US3820791A - Board game - Google Patents

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Publication number
US3820791A
US3820791A US00296949A US29694972A US3820791A US 3820791 A US3820791 A US 3820791A US 00296949 A US00296949 A US 00296949A US 29694972 A US29694972 A US 29694972A US 3820791 A US3820791 A US 3820791A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
playing
tile
game
tiles
player
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00296949A
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English (en)
Inventor
W Powers
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Aladdin Industries LLC
Original Assignee
Aladdin Industries LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Aladdin Industries LLC filed Critical Aladdin Industries LLC
Priority to US00296949A priority Critical patent/US3820791A/en
Priority to GB775373A priority patent/GB1388791A/en
Priority to JP2368473A priority patent/JPS5541789B2/ja
Priority to CA165,842A priority patent/CA991671A/en
Priority to FR7336009A priority patent/FR2203281A5/fr
Priority to BR7897/73A priority patent/BR7307897D0/pt
Priority to AU61284/73A priority patent/AU473842B2/en
Priority to DE19732351064 priority patent/DE2351064A1/de
Priority to AR250531A priority patent/AR203091A1/es
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3820791A publication Critical patent/US3820791A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00697—Playing pieces
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/02—Chess; Similar board games
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00173—Characteristics of game boards, alone or in relation to supporting structures or playing piece
    • A63F3/00261—Details of game boards, e.g. rotatable, slidable or replaceable parts, modular game boards, vertical game boards
    • A63F2003/00359—Modular units
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00697—Playing pieces
    • A63F2003/00886—Transparent

Definitions

  • Play commences with one 2:732:211 1/l956 FOSIerI IIIQHU... 273/131 AB Player moving his Playing Piece to a Playing the 50 2,847,222 8/1958 Weeks 273/137 R x that the direction Vectors that Playing the may he 3,155,391 11/1964 Chittenden 273/131 AD viewed through e p y Piece e pp h y 3,309,092 3/1967 Hardesty et al 273/134 GA then move his playing p1ece to a playing tile 1n any of 3,430,960 3/1969 Warman 273/I31 AB the directions indicated by the vectors so viewed.
  • This invention relates generally to board games. More specifically, it relates to board games wherein playing pieces are moved from start points to finish points.
  • a first type is one wherein playing pieces are moved over a board in a somewhat random fashion to get from a start point to a finish point or home point in order to win.
  • the movement in such games is usually dictated by chance, that is, dice are thrown or a pointer is spun to come to rest on a number.
  • chance that is, dice are thrown or a pointer is spun to come to rest on a number.
  • the opportunities for strategy in such games are limited.
  • There are variations of such games where some element other than chance is introduced, but in the main the game advances and is won in large part by chance.
  • a board game in which the players may find enjoyment in exercising their skill at the game, but in order to achieve that end does not require that the players be of equal skill. That is to say, a board game which does not depend upon chance and wherein there is a feedback, that is, the move of one player dictating to at least a degree the move of another player and wherein the players are given an opportunity to exercise or plan their moves, would provide entertainment for a large number of people spanning a considerable age bracket and skill level.
  • a playing surface which is assembled in the initial part of the game by placing a number of direction indicating vectors on a game board. Playing pieces are provided to be moved according to the vectors from a starting place to a finishing place as the game proceeds with the player reaching his finishing place first winning.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of a game board in accordance with the invention prior to the commencement of play;
  • FIG. 2 is a plan view of the game board at an early stage in the beginning of play
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of a playing piece which may be used with the invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of still another playing piece which may be used with the invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of a starting tile forming a part of the invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of another starting tile forming a part of the invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of a finishing or home tile forming a part of the invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a perspective illustration of another finishing or home tile forming a part of the invention.
  • FIG. 9 is a perspective illustration of one form of a playing tile forming a part of the invention.
  • FIG. 10 is a perspective illustration of another playing tile forming a part of the invention.
  • FIG. 11 is a plan view of a playing board in the form in which it appears after a first phase of the game has been completed with the tiles shown in FIGS. 5 through 10 positioned by the players;
  • FIG. 12 is a partial plan view of the game board in accordance with the invention showing the positioning of various playing tiles during the first phase of the game.
  • FIG. 13 is a sectional view along the line 13-13 of FIG. 12.
  • the game board shown in FIG. 1 is generally constituted by a flat surface on which are provided a plurality of discrete areas.
  • the game board is formed by a flat surface 2 bounded by upstanding ledges 4 around all sides and, as may be seen, has a rectangular configuration.
  • the board can be formed of any suitable material, as, for instance, wood, plastic or fiberboard or even metal for that matter. It need not be rigid, in which case, however, it would have to be supported on a rigid flat surface.
  • the upstanding ledges 4 are not necessary but are desirable for they constrain the playing tiles from undesired movement while the game is in progress.
  • a plurality of discrete areas 6 formed by marking the flat surface in some fashion. In the illustrated embodiment, this is accomplished by providing vertical and horizontal scoring lines or grooves 8 in the surface of a wooden board. As may be seen, the grooves 8 provide a plurality of discrete areas 6, in this case, sixty-four rectangular such discrete areas.
  • FIGS. 5 through 10 each illustrated a different type of tile which, in accordance with the contemplated rules of the game, are to be placed on the flat surface 2 in the discrete areas 6.
  • Each one of the tiles is formed as a three-dimensional rectangular element whose length and width correspond approximately to the length and width of any one of the discrete areas.
  • the tiles may be formed out of any suitable material.
  • the first tile 10, that shown in FIG. 5, is intended to be the starting tile of one of the players.
  • a player identification symbol 12 is provided on the top surface of that tile and at the start of the game is placed in one corner of the playing board, as shown in FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates the starting tile 14 of the other player, and as may be seen, its upper surface is provided with a different player identification symbol 15.
  • the tile 14 is placed on the same side of the board as is the tile 10 but, as may be seen in FIG. 2, in a corner opposite that of the tile 10.
  • the player identification symbols a circle in the case of 12 and a square in the case of 16, may be varied, but, as will be seen, the use of the circle and square as shown facilitates the actual game playing.
  • the finishing tile 16 is provided with a player identification symbol 20 corresponding to symbol 12 on the tile 10 except that in the case of the symbol 12 it appears as a solid color while the symbol 20 appears as a simple circle in order to distinguish a starting tile from a finishing tile.
  • the finishing tile 18 is likewise provided with a player identification symbol 22 corresponding to the player identification symbol 15.
  • the finishing tiles l6 and 18 may be located on opposite ends of the board from the tiles l and 14.
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 Each player is provided with a playing piece. These are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a playing piece 24, rectangular in cross section, for one player while
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a playing piece 26, circular in cross section, for the other player.
  • the playing pieces 24 and 26 are formed of any suitable transparent material, preferably plastic, so that when in use the surface of the playing board may be visible from beneath the playing pieces resting thereon. It is to be noted that the shape of the playing piece 24 corresponds to the shape of the player identification symbols l and 22 while the shape of the playing piece 26 corresponds to the shape of the player identification symbols l2 and 20.
  • Shown in FIG. 9 is a blank tile 28 dimensionally approximating one of the discrete areas 6.
  • four such blank tiles are provided and at the start of the game are placed on the playing board in the center thereof, as shown in FIG. 2.
  • the blank tiles, when so placed, constitute inner borders of the playing area onto which the playing pieces 24 and 26 may not move. It is possible in a variation of the game for the players to locate the blank tiles in any discrete area 6 of the playing surface which they may choose.
  • the game is completed by the provision of a plurality of rectangular, in this embodiment, playing or vector tiles 30.
  • Each playing or vector tile is provided with three directional indicia or vectors 32 on its upper surface as well as a indicator or marker 34 indicating the bottom of the tile or how it is to be oriented on the playing board.
  • the vectors 32 on each vector tile are different and indicate three out of a possible eight directions of movement.
  • the eight possible directions are up and down vertically, to the right or left horizontally, and four possible diagonal movements.
  • the game will be played in two phases.
  • the start, finish and blank tiles are placed as shown in FIG. 2.
  • the players then, alternating, each take twenty-eight vector tiles. This is done after the players have decided in whatever fashion they choose which is to have the rectangular playing piece 24 and which is to have the circular playing piece 26.
  • the playing pieces are placed on their associated starting tiles 10 or 14.
  • each vector tile is placed with its bottom or alignment indicator similarly oriented so as to insure that when the vector tiles are placed on the fiat surface no vector tile will offer the same possibilities of movement as any other vector tile.
  • the first phase of the game is completed when all of the vector tiles have been placed, as shown in FIG. 11. The effect of this is to present a playing surface with start and finish tiles and a plurality of vector tiles over which the playing pieces may be moved.
  • the end result when the first phase of the game is completed is to present a playing board wherein the vector tiles indicate a number of movement possibilities. Each time the game is played a different playing board is presented at the end of the first phase, thus adding interest and variety to the game.
  • the second phase of the game begins. Whichever of the players is entitled to move first moves his playing piece off of his starting tile to one of the adjoining vector tiles. For instance, assuming the player using the circular playing piece 24 is entitled to move first, he may move his playing piece to any one of the vector tiles 36, 38 or 40 bordering on his starting tile 10. When he completes his move, his playing piece is resting on the surface of the selected vector tile and the vectors on the face of that tile may be seen through his playing piece. The vectors so visible then indicate the three directions in which the players opponent might move.
  • the player using the playing piece 24 moves to the tile 36, the movement possibilities are upward, diagonally upward to the left and diagonally downward to the left when the game is played, as shown in FIG. 11.
  • the player using the playing piece 26 may move to either the vector tile 42 or 44 bordering on his starting tile 14. He cannot move to the vector tile 46 because that is not in the direction of one of his permissible moves. Likewise, he cannot move diagonally downward to the left as the edge of the playing board forbids that.
  • the player using the playing piece 26 moves diagonally upward to the left to playing tile 44, he presents his opponent with the choice of moving upward, horizontally to the left or diagonally downward to the right. The opponent then makes his choice of the three possible moves and the game continues with the players alternating moves in their objective to be the first to reach their corresponding finishing tile 16 or 18.
  • the game thus provides a direct feedback between the movement or decision of one player to his opponent in that the player who has just completed his move presents his opponent with a limited number of possibilities for the following move.
  • the game also provides an opportunity for each player to exercise planning or strategy for as he moves he will want to come as close to his finishing tile as he can while at the same time trying to cause his opponent to move away from the opponents finishing tile.
  • the game procedure described above may be considered the basic game for it is possible to have variations.
  • the vector tiles may be divided equally between the players and maintained face downwardly until one is picked up to be placed on the flat surface 2.
  • an element of chance may be introduced into this phase of the game.
  • the blank tiles 28 need not be placed in the center of the board but may be arbitrarily placed by the players just as they placed the vector tiles.
  • a game comprising a playing board having a flat surface, said fiat surface having a plurality of discrete areas formed thereon, some of said discrete areas being reserved for starting and finishing positions, one starting and finishing position for each player, a plurality of movable playing tiles each with a surface having boundaries substantially corresponding to those of said discrete areas whereby any playing tile may be placed on said flat surface in any discrete area unoccupied by any other playing tile or any discrete area reserved for starting and finishing and when so placed said playing tiles form substantially the entire playing surface of the game, one playing piece for each player for placement on the playing surface formed by said playing tiles and constructed to permit viewing of the surface of any playing tile on which any playing piece is disposed, each playing tile having on its visible surface two or more directional indicia indicating limits on the movements of said playing pieces disposed elsewhere on said playing surface and each set of indicia on any one playing tile being different from the set of indicia on any other playing tile.
  • each of said playing pieces has a different shape.
  • each playing piece is formed from a transparent material so as to permit viewing of the directional indicia on said playing tile surfaces when a playing piece is on a playing tile surface.
  • the game of claim 6 including a plurality of tiles having blank surfaces.
  • each playing tile is provided with an orienting indicator thereon.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Pinball Game Machines (AREA)
US00296949A 1972-10-12 1972-10-12 Board game Expired - Lifetime US3820791A (en)

Priority Applications (9)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00296949A US3820791A (en) 1972-10-12 1972-10-12 Board game
GB775373A GB1388791A (en) 1972-10-12 1973-02-16 Board game
JP2368473A JPS5541789B2 (enExample) 1972-10-12 1973-02-26
CA165,842A CA991671A (en) 1972-10-12 1973-03-12 Board game
FR7336009A FR2203281A5 (enExample) 1972-10-12 1973-10-09
BR7897/73A BR7307897D0 (pt) 1972-10-12 1973-10-10 Jogo de tabuleiro
AU61284/73A AU473842B2 (en) 1972-10-12 1973-10-11 Board game
DE19732351064 DE2351064A1 (de) 1972-10-12 1973-10-11 Brettspiel
AR250531A AR203091A1 (es) 1972-10-12 1973-10-15 Juego de tablero

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00296949A US3820791A (en) 1972-10-12 1972-10-12 Board game

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3820791A true US3820791A (en) 1974-06-28

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ID=23144224

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00296949A Expired - Lifetime US3820791A (en) 1972-10-12 1972-10-12 Board game

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US3820791A (enExample)
JP (1) JPS5541789B2 (enExample)
AR (1) AR203091A1 (enExample)
AU (1) AU473842B2 (enExample)
BR (1) BR7307897D0 (enExample)
CA (1) CA991671A (enExample)
DE (1) DE2351064A1 (enExample)
FR (1) FR2203281A5 (enExample)
GB (1) GB1388791A (enExample)

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3989253A (en) * 1974-11-20 1976-11-02 Aladdin Industries, Incorporated Game board apparatus
US3992010A (en) * 1975-04-07 1976-11-16 Mattenson Wallace O Path puzzle apparatus
US4071245A (en) * 1977-02-14 1978-01-31 Kendrick Robert H Board game
US4078805A (en) * 1976-05-26 1978-03-14 Deaton Charles U Method of playing a game
US4182516A (en) * 1978-05-08 1980-01-08 Gill Douglas C Sailboat racing game
US4300768A (en) * 1980-10-31 1981-11-17 Allan Wechsler Chess-like board games
US4331333A (en) * 1976-07-09 1982-05-25 Willcocks Martin E G Apparatus and method for playing a board game
US4434984A (en) 1982-02-16 1984-03-06 Bergstrom Carl D Sailboat race board game apparatus
US4529206A (en) * 1984-03-22 1985-07-16 Curry David B Game apparatus having a playing field with adjustable path-forming elements
US4984807A (en) * 1990-01-12 1991-01-15 Baruch Shiryon Board game
US5108109A (en) * 1989-01-24 1992-04-28 Leban Bruce P Board game without a board
US5524897A (en) * 1995-08-10 1996-06-11 Mastronunzio; Joseph Stargazer game, and methods of constructing and utilizing same
WO1998003237A1 (en) * 1996-07-23 1998-01-29 Derek Nigel Baxter Game apparatus
US6250633B1 (en) * 1999-02-04 2001-06-26 Mani Mohtasham Board game
US6578848B1 (en) * 2000-11-22 2003-06-17 Team Smartypants!, Inc. Game with moveable play space
US20050173861A1 (en) * 2003-02-05 2005-08-11 Brian Yu Arrow board game
US20060261557A1 (en) * 2005-05-20 2006-11-23 The Upper Deck Company, Llc Game including poseable characters on multi-panel game board
US10124243B1 (en) * 2017-02-21 2018-11-13 Kenneth Baugh Word-forming game
USD1069914S1 (en) * 2020-08-05 2025-04-08 5Head Chess Limited Configurable chess board

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS563076A (en) * 1979-06-22 1981-01-13 Yoshiaki Kawakita Game tool
FR2500758A1 (fr) * 1980-11-07 1982-09-03 Bretaudeau Francis Jeu de societe
JPS58133388U (ja) * 1982-03-05 1983-09-08 株式会社マリツクス 迷路ゲ−ム
FR2638978A1 (fr) * 1988-11-14 1990-05-18 Chloupek Georges Jeu de societe
FR2811906B1 (fr) * 2000-07-24 2002-10-25 Bigilimwatshi Boyo Jeu de societe liant la strategie au deplacement, comportant un plateau a damier, des plaquettes partiellement transparentes empilables et des pions
WO2023281314A1 (en) * 2021-07-07 2023-01-12 Tempest Walters Kit Game board structure and methods of playing games therewith

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3989253A (en) * 1974-11-20 1976-11-02 Aladdin Industries, Incorporated Game board apparatus
US3992010A (en) * 1975-04-07 1976-11-16 Mattenson Wallace O Path puzzle apparatus
US4078805A (en) * 1976-05-26 1978-03-14 Deaton Charles U Method of playing a game
US4331333A (en) * 1976-07-09 1982-05-25 Willcocks Martin E G Apparatus and method for playing a board game
US4071245A (en) * 1977-02-14 1978-01-31 Kendrick Robert H Board game
US4182516A (en) * 1978-05-08 1980-01-08 Gill Douglas C Sailboat racing game
US4300768A (en) * 1980-10-31 1981-11-17 Allan Wechsler Chess-like board games
US4434984A (en) 1982-02-16 1984-03-06 Bergstrom Carl D Sailboat race board game apparatus
US4529206A (en) * 1984-03-22 1985-07-16 Curry David B Game apparatus having a playing field with adjustable path-forming elements
US5108109A (en) * 1989-01-24 1992-04-28 Leban Bruce P Board game without a board
US4984807A (en) * 1990-01-12 1991-01-15 Baruch Shiryon Board game
US5524897A (en) * 1995-08-10 1996-06-11 Mastronunzio; Joseph Stargazer game, and methods of constructing and utilizing same
WO1998003237A1 (en) * 1996-07-23 1998-01-29 Derek Nigel Baxter Game apparatus
US6412776B1 (en) * 1996-07-23 2002-07-02 Derek Nigel Baxter Game apparatus
US6250633B1 (en) * 1999-02-04 2001-06-26 Mani Mohtasham Board game
US6578848B1 (en) * 2000-11-22 2003-06-17 Team Smartypants!, Inc. Game with moveable play space
US20050173861A1 (en) * 2003-02-05 2005-08-11 Brian Yu Arrow board game
US20060261557A1 (en) * 2005-05-20 2006-11-23 The Upper Deck Company, Llc Game including poseable characters on multi-panel game board
US10124243B1 (en) * 2017-02-21 2018-11-13 Kenneth Baugh Word-forming game
USD1069914S1 (en) * 2020-08-05 2025-04-08 5Head Chess Limited Configurable chess board

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU473842B2 (en) 1976-07-01
AR203091A1 (es) 1975-08-14
DE2351064A1 (de) 1974-04-18
CA991671A (en) 1976-06-22
JPS4972023A (enExample) 1974-07-11
FR2203281A5 (enExample) 1974-05-10
AU6128473A (en) 1975-04-17
JPS5541789B2 (enExample) 1980-10-27
GB1388791A (en) 1975-03-26
BR7307897D0 (pt) 1974-07-25

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