US3427027A

US3427027A - Board game apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3427027A
Application number: US455225A
Authority: US
Inventors: Keith E Kenyon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-05-12
Filing date: 1965-05-12
Publication date: 1969-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 1986-02-11

Description

Feb. 11,1969 K. E. KENYON BOARD GAME APPARATUS Sheet 4 of 2 Filed May 12, 1965 SEVEHS 155/ TH 15 REA/VON INVENTOR.

K. E. KENYON vBOARD GAME APPARATUS Feb. 11, 1969 Sheet Filed May 12, 1965 CAQDS CHANGEIDEUCES JOKERS ACES FE/ TH 15. FEMS/0M I INVENTOR.

AGENT United States Patent 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game board apparatus including a board having marked playing spaces or areas constituting four tracks jointly circumscribing the board at its edge marginal regions and including dice for indicating the number of playing spaces to be played. The playing spaces of each track are arranged in columns and transverse rows wherein each playing space bears indicia corresponding to a card in a deck of ordinary playing cards, the spaces being arranged so that the columns represent card suits and the numbers of the cards are arranged consecutively in the rows. A record area is provided on the board having spaces arranged and marked the same as the spaces in the tracks, whereby marker means are positionable on the record area for indicating a players best combination of values on the multiple columns.

The present invention relates to game board apparatus and more particularly to novel apparatus of such a type in which the board bears characteristic data of distinctive value whereby various combinations of values are achieved by the players which determine the outcome of the game and whereby original, unique, and instructive games combining skill and chance may be devised.

Game boards have been provided in the past which have included a single course or path which is shared by many players as the players position or move tokens indicative of their play in response to some form of chance determining means such as a spinner, cards, dice, etc. The chance determining means usually indicates the length of move along the path or course and the player first reaching the end of the course is declared the winner. However, such conventional games do not allow for a high degree of player skill to be employed in determining the players length of move along the path or course in order to reach the terminating end of the path or course with the highest score. Furthermore, inasmuch as a single path or course is provided, the outcome of conventional games does not depend on a Winning combination of values such as may be provided by employing multiple paths or courses that are played simultaneously by each of the individual players upon the occasion of taking their turn. Consequently, most conventional games fall short of achieving intellectual stimulation in combination with chance determining means which will allow for a wide variety of games to be played upon a single board.

Accordingly, the game board apparatus of the present invention provides a board having value designated spaces or areas constituting multiple paths or courses upon which multiple tokens controlled by a particular player may be selectively moved in order to establish combinations of values wherein the player combination of greatest value is deemed to determine the outcome of the game, regardless of whether he completes the course first or last. The term value as employed herein is intended to include 3,427,027 Patented Feb. 11, 1969 various designations such as numerical and face playing cards, letters of the alphabet, pictures of animals and the like. Chance determining means are provided for indicating the number of playing spaces to be advanced and, in some cases, whether the movement is to be forward, rearward or none at all for a particular players turn. A feature of the present invention resides in the provision for introducing directional cards for instructing the player of various move choices or which grant him certain penalties or benefits. Furthermore, a feature resides in the provision of a memory or record means on the surface of the board for recording the highest combination of values which an individual player may achieve during the course of play along the multiple paths or courses.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel board game apparatus having multiple playing paths or courses which are simultaneously played upon by an individual player during his turn for action to effect playing combinations having different values.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel board game apparatus having spaces or areas of different values upon which an individual player moves multiple tokens responsive to chance determining means so as to effect a winning combination of spaces or areas according to the designated value.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel board game apparatus displaying a number of alphanumeric or alphabetic characters arranged in separate paths or courses which are simultaneously played by an individual player in the use of which the outcome of the game is dependent upon chance and players skill to develop a winning combination of alphanumeric or alphabetic characters such as a hand of cards or properly spelled words.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel game board apparatus having memory means for recording various combinations of values achieved by individual players as the game progresses along multiple paths or courses which display spaces or areas having d1fferent designated values.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for playing games in the use of whlch the outcome of the game is not entirely dependent upon the skill of the respective players in that certain elements of chance are involved in the playing of the game.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a game board displaying a number of different card suits and chance determining means which may be employed to play various highly amusing and interesting games and which at the same involves sufiicrent players skill to render attention, alterness and resourcefulness a large factor in the playing of the game.

The features and objects of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation and procedures, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the fol lowing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one form or arrangement of a game board or playing field for a game in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation of a typical symbol or token that is used by the players to indicate player moves and current player positions on the board in relation to each other;

FIGURE 3 is a view in elevation of a symbol or marker that is used by a player to indicate and record the best value or position combinations on the board on which his playing tokens have been advanced or positioned;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a die used to determine a particular path or course to be followed by the players token and the direction of player token travel along the path or course;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a die used to determine the length of player token move of the players along a particular path or course;

FIGURE 6 represents a set of cards imprinted with instructions or directions drawn by a player in the course of the game which impose penalties or benefits on the players during the course of the game;

FIGURE 7 represents a deck of ordinary playing cards which may be employed during play of the game to improve a players combination of token positions on the board according to the rules of play; and

FIGURE 8 is a view of play or scrip money used in denominations of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 3o, 35, 40, 45 and 50 dollars.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the layout of a board as a whole is indicated by the numeral 10. Inasmuch as the game is known upon the market as Royal Deal, that name is indicated at 11 on the board in a central area thereof. The path or course of play is made up of four general tracks 12-15 which extend entirely about the board, thus constituting a continuous path, course or circuit about which the playing symbols or tokens of the players are moved according to the throws of the dice as long as the game continues. Each track, such as track 12, is shown to comprise fiftytwo spaces or areas disposed four columns in width and thirteen rows in length. Each square or area, such as square 16, carries indicia or a designation indicative of a playing card in a deck of ordinary playing cards. The designations or indicia may be disposed on the respective squares in any preferred manner such, for example, as that shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing. As there shown, the indicia for all of the hearts suit are arranged consecutively in one longitudinal column 18, all of the diamond suit in another longitudinal column 20, all of the spades in another longitudinal column 21, and all of the clubs in another longitudinal column 22. With the layout as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, there are provided indicia for the entire fifty-two cards of a deck of ordinary playing cards in each track.

It is also to be noted that the two inboard columns 21 and 22 of each track displaying indicia corresponding to the clubs and spades suits and the two outboard columns 18 and 20 displaying indicia corresponding to the diamonds and hearts suits carry alphabetical indicia or characters in each of the thirteen rows in such a manner that one alphabetical character shares two columns in a row. The indicia corresponding to cards of an ordinary deck and alphabetical characters are illustrative of indicia having different values which may be combined during play of the game to effect an overall value combination which when compared with overall value combinations obtained by other players in the game will determine the outcome of the play. The use of card indicia permits players to play such games as poker, whist, blackjack, et cetera, and variations thereof while alphabetical characters permit various alphabetic combinations to arise which may be employed for the spelling of words or various orders of letters. In this respect the game markedly differs from one where a signal path or course is used by a player or players which leads to a goal or Home." In other words, the board or playing field of the present invention poses no goal of termination or winning point, but affords a track having multiple playing paths or courses for continuity of play which are played simultaneously by the players as their consecutive turns occur in an effort to better or improve their particular location on the multiple courses and thereby to effect an overall combination of values whereby the player with the best combination is deemed the winner. Although an individual player may be first to complete the course by travelling one complete revolution about the board or within a given time limit, yet, he may still lose the game because his best combina tion or arrangement of values is lower in scoring than any opponents.

The four corner spaces 23, 24, 25 and 26 are special spaces. Space 23 is shown provided with an arrow 27 which indicates the direction of travel for the players symbols or tokens to initiate play. The corner spaces may be employed to interject variations into the rules and play of the game, if desired. For example, a players token landing on a corner space may be offered the option of changing suit columns for subsequent token travel on the next track. In the present instance, a change of column would be representative of a players changing card suit in the case of a game employing the various cards and suits of an ordinary deck of cards. Other variations employing the corner spaces will be described later with respect to various games to be played embodying the paths or courses shown on the board 10.

Spaces 28 and 30 designated SEVENS and JACKS, respectively, indicate the places where sets of directional cards 37 are piled, preferably face down, which cards indicate some financial or other penalty or benefit. Any player who is compelled by the rules of the game to draw a directional card takes the top card from the pack indicated and, after following the instructions imprinted thereon, returns the card face down to the bottom of the pack or set of such cards. It is noted that the SEVENS and JACKS spaces are separated by a HOLE CARD DECK space 31 where a deck of ordinary playing cards are piled, preferably face down. The HOLE CARD deck may be drawn from by a player when so directed by the directional cards or by other rules of the game wherein the top card is taken from the deck and returned face down to the bottom of the deck of cards.

A symbol or token 32, such as represented in FIG- URE 2, is employed to represent a players moves along the multiple paths or courses of play during the game. Multiple tokens for each player are provided, in the present instance, four, such that a player is provided with one token for each column included in each track. Any suitable distinctive symbol or token configuration may be provided if desired, or players may participate in the game by employing coins, keys or any other suitable article. It is desirable that any set of tokens or player pieces identifiable with a single individual player he of such configuration, size, color, etc., so as not to result in the ready identification with symbols or tokens used by any other player participating in the game. Thus, the tokens or playing pieces of each player are differentiated from those of any opponent and constitute a symbol representing a particular player.

The board 10 is also provided with a record means taking the form of an area 33 imprinted upon the surface of the board comprising fifty-two spaces or areas following the general format of any one of the four tracks, that is, four columns indicating the hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs suits arranged consecutively in the four columns and aligned in thirteen vertical rows. Letters of the alphabet are also included. Each player is provided with a set of four individually colored mnemonic or record markers, such as the marker 34 shown in FIG- URE 3, which may be disposed or positioned over the record area on various suit spaces to maintain the players record of his best combination of values obtained during the course of play along the continuous columns of the various tracks. A feature of the apparatus resides in the fact that a players record of his best combination of values is visible to all the players and, consequently, the player having the highest combination of values at one time is constantly under challenge by the other players. At the same time, the player having the best combination of values may continue, during the course of the game, to improve his combination as the game progresses.

In order to select a track column to be travelled by one of the multiple individual player pieces or tokens, chance determining means such as a suit die 35 as shown in FIGURE 4 are employed which may be rolled onto the surface of the board so that one of its sides faces up. The cube or die 35 used in the game has printed on four faces initials or symbols of the suits of cards, i.e., diamonds, clubs, etc., in the case of playing a game wherein the spaces in the columns are designated suit spaces. However, it is to be understood that the columns may represent various animals, colors or alphanumeric characters, in which case the four sides of the cube or die would correspond to the four column designations. On one of the two remaining die faces, there is imprinted a zero and on the other face a minus sign. In the event, after a toss of the die, the zero sign faces up, the player moves a token of his choice in the suit column of his choice. However, if the minus sign faces up after a throw of the die, the players token of his choice is moved backward a prescribed length.

The length of token travel along any one of the suit columns may be determined by any suitable chance determining element or means such as, for example, the standard die represented at 36 in FIGURE 5. The various faces of the die may be imprinted with numerals or dots, as shown, which indicate the length of move. Any other suitable chance determining element or device may be employed, as for example, an arrow or pointer pivoted to be spun, all of which are comprehended within the term chance determining means.

A set of directional cards is indicated in FIGURE 6 by arrow 37 which set is divided and placed on the SEVENS and JACKS areas, respectively. These cards, broadly speaking, are mainly cards indicating the imposing of a penalty or the obtaining of a benefit or some movement along the board. The top card from the cards piled on the SEVENS space is turned over when a players token lands on a seven space or area in any suit column. A card from the directional cards placed on the JACKS area is turned over when a player lands on any jack designation included in any suit column. In each card stack, there are ten money cards 38 directing or allowing a player to receive from the bank various sums of money such as 1, 5, l0, 15, 2O, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or 50 dollars depending upon the instruction of the card. Each directional card stack also includes two cards 39 which may be considered wild deuces, two wild ace cards 40 and two joker cards 41. The deuce and ace cards are held by a player until needed during any round and can be used respectively as a deuce or ace of any suit. The same is true with a joker, except it can be used as any card. When these cards have been used or it is the end of the round the cards are returned to their respective stacks. The JACKS directional cards are the same as those in the SEVENS stack except the money is paid into an ante pot by the player drawing a money card. In addition, each directional card stack has four suit change cards 42 allowing the player holding one such card to change a token, of his choice, to another suit column at the same level. These suit change cards are held by a player in the same manner as the wild cards until used.

FIGURE 7 represents a deck 43 of standard playing cards which are piled on the HOLE CARD DECK space 31 and which may be used according to the rules of play. The deck is placed face down so that the top card value is unknown to all the players. Each card in the deck may also display a letter or alphabetic designation so as to be meaningful in games calling for letter combinations.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a set of game money 44 or scrip dollars arranged in a pile which includes denominations of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 dollars and which is in charge of the Banker who, at the commencement of the game, provides each of the players including himself, if he participates, with an equal sum in suitable denominations.

The number of players is not fixed. Any reasonable number can play but four players has been found to be most desirable. One of the players is chosen as the Banker or otherwise designated as the person having charge of the money that is not distributed among the players at the start of the game. Such person may also act as one of the players and for that purpose will be provided with an equal sum of money and in all ways will participate in the game with the other players.

In starting the game, the several players throw the standard die and the one throwing the highest numerical value plays first. Play is then in rotation towards the left. Each player as he lands upon a suit space or area as a result of his throw of the

dice

35 and 36 places his symbol or token 32. upon such space or area. Eventually, as a players throws continue, all four player tokens identified with a particular player will be moved into spaces or areas on the resepctive tracks to form various combinations of values which are recorded in the record area 33 by a similar set of menmonic markers. To organize various games employing the board apparatus of the present invention, several possible games and rules therefor will be described to illustrate usage of the board apparatus. ROYAL DEAL illustrates a game of relative complexity involving a high degree of player skill based on playing card designations and somewhat simulating the card game of poker. ROYAL DEAL JR. illustrates a relatively simple game such as children may enjoy involving animal or number designations and follows somewhat the card game of ru mmy. SOLITAIRE is set forth to generally illustrate a game based on alphanumeric designations which results in a word spelling game or alternately a card playing game.

ROYAL DEAL This game employs a deck of standard playing cards 43 which is placed on the HOLE CARD DECK space 31, the suit die 35 and a standard numbered die 36. The area 11 containing the name ROYAL DEAL may be employed as an area to receive antes. The directional cards 37 are also situated or piled in the respective SEVENS and JACKS areas 28 and 30. Each player is also pro vided with four tokens 32 of the same color or shape while different colors or shapes are employed for each other player. Each player is also provided with a predetermined amount of play money 44. If desired, chips may be substituted for money.

The object of the game is to form poker hands on one track at a time, located about the sides of the board. The moment there are four player tokens of the same color on any one track of the board, a poker hand is formed. When this is accomplished, the player records the card values (designated spaces occupied by his tokens) by putting his four record markers in the respective designated areas on the record area of the board.

The HOLE CARD deck is cut for high card to determine order of play. Before each roll, the player antes one play dollar into the pot. The dice are rolled by the player and the top faces of the dice are read. If the top face of the suit die is one of the four card suits, the player places his first token in the suit column of that suit and moves the same number of suit spaces forward as is indicated by the roll of the standard die. No two tokens are allowed on the same suit space and a directive or assignment to move to a suit space occupied by another marker is to be ignored. A directive to move a token back beyond the starting place is not allowed and, if so ordered, the player merely remains where he is and for all practical purposes has lost his turn. The second player rolls the dice and follows the same procedure as the first. The play continues in the same order. When a player rolls for the second or more times and rolls a suit identical to a suit column occupied by one or more of his tokens and he has at least one token left at the start or, later in the game, has a token on a corner space, he is allowed to choose whether he wishes to advance a token further or start another token in that suit column, so as to try for a flush. In the latter case, if the number is larger than the previous one, he may move his token over the token ahead in the same suit column and land in a space beyond it. Whenever a player throws the suit die which indicates to him a particular suit, and he has more than one token in that particular suit column, he may choose which of his tokens he will move unless that particular token to be advanced will land in a suit space already occupied, in which case he must move another token. If a player has more than one token on a corner space, or tokens on diiferent corner spaces, he may choose which one he wants to move. If a player throws the suit die and finds he cannot move without occupying a suit space already occupied, he is not allowed to move his marker and for all practical purposes has lost his turn. When there is more than one token that can be moved, the player always has his choice of the token to be moved.

A layer may change suits with a token when he lands on a corner space or acquires a card 42 except as follows: if a player has more than one token on the same .suit column, he may move one of those tokens from that suit column if he throws the suit die which shows any other suit, as long as he does not have a token on the suit column showing on the die, and if the standard die displays a sufficiently high number to move one of the tokens to or beyond the nearest corner space. The token must remains on that corner space until his next turn regardless of how high a number may have been displayed on the standard die. If he throws the suit die and the die indicates another suit for which he does not have a token already on the board, and he has no token in a corner space, and the standard die displays a number insufliciently large to move his token on or beyond the nearest corner space mentioned above, he is not allowed to move that token and it must remain on the suit space where it was. Any number of tokens are allowed on a corner space at one time.

When a player rolls a zero on the suit die, the player moves his token in the suit column of his choice, as long as there is a move available in that suit column, otherwise he must select another suit column. If the player throws a minus, he moves the token of his choice back the number' of spaces showing on the standard die. A player may move his token onto another suit column of his choice whenever he lands on or passes a corner space. As an example, if a players token is on the ace of spades and he throws a spade on the suit die and a three on the standard die, he may move beyond the corner space onto the three space in any suit column.

If the players token lands on either a seven space or a jack space in any suit column, the player turns over the top card in the respective directional card stack on the SEVENS or JACKS pile. If possible, the player performs the assignment described on the directional card.

When a player has recorded his poker hand on the record area with his four record markers, he then draws a hole card from the top of the HOLE CARD deck, which he keeps secret. The joker counts as a wild card for any hand on any side of the board. A natural hand, however, counts higher than one with a wild card in it of the same denomination. Also, if the hole card is the same as a card in the poker hand on the board, the hole card counts lower than if it were a wild card and, naturally, the hand counts lower than a natural hand. In ROYAL DEAL, as is the order of the suits as shown on the board, the high suit is hearts, diamonds next, spades next and clubs lowest. Wild cards may be represented on the record area by placing the record markers on their sides. When a player has formed a poker hand, he may ante up to $10.00 into the pot which the others are required to equal or they must remove their tokens 32 until the next round. If all players give up at that point, the one making the last poker hand removes the money from the ante pot and play starts over. If not, play continues. A player is allowed only the first poker hand on a given track, and after forming it and recording it, he moves on and records no more poker hands on that side or track. If a player forms another poker hand on a different track, he may choose it as his permanent poker hand, and he removes his record pieces and reforms them into record spaces or areas representing the new hand. However, he must replace his old hole card at the bottom of the HOLE CARD deck and draw a new one from the top. Another round of bets may then be placed. If a second or later player to form a poker hand finds a record space already occupied which corresponds to one of his suit spaces, he cannot at that time make a poker hand and must continue play to move a token to another eligible suit space to form the poker hand, unless in the meantime the player holding the suit space on the record removes it to form another hand.

The round or play ends immediately when all players have formed poker hands, or if one or more does not succeed in getting a poker hand, the game will then end when the last token has gone around all four tracks and into the starting corner space. As long as a player has a marker on the board, those tokens of his that have reached the starting position remain there, since in this case, if a player throws a minus, he may move one of those tokens back to another designated area, and if repeated enough times still have a possibility of forming a poker hand.

At the end of the round, bets are made up to agreed limits, in the same manner as poker, and the high poker hand wins. Tie poker bands which may occur are settled by suits as described above. At the start of any new round, each player is provided with $100.00 by the bank unless he has gone broke, in which case he is out of the game unless a rule for borrowing money is agreed to by the players. In the beginning of each round all cards including the directional cards are shufiied and cut. The ultimate winner is the high money winner.

ROYAL DEAL J R.

The object of the game is to form rummy hands of three cards of a kind or three consecutive cards of the same suit simultaneously on any track of the board. Tokens may lie on two or three difierent tracks or on all tracks as long as the numbers are the same and the suits dilferent or the numbers can be consecutive and the suit the same. When a player has made a rummy run, he places record markers of his color in the record areas corresponding to the run. Only one wild card is allowed for a run. Once a run is recorded, it cannot be used again by another player even though he lands on the same spaces. After the last marker is moved past the starting position, the player With the greatest number of record markers in place on the record area wins.

The instructions set forth on the directional cards cannot contradict the basic rules of the game to make a player do what is not allowed. For example, at the start, if a player throws a 6 on the standard die and picks up a directional card instructing him to move back ten spaces, the player simply leaves his token on the 6 space. If a directional card instructs him to move to a space already occupied by a token, he does not move at all and for all practical purposes has lost a turn.

Play begins by cutting a deck of one suit and the player having the high card wins and goes first. The dice are rolled and as in ROYAL DEAL with the same rules for throwing a zero or minus sign. The players token is moved in the suit column indicated by the suit die the number of spaces indicated on the standard die. The player always moves forward on the same suit. He can only change suit on reaching a corner space or throwing a minus sign in which case he must move the token of his choice back to the previous corner space, unless all his tokens are on corner spaces. Although any number of tokens may simultaneously occupy a corner space, only one token at a time may occupy a suit space, and if a players move lands his token on a suit space occupied by another token, he must return to its original space and for all practical purposes has thrown a zero.

SOLITAIRE A number of games of solitaire can be devised and played using the Royal Deal board. The simplest kind would involve attempting to form a combination of cards or letters, such as four Kings or six Aces, or a specific Word anywhere on the board and recorded in the record area prior to moving a players last marker past the starting point 'BLACKJACK POKER This game is played by two or more players. The fifty-two suit spaces composing each track of a ROYAL DEAL board are used. One shufiled deck of cards is used in the game. The dealer, who rotates each time, deals four cards face up to each player. Each player places his four colored tokens as used in ROYAL DEAL on the suit spaces corresponding to the cards dealt him. The dealer then asks the players from left to right in order if additional cards are wanted. If a player decides to hold, and stand pat, he is dealt a hole card face down. If he Wants additional cards, these cards are dealt face up one at a time. With each card dealt, the player must move the token of his choice, if he has any, that number of spaces that is the number of card dealt forward in the proper suit column. Jacks move the token 7 spaces forward, queens 12, kings l3 and aces 1. Whenever a player decides to stand pat, he is dealt his hole card face down. If after being dealt a card, the player moves one of his tokens off the board, he loses and is out of that round. After every player has either gone off the board or is standing pat, the dealer deals to himself in the same manner. For those who remain, the high poker hand wins. If the deck is gone through, it is reshufiied and started through again.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the game board apparatus herein disclosed presents various combination situations and is one that develops interesting and perplexing situations. Often the developments of the game are such that the situation is rapidly cleared up during the final phase of play and all players excepting the successful one are quickly required to surrender their tokens and quit the game, thus bringing the game to a conclusion.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

'I claim:

1. A board game apparatus comprising:

a board having four tracks, each disposed along an edge marginal region of said board;

each of said tracks having fifty-two marked playing spaces arranged four columns in width and thirteen rows in length, each playing space bearing indicia corresponding to a different value;

a plurality of directional cards piled on said board adjacent one of said tracks and displaying instructions affecting the play;

chance determining means for indicating the number of said playing spaces in one of said columns to be played;

four players tokens belonging to each player in the game adapted to be moved in said columns and the number of said playing spaces indicated by said chance determining means;

a record area having fifty-two marked spaces having identical space value designations as said playing spaces; and

four record markers differing in form from said tokens belonging to each player of the game positionable on said record area spaces for indicating a players best combination of values achieved during the course of play on any one of said tracks.

2. A board game apparatus comprising:

each of said tracks having marked playing spaces arranged in at least four columns in Width and at least twelve transverse rows in length, each playing space bearing indicia representative of a different value;

said board including first, second and third marked areas designated SEVENS, HOLE OARD DECK and JACKS, respectively;

a plurality of directional cards stacked on said *SEVENS area and said JACKS area, each card of the plurality displaying instructions affe'cting the P y;

a deck of ordinary playing cards stacked on said HOLE CARD DECK area wherein the top card of the deck may be drawn at the discretion of each player;

chance determining means for indicating the number of playing spaces in a selected one of said columns to be played;

multiple playing tokens for each track adapted to be moved in each of said columns and the number of said playing spaces indicated by said chance determining means and said directional cards;

a record area displayed on said board having spaces conforming to said marked playing spaces arranged in columns and transverse rows identical to the arrangement of said playing spaces in each of said tracks and having identical playing space values displayed thereon as said playing spaces; and

multiple record markers equal in number to the number of said multiple tokens positionable on said record area spaces for indicating a players best combination of values achieved during the course of play on any one of said tracks.

3. The invention as described in claim 2 wherein said chance determining means includes a pair of dice wherein one die displays on its faces indicia directing a players token movement in a selected column of one of said tracks and wherein the other die of said dice displays indicia on its faces employed to indicate the number of playing spaces said players token is to be moved in said selected column.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said SEVENS area and said JACKS area have indicia designated by indicia displayed by selected ones of said playing spaces whereby the landing of a players token on said selected ones of said playing spaces causes the top card of said directional cards on the designated SEVENS or JACKS area to become effective.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 including scrip money to be employed by the players of the game and wherein said directional cards inelude particular cards displaying instructions regarding playerfinancial penalty or benefit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12 Darrow -Q. 273-134 Lachance 273-134 Glover 273-134 Thibault 273-134 5 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.