprise tiles which are placed onto a board to form words and the information processor is programmed to calculate the score of each player playing the game.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a board for use in a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows detail of an area of the board of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a number of example company news cards, for use with the board of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows example wild cards, for use with the board of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows an information processor and display for use with the cards shown in Figures 3 and 4; Figure 6 shows a representation of informatior7 that may be displayed on the display of Figure 5; and Figure 7 shows the keyboard overlay of the processor unit of Figure 5.

in one embodiment the invention provides apparatus for playing a game based upon trading in shares.

The apparatus comprises a board, one or more packs of cards, a number of playing pieces representing numbers of shares, a number of playing pieces representing certain conditions, an information processor, a display and, optionally, a number of notes representing amounts of money.

Referring to Figure 1 the board is divided into a number of playing areas of different categories. Arranged around three sides of the board are a number of areas 1 each bearing the name (not shown) of a company in which shares may be bought. Towards the centre of the board are two further areas of corresponding size to the packs of cards. These regions will be referred to as the news stand 2 and news stack 3. The board also includes a flow diagram (not shown) in area 4. The diagram is shown in Figure 2.

The or each pack of cards contains company news cards and wild cards.

Example company news cards are shown in Figure 3. Each of the company news cards bears the name 5 of one or more of the companies in which shares may be bought along with an item of news 6 and an indication of a rise or fall in share price 7.

The wild cards bear information which affects playing of the game and may, in accordance with rules of the game, affect share price. Example wild cards are shown in Figure 4.

A typical pack would include the following wild cards:

four Bid Approach Cards two Agreed Bid 8 one Hostile Bid 9 one Company In Talks 10 seven Bid Response Cards one Bid Rejected 11 one Bid abandoned 12 one Bid Against the Public Interest 13 one Bid Allowed to Proceed 14 two Bid unconditional 15 one Bid referred to the Monopolies Commission 16 one Rumour Card 17 one Bid Rumour Card 18 and two Stock Exchange Enquiry Cards 19 The optional notes representing amounts of money may take any suitable form, typically the following amounts are provided: ú100 in ú1's, ú 100 in ú5's, ú250 in ú 1 O's, ú650 in ú50's, ú4,000 in ú 1 00's, ú25, 000 in ú1,000's, ú200,000 in ú5,000's, and ú500,000 in ú10,000's.

The playing pieces representing numbers of shares comprise coloured blocks bearing numbers. Each player uses one colour of block. The blocks are placed on the ar-aa of the board bearing the name of a particular company to represent shares held in that company.

The playing pieces representing certain conditions represent conditions that may be included by playing wild cards, for example, rumour or bid rumour. The appropriate piece is placed on the region of the board representing a particular company to show that the company has been affected. For example, if a company is the subject of a bid rumour.

The information processor 20 is illustrated in Figure 5. It comprises a keyboard comprising a touch sensitive surface 21 with an overlay 22 placed on top. The overlay sheet includes representations of keys. By changing the.overlay sheet it is possible to change the keys. Thus, the keyboard can be tailored to a specific application. The information processor 20 is connected to a television screen 23 and is arranged to display the names of the companies on the screen, along with their share prices. The information processor is also arranged to alter the share prices in response to information entered on the keyboard in accordance with the rules of the game.

The processor 20 is also arranged to calculate a price index based on all the share prices, and the value of individual player's portfolios. Both these may be displayed on the screen 23. A representation of how information may be displayed on the screen is shown in Figure 6. The screen can show the 'condition' of a company by showing an appropriate symbol by the company name e.g. to indicate a Bid Rumour.

The information processor 20 is also arranged to store information relating to the amount of money and shares held by each player and to display this on the display 23 if desired.

The information processor 20 may comprise a personal computer.

Figure 7 shows the overlay 22 of the keyboard of the information processor 20. The overlay comprises a flexible sheet of material which is placed over the touch sensitive surface 21 of the information processor.

The overlay is divided into a number of keys each bearing a description of its function. In particular, the keyboard comprises a number of player keys 24 which are pressed in advance of entering information relating to the activities of a particular player. The keyboard also comprises a number of company 25 and sector 26 keys which are pressed in advance of entering information which affects a particular company or sector. The buy, sell, 1000, 5000 rise and fall keys are used in entering information from newscards and in buying and selling shares. The enter key is used to confirm entry of a previously depressed key. The toggle key is used to display different information on the display by switching between different "screens". The keys civi, frozen, bid referred, investigate and bid cancel are used to enter information when the relevant corresponding cards are played. New company keys 27 are used to select new companies formed following a takeover of an existing company. The clear key may be used to cancel an erroneous entry.

The apparatus enables a game to be played by a number of players who trade in shares in the companies. Briefly, each player is issued with the same amount of money recorded by the information processor 20 and/or represented by notes, and dealt five cards from the pack. The dealt cards form that players "Insider Pack". The remaining cards are placed face down on the news stack 3. Each player may see their own cards, but should conceal them from the other players.

There are then two 'rounds' where each player has, in turn, an opportunity to buy shares in one of the companies. To start with all shares have a predetermined price, this is'shown on the screen. When shares are bought, or sold, this affects the price, as with the real stock market. The way in which the prices are affected is determined by rules. When shares are bought, or sold, this is entered into the information processor 20 using the keyboard which calculates the change in price, in accordance with the rules, and change in the players holding and amount of money they hold.

This information may be displayed on the display 23.

Players holdings in shares are also represented using the playing pieces, by placing them onto the relevant area of the board.

After these initial rounds play proceeds in turn. During each player's turn they must pick up an additional card from the news stack 3 and play one card from their hand, face up, onto the news stand 2. The card on the news stand must then be acted upon in accordance with the rules.

Information on the card must be input into the information processor 20 by pressing the appropriate key or keys on the keyboard. The information processor 20 will then update the share price and other relevant information displayed on the display 23 in accordance with th e input information. The information processor 20 may prompt the players to input additional data, for example the name of a company, when a wild card is played.

During each turn, either before or after playing a card each player has the option of buying or selling shares.

The game ends when the last card has been picked up from the news stand and the last card played. The winner is the player whose portfolio of shares has the highest value.

Different packs of cards may be used to add variety to the game.

More particularly, the game is played in accordance with the following rules and directions:

RULES INTRODUCTION

This is a game of skill, ideally suited for 4 players, but adaptable for between 2 and 6 players. The game is based on the current working environment and practices of the U.K. Stock Market dominated, like any other stock market, by rumours and minute by minute events as they occur in business, finance or politics world-wide and fed by speculation, greed and fear! All these events at some time or other are networked around the world at large, as news items, which invariably become price sensitive.

That is, they move share prices up or down, either of single companies or industrial sectors, or the whole market. The few who are privy to news before others are known as "Insiders" and they are considered to be an important and most influential feature of this game, although in the real world they are prohibited from dealing in any shares of companies with whom they are considered as 1nsiders". The game recognises this legal restriction so that players may have to face a Stock Exchange Enquiry if caught dealing as Insiders. If found guilty the player could be fined up to ú20,000 and have their holding of shares subject to the Enquiry frozen until the end of the game.

Information of all kinds and from whatever source will fuel either the demand for or the supply of shares. If the news or information is good, shares will generally be bought and prices will rise and if the news is bad, investors will sell and share prices will fall.

The aim of the game is to build up and maximise the value of a portfolio of shares (and cash) from a "windfall" of ú100,000, over a selected period of time but a minimum of 3 months (and one game counts as 3 months).

PREPARATION Before the game can commence, the players must appoint a MARKETMAKER and a BANKER, who are then responsible for the following duties between them:

BANKER - ISSUE PLAYING PIECES to players in return for cash when shares are sold in the normal way or as a result of a bid for a company.

- PAY DIVIDENDS when they are declared, to all relevant share holders.

MARKETMAKER - Select one of the three packs of cards to play the game with. - DEAL 5 cards to each player for their INSIDER PACKS (see STRATEGY below), placing the remainder of the pack face down on the box marked "News stack". input information into the information processor to update the - 13 displayed share prices following each deal and each discard (i.e.

RELEASE of NEWS).

The Pack The News stack is the focal point of the game. There is a choice of 3 packs, each containing 90 cards of price-sensitive news, 68 specifically targeting individual companies or sectors (eg Breweries, Retailers etc) within the 1T20 Share Index" and 22 Wild Cards targeting any or all of these companies.

Wild Cards differ from general Company News cards in that they do not specifically name individual companies or sectors, but can target any company either to create a RUMOUR about that company, a BID SITUATION, or a Stock Exchange Investigation into the share dealings in a company. The remainder of the Wild Cards come into play once a BID APPROACH has been made and provide the means for a BID to succeed or fail! There are 3 types of BID APPROACHES and 4 cards in all. Each BID APPROACH will prompt a different sequence of Wild Card responses from the players once an approach has been made and these are illustrated in the diagram in Figure 2.

BIDS AND BID RUMOUR CARDS can be used to target any company, with an associated NEWSCARD, the idea being to createlattract speculation in anticipation of a news event. The RUMOUR CARDS are used in combination with ordinary NEWS CARDS.

A BID RUMOUR card is used to attract BID speculation to a company's shares in anticipation of, or to "flush ouC, a BID.

Both types of rumour cards have two major attractions. Firstly, following the discard of either of these cards share prices move twice as quickly as normal. That is, the unit price movement (see Dealing) will double (until the News, or the Bid, is announced) when a player buys or sells shares in the companies targeted.

The other attraction of these cards is that they afford protection against any Stock Exchange Investigation into Insider Dealing. If a player buys or sells shares ahead of a news release, but immediately after playing a rumour card (of either kind), then they cannot be found guilty of Insider Dealing.

On inputting the information on these cards their affect on the price change will be automatically taken into account in the share prices displayed on the display.

Stock Exchanne Investigation These cards entitle a holder to "challenge" another player for Insider Trading under certain circumstances. Although, strictly speaking, insider dealing is common place in the game there are only certain circumstances in which these cards can be played (see under PLAY).

Insider Packs These are 5 news cards dealt from the news pack to each player by the MarketMaker (or Stockbroker) at the start of the game.

These cards will be a mix of Company news cards and Wild Cards and thus contain vital confidential ("inside") information representing potential news releases and therefore, clues as to what shares to buy or, initially, to avoid. These cards will, of course be kept out of sight of other players.

Play Preliminary Rounds Following the appointment of MarketMaker and Stockbroker and the dealing of the 5 news cards to each player (insider Packs), players engage in two Preliminary Rounds during which they examine their Insider Packs, each consider a meaningful strategy and in turn begin to construct a PORTFOLIO of shares, out of their ú100,000 windfall. The remainder of their news pack is placed face-down on the board, on the news stack 2.

For two rounds therefore, players buy shares on the strength of the information of their Insider Packs alone, with the remaining news pack being frozen (drawings from which commence in Round 3).

In the event that a player is dealt 5 Wild Cards in their Insider Pack, they are allowed to exchange one card for the top card of the news pack, since the player would not possess, at that stage, a natural discard, as Wild Cards are only relevant in certain circumstances and would otherwise be wasted. If this situation ever repeats itself, the same procedure would apply.

Play (and the investing of windfalls) begins with the player to the left of the MarketMaker, but players do not have to spend the full ú100,000 at once, nor even, at all, if that is their choice of strategy.

From round 3 onwards, a turn comprises a pick-up from the news pack, followed by eithe (i) a deal (buying and/or selling - see below under dealing) and then a discard, or vice versa (ii) a discard followed by a deal - remembering that when choosing route (i) a player could be considered and "challenged" for being an Insider (see below under Stock Exchange Investigations). Once a player has finished their turn, play passes to the next player on their left.

Dealina Any buying or selling of shares is optional but should be designed to take heed of the Insider/Stock Exchange Investigation rules/conditions and also to take advantage of the price moves effected as a result of any release of news (ie the discard). Remember a player can deal before or after the release of news.

The procedure for dealing is as follows.. - For example: a player instructs the Stockbroker to "BUY 2000 BP" or "SELL 3000 GLAXW (but remember also that a player cannot sell without already having shares to sell). The MarketMaker will then enter the purchase/sale of share into the information processor which will adjust the displayed share pfice(s) of the share(s) being traded (see below), whilst the Stockbroker will issue/withdraw playing pieces for purchases/sales.

Share Price Movement on Dealina All shares are quoted in single-price form (eg SHELL - 430p).

Dealing in shares MOVES SHARE PRICES. For every 1000 shares in a company bought or sold, the share price of that company will move jup by 1% for a purchase or down by 1% for a sale. Price movement is calculated automatically when details of a purchase or sale of shares are entered into the information processor.

Share Price Movement on News Releases (discards) On every Company Newscard is an item of price-sensitive news and an indication of the price sensitivity (eg Jet Corn - "Awarded new defence contracC - Price rises). The MarketMaker will be responsible for moving the share price up by inputting the information on the news card into the information processor. The information processor will then make a change to the price of the specified in the direction indicated but by a random amount. Although players do not have to buy or sell shares, they must pick up from the news pack and discard either from their existing Insider Packs or the card picked up.

- 18 Insider Dealing and Stock Exchange Investigations Insider Dealing may be defined as "dealing in the shares of a company in the knowledge that a price-.sensitive announcement is due".

A player who possesses a Stock Exchange Investigation Card is entitled to "challenge" one of the other players. A "challenge" is effected by the holder discarding the card, naming the "Insider" and the MarketMaker placing the appropriate symbol on the appropriate company square on the board and inputting the relevant information so that the information processor will cause an appropriate symbol to be displayed on the display.

The challenge must be made immediately the relevant News Release is made by the player suspected of insider trading. Furthermore, for a "challenge" to be successful it must be proved that the suspect has acted as follows:

(i) bought or sold "related" shares immediately prior to themselves 15 releasing the related news (including a Bid Approach) or(ii) bought or sold "related" shares in the round previous to the release of the related news If found guilty the suspect(s) will have their holding(s) in those shares frozen and will be fined a random amount in accordance with the rules.

However if the suspect(s) can prove that they bought or sold stock on the back of a RUMOUR or BID RUMOUR - prior to the investigation, then they will be IMMUNE from any action against them for their complete holding.

Furthermore, once a Company has been subjected to a Rumour dealings in the target company will be "immune" until the actual news is released. Thus there is a distinct incentive to follow a rumour, if players have the appropriate news cards for that stock.

To play a Rumour or Bid Rumour card players must discard as usual and name the company. Then the MarketMaker must place an W' or "BR" symbol on the Company Square and scan the relevant card and chosen company code so that the appropriate symbol appears on the display. The player using a Rumour Card must then give some indication whether the news is good or bad by immediately buying or selling shares in the target company.

Rumours have the effect of DOUBLING THE UNIT PRICE movement on the screen each time shares in that company are bought or sold, until that is. the news is released in the next round by the player starting the Rumou. Thereafter price movements return to normal and the MarketMaker must remove all rumour symbols.

Bid Rumours also have the same effect on share prices until such time as a BID APPROACH is confirmed (if at all), at which point the MarketMaker will replace the "BR" symbol with a "B" symbol.

Bid A1212roaches There are 3 types of BID APPROACH (but there are 4 Bid Approach cards in all as there are 2 AGREED BID cards. Each BID APPROACH will prompt a different sequence of Wild Card responses as the flow chart shown in Figure 2 illustrates.

A player who wishes to start formal BID proceedings must discard a BID APPROACH card and name the Company. The MarketMaker must then place a BID symbol on the appropriate company square on the board.

A BID APPROACH for any company supersedes all other activities (ie Rumours and Bid Rumours associated with that company cease and become ineffective) once the BID APPROACH card is played.

Thereafter players respond (if they can) by placing Response cards, in the correct sequence (see flow chart below) on top of the BID APPROACH card.

As the above flow chart (Figure 2) illustrates, a SUCCESSFUL BID is one that is declared "Unconditional" by a player with an "Unconditional" card or an AGREED BID which is "Referred" but then allowed to proceed by the Monopolies Commission.

Once a Bid Approach has been confirmed (AGREED, HOSTILE, ETC.) it will be important for subsequent responses by the other players to be in the correct order of sequence. For example, only a HOSTILE BID can be "REJECTEW and only where a "Company is in Talks" can the talks, Treak down".

Please Note: There are two Agreed Bid cards, one to facilitate procedures when a company is 1n Talks" and one in its own right.

Some Hints on Strategy Remember that share prices will move as a direct result of News Releases into the market and players can either discard news cards either before or after dealing. But, dealing in the shares of a company immediately before a News Release from (or about) that company, runs the risk of a Stock Exchange Investigation.

Clearly a failing price offers a good opportunity to BUY shares and a rising price an opportunity to take profits.

Since the game is all about PERFORMANCE and hence relative share price movements, hindering your opponents is as important as helping yourself.

It is normally quite profitable to follow a Rumour not only in terms of making a capital gain, but also in doing so in safety, as Rumours offer IMMUNITY from any Stock Exchange Investigation.

A BID is not guaranteed to succeed nor even to occur, so TAKING PROFITS on the way up may very well be advisable at times.

Dividends A dividend is declared when a company announces trading results, the Marketmaker must pay all holders of shares the declared amount of dividend per share.

- 22 The Winner THE WINNER will be the player with the HIGHEST PORTFOLIO VALUE over the chosen period of time. If players subsequently agree to ROLL-OVER the time period, play can continue indefinitely, with possibly different winners over 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and so on. After one game of 3 months duration (i.e. one Newspack) the players can

restart by selecting a new Newspack. All share prices can be returned to their Issue Price (indicated on the Leader Board) and Insider Packs and Share Certificates returned to the Marketmaker who then refunds in full the value of each player's portfolio. in cash.

END OF RULES.

Provision of an information processor makes calculation of the share prices easier and more reliable than using pen and paper.

The above embodiment is described by way of bxample only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, the screen need not necessarily display numerical or textual data, in one embodiment it could be used to show position on a map.

Claims (14)

1 Apparatus for playing a game comprising a playing surface, a plurality of playing elements each bearing some information and. an information processor comprising a means for inputting information, a means for processing that information and a means for outputting the processed information to a display.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the playing surface comprises a board.

3. -Apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or 2, wherein the playing surface is divided into a plurality of playing areas some or all of which bear the name of the company.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 comprising a plurality of playing pieces each bearing a number, to represent a number of shares, and which may be placed onto an area of the playing surface bearing the name of a company to indicate a holding of share in that company.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the playing elements comprise cards.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the playing elements each bear the name of a company and an indication as to whether the share price of that company will rise or fall.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein some of the playing elements bear a different type of information.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any - preceding claim, wherein the information processor is electric or electronic, the means for processing is programmable and the means for inputting information comprises a keyboard.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the keyboard comprises a removable overlay.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the information processor is arranged to output company names and associated share prices.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the information processor is arranged to modify the share prices at random on input of information carried on the playing elements.

12. Apparatus as claimed in either claim 10 or 11, wherein the information processor is arranged to output the share holding or holdings of each of a number of players.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a display arranged to display the information output by the information processor.

14. Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.