US3751039A

US3751039A - Three-dimensional board game apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3751039A
Application number: US00204592A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Dykoski
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-12-03
Filing date: 1971-12-03
Publication date: 1973-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-07

Abstract

Game apparatus including a game board having an eight-by-eight array of square playing positions. Each playing position is provided with a peg hole centrally thereof to accommodate a support peg of a game piece. Three games are disclosed, each game comprising a distinct set of game pieces. All game pieces include transparent plastic bodies and vertically depending support pegs to permit the game pieces to be removably disposed in the peg holes of the game board and moved from one playing position to another. In addition, each game piece is provided with at least one peg hole in the body thereof so as to permit game pieces to be stacked on top of one another. In the first of the three games, the game pieces may be stacked on top of one another in various angular orientations to accomplish an objective somewhat similar to a three-dimensional tic-tac-toe game. In the second game, the game pieces are simply vertically stacked on one another but are provided with directional programming indicators to provide an objective similar to that of the game of checkers but with additional complexity and variation. In the third game, the game pieces are provided in an assortment similar to the standard game of chess and the game objective is similar with the additional facet of game piece stacking and compounding of power.

Description

United States Patent [191 Dykoski [111 3,751,039 [451 Aug. 7, 1973 [54] THREE-DIMENSIONAL BOARD GAME APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Walter J. Dykoski, 9041 Hensley Dr., Sterling Heights, Mich. 48078 22 Filed: Dec.3, 1971 211 Appl.No.:204,S92

[521 U.S. Cl.273/13l AC, 273/131 BA, 273/131 KC, 273/136 C, 273/136 E, 273/137 AB, 273/137 AD, 273/137 F [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/02 158] Field of Search 273/131, 134, 136, 273/137 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,531,123 9/1970 Peebles 273/136 E 3,568,357 3/1971 Lebensfeld 273/137 AD UX 2,460,264 1/1949 Prentice et al. 273/137 AB UX 621,799 3/1899 Degges..... 273/131 B 3,632,111 1/1972 Wicksu..." 273/131 K 235,951 12/1880 Lawrcncc..... 273/136 C 2,786,681 3/1957 Ellctt 1 273/136 E 3,650,534 3/1972 Collctt 273/134 AE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 2 181,632 6/1922 Great Britain 273/136 C 14,317 6/1902 Great Britain 273/137 AB [57] ABSTRACT Game apparatus including a game board having an eight-by-eight array of square playing positions. Each playing position is provided with a peg hole centrally thereof to accommodate a support peg of a game piece. Three games are disclosed, each game comprising a distinct set of game pieces. All game pieces include transparent plastic bodies and vertically depending support pegs to permit the game pieces to be removably disposed in the peg holes of the game board and moved from one playing position to another. In addition, each game piece is provided with at least one peg hole in the body thereof so as to permit game pieces to be stacked on top of one another. In the first of the three games, the game pieces may be stacked on top of one another in various angular orientations to accomplish an objective somewhat similar to a threedimensional tic-tac-toe game. In the second game, the game pieces are simply vertically stacked on one another but are providedwith directional programming indicators to provide an objective similar to that of the game of checkers but with additional complexity and variation. In the third game, the game pieces are provided in an assortment similar to the standard game of chess and the game objective is similar with the additional facet of game piece stacking and compounding of power.

14 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures THREE-DIMENSIONAL BOARD GAME APPARATUS INTRODUCTION This invention relates to games and particularly to game apparatus of the type having a board defining a playing area and game pieces which are grouped into teams and moved over the playing area.

BACKGROUND Games of the type employing a board having a subdivided playing area and a plurality of game pieces, which may be grouped into teams, have been popular for an extraordinary period of time. Games of this type which have become classics include checkers and chess. It is a general objective of this invention to improve upon such games by adding new dimension, variations, and complexities thereto.

In accordance with the present invention, a board game of the type employing a board having a subdivided playing surface and a plurality of game pieces is provided wherein the challenge, interest, and amusement values thereof are dramatically heightened by the addition of a third dimension of game piece mobility and power variations. In general, this is accomplished by the provision of a game board which defines a play ing surface which is subdivided into a number of play ing positions. This board is used in combination with a plurality of game pieces defining at least first and second game piece groups which are identifiable by means of respective common characteristics, such as color, to assemble opposing teams. In addition, means are provided for removably and nonslidably securing each game piece to the board in a playing position. In addition, each game piece is constructed so as to accept another game piece in stacked relationship therewith, whereby the game pieces may be moved not only in the two ordinary playing dimensions defined by the plane of the game board, but also vertically into and out of stacked relationship with one another. This permits game rules which provide that the stacked game pieces possess qualities of movability and/or power which individual pieces do not have.

A second important aspect of the present invention is the provision of a family of different games of varying complexity and skill requirement each of which is identified with a unique set of game pieces but all of which may be played on the same game board.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention as hereinafter set forth in greater detail, the game board which is common to each of the three games in the family of games also set forth herein defines a flat playing surface having means such as indicia or integral ridges for dividihg the playing surface into a regular, two-dimensional grid of 64 square playing positions. Those skilled in games will recognize the eight-by-eight subdivided board as corresponding to an ordinary chess or checkers board. However, in accordance with the specific embodiment of the invention hereinafter set forth in detail, means such as peg holes are provided in the playing positions of the board to receive corresponding peg portions of game pieces therein such as to enable the game pieces to be removably and nonslidably secured in the playing positions on the board; the removability being such as to permit easy mobility of each of the game pieces with respect to the board. In addition, each of the game pieces is further provided with a body portion having means such as one or more peg holes for receiving the support peg of another game piece such as to permit the game pieces to be stacked one upon another thereby to create compound game pieces having powers of mobility unique to such compound pieces.

In accordance with a specific embodiment of a first game which can be implemented using the present invention, the game pieces of each of the two or more teams share a common characteristic, such as color, to identify them with one another as a team. However, the game pieces of a given team are subdivided by structural features of appearance into four different types identified herein for the purposes of description as, octon, scorpion", spinner, and king", each of which possess certain power in accordance with game rules applicable thereto. Each of these game body portions has at least one peg hole which is employed to receive a support peg of another game piece so as to permit the second piece to be placed in vertically spaced relationship with the first piece. While some pieces have only one such hole, other pieces may have several such holes to permit stacking to occur along lines bearing various angular relations to the plane of the game board. The stacked pieces -a'retypically endowed with powers of mobility not given to unstacked pieces. Stacking and unstacking moves are thus permitted along with horizontal moves. This game apparatus permits the playing of a three-dimensional game which is similar to but substantially more complex than the wellknown game of tic-tac-toe, wherein the object is to obtain a colineal array of three game pieces from the same team.

In accordance with a second specific embodiment of the invention, as hereinafter described in greater detail,

a modification of the well-known game of checkers is provided. In this embodiment, a board as previously described is employed, such board having 64 playing positions and a peghole in at least diagonally adjacent positions. The game pieces are divided into groups or teams each team having some common characteristic such as color to identify the game pieces with one another. The game pieces are constructed with body portions and vertically depending pegs which permit the game pieces to be removably secured in the playing positions of the board. In addition, the game pieces are provided with peg cavities in the top of the bodies so as to permit the stacking feature previously described. In addition, each game piece body is provided with a circular recess which is adapted to receive a crown piece of circular peripheral configuration. The preferred form of this game employs a peg cavity which is central of the circular depression, and crown piecestwhich are annular so as to permit crowned as well as uncrowned pieces to be employed in stacked relationships with one another. Finally, each game piece is shaped or otherwise provided with a directional indicator such as a pointer to permit stacked game pieces to be programmed into a sequence of moves, the direction of each move being indicated by the position of the pointer on the various game pieces in the stacked array.

In accordance with the third specific embodiment of the invention as further set forth herein, an improvement in the well-known game of chess is provided. This game employs the same eight-by-eight game board described with reference to the previous embodiment and a set of game pieces which are divided into groups representing opposing teams, and which are further subdivided into subgroups in accordance with the standard rules and format of chess. However, as opposed to the ordinary chess game pieces which are simply placed on the game board in slidable relationship, the game pieces of the subject embodiment are provided with bodies having vertically depending pegs which permit the game pieces to be removably secured in the peg holes of the game board position. In addition, each body is provided with a peg cavity in the upper portion thereof so as to permit the game pieces to be stacked one upon another. This gives rise to a third dimension of game piece mobility and further provides for the compounding of game piece power described with reference to the previously described emobodiments.

The various features and advantages of the invention will be best understood by reference to the following specification which describes three embodiments of the invention in detail. This specification is to be taken with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a game board usable for all of the games set forth as illustrative embodiments herein, together with two groups or teams of game pieces in a starting position;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the game apparatus of FIG.

Flg. 3 is a plan view of special game apparatus useful in playing a first game described herein;

FIG. 4 is an end view of further apparatus useful in playing the first game;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a game piece useful in playing a second game described herein;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a crown piece used in combination with the game piece of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows the assembly of the pieces of FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 illustrates the stacking of pieces of the type shown in FIG. 5; and,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of apparatus for playing a third game described herein.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the game board 10 for playing all of the games set forth herein as illustrative embodiments is illustrated along with first and second groups 22 and 24, respectively, of game pieces which are identified with and used for playing a first game, the game pieces as well as the game being further described and defined hereinafter. Looking first to the structural characteristics of the game board 10, the board is shown to provide a flat playing surface 12 which is divided into an eight-by-eight array of 64 regular square playing positions 14. In the embodiment shown, the board 10 is constructed of transparent acrylic plastic and the entire playing field is defined by printing or hot stamping just one-half of the total number of playing positions I4 in an opaque, black color. The remaining positions are automatically defined by the printed or stamped positions which surround them; except, of course, for the unprinted squares around the edges of the playing field. These are defined by printed or stamped positions on only three sides. This has proven adequate and esthetically appealing. Molded ridges or other structure mayk may, course, be employed in substitution for or addition to the printed indicia. The game board 10 is preferably constructed to be of such a size as to provide approximately 200 square inches of surface area on each of the two major plane surfaces thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, the playing positions 14 of the game board 10 are color coded into first and second color groups such that diagonally contiguous playing positions are of the same color whereas ajacent playing positions sharing common linear boundaries are of different colors; e.g. clear and black as explained above. In addition, the playing positions 14 of the game board 10 may be numbered to facilitate instruction and absentee playing. Insofar as the basic geometry and color scheme of the playing positions 14 are concerned, the game board 10 basically resembles the well-known chess board or checkers board as will be apparent to those knowledgeable in the game field.

Game board 10, however, differs from the conventional chess or checkers board in two fundamental respects: first, means such as peg holes 16 are provided centrally of each of the playing positions 15 to receive a removably secured relationship any of the various game pieces which are hereinafter set forth in detail for the playing of certain games as will also be described; and, second, the game board 10 is provided with special indicia in the form of broad color-coded lines 18 which designate certain special areas on the game board which are useful in the playing of one or more of the games to be described. A third but possibly less fundamental distinction of the game board 10 is the provision of shallow feet 20 on the undersurface thereof, as shown in FIG. 2. These feet are provided to raise the game board 10 relative to a table top or other support surface on which the game board may be placed, thereby to facilitate the use of the peg holes 16 as game piece securement means. In addition, the feed are preferably provided with holes to receive pegs for raising the board 10 and also for pegging one board to another in back-to-back relation whereby two games may be played at the same time on opposite sides of the two, pegged-together boards; in this example, the playing surfaces of the boards are vertical, further illustrating the utility of the peg securement means for the game pieces.

Describing now the illustrative details of a first game playable on the game board 10 described above, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate in a starting position groups 22 and 24 of game pieces disposed and arrayed on the board 10 for the playing of a game which is similar to but more intricate, varied, and complex than the wellknown game of tic-tac-toe. All of the game pieces are preferably constructed of bright, smooth, and transparent acrylic or similar plastic. The game pieces of group 22 all share at least one common characteristic, such as color, so as to be identifiable as a team. The transparency of the plastic lends a jewel-like appearance to the game pieces. Similarly, the game pieces of group 24 all share a common characteristic, such as color, so as to be similarly identifiable as a second team. The common color of the game pieces of group 22 is, of course, different from the common color of the game pieces of group 24 so that the two teams may be distinguished from one another, but otherwise the structural qualities and makeup of the game piece group 22 are identical to those of game piece group 24 whereby the two teams so composed are identical in structure, power, and mobility at the beginning of a game. Accordingly, the detailed description of group 24 may be taken as definitive equally of group 22. Typical colors are clear and wine red; others may be used.

Looking again to FIGS. 1 and 2, group 24 is shown to comprise a total of sixteen game pieces. Group 24 is subdivided into four additional groups each of which represents a game piece of a different physical and functional type. First, and by way of illustration, group 24 comprises four kings 26 each of which comprises an essentially cubical body of solid, brightly colored, but transparent acrylic plastic. The plastic may be reinforced with glass particles. The bodies of the kings 26 are formed so as to have the two vertically spaced circular grooves shown in FIG. 2, for distinctiveness of appearance. The four kings 26 further comprise support pegs 28 having tapered end portions 31) of reduced diameter so as to fit in the peg holes 16 of the game board 10. The tapered end portions 30 are dimensioned relative to the peg holes 16 such that a reasonably secure relationship between the game board and the game pieces is accomplished, but whereby the game pieces may be easily vertically removed from the game board during the playing ofa game. Each game, piece may be thus readily moved from one position 14 to another without disrupting the game and without requiringthe board to be specially fastened down to the support surface. The bodies of kings 26 are provided with five peg holes and an integral, vertically depending support peg 28 for removably securing the game piece to the game board and maintaining the body of the game piece in vertically spaced relationship to the game board it); assuming, of course, the board 10 is horizontal. Four holes 32 are disposed at 90 intervals around the body of each king? and have axes which lie in a horizontal plane; that is, a plane which isparallel to the playing surface of the game board 10. The final peg hole in each of the kings 26 is disposed centrally in the top of each king'and permits the stacking of game pieces as bestillustrated in FIG. 2. The lateral holes 32 permit game pieces to be interconnected in lateral or horizontal relationship as will be further described hereinafter.

A second subgroup comprises four scorpions 3d each of which has a body of highly-polished and colored acrylic plastic supported on a peg 28 which in turn is removably secured in a hole 16 on the game board Ml. Each of the scorpions 34 is provided with a peg hole 36 in the top which permits additional game pieces to be stacked on top of each scorpion just as game pieces may be stacked on top of the kings 26, as previously described.

A third subgroup in group 24 comprises four spinners 38 each of which includes a body of distinctive appearance and made of a brightly colored and smoothly polished transparent acrylic plastic. In addition, each of the spinners 38 includes a support leg 28 which permits that game piece to be removably secured in a peg hole 16 on the game board 10 and which further permits each spinner 38 to be removably secured in stacked relationship to another game piece in the same group. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each spinner is provided with eight circumferentialiy arranged facets or surfaces each ofwhich has formed therein a peg hole as. in addition, a pair of opposed and laterally-extending peg holes d2 are provided in each of the spinners 3% again to accommodate the pegs 28 ofother game pieces in a lateral association.

A fourth and final subgroup within group 2d comprises four octons 44 each of which has a body of brightly colored and highly polished acrylic plastic in the shape ofa uniform octadecahedron. Each of seventeen surfaces in the octadecahedrol octon M is provided with a peg hole and in addition each octon 44 is provided with a preferably integral support peg 28 which permits that game piece to be removably secured to the game board 10 in each of the playing positions 114 and which further permits each octoh to be disposed in stacked relationship with each other game piece in the group 2a.

In summary, it can be seen from the foregoing that each game piece in group 24 comprises a body of brightly-colored, highly-polished and preferably transparent or nearly transparent, acrylic plastic material together with a support peg of a length such that each game piece may be removably secured to the game board 10, the plastic body of each game piece being maintained in vertically spaced relationship to the game board llii when secured to the board. In addition, it can be seen that each game piece in the group 24 is provided with at least one additional peg hole in the top of the body so as to permit other game pieces to be conjoined therewith or stacked thereon. In addition, the octons, spinners, and kings are provided with additional peg holes in various angular orientations therein to permit other game pieces to be conjoined therewith by way of pegs in various lateral or other angular relationships.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the starting poistions'of the 16 game pieces in each of the two groups 22 and 24. As best shown in FIG. I, the kings 26 are disposed in the row of playing positions closest to the player and in symmetrically balanced relationship about the centerline of the game board 10. The scorpions 34 are posi tioned such that the row of four kings is flanked on either side by one scorpion 3d whereas the remaining two scorpions are disposed in the third row away from the player and in the two positions M adjacent and in symmetrical relationship to the centerline of the board 10. As best shown in FIG. I, the two foremostscorpions 34 are immediately adjacent the center group of four squares which is defined by the center square of lines W on the game board 1h. The four spinners 38 are positioned such that two occupy a stacked relationship to the outermost kings 26 and the other two are placed directly on the game board 10 and directly in front of the two innermost kings 2h. Finally, the four octons 44 are positioned such that two of the octons M are in stacked I relationship with the two innermost kings 2d and the remaining two octons are placed directly on the board llili and in flanking relationship with the two foremost spinners 3d.

Without attempting to define in this document all of the rules and strategies for the game illustrated in FIGS. it through d, some brief description of the game and its objectives is believed to be in order so as to facilitate an understanding of the significance of the four subgroups of game pieces and the game apparatus described herein. The object of the game illustrated in FIGS. ll through d is to achieve one: or more linear arrays of three game pieces of the same team, each linear array being termed a triplet". Triplets may be accomplished horizontally across the game board 10, vertically relative to the game board ill), or diagonally along. aline which intersects the surface of the game board 10 at an angle of 45. In playing the game each player moves one game piece at a time and the two players perform their moves alternately. The game pieces may be assigned different mobility powers or other distinct abilities, if desired. Two, three or four players may par ticipate in a game, the use of two groups or teams suggesting two players being taken purely by way of illustration. Each game piece may be moved in any direction, one square at a time. A vertical move into a stacked relationship or higher in an existing stacked relationship or from a stacked to an unstacked relationship may accompany any lateral move; that is, any move from one playing position 14 to another. Each time a triplet is accomplished by one of the players, the pieces in the triplet becomefrozen or immobilized and one of the opposing players kings is removed from the board. In order for a triplet to count, at least two of the pieces making up the triplet must lie within a vertical projection of the four centermost playing positions indicated by the line 18 on the game board 10. Obviously, a vertical triplet places all three pieces in the central area.

As previously suggested, the stacking of game pieces on one another may be achieved in various angular relationships in addition to the vertical orientation. Such an angular relationship is shown in FIG. 4 wherein octon 44a is anchored in the game board 10 by way of peg 28 and octon 44b is anchored in octon 44a by means of the joining peg 46. It will be noted that peg 46 is of a longer length than the normal support peg 28 so as to accommodate the longer diagonal distance between the vertical projection of playing positions which is caused by the angular relationship between the two octons 44a and 44b. FIG. 4 additionally shows an octon 440 in lateral-relationship to the octon 44a and joined therewith by means of a standard support peg 28. Finally, a scorpion 34 is shown disposed in verticallystacked relationship to the octon 44a by means of the standard support peg 28. Other combinations are possible. 2 FIG. 3 shows two octons 44d and 44e which are diagonally stacked and joined by means of peg 48. Octon 44c is anchored in the board 10 and octon 44d is stacked thereon at an angle of 45. Moreover, the octon 44d lies within the vertical projection of a position 14 which is diagonally contiguous to the position in which octon 44:: is anchored. On the other hand, the octon 44b lies in the vertical projection ofa position in which octon 44c is anchored. Thus, peg or rod 48 is still longer than rod 46. Suitable dimensions for the pegs or

rods

28, 46, and 48 are l /4 inchs, 2inchs, and 3 inchs, respectively. Each player may be supplied with a given number of these pegs. Many intriguing and complex variations of stacking, unstacking, and compounding of powers may be enjoyed in games employing the game pieces illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4 and it is to be understood that the foregoing brief description of one game is not to be construed as limiting the number of variations which are possible.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 through 8, a second type of game piece is illustrated for the playing of a second illustrative game, this game being based on the wellknown game ofcheckers. It is to be understood that the game pieces illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 8 are to be employed in combination with the game board 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. Accordingly, it is possible for an individual to enjoy several quite distinct games while employing only one game board.

Describing now specifically the apparatus of FIGS. 5 through 8, each game piece 50 comprises a brightlycolored and high-polished body of acrylic plastic supported on a vertically depending support peg 52 having a tapered end portion 53 of reduced diameter so as to permit each peg to be disposed in a hole 16 in the game board 10 of FIG. 1. Each game piece 50 may, thus, be disposed in removably secured relationship to the game board 10 and moved from one playing position 14 to another as the game progresses. Each game piece 50 has formed in the body thereof an annular recess 54 having a circular peripheral boundary to receive a crown piece 56 illustrated in FIG. 6. The crown piece 56 is generally disposed in the annular depression 54 when a player has successfully moved a game piece from his initial or starting position to the opposite or far side of the game board 10. Placing the crown piece 56 in the depression 54 designates the piece as a king and gives it bidirectional mobility in much the same manner as a king in the standard game of checkers has bidirectional mobility.

Each game piece 50 has further formed therein at a central location a peg hole 58 which permits one game piece 50 to be stacked on top of another game piece in vertically-spaced relationship by way of the support peg 52. The support pegs 52 of the apparatus of FIGS. 5 through 8 may be integral with or permanently fixed to the game pieces. The peg hole 58 for stacking is disposed centrally within the annular depression 54 and each of the crown pieces 56 is annular in shape to provide a central opening 60 which permits the game pieces 50 to be stacked irrespective of the presence or absence of a crown piece 56 on the lowermost or intermediate pieces in a stack. Each piece 50 is further formed to define a directional indicator 62 for purposes to be described.

FIG. 8 illustrates the stacking of two game pieces 50 wherein the support peg 52 of the uppermost game piece is disposed in the peg hole'58 of the lowermost game piece. It is to be understood that the lowermost game piece is anchored in the game board by way of the support peg 52. Stacks of two, three, or more game pieces are possible.

Again, it is not deemed to be the function of this document to fully and exhaustively describe rules and procedures for the use of the game apparatus of FIGS. 5 through 8. However, it is believed to be helpful to provide some information regarding the game procedure in order to permit one to fully appreciate the functional significance of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 8. Accordingly, the game employing this structure calls for two groups of game pieces, each group comprising twelve game pieces having some common characteristic, such as color, which identifies the game pieces with one another as a team. The first team may be comprised of red gamepieces and the second game team may be comprised of clear game pieces, these two colors being given purely by way of example. the game 'is begun by disposing twelve uncrowned game pieces 50 in laterally alternate playing positions 14 on each side of the game board 10 such that three rows of four game pieces each are provided for each player. The game then progresses in such a fashion that each player moves one game piece 50 at a time and the two players move in alternating fashion. The game pieces may be moved horizontally across the board 10 or vertically into and out of stacked relationship with one another. A stacking or destacking vertical move is not counted as an individual move but must accompany a horizontal move. A stacked arrangement such as that shown in FIG. 8 is endowed with compound power of mobility such that a stack of two pieces 50 is permitted to move two playing positions, a stack of three game pieces is permitted to move three playing positions and so forth.

A further feature of the apparatus of FIGS. through 8 and of the game which is played with that apparatus involves the provision on each game piece of a directional indicator in the form of a pointer 62. These directional indicators are normally all arranged so as to point rearwardly or toward the player in the initial arrangement. However, when a piece is stacked, a player may be called upon to program the future moves of the stacked array of game pieces by placing the directional indicators or pointers 62 in selected orientations. In FIG. 8 the two pointers 62 are pointing in the same direction indicating that the two moves of the stacked piece will be in one common direction. However, this is not a requirement in that the two pointers 62 may be oriented in different angular positions and the stacked piece, when moved, may be moved in a compound directional pattern starting with the directional requirement of the bottom game piece in the array and finishing with the directional requirement of the top game piece in the array. This programming feature introduces a further skill requirement inthe game in that the game piece may not move over a playing position occupied by another game piece unless, of course, such a move is possible as a capturing move or a jump as is commonly referred to in the standard game of checkers. a

It is to be understood that the foregoing description of apparatus and suggested function is not to be construed as limiting that apparatusin any sense in that many variations will be apparent to those'skilled in the art.

Looking now to FIG. 9, a third class of gamepieces is illustrated for playing a third game, this game being based upon the well known game of chess. Again, the apparatus of this third game as illustrated in FIG. 9 employs a game baord 10 similar to or identical to the game board 10 of FIG. 1; that is, a game board having a flat surface which is divided by suitable indicia or structure into an eight-by-eight array of 64 playing positions, each playing position having disposed therein a peg hole to accommodate a support peg of a game piece.

Looking now to the game pieces in specific detail, it

can be seen in FIG. 9 that there are illustrated six different subspecies of game pieces these being identified by

reference characters

64, 66, 68, 70, 71, and 72. Each of those game pieces is provided with an integral support peg 74 similar or identical to the support pegs 52 and 28 previously described herein so as to fit in a peg hole 16 in the surface of the game board 10. The end portion of each peg 74 is preferably tapered and of such dimension as to fit comfortably within the hole 16 so as to permit the game pieces to be removably se cured for movement over the board from one playing position to another. In addition, each game piece illustrated in the arrangement of FIG. 9 is provided with a peg hole 76 in the top of the body so as to permit the game pieces to be disposed in vertically stacked relationship to one another, stacks of two, three, and more pieces being possible, as illustrated in FIG. 9. The bodies of the

game pieces

64, 66, 68, 70, and 72 as illustrated in FIG. 9 are preferably formed of solid, colored, polished acrylic plastic.

It is to be understood that in the playing of a chesstype game employing the apparatus representatively illustrated in FIG. 9, two teams of game pieces are employed, each team having a combination of game pieces corresponding to the standard chess game. This array includes pawns 64, bishops 66, knights 68, rocks 70, a queen 71, and a king 72. Each player is in command of a total of 16 game pieces at the beginning of the game and the object of the game is to move in alternating fashion across the game board in much the same fashion as the standard chess game. However, because of the unique structural characteristics of the game pieces and game board illustrated in FIG. 9, it is possible to stack one game piece vertically upon another giving the stacked arrangement the compound power which is the equivalent of the summation of powers of all of the various game pieces in the stacked array. Again the game is typically played in such a fashion as to permit stacking or destacking at the same time one accomplishes a horizontal move.

It is to be understood that the game apparatus and the suggested procedures outlined herein are illustrative only and should not be construed in a limiting sense.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

-1. Game apparatus comprising: a game board having a flat playing surface and indicia on the surface for dividing the board into a regular two-dimensional grid of playing positions; first means associated with each of the positions for receiving and removablysecuring a game piece therein; a game piece group including a first plurality of game pieces having at least one common characteristic to be identifiable as a first team;

second means associated with each piece for removably securable relationship with said positions; third means associated with each piece for removably securable and nonslidable relationship with the second means of another piece thereby to permit pieces to be stacked upon one another; said first and second means and said first and third means cooperating to provide a relatively secure association between said pieces and said board as well as between stacked pieces whereby said pieces remain secured to the board and to each other when the board is disposed in a vertical attitude; and a second player piece group including a second plurality of game pieces similar to the pieces of the first group but having a common characteristic different from the common characteristic of the first group thereby to be identifiable as a second team; the number of pieces in each of the first and second groups being equal to one another and less than the number of posi tions on the board.

2. Game apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the board is divided into aneight-byeight grid of 64 positions.

3. Game apparatus as defined in claim I wherein: each of the game piecesincludes a body portion, the

first means comprises a peg-receiving hole disposed centrally of each board position, the second means,

comprises a peg depending vertically fromeach said game pieces, said peg being diametrically small in relation to said body portion, and said third means is a pegreceiving cavity formed in the body portion of each game piece, said peg, hole, and cavity being dimensioned to provide a tight frictional engagement therebetween when operatively engaged.

4. Game apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the body portions of the game pieces are substantially transparent plastic and the common characteristics which identify the first and second teams are the colors of the body portions.

5. Game apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one game piece comprises a body having a plurality of peg-receiving cavities formed therein, and a plurality of pegs of different lengths for insertion into the cavities.

6. Game apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the first and second game piece groups comprises a plurality of subgroups each of which shares said common characteristics, the game pieces of each subgroup further having characteristics which distinguish them from games pieces of each other subgroup.

7. Game apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the groups are each divided into four subgroups, the total number of game pieces in each group being sixteen.

8. Game apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein each game piece comprises a body portion of transparent plastic and a peg extending therefrom, the game piece body portions of one of said subgroups having formed therein a plurality of peg-receiving cavities in various angular orientations to permit the Game pieces to be stacked in various angular relationships.

9. Game apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the board is divided 'into an eight-by-eight array of positions, a peg hole in each of said positions, and boundary indicia encompassing a contiguous plurality of said positions to define the starting position boundaries of the game pieces with respect to the board.

10. Game apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said game pieces comprises a body portion, each of said body portions having formed therein a circular recess, a circular crown piece adapted to be disposed in the recess, and a pointer formed integrally with each body portion.

11. Game apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said second means comprises a peg extending from each body portion and said first means includes a peg hole in each of the positions to receive a peg for securing the bodies in vertically spaced relation to the board surface, each body portion having further formed therein as the third means a peg hole to receive the peg of another piece to permit stacking of said pieces.

12. Game apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said peg hole in said body is centrally within said circular recess, the crown pieces being annular to permit stacking of a crowned game piece. I

13. Game apparatus as defined in'claim 12 wherein the game piece groups are each twelve in number.

14. Game apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the game piece groups are each 16 in number and are further divided into six-subgroups so as to be susceptible of playing a game according to the standard rules of chess.

Claims

1. Game apparatus comprising: a game board having a flat playing surface and indicia on the surface for dividing the board into a regular two-dimensional grid of playing positions; first means associated with each of the positions for receiving and removably securing a game piece therein; a game piece group including a first plurality of game pieces having at least one common characteristic to be identifiable as a first team; second means associated with each piece for removably securable relationship with said positions; third means associated with each piece for removably securable and nonslidable relationship with the second means of another piece thereby to permit pieces to be stacked upon one another; said first and second means and said first and third means cooperating to provide a relatively secure association between said pieces and said board as well as between stacked pieces whereby said pieces remain secured to the board and to each other when the board is disposed in a vertical attitude; and a second player piece group including a second plurality of game pieces similar to the pieces of the first group but having a common characteristic different from the common characteristic of the first group thereby to be identifiable as a second team; the number of pieces in eacH of the first and second groups being equal to one another and less than the number of positions on the board.

2. Game apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the board is divided into an eight-by-eight grid of 64 positions.

3. Game apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein: each of the game pieces includes a body portion, the first means comprises a peg-receiving hole disposed centrally of each board position, the second means comprises a peg depending vertically from each said game pieces, said peg being diametrically small in relation to said body portion, and said third means is a peg-receiving cavity formed in the body portion of each game piece, said peg, hole, and cavity being dimensioned to provide a tight frictional engagement therebetween when operatively engaged.

9. Game apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the board is divided into an eight-by-eight array of positions, a peg hole in each of said positions, and boundary indicia encompassing a contiguous plurality of said positions to define the starting position boundaries of the game pieces with respect to the board.

12. Game apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said peg hole in said body is centrally within said circular recess, the crown pieces being annular to permit stacking of a crowned game piece.

13. Game apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the game piece groups are each twelve in number.