US2226973A - Card instruction game board - Google Patents

Description

ec.. 3L W40. M W- GRGSBY 2,226,973

CARD INSTRUCTION GAME BOARD l FiledNov. 15, 1939 .'5 Sheets-Sheet 1 'FnosLeM No- DEALER SOUTH Dec. 3l, 1940n M. w. GRlGsBY 2226,73

CARD INSTRUCTION GAME BOARD Filed Nov. 15, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f@ if NORTH 5M@- ma@ Nehmer Saule Vulntrnble 50!) TH yDec. EL W4@ MQ w. GRIGSBY 2,226,973

CARD INSTRUCTIN GAME BOARD Filed Nov. 15, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /Nsmf'sn .sms vuLNEnABLE Patented Dec. 31, 1940 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

` commonly used by a single player to play a `game normally requiring three others, for the purpose of enjoyment or instruction.

Boards of this general type are `already wellknown and some of them are in commercial production, but all of them are subject to one or more faults, which keep them from being entirely satisfactory. One common fault is that various hands are exposed to view from all sides of the table so that it is virtually impossible for the game board to be used by a full set of players as in a normal game of cards in which each player can see his own hand,` but not all of the other cards as well. The present invention overcomes this difficulty by providing a practical construction for rendering any hand visible to the player thereof, but screening such hand from opponents and from a partner. Although screening in general has been proposed heretofore, the present screening is simpler in structurerand operation than that of the prior art, and, furthermore, does not interfere with the playing of the hand.

Another common fault of such prior game boards when played for enjoyment or instruction has been the difficulty of finding out the correct play on a problem sheet or similar structure if a player started to make an erroneous play. Thus, the first correct play in an exposed hand would be indicated by the numeral l which, however, would be concealed until such play had been made. If the player failed to make the correct play, he would expose the number and layout o1" some subsequent play, and in then searching for the correct play he might expose the number and layout of several subsequent plays, which would tend to destroy some of the teaching value of the game and likewise cause lost motion and time. According to the present inventon all of this is greatly simplied by providing a play director which is successively moved from one position to another corresponding to the successive bids and tricks, and is of a form to expose successively the bids and plays which should be made.

Still another common fault has been the necessity for making a separate indication each time a trick was taken in order to keep tra-ck of the number of tricks taken by each side. According to the present invention, this is avoided by trick counting means automatically visible or apparent as play progresses.

The counting means is preferably incorporated with the play director so that the said play director as just mentioned will automatically indi- 5 cate the number of tricks which have been ltaken by each of the two partnerships, and it will not be necessary to remember at the end of each trick to move and mark a separate unit for this purpose. 10

Other common faults of the prior devices are the provision of separable play indicating parts which are likely to become lost, and the failure to arrange the `card symbols of all of the four hands according to suits so that a solo player may play the board from any side.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby a problem from a newspaper, or magazine, can be recorded on a special form and inserted on my game board and used instead of the printed problem sheets sold with the game board.

Another object of my invention is to provide a scoring device whereby the bids and plays of problems can be recorded for comparison with an experts solution. Said scoring device may be used with my game board, or entirely apart from same by persons playing with ordinary cards.

It is a further object of my invention, therefore, to provide an inexpensive, durable card device for the use of a lone player, the entire device being so small that it can be conveniently carried and used by the player on trains and in like places, as Well as in the home.

For commercial reasons there is, of course, a great need of simplicity, but the simplicity of the prior devices has been obtained at the cost of the other faults above mentioned. In addition to having the objects of overcoming said faults the present invention has the object of providing a simpliiied board which can be manufactured with economy` and can be readily understood by anyone knowing the elements of the game for which itis adapted.

In the most simplified form of the invention-15 a single play director is employed Which may be rotated to provide all of the indications necessary for playing the game, and the four hands of thirteen cards, or any other desired number, are the only indications independent of the disc. In this form of the directing disc, the disc has onlyl one aperture for viewing card indications, by means of which one is able to successively check the correct bid or play to be made.

In the principal forms, the present invention has for its object the provision of a simplied device for teaching, or for playing for pleasure, card games such as bridge and the like, with the device including a printed sheet with a given problem thereon and a single rotatable play director therefor.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the lower left hand corner of the device of Fig. 1, showing the play director in position for showing the rst prescribed trick.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. l is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 4 illustrating a modification in the guiding and supporting structure for the slidable tabs, or indicators, of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View of a still further modification of the guide structure.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a typical problem .sheet to be used with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the scoring device which may be used with all of the embodiments ci my invention.

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the score sheet of the device shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a modied form of score sheet which could be used in place of the score sheet of Fig. 9, or which may be used as a combined score sheet and problem sheet.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, illustrating a modication in the slidable tabs, or indicators, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 1 includes a base member 25 which can be stamped out of metal, cardboard, or the like, or provided as a molded element. Integral straps 2B are provided at the four corners for holding down a problem sheet 2l such as is shown in detail in Fig. 7. A set of indicators, identified by the reference character 28, is provided at each of the four sides of they base 25 to correspond to the four playing hands. There are thirteen indicators 29 for each hand, and thirteen card indications or indicia 3|] are represented on the problem sheet 2l beneath the indicators. An indicator 29 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 3, and comprises a one-piece member with a tab-like handle 3l at one end, and a slanting projection 32 at the other end for readily sliding over the edge of the problem sheet 21 to cover a corresponding card symbol as shown along the edges of Fig. '7. The indicators are retained in position on the base and guided in their slidable movement by an elongated strip 33, the handles 3l and the projections 32 serving to limit the travel of the indicators by striking against the strip 33. The strip 33 is provided on both sides at spaced intervals over the length thereof with downwardly extending ears 34 which serve to suitably separate the individual indicators. The strip 33 is mounted at each end on an embossed portion or washer 35 and secured to the base by a rivet, screw, or the like, 36.

A modication of the guide and retaining structure for the indicators of Figs. 1 and 11 is illustrated in Fig. 5. In this embodiment a metal strip 3l is provided with integral lugs 38 extending upwardly therefrom at spaced intervals across the strip so as to separate the indicators 23 from one another and at the same time guide them in their siidable movement. The indicators are, of course, positioned at right angles to the strip and lugs 38 extend upwardly at each side of said strip. With this construction the strip 3'1 is placed upon the base 25 and retained in position thereon, and the indicators 29 are dropped into the guide-way provided by oppositely disposed lugs 33. After the indicators are all assembled a strip 33 of substantially the same length as the strip 3l is mounted by washers or the like at retaining members @il at the ends of the strips so that such strip 39 is rigidly secured on the base 25, but spaced in a manner to permit easy movement of the indicators 29. This provides a very inexpensive construction and rapid assembly for the indicator portion of the game.

A still further modification of this structure is illustrated in Fig. 6 in which lugs lll are stamped out of a base 25 identical except for such lugs, with the base 25, and the indicators 29 are slidably mounted intermediate adjacent sets of lugs in the manner described with reference to the structure of Fig. 5. The strip `33 is mounted at the ends in the manner previously described, and the indicators 29 are then retained on the board and guided in a slidable movement.

In the majority of cases the game board will be used only by one person for the purpose of instruction, and I, therefore, prefer for this purpose the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. The disc l? is removed and the indicators 29 are moved to their outermost position to allow the insertion of the problem sheet 21, the corners of which are inserted under the straps 25. The

vindicators 29 are then all moved inwardly to cover the card symbols, and the play director, or disc il?, is placed in position to revolve about pin 58, which is secured to the base 25. The problem sheet contains information as to the problem number, who is the dealer, which side is vulnerable, respectively indicated by the reference numbers d2, i3 and 44. The four playing positions are shown as at li.

The rotatable disc, called the play director, is, in its most simple form shown in Fig. 1, a onepiece metal member, or it can be suppliedin any other appropriate relatively stiff material. As this device shown in Fig. 1 is for the use of a single player, it is desirable to have the bids and plays of the absent players mechanically indicated and for this purpose as well as for checking the correctness of bids and plays of the lone player, the play director il is provided. This play director is used for three purposes, i. e., bidding, playing, and counting the tricks.

The proper cards for a single trick, or the symbols for a particular round of bidding, are exposed progressively, as will be explained, by a plurality of cut-out viewing areas which, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, are shown merged into a large slot il having a straight forward edge. These cut-out areas are so proportioned and arranged as to be disposed in stepped formation with each area extending along the direction of operative travel, here circular. The staggered rear edges defining the respective viewing areas are shown as 59 to Sii, inclusive. A slot 55 is provided for the observation of the number of the trick. Each of the ends 52 to tl, inclusive, are

portions of radial lines extending through to the center of the disc, as is clear in Figs. 1 and 2.

For convenience, the viewing areas having rear edges 59 to 54 inclusive will ybe referred to as located by these numbers. Cooperating with area at is an inner series of indicia, each element of ywhich series indicates the division of tricks taken. Cooperating with areas at 5| to 54 inclusive are indicia sets of bidding and playing steps. Thus one set of indicia cooperating with the area at 5| may correspond to a certain bidding or playing order for a round and may be the iirst steps for all rounds. The next set for thearea at 52 4follows in sequence and so on through to the end. It will be noted that the indicia across the sets corresponding to any one round are in a segment 56. As shown here the indicia for any one round are staggered operatively sequentially across the sets along the line of advance of the viewing areas. The relationship between area length and indicia location is such that any one playing or bidding indicia is exposed only for .the duration of the round. Thus the first play of a round is exposed longest, considered with respect to space on the play director, while the l-ast play is exposed the shortest. Coincident with the last play of a round, the `trick count is exposed. Thus the coincidence of an area and -a set element is sequentially made `with respect to the remaining area and set element coincidences to expose each bid and play in the order as made and therefore keeps such bids and plays exposed only for the duration of that round. The area for trick-taking indicia series is adapted to expose the elements of that series corresponding tothe particular round played.

The correlation of the various movable elements of the boa-rd and the problem sheet can best be understood from -a consideration of the play of a hand or problem such as is illustrated in Fig. 7. With bridge problem sheets available on 1the market it is common to so design the hand that the South player, who is usually the sole player, will be the declarer and hence will play his hand and the ldummys. This is not at all necessary with the present invention and, in fact, if there is only one player he is not so limited and may take any hand he desires. For learning the game, it is recommended Ithat the player sometimes play the defending hands, instead of always playing the offense. The same problem sheetcan be used for offensive or defensive play.

In the problem sheet 21 'of Fig. '1 segmental portions 56 are provided in a circular arrangement intermediate the lines 51-51 and each segment contains symbols for the car-ds of a complete trick to be played by `the four hands set out in the game. The card symbols are preceded by N, E, S, and W, respectively, to indicate the card to be played for the hand in that position as shown around the edge of the problem sheet, and number indications are provided adjacent the inside of each segment corresponding to the number of tricks taken by each two partners over the entire play of a iparticular problem. The numbers for the tricks illustrated in the segments, from 1 to 13, Afor instance, are shown in a circular line in the inside circular portion 58 'on the sheet, with the numbers running in a clockwise direction as is also indicated by the arrows at the .lines 51-51. 'Ihree successive rounds of bidding are likewise illustrated in segments 59 intermediate the lines` B0-60. For instance, in the iirst biddingsegment to the left of lthe lowermost line 69 at the lower Iportion of the sheet in Fig. 7, the symbol S for South indicates that the player South (S) should properly bid one spade; West (W), pass; North (N), two hearts; and East (E), pass'. The contract for the problem illustrated in Fig. 7 is attained in three rounds of bidding. An -additional segment and a partial segment on the problem sheet were not needed in this problem, but -ve full segments for bidding, could, if needed, be provided by very slightly reducing the angle included by the radial lines whichVform the bidding and trick segments.

Let it lbe assumed that a sole .player is playing South. The single .player sitting at this position moves all of the indicators 29 outwardly toward himself, as Iviewed in Fig. 1, to expose the card symbols in .the South hand. The indicators 29 for the other three hands conceal the cards for these hands, as shown. The disc 41, at the beginning of the gam-e, should be in such a position that the arrow 61 on the disc is in line with the arrow 62 on the problem sheet 21. In this position the left edge of the aperture 49 of the disc 41 coincides with the lowermost limit 60 of the bidding segments -60 of Fig. 7. In this position the blank segmental space between the first bidding segment and the thirteenth Itrick segment oi Fig. 7 is all that is visible through the aperture 49 of the disc 41. This position of the disc is the initial or starting position of the disc 41 as well as for all modifications of the disc 41.

South, after examining his hand, makes an opening bid and to check the correctness of his Y bid, rotates the disc 41 until the -rst bid of the rst bidding segment appears in .the aperture 49, so that Souths bid of one spade will be visible.

In rotating the disc 41, as well as the disc 92 in Fig. 13, care should be taken to always rotate the disc in a clockwise direction, and also the amount of rotation should be only enough to progressively expose the next succeeding indication. Inasmuch as the three hands West, North, and East, are concealed, the remaining hands must be ascertained from the .problem sheet and the disc 41 is moved step by step until all four bid indications are exposed in the :position for the disc shown in Fig. 1. This procedure is Ithen followed for the remaining number of rounds of bidding which in this particular instance totals three in number. hand side of the aperture 49 conceals the succeeding bid in the method just described, and, this same aperture configuration conceals the bidding for a previous round as the disc 41 is The irregular edge on the rightmoved clockwise from the `full position shown in Fig. 1 Ito a succeedingsegrnent 59 where ,only the South, or rst bid, would again be exposed.

In the problem illustrated in Fig. 7, South is the declarer as well as the dealer, and after completion of the bidding the West hand makes the rst lead. With the entire game being played by a single player at the South position, the West hand is covered and the disc 41 is rotated-clockwise until the straight edge oi the aperture 49 passes the rst symbol beyond the line 51 (at the left-hand side of Fig. 7) for the rst trick as shown in Fig. 7, indicating that the proper play is the king of diamonds, The indicators 29 in the North hand (which is the dummy handin this problem) are slid outwardly to expose the card symbols for that hand. The player may then move an indicator 29 inwardly to cover the card considered proper for following the lead from the West hand. To check the play the disc 41 is rotated clockwise to expose the second play indication Which is Shown to be the two of diamonds on the problem sheet of Fig. 7. A further movement of the disc 41 exposes the play for the East hand, and the South hand can then be played and subsequently checked by again mov- 5 ing the disc. After play of the four hands, the aperture 49 will be in position shown in Fig. 2 `with the trick number I visible at the aperture end 55. Thus it will be seen that my method brings the four cards played on any trick all together, the same as is the case when an ordinary deck of cards is used and the played cards thrown to the center of the table. But with my invention there is the added advantage that the proper cards and order of play are all visible at once and there can be no chance of error. This same procedure is followed until all thirteen tricks have been played.

The total trick tabulation for the partners is visible in each segment 56 at the recess portion bounded by the line 5i) in the aperture 49. The letters E-W and N-S, imprinted or otherwise shown on the face of the disc 41, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2, designate the total for the particular partners. During the play when an indicator 29 has just been moved to cover a card symbol, the players finger must be retained on said indicator until the play has been checked froml disc M, in order that if the proper indicator had not been moved it could be moved to its former position and the proper indicator could be moved to cover, or play, the correct card.

From the above description, it is apparent, therefore, that the only movable elements are the indicators 29, and the disc ll'l which in itself has no moving portion. 'Ihe play has been described as being accomplished by a single player, but the game can be played by from one to four players with a device using special indicators 40 shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

From the above description, it is apparent also that two out of the four sets of indicators, and corresponding card symbols on the problem sheet could be eliminated if it is desired to limit the 45 play to a single player who always operates from the same position. For instance, with the player operating from the South position, the play could be directed by means of a disc 41, and the indicators 29 with corresponding symbols on the 50 problem sheet would be required only for the South and the North positions, inasmuch as the symbols in the East and West hands are normally covered. So that the player can learn the defensive play as well as the oiensive play and 55 provide greater flexibility in the use of the game board, however, I prefer to provide indicators and card symbols at all four positions as described in detail above.

If the hands are actually played by four players 60 instead of by one in the manner just outlined, the players may prefer to play the hand as naturally as possible without using the directing disc 41. For the purpose of instruction, it will often be desired to keep a record of the bidding 65 and play when four players are playing, so that when the hand has been played without interruption a detailed comparison may be made of the bidding and playing of the hand as shown on the problem sheet, which is an experts solu- 70 tion. For this purpose the recording apparatus shown in Figs. 8 and 9 may be used. Fig. 9 represents a score sheet 63, which is positioned about a pin S4, suitably anchored in a base member 55.

The member 65 may be formed of any suitable 75 stiff backing material. Fig. 8 shows the same sheet 63 resting in a shallow tray which will keep the sheet from rotating when the revolvable disc is moved thereon. The score sheet 63 and the dise 66 each have a central hole through which the pin 5&3 passes. The disc 65 has a cutout portion 6l through which one portion of the score sheet 63 may be viewed.

In using the score sheet 63, the disc is removed until all the bids have been recorded by writing them in pencil in the successive squares 68 foreach bidder just as is commonly done in recording the bids in duplicate play, for example. When the bidding is completed, the disc 56 is applied to the score sheet 63, about the centering and pivot pin Ell. The disc will be turned to position the cut-out portion Si over the cross 69 which is numbered l in its central square. It will be observed that there are thirteen of these crosses positioned around the score sheet 63 so that the disc 66 -may be moved to thirteen positions, each exposing a, different cross 59. As a play is made by each hand, the designation on the card may be written in the appropriate blank space in the cross corresponding to the trick in question. Thus, in'Fig. 8 on the -third trick, it is seen that West played the two of clubs, North the eight of clubs, East the king of clubs, and South the ace of clubs. In this way all of the plays may be recorded with the greatest ease and clarity. Furthermore, the play is like the real game in that only the trick being played, or recorded, is visible. When the entire hands have been played, the bidding and playing may be compared with the bidding and playing according to the experts solution as seen by the use of the directing disc 4l. The bid and the play of the hands, together with the reasons for the bid and play should be written in a pamphlet and furnished with the problem sheets, this pamphlet being written by an expert in the game of contact bridge, assuming, again, that the structure is used for contact bridge. In using the scoring device of Figs. 8 and 9, the disc 4l could be properly moved at the end of the recording of the first trick, to check the play at the end of that trick, instead of waiting until all the tricks have been played and recorded. The play of any other trick could thus be checked at anyV time. I prefer, however, to check the recorded score sheet when the thirteenth trick has been played.

Many persons study the contract bridge problems written by experts and printed in the daily news-papers But in reading these and in attempting to solve the bidding and playing prior to reading the experts solution, the reader is enabled to see all the four hands at once, during all of the bidding and during all of the play. To overcome this difficulty I have devised a score sheet 7U (see Figs. 10 and 1l). The four hands printed in the newspaper are recorded in pencil or in ink, in the rectangles 'H along the four sides of the score sheet Il). Then the same can be inserted on the base member 12 in the same manner in which a regular problem sheet 2l was inserted. Then the disc 4l can be placed upon the score sheet l0, and the indicators i3 will then be all slid inwardly to cover the card indications 'Ill which have been written in the rectangles ll. If fourpersons are playing it will be necessary that the various hands be shielded from the view of the other players. For this reason some changes are necessary in the game device. The base member 12 is made slightly larger in size than the base member 25 (Fig. l). The indicators 'I3 (Figs. 11 and 12) are slightly longer than those in Fig. ,1, and, if made of steel, wouldhave lugs '15,16 .and H extending upwards from the mainportion of the indicator. 'Ihese lugs guard an aperture, or window, 18, so that when the window is positioned over one Vof the card symbols 'I4 the said card symbol is visibleto no one except the `playerto .whom the hand belongs. If the indicators are made of molded material, the threelugs 15, 1B and 'Il would be molded as one bent lug to guard the `threesides of thek window. There is a slight bevel on the bottom of the indicator at the baser of lug` 16 to enable the indicatorto easily slide over` the edge of the score sheet lll. The outer end of each indicator has an upturned lug 19,. which, with the lugs 15 and '11, serves to limit the extreme travel of the indicators. Metal strips 33, washers 35, rivets 36, and disc 41 are the same as in Fig. 1. Theindicators may also be mounted in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5 or 6.

Assuming that the problem shown in the newspaper is the same as that shown in Fig. 7, South is the dealer. All `players will move their indicators 'i3 to position B so as to expose their hands to the View of themselves only. The disc M will be turned so that the arrow 6i will be in line with the arrow` 62. South makes his bid and will then turn the discll'l clockwise one step and write his bid of one spade in the space 8| (Fig. 10) ci the score sheet, S standing for South, l for one, and the iinal VS for spades. Then the disc will be rotated one step more and Wests bid of Pass will be written in the space B2, W standing for West and P standing for pass. Norths bid will likewise be written in the space 83, and Easts bid in the space 84. 'Ihis procedure will continue until the bidding is completed, and as South becomes the declarer at four spades, West must make the iirst lead. The disc is then'rotated clockwise to expose the space 85 in the first trick segment, and Wests lead of the king of diamonds is recorded. West will move his indicator `'i3 to position similar to that of position A in Fig. l1 so as to conceal the card symbol for thev king of diamonds from everyone, including himself. The dummy hand is next eX- posed by North so that all of the other players maysee the hand. To do this all of the indicators 13 in the North hand are moved to a position similar to the position C in Fig. 11. South, the declarer, plays the two of diamonds from dummy and moves the corresponding indicator in that hand toI cover said card symbol, by moving the indicator to a position similar to position A in Fig. 11, thus hiding the card symbol from all players. Also South, as the recorder, will move the disc 0.1 one more step and write Norths play of two in diamonds in space 86 of the score sheet. East then plays the seven of diamonds and moves the corresponding indicator 'i3 to a position similar to position A of Fig. 1l, so as to conceal from all players the said card symbol. South, as recorder, marks Easts play in the space 81 on the score sheet. The same procedure is used for Souths play, the play being recorded in space 88 of the score sheet. It will now be seen that West took the rst trick and this information can be recorded by marking in the inner portion oi the first trick segment the numbers 1 and 0, adjacent respectively to the E-W and the N-S markings on the disc 41; This will indicate that the East-West partnership has taken one trick and the North-South partnership has taken no trick.

The same procedure is continued until all the thirteen tricks have beenV played and recorded. Comparisonwith the solution given in the newspaper can be made at the conclusion of the bidding, and `again at `the end of each trick, if the players Wish, or they can finish the game, and then compare the entire recorded game. If the recorded bidding and playing is correct the score sheet could be saved and used as a problem sheet, thesame as any problem sheet furnished with the game, Vand the newspaper clipping giving said problem and solution could be pasted in a book and could'be referred to in the future the same as an instruction pamphlet.

`It is, of course, evident that if the scoring sheet 10 is to be used with an ordinary deck of cards, entirely apart from any of my game boards, it` will be necessary to provide a cheap basel similar, but larger, than the base 65.0f the` scoring device in Fig. 8. It will also be necessary to provide a disc similar to disc 47 of Fig. 1.

It isalso true that the scoring device shown in Figs. 8 and 9 could also' be used with an ordinary deck of cards entirely apart from any ofl my scoring devices.

I claim:

1. A game board for kcard games of the type normally played by a plurality of players in a succession of bidding and playing rounds, a round having the steps thereof in a certain order and a playing round being terminated by the taking oi a trick, said board including a problem sheet and` a cover for said sheet, said cover having at least two appropriately-designatied player positions, each position consisting of a group of means for selectively covering or exposing the sheet portion atsaid means, said sheet carrying indicia thereon at each means to correspond with one card value of some denite playing hand, said cover including a play director comprising a member movable over a range from one end position to another in a play directing sense and having amulti-stepped slot adapted to expose diierent portions of the sheet during member travel, said different portions of the sheet bearing indicia corresponding to all bidding, playing and trick collecting `steps of a complete game, all bidding and playing indicia corresponding to one round order forming an indicia set aligned along the path of member travel, the trick taking indicia forming a series aligned along the path of member travel, said sets and series being parallel to each other transverse to the path of member travel and the bidding and playing sets being disposed in position playing sequence, a slot step portion for each set with its length along the line of member travel adapted to expose the set elements successively as the member travels its path, the distance between adjacent successive set elements being greater than the width of the respective slot portion cooperative therewith so that when said member is moved corresponding to one round, only one set element per slot step portion is exposed to view during that round,

the coincidence of a slot step portion and set element being sequentially staggered with respect to the remaining slot step portion and set element coincidences to expose each bid and play in the order made and keep said bids and plays exposed only for the duration of that round, said member having a slot for said indicia series and adapted to expose trick taking indicia at the end of each playing round movement.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the indicia across the sets corresponding to each round are successively staggered in the direction of member motion.

3.The board of claiml 1 wherein said member comprises a disk rotatable about a center with the sets and series of indicia arranged concentrically around said center.

4. The board of claim 1 wherein the slotted member comprises a disk rotatable about a center with the sets and series of indicia arranged concentrically around said center and where the indicia across the sets corresponding to each round are successively staggered in the direction of member movement.

5, A game board for bridge or the like, said board including a problem sheet and a cover for said sheet, said cover having four appropriatelydesignated player positions, each position consisting of a group of means for selectively covering or exposing the sheet portion at said means, said means including means operable by the player at that position to restrict the exposure to himself and to prevent the sheet portion at each of said means from being visible to players at other positions, said sheet carrying indicia thereon at each means to correspond with a card value of definite playing hands for each position, said cover including a vplay director comprising a slotted member movable over a range from one end position to another in a play directing sense and adapted to expose diierent portions of the sheet during member travel, said different portions of the sheet bearing indicia corresponding to all bidding, playing and trick collecting steps, all bidding and playing indicia corresponding to one round order forming an indicia set aligned along the path of member travel, the trick taking indicia forming a series aligned along the path oi member travel, said sets and series all being parallel to each other transverse to the path of member travel with the sets being disposed in position playing sequence, a slot area for each set with the scanning axis thereof disposed along the line of member travel and adapted to expose the set elements successively as the member travels a normal path, the distance between adjacent successive set elements being sufiiciently greater than the scanning extent of the respectively cooperant slot area so that when said member is moved to a distance corresponding to one round, only one set element per slot area is exposed to view during that round, the coincidence of a slot area and set element being sequentially staggered with respect to the remaining slot area and set element coincidences to expose each bid and play in the order made and to keep said bids and plays exposed only for the duration of that round, said member having a slot for said indicia series and adapted to expose trick taking indicia at the end of each playing round movement.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the indicia across the sets corresponding to one round are successively staggered in the direction of member motion. v

7. 'I'he board or claim 5 wherein said member comprises a disk rotatable about a center with the set and series of indicia arranged concentrically around said center.

8. The board of claim 5 wherein said member Y comprises a disk rotatable about a center with the set and series of indicia arranged concentrically around said center and wherein the indicia across the set corresponding to any one round are successively staggered in the direction of normal member motion.

9. The board of claim 5 wherein the indicia across the sets corresponding to any one round are successively staggered in the direction of member m'otion and wherein the adjacent slot areas are merged to form a single slot having a straight leading edge common to each component slot area.

l0. The structure of claim 5 wherein the slotted member comprises a disk rotatable about a center with the sets and series of indicia arranged concentrically around said center and wherein the indicia across the sets corresponding to any one round are successively staggered in the direction of member motion and wherein the adjacent set slot areas are consolidated to form a single slot having a straight leading edge common to each component slot area.

MARION W. GRIGSBY.

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