US3853323A

US3853323A - Chess set with visual means for keeping a running score

Info

Publication number: US3853323A
Application number: US00424338A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Gifford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-12-10
Filing date: 1973-12-10
Publication date: 1974-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-10

Abstract

The invention provides an improved chess set whose pieces are so structured that, in combination with a scale member and any recognized set or system of point values of the pieces, they may be employed to keep a running score of a chess game.

Description

United States Patent Gifford Dec. 10, 1974 [54] CHESS SET WITH VISUAL MEANS FOR 1,266,857 5/l9l8 Recker 2731\37 F UK 7 KEEPING A RUNNING SCORE 2,839,243 6/1958 Miller v 206lt8l X 3,306,462 2/1967 Da Cruz 273/137 R UX Inventor: Henry Gifford. 1 o enden 0211,590 7/1968 Watson 273/137 R ux Rd., Jamaica, NY. 11432 22 Filed; Dec. 10, 1973 Primary Examiner Anton 0. Oechsle 1 pp No 424 338 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-A. H. Caser 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 273/137 R, 273/148 R 511 Int. Cl. A63! 3/02 The mvemlon Provides an Improved chess set whose 5 n w f Search 273/137 R, 137 F 148 R pieces are so structured that, in combination with a 1 scale member and 'any recognized set or system of 5 References Cited point values of the pieces, they may be employed to UNITED STATES PATENTS keep a running score of a chess game.

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1 l :i w 1 -'r'39 r1 Y ssf \1 1 as IT 41 34 -39f PATENTEDJEBWIQH 5.853.323 I am: 10$ 2 PATENTEU DEC 1 01974 -HWF I CHESS SET WITH VISUAL MEANS FOR KEEPING A RUNNING SCORE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. The field of the invention comprises chess sets. 2. So far as is known, the invention is new.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Each chess piece of the invention comprises an engageable portion and a body portion. The former includes the bottom end of the piece and, adjacent such end, has a surface engageable by another piece, such surface having the same size and shape from piece to piece. The body portion extends from the engageable portion to the opposite end of the piece and terminates in an engaging surface which interlocks or fits into the engageable surface of another piece, and such body portion is of variable height from piece to piece. When captured by one side during the progress of a game, each, captured piece is placed adjacent a graduated scale member so that the 'piece engages a previously captured piece, forming a stack of pieces that increases in height as the game proceeds. The height of the body portion of each stacked piece is made directly proportional to its point value, and such value is readable from the scale member, so that at any time in the progress of a game the top of the stack will be at a level opposite the scale as to indicate the total of captured point values, or, by means of an appropriate auxiliary scale, the level may indicate the on-board total of point values, and in any case the players may ascertain at a glance the score at that time. As a basis for the point value body portion height relationship, the pawn is taken and assigned a point value of one, as in one or more conventional point value systems, and the body portion height is taken as one unit distance. Then, following any desired point value system, the point values of the other pieces are assigned. being multiples of the pawn point value; and the body portion height of each such piece will be made directly proportional to its point value, and will of course be a multiple of the pawn body portion height. The scale member not only indicates the score but also serves as a holder for the pieces during the game and during storage and may or may not be a part of a container for the pieces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention may be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which.

FIG-'1 is a simplified showing, in cross section, of chess pieces, except the king, according to the invention. the showing being simplified to illustrate the engageable and the body portions and the engaging and engageable surfaces of each piece, and also to illustrate how the height of the body portion, and therefore of the over all piece, varies with the point value of the piece;

FIG. 2 shows a complete set of pieces, in finished form, made according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a pawn, as seen in FIG. 2, superimposed on the outline of the simplified pawn showing of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a graduated scale member having captured pieces of both sides or colors supported adjacent thereto so that the total point values of both sides are readable from the scale;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the scale member of FIG. 4 but omitting the captured pieces;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view like FIG. 6 but showing a modification; and

' FIGS. 8A and 8B are fragmental views of the scale member of FIG. 4 but showing modifications.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows in simplified cross-sectional form the pieces of the chess set comprising pawn 10, knight or bishop 11, rook l2, and queen 13. According to a commonly used point value system, the knight and bishop have equal values and thus they are represented here by the piece 11. Considering the pawn 10, it has an engageable portion indicated at 10a, which includes the end or base 10b and the'engageable surfaces or surface 100, and it has a body portion 10d which extends from the engageable portion to the opposite upper end 102 and which has an engaging surface or surfaces 10f.

In the case of the pawn, but not of the other pieces, the engaging surface or surfaces 10f extend downwardly to some extent so that they include a portion of the outer surfaces, indicated at 10k, of the engageable portion 10a, the reason for which will appear below.

The knight or bishop 11 has an engageable portion Ila, end or base 11b, engageable surface 11c, body portion 11d, upper end lle, and engaging surface 11 f; the rook 12 has an engageable portion 12a, end or base 12b, engageable surface 12c, body portion 12d, upper end 12e, and engaging surface 12f; and the queen 13 has an engageable portion 13a, end or base 13b, engageable surface 13c, body portion 13d, upper end 13c, and engaging surface 13f.

The engageable surfaces 100, 11c, 12c, and 13c define, for each piece, a cavity which has the same size, dimensions, and shape, the shape being that of a frustum of a cone, although other shapes may be suitable. Each cavity has a roof (or bottom) 10g, 11g, 12g, and 13g, and a mouth 10h, 11h, 1211, and 1311, the mouth lying in a plane which passes through the end or

base

10b, 11b, 12b, and 13b. For example, for pawn 10 such a plane 101' is seen in FIG. 1. Each end or base is of the same size and shape as the others.

As may be seen, the engageable portion 10a of pawn 10 extends between the end or base 1011, or the plane 101' passing through such base, and the roof 10g. This is true of the other pieces.

The

engaging surfaces

10f, 11f, 12f, and 13f define a generally conically-shap'ed part of the pieces.

As is apparent, the body portions 10d, l-ld, 12d, and 13d are of varying height from piece to piece, that of the pawn being smallest and that of the queen largest. Each such height is measured from the cavity roof 10g, 11g, 12g, and 13g to the end or top 10c, lle, 12e, and 13a.

When pieces are captured by one side or the other in a chess game, as will appear, they are stacked with the engaging surface of one piece engaging the engageable surface of a previously captured piece.

In FIG. 2 the pieces are shown with a more or less conventional artistic design to permit easy recognition. Pawn 15 has an engageable portion 15a, end or base 15b, engageable surface 15c, body portion 15d, end or top 152,

engaging surfaces

15f and 15k, cavity roof 15g, and cavity mouth 15h; knight 16 has similar features identified as 16a to 16h; bishop 17 has similar features identified as 17a to 17/1; rook 18 is similarly identified by the features 18a to 18/1; and queen 19 is similarly identified by features 19a to 19h. As indicated, only the pawn has engaging surfaces like 15k, which extend downwardly to include a portion of the outer surfaces of the engageable portion 15a. As the king 20 is not removed from the chess board until games end, it is not provided with the foregoing structures, although it may have the engageable portion 20a with the engageable surfaces or cavity 200 which, as described below, is useful in the storing of the pieces in a container.

FIG. 3 illustrates how the pawn 15, shown in cross section, of FIG. 2 is disposed completely within the outline representation of the pawn 10 of FIG. 1. The other pieces have a similar construction. The engageable surfaces or cavities of the two pawns coincide, as do the heights of the body portions and engageable portions. As to the engaging surfaces of the two pawns, the engaging surfaces of the artistically designed pawn should coincide at three or more points with the engaging surfaces of pawn 10 (the greatest angular distance between any two such points should be less than 180) in order to keep pawn 15 on the same vertical centerline as pawn 10 and to have pawn 15 give the proper score. It will be seen in FIG. 3 that pawn l5.does coincide with pawn 10 at the

points

21, 22, and 23, and also at two points identified as 24k.

P10. 4 shows at 25 an elongated graduated scale member for indicating the score of a chess game at any stage in its progress. The member is suitably mounted on a back panel 26 between a top end wall 27 and a transversely extending chess piece-support 28 which also may function as a bottom end wall. A pair of

elongated side walls

29, 30 extend between the end walls, each being sufficiently spaced from member 25 to form therebetween a pair of elongated piece-receiving

compartments

31, 32 the width of which is just slightly larger than the diameter or width of the base of each piece. 1n the support 28 a pair of engageable means in the form of

cavities

33, 34 are formed, one on either side of support 28; these cavities open into the

compartments

31, 32, as shown, and are of the same size and shape as the cavities in the chess pieces.

Cavities

33 and 34 receive the engaging surfaces of the first captured piece of either side.

Thus, at 35 of FIG. 4 is a captured bishop of one side or color disposed top down in the cavity 33, with the engaging surface 35fengaged in such cavity; above the bishop is a rook 36 engaged in cavity 35c of the engageable portion 35a of the bishop; and above the rook is a pawn 38 engaged in the cavity 36c of the engageable portion 36a of the rook. Rook 36 is characterized by having a height or distance which extends from the base 35b,-or plane 351' passing through such base, of bishop 35 to the base 3612, or plane 361' passing through such base, of the rook 36, which height is directly proportional to the point value of the rook, in accordance with the relationship described in the next paragraph. Similarly, the pawn 38 is characterized by having a height or distance which extends from the base 36b, or plane 361' passing therethrough, of rook 36 to the base 3812, or plane 381' passing therethrough, of pawn 38. In other words, each stacked piece has a height or distance extending from its base, or plane passing therethrough, to the base, or plane passing therethrough, of the next lower engaging piece, which height is directly proportional to the point value of the piece in accordance with the relationship next described.

The point value body portion height relationship is based on assigning to the pawn a point value of one, as in several conventional point value systems; and then, according to the invention, not only providing the pawn with a body portion height, but also assigning to such height a unit distance of one. Further, the invention permits any conventional point value system to be selected, wherein the other pieces have point values that are multiples of the pawn value of one, and it then requires that the body portion heights of such other pieces shall be made multiples of the pawn body portion height,and, as illustrated below, that the body portion height multiples shall be the same as the point value multiples. A conventional point value system, to-

taling 39 points, is set forth in Table 1 together with the body portion heights of the pieces.

In FIG. 4, it will be noted that the base 35b of the bishop 35 is at a level opposite the mark or division 3 on the scale 40; in other words, the plane 351' passing through such base would also pass through the scale marking or division for 3. Note, too, that the base 36b, or plane 361' passing through it, of rook 36 is at a level opposite the mark 8; and that the base 38b, or plane 381', of pawn 38 is at a level opposite mark 9 on the scale. Thus, the captured

pieces

35, 36, and 38 represent a score of 9 points for the side capturing them. Also, pawn 38 has its cavity 38c exposed for the reception of the next captured'piece.

Considering now the first captured piece, bishop 35, it is characterized by having a height extending between (1 the planar surface 331' surrounding cavity 33 and (2) the base 35b, or plane 351 passing therethrough, of the bishop, which height is also directly proportional to the point value of the bishop. On the other side of the scale member the pawn 39 has been captured, the base 39b, or plane 391 passing therethrough, of which indicates a score of 1 on the scale. The engaging-surfaces 39f of the pawn are engaged in the cavity 34 of the support 28, thus exposing the cavity 39c for reception of the next captured piece of the same color. The captured pawn 39 is characterized by having a height extending between (1) the planar surface 341 surrounding cavity 34 and (2) the base 39b, or plane 391' passing therethrough, of pawn 39, which height is also directly proportional to the point value of the pawn. I 7

As described below, the invention is applicable to other point value systems besides that of Table 1.

It will be noted that the king does not figure in the described point value system, the reason being that when a king is captured, the game ends and there is no further reason for keeping score. However, as mentioned below, a point value is sometimes assigned to the king for use in determining on-board strength in the late stages of a game.

The back panel 26, and the side and end

walls

29, 30 and 27, 28 of FIG. 4 form a-container for the pieces in which the latter may be stored in stacked arrangement. A cover or lid optionally shown at 41 may be provided to help retain the pieces and keep out dust.

At FIG. 7 a modified construction of the container is shown wherein the panel 26 and

side walls

29, 30 are replaced by two

curved panels

42, 43 whose curvature complements that of the circular bases of the pieces. The scale member is at 44 and the scale at 45. The cover or lid may have a semi-circular shape as seen in cross section.

In this connection, it will be understood that the pieces and bases thereof may have any suitable cross section or outline shape and so too may the container and lid.

As a chess game proceeds, the ensuing conduct of the game, by one or both players, is adjusted from time to time according to the relative strength of each side, that is, the on-board strength. In view of this well known fact, at any given instant a player may wish to known exactly the on-board strength of both sides as well as, or even in lieu of, the captured pieces values; and of course he may ascertain such information by simple subtraction. Thus, assuming he is using a 9-5-3-3-1 (queen-rook-bishop-knight-pawn) point value system, and that for purposes of the players the king is assigned a value of zero, thus giving a total point value of 39, and if the scale 40 in FIG. 4 tells him his opponent has captured pieces totalling, say, 19 points, then by subtracting 19 from 39 he will get 20 as his onboard strength at that time; and when he makes the same quick calculation for his opponents strength, he will be able to compare the two sides. If, for end game purposes, the players have assigned a point value to the king of, say, two, then the total point value will be 41, and in this case the player subtracts 19 from 41 to get an on-bard strength of 22.

Another way of quickly ascertaining on-board strength, but without necessity for mental or written calculations, comprises using a scale member as shown at 50 of FIG. 8A wherein the central scale 51 is the same as scale 40 of FIG. 4. Integral with scale 50 are two side scales 52 and 53, one for each side, wherein each scale value or reading represents 39 minus the central scale reading opposite thereto. For example, if

value of -l7 on scale 51 represents the total value of captured pieces held by one side, asy by the right hand party, then the opponent or left hand party can read off his on-board strength from scale 52, the reading being 22 points. It is assumed that a total point value of 39 is involved, with the king equal to zero; but any system can be used. In the 39-point system, if the players consider the king equal to two, so that the total point value is 41. then a scale member 50a, having a central scale 51a. as shown at FIG. 88, may be used, wherein scales 52a and 530 are changed over 52 and 53 to show that each reading is two points higher; and thus, if one side holds captured pieces totaling l7 points, then the onboard strength of the other side may be read as 24.

If desired, scales 52 and 53 can be disposed at right angles to scale 51; thus, scale 52 could be mounted on side 54 of member (FIG. 6) and scale 53 on side 55, a construction that would preserve the original dimensions of member 25. If also desired, only one of scales 52, 53 of FIG. 8A need be used and would serve both players. These modifications apply to FIG. 8B.

Considering the invention in brief review, the following observations are pertinent: (I) No point on the body portion of a piece should be at a greater distance from the vertical centerline 50, note FIG. 3, than the radius r of the base. While FIG. 3 refers to a pawn, it should be understood that this observation is applicable to any piece; and while the term radius reflects a circular base, viewed endwise, other outline shapes are contemplated, including squares, triangles, and polygons in general as well as irregular shapes. (2) The engaging surfaces that define the upper end of a piece should be so shaped that when the piece is placed in the cavity of another piece, the vertical centerlines of the two pieces substantially coincide when the planes passing through the bases of the pieces are substantially parallel. (3) As described above in the paragraph incorporating Table I, each stacked piece is characterized by the presence of a measurable height or distance which is directly proportional to the point value of the piece, and this height is defined by the distance between the base of the engageable portion of the piece and the base of the engageable portion of the next engaging piece below it in the stack. The base of a piece, as described, is identified by the plane passing through it, note plane 101' in FIG. 1 which passes through base 10b. (4) As also described, the first captured piece of a side is characterized by having a height extending between (a) the planar surface'surrounding the engageable means or cavity in the piece support 28 and (b) the base, or plane passing therethrough, of such piece, which height is directly proportional to the point value of the piece.

The pieces may be formed with any desired arrangement of rings, turrets, crowns, crosses, spheres, horse heads, knight heads, faces, etc. that may be required for identification so long as such structures are consistent with the observations described in the preceding paragraph. It may be noted that a particular depth of entry of one piece in the cavity of another is not a requirement.

The cavities in the pieces and in the support 28 have, as indicated, a-generally conical shape, and that is because the engaging surfaces of each piece generally define an upper part of that shape. It will be understood, of course, that if the shape defined by the engaging surfaces is changed, say to a generally square shape, then I the general shape of the cavities should be correspondingly changed. A generally conical shape of cavity is preferred because conventional chess pieces usually have conically shaped upper parts. Besides the conical shape of cavity shown, other such shapes may be suitable, such as a cone shape rather than the frustum of a cone, or a cone shapewhere the apex is rounded rather than pointed.

While in FIG. 4 the pieces are shownstacked with the top part pointed down, it is feasible to stack then with the top pointed up, provided that the

cavities

33, 34 in support 28 are replaced by a suitable cavity-engaging projection. This top up system of stacking may be useful, but it will be noted that when one comes to read the score on the scale member, he must sight the scale marking off the top of the topmost piece, and such top, being more or less pointed, will be somewhat spaced from the scale, making a reading more difficult than in the top down" system of FIG. 4.

In other respects, while the illustrated construction of the pieces is preferred, variations are possible. Thus,

the position of the engageable surface, which is shown as a cavity in the lower part of each piece, may be changed and shown as a cavity in the upper part, preferably as a cavity or recess of small and constant diameter, say a sixteenth to an eighth to a quarter of an inch (1 m5 or 6 mm.), for average sized pieces, which extends into the piece for at least one-fourth or one-third of the total piece height, but not all the way, and which of course opens through the top of the piece. Such a piece is then provided on its bottom or base surface, in line with the recess, with a corresponding engaging surface or portion in the form of a projection, which then is engageable with the said recess of another piece. The pieces are then stacked with the tops up. In this case, the squares of the chess board will be provided with recesses corresponding to, and engageable by, said projections so that the pieces can be supported on the board. If desired, the foregoing interengaging projections and recesses of the pieces may be reversed in position, with the projections extending from the top and the recesses penetrating the bottom of the pieces, although in this case, as will be realized, the conventional appearance of the pieces will be changed by the presence of the projections. Furthermore, in either of the foregoing projection-recess modifications, if desired, two or more projections may be provided on each piece which are engageable in two or more corresponding recesses in another piece.

The pieces may be provided with a felt cushion on their bases, this being in the form of a felt annular ring or washer. One or more metal rings or sleeves may be added to provide weight, as is conventional. The annular ring just above the base of each piece, note j in H6. 2, la an artistic'element; it can be the same from piece to piece but need not be.

Another feasible modification comprises inclining the scale member a few degrees from the vertical so that it may be read more easily. The inclination will of course be in a direction away from the observer and will necessitate inclining the stacked pieces.

The specific point value system set forth in Table 1 is one that is commonly accepted, but it is not the only one. Another-useful system is like it except that the queen is equal to l0 points rather than 9, and in this case, in order to conform the pieces to such system, one need only change the body portion height of the queen so that it is equal to 10 unit distances. In other systems, variations are present, as where the bishop is considered slightly better than the knight, or where the bishop is taken with another piece like a rook and considered stronger than a knight and a rook, or where two bishops are thought stronger than two knights, and in any of such cases provision may be made by adjusting the body portion height of the bishop and/or knight to correspond to any point values it is desired to assign thereto. For general purposes, however, the use of systems like those described has utility. Probably no single system that is acceptable to all exists, but this does not detract from the application of the invention, which can be adapted to any system. In this connection, a somewhat more comprehensive table may be prepared by simply allowing the queen to equal 9 to 10" unit distances, and/or allowing a knight to equal 2.8 or 2.9 to 3.0" unit distances and a bishop 3.0 to 3.l or 3.2 unit distances, etc. On this basis, a more general table is as follows:

Table 2 Body Portion Height Piece Point Value unit distance Queen 9 l0 9 l0 Rook 5 5 Bishop 3.0 3.2 3.0 3.2 Knight 3.0 2.8 3.0 2.8 Pawn l 1 Using the left hand values, a total of 39 points is involved,-while with the right hand values the total is 40. An even broader table is possible if the knight is considered to equalv 2.5 to 3.0 points and the bishop 3.0 to 3.5" points. Common to all systems is the fact that a pawn has a point value of one, and on this basis the scale member 25 and scale 40 of FIG. 4 are based, with each subdivision of the scale being equal to one unit distance or a point value of one. It will be understood, of course, that the invention is applicable to any specific system of point values in accordance with the above described general statement of the point value body portion height relationship.

In view of the fact that conventional chess pieces are of varying size, with the queen the largest (exclusive of the king) and the pawn the smallest, it may be noted that the invention goes beyond this practice by providing an exact size point value relationship and by structuring the pieces relatively to the scale so as to permit an accurate running score to be read at a glance without necessity for mental calculations or the use of a pencil and pad.

Of course, a chess game may be played without referring to point values, but the latter are useful for everyone, especially for novices, and for players with different levels of skill where handicaps may be employed.

Example The following technique was employed to fabricate chess pieces, using, for illustrative purposes, the fabrication of a pawn. A blank of maple wood was selected having the form of a square prism measuring 1 hinches X l Ainches X 3 inches. It was placed in position in the four-jawed chuck of a lathe, being gripped at one end in a l inch size lathe collet which held the work concentric with the lathe spindle. As the spindle and the work rotated, the free or projecting end of the work was bored to form a cavity of l /8 inch depth andwhich may be described as comprising two sections: (1) one of cylindrical form having a length of l inch and a constant diameter of thirthteen-sixteenth inches which opened through said free end, and (2) the other of the form of the frustum of a cone having a length of seveneighths inch and a diameter of thirteen-sixteenths in'ch at its near end (nearer said free end) and of 0.344 inch at its remote end.

The work was then reversed end for end in the collet, cut to length, and shaped. The exposed length of the work, comprising the upper end portion of the pawn, was checked with a gage having a master cavity formed therein.

Then the work was cut to separate the pawn portion from the stock used to grip and rotate the work. The cut was made at the junction of the above-described sections of the cavity, and in this cutting step the base of the pawn was formed. The other pieces were fabricated in a similar manner. The following data were observed:

It will be seen that the body portion height of the pawn is one-fourth inch, that it has a point value of one, that the body portion height of the knight is 3 times larger than that of the pawn and that this relationship is reflected in the point value of the knight, and similarly, the body portion height of the other pieces is related to that of the pawn and is reflected in the point values. A body portion height of one-fourth inch for the pawn is, of course, illustrative; for larger chess pieces, the height may be larger, say three-eighths, one-half, five-eighths inch, or larger, and for smaller pieces it may be made smaller, say, three-sixteenth, one-eighth, one-sixteenth inch, or smaller, and the body portion heights of the other pieces will be correspondingly changed.

It may be noted that chess pieces constructed as described were stacked in various ways in a graduated scale member, like 25 of FIG. 4, and gave accurate scale readings in accordance with the foregoing description.

Although the engaging surfaces of the pieces are termed surfaces," they may also be referred to as engaging sections;" and similarly, the engageable surfaces may be referred to as engageable sections.

It will be understood that the invention is capable of obvious variations without departing from its scope.

in the light of the foregoing description, the following is claimed.

I claim:

1. in a chess set, the improvement comprising visual means for keeping a running score in a chess game, said means including chess pieces having an engageable portion and a body portion,

said engageable portion including one end of a piece and having an engageable surface whose shape and size are the same from piece to piece, said body portion being of variable height from piece to piece,

an elongated member having a scale of unit values marked thereon the unit of which is equal to the body portion height ofa pawn, said member receiving on each side thereof captured pieces in stacked form with the pieces on one side being distinguishable from those on the other side, a support adjacent the bottom of the member having engageable means on either side of the member,

the first captured piece of one side in a chess game being engageable in one of said engageable means so that a plane passing through said end of said engageable portion of the piece is at a level opposite said scale to permit a reading of the scale to be made, said first piece thus having its engageable portion exposed for engagement by another cap tured piece,'thereby permitting another scale reading to be made, and each additional captured piece of the same side being added in engaging relation to a previously captured piece in the manner described to provide additional scale readings, each stacked piece having a height extending from the said end of the engageable portion thereof to the end of the engageable portion of the next engaging piece below the same which height is directly proportional to the point value of the piece in accordance with the following point value body portion height relationship: the point value of a pawn being one and the body portion height thereof being a unit distance, the point value of the queen, rook, bishop, and knight being a multiple of that of a pawn in accordance with any conventional point value system and the body portion heights of said queen, rook, bishop, and knight also being multiples of the pawn body portion height, and said lastmentioned multiples being the same as said first multiple, and said scale readings providing a running score of either captured pieces or on-board pieces as said chess game proceeds.

' 2. Chess set of claim 1 wherein the distance between said one engageable means and the end of the engageable portion of the first captured piece is directly proportional to the point value of said first captured piece.

3. Chess set of claim I wherein said engageable surface of a piece defines a cavity which opens through said one end of a piece, said cavity being of the same size and shape from piece to piece.

4. Chess set of claim 3 wherein the shape of said cavity is conical.

5. Chess set of claim 3 wherein said one end of the piece comprises the base or bottom thereof.

6. Chess set of claim 5 wherein said pieces are stacked with the top down.

7. Chess set of claim 1 wherein said height of a stacked piece is measured between a pair of parallel planes one of which passes through said one end of the engageable portion of the piece and the other of which passes through said one end of the engageable portion of the next lower engaging piece.

8. Chess set of claim 1 wherein said elongated member is disposed in a container comprising aback wall, a pair of elongated side walls, and top and bottom end walls, said member extending between said end walls and dividing the container into two elongated piecereceiving storage compartments, said bottom end wall coinciding with said support.

9. Chess set of claim 1 wherein said point value body portion height relationship is numerically defined as follows:

Body Portion Height

Claims

1. In a chess set, the improvement comprising visual means for keeping a running score in a chess game, said means including chess pieces having an engageable portion and a body portion, said engageable portion including one end of a piece and having an engageable surface whose shape and size are the same from piece to piece, said body portion being of variable height from piece to piece, an elongated member having a scale of unit values marked thereon the unit of which is equal to the body portion height of a pawn, said member receiving on each side thereof captured pieces in stacked form with the pieces on one side being distinguishable from those on the other side, a support adjacent the bottom of the member having engageable means on either side of the member, the first captured piece of one side in a chess game being engageable in one of said engageable means so that a plane passing through said end of said engageable portion of the piece is at a level opposite said scale to permit a reading of the scale to be made, said first pIece thus having its engageable portion exposed for engagement by another captured piece, thereby permitting another scale reading to be made, and each additional captured piece of the same side being added in engaging relation to a previously captured piece in the manner described to provide additional scale readings, each stacked piece having a height extending from the said end of the engageable portion thereof to the end of the engageable portion of the next engaging piece below the same which height is directly proportional to the point value of the piece in accordance with the following point value - body portion height relationship: the point value of a pawn being one and the body portion height thereof being a unit distance, the point value of the queen, rook, bishop, and knight being a multiple of that of a pawn in accordance with any conventional point value system and the body portion heights of said queen, rook, bishop, and knight also being multiples of the pawn body portion height, and said last-mentioned multiples being the same as said first multiple, and said scale readings providing a running score of either captured pieces or on-board pieces as said chess game proceeds.

2. Chess set of claim 1 wherein the distance between said one engageable means and the end of the engageable portion of the first captured piece is directly proportional to the point value of said first captured piece.

3. Chess set of claim 1 wherein said engageable surface of a piece defines a cavity which opens through said one end of a piece, said cavity being of the same size and shape from piece to piece.

4. Chess set of claim 3 wherein the shape of said cavity is conical.

6. Chess set of claim 5 wherein said pieces are stacked with the top down.

8. Chess set of claim 1 wherein said elongated member is disposed in a container comprising a back wall, a pair of elongated side walls, and top and bottom end walls, said member extending between said end walls and dividing the container into two elongated piece-receiving storage compartments, said bottom end wall coinciding with said support.

9. Chess set of claim 1 wherein said point value - body portion height relationship is numerically defined as follows: