GB2396305A

GB2396305A - Horse Racing Board Game

Info

Publication number: GB2396305A
Application number: GB0224496A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas John Rowley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-22
Filing date: 2002-10-22
Publication date: 2004-06-23
Also published as: GB0224496D0

Abstract

The game provides a board illustrating a horse race course, 12 counters in the shape of a horse and jockey. 2 dice, 66 dual forecast cards, 12 owner cards, 25 prize cards, 1 decision disc with "no" on one side and "ill jump it" on the other side, 1 dice cup and the game rules. Up to 12 players can play for the prize money supplied or gamble for real money. The moving of the counters is by means of, first indicating whether to jump the next fence on this turn or not. This is shown by placing the decision disc flat on the table to indicate "Ill jump it" or "no". This followed by scoring with the two dice.

Description

- 1 BOARD GAME

This invention relates to-, a h.,.,il 'iii Many types of board game are known, most of which involve a number of players seeking to move their respective counters along a track on the board. The movement of the counter is in many cases governed by chance, for example relying upon the throw of one or more dice.

For example, one board game of the above type is "Ludo" (TM) in which the players move their counters around a track, the moves being determined by the throw of a dice.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a board game which can replicate the sport of horse racing. It is another object of the present invention to introduce a gambling element, the players additionally being able to gamble on the outcome of the game, or on the outcome of a particular "horse race".

Accordingly, there is provided a board game comprising a board, a number of counters, and at least one dice, the board having a defined track thereon which track is divided into a number of sectors, characterized in that the track has at least one obstacle sector.

The obstacle sector corresponds to a jump on the race course, and the rules of the game may determine that the throw of a dice will determine whether the player's counter can pass the obstacle (the player's horse clears the jump), or not (the player's horse falls at the jump).

Preferably there are two dice, the rules determining that the combined total shown on the two dice determines the player's move.

Preferably also there is a decision indicator, the decision indicator displaying one of two decisions, for example "I'll jump it" and "No". Thus, the rules may determine that a player can decide whether or not to attempt to clear the next obstacle before he or she rolls the dice. The decision indicator is preferably a flat disc with the decisions printed onto the opposed sides thereof.

Usefully, each obstacle comprises at least two sectors; usefully also certain obstacles comprise two sectors whilst other obstacles comprise three sectors. Accordingly, with an obstacle comprising two sectors, the player must roll at least "3" on the dice to clear the jump (with correspondingly a roll of more than "3" being required if the player is further away from the obstacle at the beginning of his or her turn.

Desirably, each obstacle sector has a representation of a horse racing jump fitted thereto. Preferably the representation is permanently affixed thereto and is collapsible to reduce the volume taken up by the board when the board game is not in use. Preferably also the representation comprises a folded piece of cardboard which is sufficiently resilient to stand proud of the board when the board is in use, but which can be folded substantially flat when the board is packed away out of use, the board itself preferably being foldable to a storage condition.

There are a number of counters corresponding to the number of players who can play the game simultaneously; there may be twelve counters for example. The counters can each be in the form of a model of a horse and rider. Usefully, each counter is coloured for the purpose of ease of identification; usefully also the counter is numbered for ease of identification.

Preferably, gambling means are provided by which a player can gamble on the outcome of the race. The board game may

- 3 - include artificial money for the purpose of gambling if desired. Usefully, the gambling means comprises a number of cards corresponding to two of the counters. The rules may determine that each player gambles a predetermined amount of (real or artificial) money on each race, the player holding the card corresponding to the first and second counters to complete the track (i.e. the equivalent of the first and second horse to cross the race finish line) wins the money for that race.

Preferably, there is a section printed onto the board showing the possible combinations of two counters, the combinations being numbered, and the cards each carry one of the numbers so that the card corresponds to one of the printed combinations and so to one of the possible race outcomes. The cards can also be coloured correspondingly to the colours of the counters they represent.

The number of cards required depends upon the number of counters. For six counters there are fifteen possible combinations of "first" and "second" place counters (assuming that the order of first and second being unimportant), so that fifteen cards are provided. For seven counters there are twenty one possible combinations, so that twenty one cards are provided, and so on.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig.1 is a plan view of the board of the board game; Fig.2 is a view of one of the opposed sides of the decision indicator; and Fig.3 is a view of the other opposed side of the decision indicator.

The board 20 comprises a track 22 having a number of "race" sectors 24 thereon. There are a large number of race sectors 24 between the start sector 26 and finish sector 28.

In addition to the race sectors 24, there are eight sets of "obstacle" sectors 30, corresponding to jumps of the horse race course. As shown, six of the obstacles are jumps comprising two obstacle sectors 30, whilst two of the obstacles are jumps comprising three obstacle sectors 30, the latter corresponding to water jumps.

A number of counters 32 are provided, corresponding to the number or players playing the game. In known fashion, each player advances his or her counter along the track 22, seeking to move from the start 26 to the finish 28.

In this embodiment, the board game includes two dice (not shown), each having sides marked up "one" to "six" in known fashion. Accordingly, at each turn a player may move his counter a maximum of twelve sectors.

Since in this embodiment there are not more than twelve race sectors 24 between adjacent obstacles, it is necessary for each player to decide (before each of his or her throws of the dice), whether or not to attempt to clear the next obstacle or jump. Thus, at the next turn for the player of counter 32a, he or she must decide whether or not he or she believes that the dice will be rolled to show eight or more.

If the player decides not to attempt the jump the counter 32a is moved along the track for the number of sectors corresponding to the number shown on the dice; however, if the dice show six or more, then the counter is stopped at the race sector 24a, i.e. immediately before the jump 30a, so that the jump must be attempted at the player's next turn. If the player decides to attempt the jump and throws less than eight, this corresponds to the horse falling at the jump and he or she is out of the race. If the player decides to attempt the jump and throws eight or more, then

5 - counter 32a is moved the corresponding number of sectors along the board, counting off each obstacle sector 30a as well as each race sector 24.

When playing the game with the above rules, the player's horse will fall if the dice show two, three, four or five, notwithtanding that withsuch dice rolls the counter 32a cannot reach the obstacle 30a, i.e. there are five race sectors 24 between the counter 32a and the obstacle 30a.

Such rules have been found to make certain decisions more difficult during the course of the game, increasing the level of excitement to the players. However, in an alternative method of play, it may be determined that if the player of counter 32a rolls two, three, four or five then his or her decision whether or not to attempt the jump is not important since the counter 32a will not reach the obstacle sectors 30a; the player merely moves the counter 32a the corresponding number of sectors towards the obstacle 30a. In order to assist the players, and speed up the game, the race sectors 24 will preferably be numbered indicating the dice roll required to clear the next obstance, i.e. the race sector 24a would carry the number "3", the race sector 24 to the left of sector 24a (as drawn) would carry "4" and so on, so that the players do not need to count the sectors between their counter and the next obstacle at each turn.

The players take it in turns to roll the dice, deciding before each turn whether or not to attempt to clear the jump ahead of them, and subsequently to move their counter along the track towards the finish line 28. The winner of the race is the player whose counter reaches the finish sector OR f i rest, the rules determining whether an exact throw is required, or (more likely), that the counter reach or pass the finish sector 28.

- 6 - The player places one of the two faces 34,36 of the decision indicator 38 upwards to indicate the decision "I'LL JUMP IT" or "NO", before he or she rolls the dice; the decision indicator precludes any misunderstanding which might otherwise arise if a player does not make a verbal decision clear to the other players, for example.

In the embodiment shown it is not possible for the player to pass two obstacles with one dice roll, i.e. more than twelve race and obstacle sectors are present between (and including) every two adjacent obstacles. In other embodiments the obstacles may be closer together, but the rules may still determine that only one obstacle may be cleared at each turn, i. e. a player whose dice roll is sufficient to pass two obstacles must nevertheless stop before the second obstacle.

In order to avoid the players whose "horses have fallen" from becoming bored with the remainder of the race, in this embodiment the board game includes gambling means by which each player may have an interest in the result of the race regardless of whether or not his horse has fallen. Thus, the counters 32 are all differently coloured for ease of identification, and the board carries a section 40 in which a number of squares 42 are marked off, each square having coloured parts 44 corresponding to the colours of two of the counters 32. The squares 42 are also numbered (in this embodiment "1" to "15"), the numbers corresponding to numbered gambling cards (not shown) provided for the gambling means. To further facilitate identification, the counters can also be numbered consecutively, the cards can be coloured corresponding to the counters they represent, and also the coloured parts 44 can be numbered corresponding to the counters they represent.

In the embodiment shown there are six counters, and these may be coloured red, blue, yellow, green, white and black

7 - for example. In such an embodiment there are fifteen squares 42, coloured and numbered as follows: 1 red and blue 2 red and yellow 3 blue and yellow 4 red and green 5 blue and green 6 yellow and green 7 red and white blue and white 9 yellow and white 10 green and white 11 red and black 12 blue and black 13 yellow and black 14 green and black 15 white and black These fifteen combinations comprise the total number of combinations possible for the first two counters out of a total of six counters (assuming the order of "first" and "second" is unimportant).

For six players to play the game, the players would choose whether they will have one or two gambling cards each; if the players have one gambling card each there are nine remaining gambling cards so that no player holds the card for nine of the possible race outcomes, i.e. those outcomes do not produce a winning player; the rules may determine that any money gambled on a race which has no winning player is carried over to the next race. If each player has two cards there are three remaining gambling cards so that no player holds the card for three of the possible race outcomes,. The cards are shuffled and dealt to the players, so that the combination or combinations for each player is random. A

- 8 - player receiving card "11" would win the gambled money if the red and black counters finished first and second respectively, or if the black and red counters finished first and second respectively (corresponding to a "dual forecast"). If no player received card "7" and the red and white counters finished first and second (in any order), then no player would win the gambled money.

The ordering of the numbered squares shown above is not random, but is chosen to make it easier to employ the gambling means when fewer than six players are playing the game. Thus, if only five players are involved, the black counter is not used, and cards "11" to "15" inclusive are removed; cards "1" to "10" corresponding to the ten possible first and second outcomes of a race involving five counters.

It is noted that it is preferable to remove the black counter, since if for example the red counter was removed, cards "1","2","4", "7" and "11" would need to be removed.

To assist the players in choosing the counter or counters to remove when fewer than six players are playing the game, the board includes a section 50 showing the colours of the counters in order for the players to choose, or for the players to be allocated, as desired. Thus, square 51 is coloured red, square 52 is coloured blue, square 53 is coloured yellow, square 54 is coloured green, square 55 is coloured white and square 56 is coloured black.

If there are more available counters, then the number of gambling cards, and the number of marked squares on the section 40 of the board, would need to be increased. With :,C\'CI] counters there are twenty one possible outcomes, with eights counters twenty eight possible outcomes, nine counters thirty six possible outcomes, ten counters forty five possible outcomes, eleven counters fifty five possible outcomes, twelve counters sixty six possible outcomes, and so on, so that the section 40 would have the corresponding number of squares 42. In each case, the squares 42 are arranged in the form described above, so that if less

- 9 - counters are used than are available, it is easy to remove the counters and gambling cards corresponding to the impossible outcomes.

Because the gambling cards and marked squares are numbered consecutively, it is easier to remove the gambling cards corresponding to the impossible outcomes, as well as being easier for each player to determine quickly whether or not he is the winner of the gamble.

Claims

io CLAIM I claim I'LL JUMP IT the board game for up to twelve players,

racing horses by means of

indicating I'LL JUMP IT or NO with the disc before scoring with the two dice.