US20150231465A1

US20150231465A1 - Quarter Masters

Info

Publication number: US20150231465A1
Application number: US14/181,696
Authority: US
Inventors: Colin Richard Kelly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-02-16
Filing date: 2014-02-16
Publication date: 2015-08-20

Abstract

A portable in-door, out-door, token game board consisting of four equally-spaced tiles permanently affixed horizontally in line atop a rigid rectangular board at graduated distances from a target at the end of the board, and also serving as a protective surface for play of the traditional game called “Quarters” (See FIG. 5 Illustration). The tiles are of a uniform size, and of a sufficiently hard and smooth surfacing to facilitate predictable, repetitive bounces of a token used as a projectile game piece. The receptacle, a circular hole framed by a square, twice the thickness of the base board, secures against undue motion, a target vessel, such as a plastic drinking cup. Play on the game board entails people competing subject to a set of uniform rules printed on the back of the board. Play involves participants sequentially bouncing, by hand, a token off one of the tiles with the goal of landing the token within the target. The token and the drinking vessel are not part of the invention. Various tokens, of the participants' choice, may be used. The game board facilitates the uniform play of the traditional, informal game of Quarters. The token most likely to be used in play, as the projectile, is a coin (in the United States, typically a United States Treasury minted quarter-dollar coin, hence the description of the traditional game, “Quarters”).

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICANTS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
Game Boards. Non-electric. Non-mechanical. Static. The present invention, a recreational game board and protective playing surface, most closely relates to board games and games involving use of tokens or objects as projectiles launched by participants by hand with the intent of hitting a target or targets. The present invention is portable and consists of a rectangular board faced with four in-line tiles at one end of which is a circular receptacle. The receptacle is the target, or secures as the target a vessel, into which the goal is to bounce a token projectile (such as a coin). The token is bounced off one of the tiles into the vessel (vessel and projectile not comprising the invention). The game board protects surfaces otherwise susceptible' usceptible to damage from the informal play of the game Quarters, or any similar game involving the use of projectiles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Drinking games have been played since humans first brewed or distilled alcoholic beverages. “Evidence of the existence of drinking games dates back to antiquity.” See Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_drinking_games. A “drinking game” means the recreational ingestion by participants of alcoholic beverages as “penalties.” Drinking, in this context, means “of or pertaining to the act of drinking, especially the drinking of alcohol.” See Dictionary.com at http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/drinking. “Drinking games are games which involve the consumption of alcoholic beverages.” Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_drinking_games.
Drinking games often involve skills competitions, e.g. darts. Drinking games may also consist of simple, arbitrary resolutions by odds or probabilities, e.g. the coin “flip,” or the turn of a playing card. Beer pong is one of the more contemporary, popular drinking games. Darts is a game often played in establishments serving alcohol and it may be a drinking game.
Though drinking games are commonly associated with the ingestion of alcohol, their play is not dependent on drinking. In fact, most drinking games can be played with rewards or penalties, other than alcohol, as an element. Some games may be considered by various persons as drinking games and by others, with no less right of attribution, as recreational games of skill, e.g. darts, without alcohol consumption. See: http://www.drinkinggames.com/index.php.
3. The Traditional Quarters Drinking Game
The present invention relates most closely to a traditional game, without form, and without uniform rules, in the United States typically called Quarters. Quarters is also played in South America, where it is called “monedita, Spanish for little coin.” See Wikipedia, infra.
“Quarters” is a common, informal drinking game with no uniform definition, played casually and recreationally in public and in private at bars, clubs, residences, or anywhere with reasonably convenient access to a sufficiently sized, sufficiently hard surface, a target, and a suitable token serving as a projectile (typically a coin). Quarters has been defined as “a drinking game which involves players bouncing a quarter off a table in an attempt to have the quarter land in a certain place, usually into a shotglass (or cup) on that table.” Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarters_(game). Accentuating the informality of the game, Quarters has also been defined as “A mindless game that actually requires a certain amount of coordination.” See http://www.webtender.com/handbook/games/quarters.game, and http://www.beerfestboots.com/quarters-rules.
Though there is no authoritative definition of the game Quarters, the most common minimum physical components of play are a coin and a target vessel, though one definition includes “people” and “beer” as components. See: http://www.webtender.com/handbook/games/quarters.game. The target, if a vessel, is usually, but not exclusively, a drinking vessel, such as a cup.
The play of traditional Quarters typically entails one of two or more participants, in turn, tossing a coin by hand against a hard, horizontal surface with the aim of bouncing the coin into or on the target a few inches away. Beyond that, there are no uniform or generally recognized rules for the game. See Wikipedia, infra (identifying numerous variations on rules of play), and “The (Un)Official Internet Bartenders Guide,” at http://www.webtender.com/handbook/guide/drink-guide.html. Participants usually play while standing or sitting, but there is no exclusive position. A table top, often unprotected from damage by impacts of the coin, is a common surface of play.
The demographic most commonly associated with drinking games, including Quarters, is the young adult, the relatively predictable overlap of the primary demographics for those who recreationally drink alcohol, i.e. adults, and those who play non-sport games, i.e. youths. In the United States, Quarters is most recognizably engaged in by college students or those of similar age, social interest, and social proclivity. See, e.g. “Student Drinking Games” at http://www.studentdrinkinggames.com/coin/quarters.html.
Since Quarters is a commonly recognized drinking game, the game, if played with alcoholic beverages as an element of reward or sanction, is limited by United States' laws to persons 21 years of age or older and in certain states may be proscribed in commercial establishments serving alcohol.
Though there are no uniform or widely recognized published rules for the game Quarters, there are numerous internet publications referring to the game and identifying one or more of innumerable sets of rules that can be applied to its play. See, e.g.: http://www.drinkinggames.com/index.php. There are no authoritative publications or guidelines for the game of Quarters. That is, there are no widely known or recognized formal associations, organizations, or bodies governing the game, its components, its participants, its play, its rules, its mechanisms of play, the locations of its play, and the qualifications for, or the limitations on, its play. There are no known formal Quarters leagues. There are no known available, uniformly designed game boards or portable or protective playing surfaces designed for the play of Quarters. There is no existing board game configured for the play of Quarters. There is no existing board game with uniform physical components allowing for the development of skill in repeatedly bouncing a token, such as a U.S. minted quarter coin, into a cup with predictable results.
4. Limitations On Play Of Traditional Quarters.
4.1 Common Limitations On Traditional Quarters Play
The traditional game of Quarters, played with a coin as the token, is often limited by common variables, including: (1) reasonable accessibility of suitable playing surfaces, (2) the sufficiency of the area of the target playing surface, (3) the hardness of the prospective playing surface, (4) the consistency of the hardness of the prospective playing surface, (5) the smoothness of the prospective playing surface, (6) the consistency of the smoothness of the prospective playing surface, (7) the susceptibility of the prospective playing surface to damage by coin-impact dents and scratches, (8) the acceptability to the owner of the prospective playing surface of damage thereto by coin-impact dents and scratches, (9) the disruption of play caused by time limits of access to the prospective location of play, (10) the ability to replicate the conditions of play if play is disrupted at the initial location of play, (11) the ability to move the surface of play to another location, (12) the ability to keep the selected target from moving, (13) the wability to permissibly mark on the prospective surface of play the area limits of in-bounds coin impacts, (14) the ability to permissibly mark on the prospective surface of play the location of the target in the event its location is disrupted, (15) the ability to permissibly mark on the prospective surface of play varying values based on distances of bounces from the target, (16) the ability to permissibly mark on the target surface the acceptable area limits of bounces to which varying values, e.g. points, are assigned, (17) the difficulty of consistently judging whether the coins impact the prospective playing surface within any marked bounds of assigned values (in- or out-of-bounds), and (18) the accessibility to suitable alternative protective playing surfaces if permission is lacking for play on a surface susceptible to damage by coin-impact dents and scratches.
4.2 Dimensional Requirements for Traditional Quarters Play
The traditional game of Quarters accommodates any number of players, most typically two to four. The game is stationary and is played on any number of horizontal surfaces with sufficient hardness and smoothness to accommodate the reasonably predictable, repetitive bounce of a coin.
The surface must be of sufficient length to accommodate the horizontal path of the coin forward from the start position of the participant's arm and hand, the travel of the coin upon release from the participant's hand to the playing surface and from the playing surface to the target, in line on the same surface (see FIG. 5 Illustration). Since situating a vessel as the target at the edge of a raised surface of play, e.g. a table top, increases the likelihood of the vessel falling or being knocked off the surface and the likelihood of errant projectiles inconveniently coming to rest off the surface, sufficient fringe length should exist beyond the target. A horizontal surface area of three feet by three feet is sufficient to accommodate most forms of play. Vertical clearance above the surface of play must allow sufficient head clearance for participants. Four feet above the surface adequately accommodates play with participants standing, and three feet accommodates play with participants sitting.
4.3 Limited Availability of Suitable Surfaces for Traditional Quarters Play
Most commonly, traditional Quarters, is played in-doors on a table-like, raised surface with participants sitting in chairs or standing. Though the game may be played on the ground or on floors, otherwise suitably surfaced, this necessitates squatting, sitting or lying on the ground or floor and may cause inconvenience in play for participants. This makes play on the ground or a floor less common than table play. Outdoor play of traditional Quarters is possible but is limited by even fewer available playing surfaces compared to in-door play. Generally, dining tables, ping pong tables, bar tops, pool tables, coffee tables, card tables, picnic tables and like raised surfaces (collectively “tables”) serve as the surfaces of play or the structural substrates for the surfaces of play.
Some public establishments, e.g. bars, may permit the play of Quarters directly on table surfaces. Play poses less risk of unwelcome damage to rustic or distressed commercial themes or where tables are topped with, or consist of, hard, roughly finished stone or cement. In contrast, decoratively surfaced table tops of sufficient value and susceptibility to coin-impact damage, on which play of Quarters is discouraged or forbidden, such as in bars, restaurants, and private residences, are more common.
Thus, more often than permission is given to play directly on a table-top surface, a Quarters game organizer will have to obtain an acceptable material to protect the table surface. The table thereby serves the limited purpose of the structural substrate supporting the temporary protective surface without the same exposure to damage. Such a temporary protective playing surface might allay or eliminate an owner's objection to play directly on surfaces susceptible to coin impact damage. A dimensionally stable piece of plywood may sufficiently protect a decorative table top selected for play and otherwise providing a stable supporting substrate. Such temporary surfaces, however, must be sufficiently hard to abate the dampening of coin rebound and of sufficient consistency of physical attributes. Depending on the particularities of the players, this may make impractical the selection of many materials, otherwise convenient, for use as protective surfaces, e.g. table cloths.
Such temporary protective playing surfaces are often not readily available to accommodate the spontaneous, or near spontaneous, play of Quarters. Moreover, they are not readily replicated from one location of play to another or when play is interrupted or adjourned for later resumption.
There is no existing invention of adequate size, shape and material, with sufficient uniformities and dimensions, from copy to copy, to reasonably facilitate the uniform comparable play of traditional Quarters. Though with advance planning these limitations on play can be abated by a sufficiently motivated group of players, there is rarely a readily available or convenient option for casual or spontaneous play. Even if more than one playing surface could be conveniently obtained for simultaneous play, or for play at different locations, there are no ready means to control the conformity of the surfaces of play to accommodate coordinated, competitive play, such as in a tournament.
The lack of any consistently crafted, uniform playing surfaces for traditional Quarters tends to limit play to discrete, one-time games among a given set of participants on a given date and time at a single location. This inconsistency precludes fair play on different dates or at different locations where a continued or competing game is played without access to the original playing surface. Tables serving as playing surfaces, or structural substrates for play, are often not readily portable, effectively limiting follow-on consistent and comparable play to the original location and surface of play. Even if a protective playing surface, generally more portable than a table, is used for follow-on games, those games are limited by the availability of the possessor of that original playing surface or by the ability of that possessor to deliver that playing surface when and where desired on a later date. These inconsistency and availability problems are compounded by the distance between the locations of original and comparable play, and the duration between original and comparable play.
Even where a sufficient surface of play for Quarters can be readily replicated for comparable play, there is no standard, from location to location, for the equal and consistent measurement or marking of the distance values of successful projectile tosses, or of the boundaries of areas within which the coins may be permissibly bounced. There are also no consistent means of marking the locations, configurations and sizes of the target from one game of traditional Quarters to another (e.g., by chalk or felt-tip marker).
Competitive play of traditional Quarters can be disrupted, even for a single game, by the inadvertent displacement of movable targets, e.g. drinking vessels. If a plastic; paper, Styrofoam or similarly light-weight cup is used, this displacement is more likely. Without uniform, consistent markings of the locations of target vessels, games can become competitively meaningless when the target is inadvertently moved during a game, or cannot be confidently placed at an identical distance and position in a comparable game.
The limited numbers of locations, with reasonably accessible, adequately oriented and suitably consistent, hard and smooth horizontal surfaces of sufficient size, tend to limit opportunities for the play of a single game of traditional Quarters. Even more so, the limited numbers of such locations limit the opportunities for reasonably comparable, fair and replicated play in competitions involving many games or where play of a single game is disrupted or temporarily adjourned.
These myriad limitations invite abatement or solution by the subject invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a protective game board which enables the uniform and convenient play of Quarters in comparison to the haphazard means and inconsistent accommodations for play and the limited locations suitable for play of traditional Quarters. There are no other inventions from which the present invention can be meaningfully distinguished.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is more fully described by the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view (birds-eye) of the top of the game board invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view (side) of the invention, the opposite side being a mirror image of this figure.

FIG. 3 is an oblique view of the invention depicting the depth of field of the receptacle.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the back side of the invention where the rules of play are printed.

FIG. 5 is an illustrative view of the invention showing the inclusion of the vessel and token in the simulation of game play (Coloration or shading of drawings is for visual contrast purposes only).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

There are no other inventions from which the present invention can be meaningfully distinguished. The present invention is a protective game board which enables the uniform and convenient play of Quarters in comparison to the haphazard means and inconsistent accommodations for play and the limited locations suitable for play of traditional Quarters. The basic structure of the invention consists of a rigid rectangular base board [1] with a vertically oriented, circular hole at one end. A rigid square frame with a vertical hole in its center, of the same shape and dimensions of the hole in the base board [1], is affixed permanently over the hole in the base board thereby adding depth to the hole. Both holes align to form a single receptacle of uniform diameter [3]. The receptacle [3] is, or secures, a vessel [7] as the target of play.
Four equal-sized, rigid, hard tiles [4], of uniform smoothness and hardness, are permanently affixed horizontally in line on top of the basic structure of the rigid board, extending along its length from the rigid receptacle frame [2] to the opposite end. The tiles [4] are separated from each other by a uniform gap and are spaced equally between the rigid receptacle frame [2] and the other end of the board. The tiles [4] are centered, in-line, leaving a uniform fringe [5] along the top edges of the rigid base board.
The receptacle [3] is sized to accommodate a large range of vessel shapes, sizes and materials, most commonly tapered drinking vessels such as plastic, paper, or Styrofoam cups or pint drinking glasses. A target vessel [7] is more firmly secured, as a target in the receptacle [3], against undesired dislocation than if set outside the receptacle with nothing abating its movement.
The back of the game board [FIG. 4] includes printed game instructions and uniform rules of play [5]. Physical requirements of play with the game board are two to four players, a token projectile, a target such as a plastic drinking cup if the receptacle is not alone used as the target, a suitable location of sufficient dimensions to accommodate play motion and vision, and a subsurface structure, such as a horizontal table top, if play in a sitting or standing position is desired.
Tokens, used as the projectiles, will most likely be quarters or coins of the participants' choice, but numerous alternative tokens, of similar size, can be used. The vessel [7] and token [6] are not part of the subject invention.
2. Rules of Play
Each game board contains a uniform, baseline set of rules of play for two to four players. Before the start of play, the participants decide on and set the penalties for 2^nd, 3^rdand 4^thplaces per round and per game. For each round, in any order, each participant tosses a token five consecutive times, by hand, each time aiming to bounce the projectile off a tile into the target. The goal is to maximize points earned. Participants, for each toss, can bounce the projectile off any of the four tiles, valued at two, three, four and five points, increasing in value, respectively, with distance from the target. Zero points are earned, per toss, if the token does not first bounce off a tile or if it does not land in the target. 25 points is the maximum any player can earn in a single round. After each player has tossed their token five consecutive times, that round is concluded and the scores of that round are totaled. Per-round penalties are assessed against the 2^nd, 3^rdand 4^thplace participants. If two or more players tie, a tie-breaker occurs where each player bounces a quarter from the tile closest to the cup. The first player to bounce the quarter in the cup without the other player correspondingly bouncing the quarter into the cup, takes the lesser penalty, while the loser of that tie-breaker takes the greater penalty. The winner of each round suffers no penalty for that round. The first person to win three rounds wins the game. Per-game penalties are accessed against the 2^nd, 3^rdand 4^thplace participants.
By allowing participants in a particular game, or a tournament, to pre-select their own penalties, the participants are more able to set drinking penalties, if alcohol is used, commensurate with the participants' body sizes, tolerances, genders and preferences, thereby more readily facilitating responsible play when such drinking is involved. The game board excludes explicit drinking penalties, thereby eliminating any incentive to consume alcohol as an element of play for participants not of a legal drinking age, or those participants not inclined to drink alcoholic beverages. Participants may enjoy game play without the stigma or peer pressure of violating rules that might otherwise encourage the consumption of alcohol.
3. Configurations and Assembly
The game board is depicted in the drawings (FIG. 1-4) in its most common configuration. A circular hole is cut or formed in a rectangular board of rigid material, such as plywood. A square of the same rigid material, cut or formed with a centered hole of equal size and shape, is affixed to the top of the rigid base board, with the two holes aligning to form a single receptacle. The receptacle hole is sized to fit a wide range of commonly used drinking vessels (serving as alternative targets for the game, e.g. plastic, paper or Styrofoam cups, or pint glasses). The rigid receptacle frame may be affixed to the rigid base board with an adhesive formulated for the material composition of the frame and base board. With the use of plywood for both the rigid base board and the rigid receptacle frame, wood glue of sufficient quality would be a proper adhesive.
Four tiles, likely of porcelain, or of similar uniform hardness and smoothness, are affixed at equal spaces along the center-line of the rigid base board from one end of the rigid base board to the edge of the rigid receptacle frame. An adhesive formulated for use with porcelain tile and plywood would be the most likely means of affixing the tiles for the depicted configuration. The game board may, but need not, be painted or decorated. The rules of play are set forth in text printed on, or adhesively affixed to, the back of the game board. Below the rules is placed a warning against irresponsible drinking if alcohol is consumed during game play.
4. Modifications & Variations
Multiple variations on the baseline rules of play may be incorporated or adopted. The rules can be modified as the players choose, and rules for more than four players can be easily extrapolated from the baseline rules.
The receptacle itself may be used as the target, or it may be used to secure a vessel that serves as the target, e.g. a plastic drinking cup.
Though a single-type coin, e.g. the U.S. minted quarter, may be used as the token projectile for a given game or for comparable play, common coins of other sizes and materials and of mints of different nations may also be used. Coins are not the sole form of token projectile. Numerous other common objects, hard or elastic, may be used as tokens as well, so long as the selected token is of comparable size and sufficiently and reasonably uniform from specimen to specimen.
The configuration of the board game depicted herein and described above is not the exclusive configuration. Variations and modifications are possible. The rigid base board and rigid receptacle frame may be formed of a single, seamless material, such as plastic, by extrusion, press, machine forming, mold injection, and/or casting. The rigid base board and rigid receptacle frame need not be of the same material, and may be joined mechanically, such as with common wood screws, rivets, or pins. Likewise, variations in materials used for the tiles, e.g. hard plastics, ceramics, marbles, granites, acrylics, metals, and even sufficiently rigid rubberized materials, may be used, and may be affixed mechanically through the back of the game board or with adhesives. The rigidity of the rigid receptacle frame may not be intrinsic to the material of which it is comprised, but may be imparted by the rigid base board to which it is affixed. The shapes of the tiles may be varied to oval or circular, so long as uniform for each edition of the game board. Each tile, in the depicted configuration, is anticipated to be of the same material, but even the tile material may vary from tile to tile if the same materials are uniformly used from one game board to another, thereby facilitating comparable or competitive play. The shape of the receptacle may also be varied from circular if an alternative uniform shape is used on each edition of the game board, thereby facilitating comparable or competitive play.

Claims

1: Convenience of Use. The subject game board invention includes the innovative attribute of uniform, compact dimensions facilitating convenient play in locations at which the traditional play of quarters would be otherwise less likely.

1.1: Portability. The subject game board invention includes the innovative attribute that it is portable. It can be played almost anywhere. It can be easily held in one hand, and will fit comfortably within cars, trains, buses, planes, and boats. It will easily fit within most luggage, backpacks and purses.

1.2: Accessible Storage Display. The subject game board invention includes the innovative attribute of readily accessible and efficient storage while accommodating visible display in venues of likely play, e.g. commercial bars. The game board receptacle allows for the stacking of multiple units on a simple peg or nail in a wall or on a post without impairing foot traffic or lines of sight. This, in turn, facilitates more spontaneous play.

2: Damage Resistant. The invention includes the innovative attribute that it contains a hard playing surface (the tiles) resistant to projectile impact damage.

2.1: Protects Against Damage to Structural Subsurfaces. The invention includes the innovative attribute that it permits efficient play without damage to numerous, alternative structural subsurfaces such as glass, fine woods, fine marble, fine alabaster, or subsurfaces with fine finishes such as paint, acrylic, urethane and lacquer or otherwise susceptible to damage if used as the direct surface of play.

3: Uniformity. The invention includes the innovative attributes of compositional and elemental uniformities for each manufactured unit thereby accommodating fair and consistent competitive play on any unit for resumed play or after disruption of play.

3.1: Uniform Hardness. The invention includes the innovative attribute that its playing surfaces (the tiles) are of uniform hardness. This eliminates the risk of projectile rebounds (bounces) off surfaces of insufficient or inconsistent elasticities. These advantages make the invention a better, more uniform means of the play of Quarters. A projectile bounce off the tile closest to the player will be off a surface of the same hardness as a bounce off the most distant tile. In contrast, play of Quarters on another surface, of insufficient uniformity of hardness, decreases the equality of play from bounce to bounce and decreases the predictability of each bounce necessary to fair competition or comparable replicated play. A game of Quarters played on the invention in one venue can be comparably played on the uniformly hard surfaces of other copies of the invention in other venues, regardless of the elasticities of the varying subsurfaces.

3.2: Uniform Smoothness. The invention includes the innovative attribute that its playing surfaces (the tiles) are of uniform smoothness, i.e. coefficients of friction. This eliminates the risk of errant bounces off lumpy, broken, coarse, intermittent, irregular, rough, uneven, wrinkled, granular, cracked, or erose surfaces such as concrete or common plywood. These advantages make the invention a better, more uniform means of the play of Quarters. A projectile bounce off the tile closest to the player will be off a surface of the same smoothness and coefficient of friction as a bounce off the most distant tile. In contrast, play of traditional Quarters on another surface, of insufficient uniformity of smoothness and coefficients of friction, decreases the equality of play from one toss to another and decreases the reasonable predictability of each toss necessary to fair competition or comparable replicated play. A game of Quarters played on the invention in one venue can be played on surfaces of uniform smoothness and coefficients of friction as other copies of the invention in other venues.

3.3: Uniform Set of Rules. The invention includes the innovative attribute that it contains a uniform set of simple game play rules, printed on its back.

3.4: Uniform Bounds of Play. The invention includes the innovative attribute that it contains uniform, pre-set tile dimensions, governing the boundaries of what constitutes in-bounds and out-of-bounds play. Tosses not hitting a tile on the invention (out-of-bounds) during play are conspicuous because impacts on the tiles sound distinctly different than impacts not on the tiles. Such missed tosses are also more conspicuous because the top, out-of-bounds, fringes of the rigid base board are recessed from and uneven with the tiles, resulting in visibly erratic bounce paths.

3.5: Uniform Distances to Target. The invention includes the innovative attribute that each copy of the invention contains uniform, pre-set surfaces of play (tiles) of equal distance from the target receptacle.

3.6: Uniformly Sized Receptacle. The invention includes the innovative attribute of an integral target receptacle, the hole, of uniform size, thereby accommodating the use of multiple types of target vessels while minimizing undue motion and displacement in comparison to the common use of such target vessels without any motion abating mechanism.