WO1997013558A1 - Collectable trading card game apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention is a card game apparatus (Fig. 2) based upon collectable trading cards (Figs. 1, 3, 4, 6, 6b, and 9, reference (41)) with each card in a master deck of cards (21) including indicia identifying players (Figs. 3, 4, 6, 6b, and 9) who play a common sport having a plurality of offensive plays and a plurality of defensive plays to the offensive plays. The cards further include at least one play indicia specifying one offensive play (44) from the possible offensive plays and preferably a defense indicia specifying one defense (48) from the possible defenses. The apparatus further includes a device for randomly determining the effectiveness of each of the offensive plays (49, 58), and the defense (51, 59) from a range of effectiveness possibilities. A results correlation device (56) having data stored therein for each possible effectiveness of each possible offensive play and each possible effectiveness of each possible defense is used to determine a net result (98) of the particular offensive play and defense which have been selected. The results correlation device (56) is preferably based upon actual sports statistics and the cards preferably include individual effectiveness indicia (58, 59, 61, 66, 67, 68) for the player whose image (43) appears on the cards (41) with the individual effectiveness indicia (58, 59, 61, 66, 67, 68) further being used in the play of the game to influence the results (113). A method for play of a card game based upon trading cards also is discussed.

Description

COLLECTABLE TRADING CARD GAME APPARATUS AND METHOD

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates, in general, to card games and sports-based games, and more particularly, relates to card games which are based upon the use of a plurality of decks of collectable and tradable cards.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years numerous interactive or collectable, fantasy-based card games have been devised in which players pit demons, curses, heroes, etc. against each other in the play of a game. These card games are commercially marketed in a plurality of different decks containing collectable and tradable playing cards. Each deck includes a relatively large number of commonly available and low-value cards, a much smaller number of uncommon and higher value cards and only a few rare and highest value cards. Usually, the commercial deck will have sufficient cards so that the purchaser of one deck is able to play the game against a purchaser of another deck, but purchasers are encouraged to buy supplemental or booster decks, giving them the option and ability to collect the rarely available and uncommon cards of highest value.

Such fantasy, interactive or collectable card games have a substantial following in a niche market. Typical of one such fantasy, collectable card game which is commercially available is the game sold under the trademark MAGIC: THE GATHERING by Wizards Of The Coast, Inc. located in Renton, Washington. Generally, most fantasy, collectable card games such as MAGIC are based upon what amounts to a show-down between cards having indicia on them as to their relative power, toughness and the cost to the player of playing the card. A player builds his/her own deck from commercially available units to be favorable in the play of the game. The decks are shuffled, hands dealt and show-downs between a card or cards occur in accordance with the rules of the game. Thus, while a player can build a favorable deck, the shuffling and limited hand size requires strategy in the show-down or comparison process in which the strength and toughness of various cards are compared and the cost of playing a card effects each player's hand.

Numerous sports-based games also have been devised, although they usually take the form of game boards and more recently video and computer game apparatus. One of the common failings of prior art sports game apparatus has been the poor emulation of the sport, which can result in football scores, for example, of 85 to 3 or baseball scores of 14 to 0. The play value of certain of these sports-based games, therefore, is poor. Additionally, board-based sports game apparatus often are quite large and bulky and do not have the advantage of portability, which is afforded by card games. Generally, as such sports-based game apparatus has become more compact and portable, it also has become over¬ simplified and unsophisticated.

Finally, sky-rocketing collector value for sports trading cards has generated a whole new industry and category of collectors and collectibles. Trading card companies routinely sell packs or decks of trading cards which contain the images or likenesses and statistics of various players of various sports. A finite number of trading cards are issued, and while they may initially be issued in various degrees of rarity, with time certain cards become more and more rare and begin increasing dramatically in value to other collectors. Trading or collectable sports cards, however, have little usefulness beyond collection and display. They are interesting to collectors as part of a collection or to the casual sports fan for the depiction of particular players, usually in an action photograph, and/or the provision of statistics relating to that player.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a game apparatus and method which is based upon collectable sports trading cards and which allows the trading cards to be used to play a game that realistically emulates a sports contest in a sport from which the players on the trading cards are selected.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a realistic and well-balanced card game apparatus and method which can be used to emulate a wide variety of sports contests or games and which cards can further act as collectable trading cards for the respective sports.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a trading card game apparatus and method which is suitable for use in emulating a sports contest with a high degree of realism and sophistication of strategy, tempered by an element of randomness.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a trading card-based sports game apparatus and method which allows the game participants to collect and build their own game decks, draft players for their teams to be used during play of the game, and compete on both offensive and defensive aspects of the sport to produce a sophisticated emulation of the sports contest.

The trading card-based game apparatus and method of the present invention has other objects and features of advantage which will be set forth in more detail in, and are apparent from, the accompanying drawing and following description of the Best Mode Of Carrying Out The Invention.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The game apparatus of the present invention is comprised, briefly, of one of: (i) a plurality of cards forming a deck, and (ii) an apparatus for producing visual representations of a plurality of cards forming the deck, for example, a video game apparatus. In the most preferred form, however, the game apparatus of the present invention is provided by two decks of trading cards collected from a master deck made available in commercial units smaller than the master deck.

Whether the game apparatus of the present invention takes the form of decks of trading cards or a video game apparatus which produces images of cards, in the present invention the cards in the master deck are formed with individual identifying indicia which identify players who play a common sport having a plurality of possible offensive plays and a plurality of possible defenses. Typical sports which can be the basis for the present game apparatus include football, baseball, basketball and soccer, which is not an exhaustive list. Virtually all of the cards in the master deck, from which participant decks are collected, further have at least one play indicia thereon specifying at least one of an offensive play and a defense selected from all possibilities for such plays, and the master deck of cards includes cards having play indicia for all possible offensive plays and all possible defenses.

The present game apparatus further preferably includes an effectiveness determination device for randomly determining the effectiveness of the offensive plays and defenses from a range of effectiveness possibilities. In the most preferred form the effectiveness range includes three possibilities and the effectiveness determination device is provided by effectiveness indicia carried on virtually all of the cards in the master deck. Finally, the present game apparatus includes a results correlation device having data correlating each possible effectiveness of each possible offensive play with each possible effectiveness of each possible defense to determine a net result of a particular offensive play and a particular defense. The results correlation device can be provided by a matrix of data based upon actual statistics for the common sport in which the players whose identifying indicia are on the cards actually played. Moreover, in the most preferred form, the collectable cards further carry individual effectiveness indicia thereon relating to the actual statistics for the player whose image or identifying indicia is on the card, which indicia are used in the play of a game when the player's card is "drafted."

Using the game apparatus of the present invention, two players, or a single player in a computer implemented version, can play a game which closely emulates a sports contest for the selected sport. Play of the game involves strategy in building the player's deck by collecting cards, drafting individual players at the start of a game, making both offensive play and defense selections, which are limited somewhat by the randomness of a dealt hand, determining the effectiveness of each play selection randomly, and determining the net result for particular play selections. This process is repeated to produce a plurality of net results that are used in the same manner that would be conventional for the common sports contest being emulated. The various indicia carried by the cards allow a highly sophisticated and yet very realistic game emulation to be achieved, and in the form of invention employing collectable trading cards, the game adds a new dimension for the collector, namely, the ability to play a game based on the sport for which the collector is collecting cards. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective, schematic view of the various types of decks of the cards employed in prior art collectable game apparatus and employed in the collectable, sports-based game apparatus and method of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation view of a schematic representation of a form of prior art game apparatuε suitable for producing visual representations of a plurality of cards forming a deck and suitable for play of the game of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, front elevation view of a collectable football trading and game card constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURES 3A and 3B are normal scale, front elevation views of two additional football game cards showing different features of the collectable game cards of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan schematic view of a possible array of game apparatus for use in the play of a football game embodiment using the game apparatus of the present invention

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of a results correlation device constructed in accordance with the present invention and suitable for use in the play of a football game embodiment.

FIGURE 6 is sui enlarged, front elevation view of a baseball trading and game card constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURES 6A and 6B are reduced scale, front elevation views of additional baseball trading and game cards constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing additional features. FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of a results correlation device suitable for use with a baseball trading card game embodiment.

FIGURE 7A is a top plan view of an additional portion of the results correlation device of FIGURE 7.

FIGURES 7B through 7G are still further results correlation devices suitable for use in the play of a baseball game embodiment using the collectable card game apparatus of the present invention.

FIGURE 8 is a top plan schematic view of a possible array of game apparatus for use in play of a baseball game embodiment using the game apparatus of the present invention.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged, front elevation view of a basketball trading and game card constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURES 10A and 10B are top plan views of results correlation devices suitable for use with the Basketball Embodiment.

FIGURE 11 is a top plan schematic view of a layout of cards used to play a basketball game using the present apparatus.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The game apparatus and method of the present invention afford collectable trading card enthusiasts a new dimension to their hobby and at the same time provide a sophisticated and very realistic way of emulating popular sports contests. Collectable or interactive fantasy-based card games, while popular in the niche markets, have a very limited general appeal as compared to sports-based games. In apart this is because the fantasy genre has no commonly known or accepted rules on which to base a game. While fantasy game aficionados regard the unstructured nature of such games as one of their advantages or features, the advantage of sports-based games is that a high percentage of the population is very familiar with the rules and the competing strategies which are used during actual play of sports contests. Obviously, another aspect which gives vitality to sports contests is that they are based upon actual competition between actual players.

Prior sports-based game apparatus, however, has tended to be either relatively simplistic and unrealistic or incredibly complex and bulky. The present game apparatus and method affords a sophistication and realism of the play result which very closely follows actual sports competition and yet the games can be played through the use of a minimum amount of highly portable game equipment.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the game apparatus of the present invention has features in common with prior art collectable card games, such as the game MAGIC: THE GATHERING. Thus, in both the prior art and the present apparatus there is a master deck of cards, generally designated 21, which has a plurality of individual cards 41 therein. The master deck, however, is not commercially available as a single unit. Instead, commercial decks, generally designated 23a, 23b, 23c, ...23n, are produced from the master deck and sold as "starter decks" to collectors or game participants. Each starter deck 23a, 23b, 23c,...23n which is commercially available, will have cards of varying play value that are present in varying quantities. Most typically, the cards of highest play value are relatively rare, while cards of medium play value are more common and cards of the least play value are very common. In addition to starter decks 23a-23n, smaller "booster decks" also are commercially available. Thus, booster decks 25a, 25b...25n will be marketed with one rare card, one or two uncommon cards and 10-15 common cards. In order to obtain all of the rare and most valuable cards, therefore, a collector must purchase numerous starter decks 23a-23n and/or booster decks 25a-25n and/or trade individual cards 41 with other collectors. During that collection process, the common cards will be duplicated many times and they are often set aside or discarded. An individual collector will build a participant's deck 24 from the starter decks 23a-23n and booster decks 25a-25n and trades in which the collector seeks to maximize the effectiveness of his participant deck 24 in the play of a card game against another collector, who has similarly built his own participant's deck 24 with the same goal in mind.

In most collectable, fantasy-based card games, the participant's decks 24 are shuffled and cards dealt to form a hand. The game participants simply play selected cards having varying values against each other, with the net result being apparent from the indicia on cards themselves. The basis of such games, therefore, has largely been a strength, power, toughness show-down between two or more cards.

Collectable, fantasy-based card games have been computer implemented for play on video game apparatus, and it is quite common to implement gambling card games, such as draw poker and twenty-one, on video or computer-driven game apparatus. As shown in FIGURE 2, such implementation often takes the form of a display screen 26, which can be a video, liquid crystal display or other display, that is driven by a computer or controller assembly 27, comprised of a CPU 28 having memory 29 and a graphics generator 31. In prior art card game simulations, such as poker or twenty-one, visual representation of cards 41 are displayed on screen 26 and "dealt" using random number generators or the like from a deck representation 24. In most implementations, such computer or video game apparatus, are capable of playing both solitaire games and games involving two or more competitors. The game apparatus of the present invention can be implemented in either a video embodiment or a collectable trading card embodiment. In the play of games using the game apparatus of the present invention, when a trading card embodiment is used, one of the principal advantages is the card collecting and trading aspect, but the trading card embodiment of the present game apparatus is clearly best suited for play by two people. In the video or computer game apparatus embodiment, the ability to collect and trade cards is not as viable, but the games played can be computer implemented in solitaire versions.

The present game equipment and method will be described in terms of cards, and particularly collectable trading cards, but throughout it will be understood that the details of construction and use of such cards are applicable to a computer or video game embodiment.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, a game card, generally designated 41, constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown. Card 41 is suitable for use in the play of a football game, but it contains many features which are common to all game cards of the present invention, regardless of the game being emulated. Thus, the baseball game card 141 of FIGURE 6 and the basketball game card 241 of FIGURE 9 also contains many of the same features of football game . card 41. Before describing the specific features of card 41 which make it suitable for use in play of a football game embodiment, therefore, general features common to most of the game cards of the present invention will be described.

General Features

First, as described above, the present game apparatus includes a master deck 21 of game cards. It would be possible to provide each player with an identical deck 21 of cards sold commercially as a single unit, but in the preferred form, cards 41 in master deck 21 are sold in smaller starter decks 23a-23n and booster decks 25a-25n, and each game participant builds his or her own participant's deck 24, as above described.

As will be seen from FIGURE 3, game card 41 from master deck 21 includes individual identifying indicia. In the preferred form, two forms of identifying indicia are present on card 41, namely, the player's name 42 and the player's image or likeness 43. In any given master deck of cards 21 all of the cards in the master deck which have players depicted thereon will consist of players who play a common sport. In the case of FIGURE 3, the sport is football.

Since the cards 41 of the present invention preferably are collectable trading cards, it is an important feature that the vast majority of the area of card 41 be capable of having an individual action image or photograph 43 of a player on the card. Most preferably, approximately 60% to 70% of the area of card 41 is available for individual identifying likeness 43. This maintains card 41 as a viable trading card, regardless of whether or not a game could be played with the card. In the card 41 of FIGURE 3 approximately 74% of the card is available for the player's likeness or image 43, while in card 41a, shown in FIGURE 3A, approximately 61% of the card is available for identifying image 43a. Accordingly, one of the important features of the game apparatus of the present invention is that the cards which form the basis for the game apparatus can have value as collectable trading cards. Nevertheless, it will be understood that the present game apparatus and the game played thereby could be implemented by a card 41 which merely had a player's name 42 as the sole individual identifying indicia.

While it is preferable that all the cards in master deck 21 be cards having player's images or likenesses thereon, it also would be possible to include special non-player cards in deck 21 without departing from the concept of the present invention. Such special cards, are not interesting to collectors, and in the preferred form special instructions and effects are achieved on cards, such as card 41a of FIGURE 3A, by providing the same on a card having a player's image 43a thereon.

In addition to selecting players who play a common sport for the cards of master deck 21, the common sport should have a plurality of possible offensive plays and a plurality of possible defenses to the offensive plays. Football is a particularly good example of a sport having many offensive plays and almost as many defenses to the offensive plays. In the embodiment described in more detail hereinafter, eight running offensive plays and eight passing offensive plays have been selected, and four run defenses and four pass defenses to offensive plays are provided. While there are still additional offensive plays and possible defenses thereto in football, adding or substituting such additional possibilities would not depart from the concept of the present invention and would not significantly impact the realism of the play of the present game equipment.

Another feature common to virtually all of the game cards of the present invention is that each card in the deck has at least one play indicia thereon selected from the possible offensive plays and the possible defenses. In the preferred form, each card carries both an offensive play indicia, such as indicia 44, and a defense play indicia, such as play indicia 46. Moreover, with the exception of special cards, such as card 41a, the offensive play indicia 44 are randomly distributed on the common and uncommon cards comprising deck 21, without regard to the player whose likeness 43 appears on an individual card. Thus, indicia 44, which indicates a "trap" play is a running play that is executed normally by a running back, while the likeness 43 on card 41 is that of a quarterback, who would not normally be featured on a trap running play. Similarly, with exception of special cards 41a, defense indicia 46 typically will have no relationship to likeness 43 of the player on card 41 nor to the offensive play indicia 44. In this case, a "goal line" defense clearly has no relationship to an offensive player, such as a quarterback, although it might be effective against a trap play.

In the preferred form, indicia 44 for offensive plays will be located in the same position on all cards, as will defensive indicia 46. A symbol or icon indicating offense, such as a football 47, and a symbol or icon suggesting defense, such as a helmet 48, can be employed to assist in quickly locating the offensive play indicia and the defense indicia on card 41.

As will be apparent from discussion of play of a simulated game using the present apparatus, it is preferred to have both offensive play indicia 44 and defense indicia 46 on the same card so as to reduce the number of cards required to play a game. It would be possible, however, to have offensive cards and defensive cards, with each player holding hands which were somewhat larger, and drawing more cards, than would be required when both play indicia are on the same card.

The game apparatus of the present invention further preferably includes, as a general element common to all of the card games, an effectiveness determination device for establishing the effectiveness of the offensive play and the effectiveness of the defense. Moreover, such effectiveness determination device will establish the effectiveness from a range of effectiveness possibilities on a random basis.

One of the disadvantages of prior art game apparatus often has been that cards are simply compared and a net result determined. In sports contests, however, execution of a play has a considerable impact on the net result. Thus, an extremely well executed running play may still be effective even when it is run against a run defense, if the run defense is not well executed. Conversely, poorly executed running plays into a well executed defense will result in a very poor net result. Moreover, as is the case in real sports contests, effectiveness is not entirely predictable. Thus, teams which are on average better than other teams still lose, with a certain random ineffectiveness proving fatal in some instances.

Rather than assume that all plays are equally effective or that the effectiveness can be controlled or selected at will by the game participant, therefore, the present apparatus provide a basis for a random effectiveness selection from a plurality of possibilities. In the preferred form, there are three effectiveness possibilities, namely, highly effective, average or normally effective and poor or relatively ineffective.

It would be possible, within the scope of the present invention, to employ a separate effectiveness determination device, such as a die or spinner, and more than three levels of effectiveness. In the preferred form, however, three levels of effectiveness are provided by color-coded indica carried by cards 41.

Preferably each card carries a color-coded effectiveness indicia for both offensive plays and defenses to the offensive plays. Thus, indicia 49 and 49a are effectiveness indicia for offensive run plays and offensive pass plays, respectively, while indicia 51 and 51a are effectiveness indicia for run defenses and pass defenses, respectively. In the most preferred form the three possibilities of effectiveness are shown on card 41 as one of three colors, namely, red, yellow or green. Thus, the indicia 49 which are color-coded in the color yellow, are indicated by " (Y) " on the drawing, as is indicia 49a. Indicia 51 would be printed in green on the card, as indicated by "(G)", and indicia 51a would be printed on the card in red letters, as indicated by " (R) " on the drawing.

Thus, on card 41 of FIGURE 3 the offensive run indicia "OR" 49 would have average effectiveness, as would the offensive pass indicia "OP" 49a. The run defense indicia "RD" 51, however, would have below average effectiveness, as indicated by the color green, while the pass defense indicia "PD" 51a would have the highest effectiveness, as indicated by the color red (R) . Generally, offense represents movement and the color green indicates maximum movement on offense and the allowance of maximum movement on defense. Red indicates that movement should be stopped and is the highest defensive effectiveness and lowest offensive effectiveness.

One of the important features of the present invention, however, is that instead of randomly applying or distributing the effectiveness indicia on cards 41, there can be a "balancing" of the effectiveness indicia 49, 49a, 51, 51a applied to a particular card with the play indicia 44 and 46.

Balancing of the effectiveness determination indicia with the offensive play indicia 44 and defense indicia 46 can be accomplished in the following manner. Balancing is accomplished by assigning effectiveness indica on the same card which are either average or poor for the type of play indicated by offensive play indicia 44 and the type of defense indicated by defense indicia 46. As can be seen on card 41, therefore, offensive play indicia 44 is for a running play known as a "trap." Accordingly, offensive run indicia 49 will be selected to either be average, that is yellow or (Y) or poor, that is red or (R) . In the case of card 41 in FIGURE 3, offensive run indicia 49 is yellow (Y) or average in light of the fact that a "trap" indicia 44 is shown on card 41. Similarly, defense indicia 46 is a "goal line" defense, which is a run defense. Accordingly, effectiveness indicia for run defense "RD" 51 will either be poor or green (G) , or it will be average or yellow (Y) . For a run defense indicia 46, therefore, the effectiveness indicia 51 can never be more than average.

This balancing of effectiveness against play indicia within a card prevents the card collector from over-balancing participant's deck 24 and requires careful strategy in selecting a participant's deck 24 with a desirable mixture of cards 41. If, for example, game participant selects cards 41 which have a high number of offensive pass plays, the same cards will tend to have average to poor offensive pass effectiveness. Similarly, a player who selects cards which have a high number of running defense indicia will also have effectiveness indicia for run defenses "RD" which are only average or poor.

Card 41a, in FIGURE 3A, illustrates a variation on the card apparatus of the present invention which is used on special cards, which are rare cards. Special instructions 46a can be considered to be one of an offensive play indicia and a defense indicia, in this case a defense indicia. Since this is a rare card, the defense instructions 46a will control the net result of the play, if the play indicia selected by the other participant is an offensive pass to a wide receiver. Thus, notwithstanding the fact that the offensive pass may be highly effective and would otherwise gain yardage, special instructions 46a provide that the offensive play is ineffective. The benefit of this unusual and powerful defense indicia 46a, is also balanced by a special effectiveness indicia 52 which is negative, namely a five- yard penalty. Thus, a player who builds his participant's deck 24 with rare cards having special effects or benefits also will cause his deck to contain numerous special detriments, such as penalties and fumbles. Such balancing is further effected on card 41a by an indicia 53, which relates to individual player's effectiveness in a manner described below. Obviously, the indicia 43, namely, "injured" is a detriment which also offsets the special benefit of indicia 46a to a participant's deck.

An additional element of the game equipment of the present invention which is common to all embodiments, is a results correlation device, such as a matrix of data on a card 56, as shown in FIGURE 5. The matrix of correlation data allows each possible offensive play to be correlated against each possible defense, and further, since there are a range of effectiveness possibilities, each possible effectiveness for each offensive play is correlated against each possible effectiveness for each defense. In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 5, there are sixteen possible offensive plays and eight possible defenses, which is shown as a grid of 128 boxes, such as box 57. Each box 57 has nine possible combinations when the three levels of effectiveness of the respective offensive play and defense are considered. Thus, a total of 1,152 data entries are contained on results correlation device 56. The data net result entered in the matrix correlation device 56 is the net result of all possible combinations.

As will be discussed in more detail, it is preferable that the data for net results entered in results correlation device 56 be based upon actual data from the common sport being represented on cards 41. In professional sports, such performance data is readily available through computer information services, such as STATS-ON-LINE. As also will be appreciated, in a computer-implemented format, data correlation will be stored in a memory device 29 and retrieved and displayed as needed once play selection and effectiveness have been determined.

In order to add play value to the game apparatus of the present invention, it is further preferable that each card carry individual effectiveness indica 58 and 59 which relate to the player whose likeness or image 43 is shown on card 41. As will be described in detail below, such individual effectiveness indicia 58 and 59 give significance to the "drafting" of players and add to the sophistication of the game.

As shown in FIGURE 3, likeness 43 on card 41 is that of a quarterback, and quarterbacks will have the ability to both pass and run. The individual effectiveness indicia 58 will be for the quarterbacks passing ability, while individual effectiveness indicia 59 will be for the quarterback's running ability, based upon actual statistics for the person whose likeness 43 appears on card 41.

If the likeness 43 is that of Steve Young, the National

Football League's most valuable player last year, his individual effectiveness indicia 58 and 59 will be very high

(and his card will be relatively rare) . His Pass effectiveness indicia 58 might range from "run" for red (R) or poor effectiveness to "CMP" or complete for yellow (Y) for average effectiveness to "CMP" or complete for green (G) or high effectiveness. For a quarterback having lesser statistics, a poor performance indicia red (R) might be "INC" or incomplete. In connection with the Run indicia 59, Steve Young has very strong running statistics, and even a poor run might be five yards, while a good run might be thirteen yards.

For offensive players, such as wide receivers and running backs, the Passing indicia 58 would be omitted and an individual effectiveness "Catch" indicia 61 would be present. The Catch indicia has three levels of effectiveness from poor to average to very good. The individual effectiveness indicia 59 and 61 again would be based upon the actual statistics for the player whose representation 43b appears on the card. Thus, a running back might have high running effectiveness data and poor to good catch effectiveness data, while a wide receiver or tight end might have poor running effectiveness indicia and good catch effectiveness indicia. Highly effective players, such as Michael Irvin or Jerry Rice will tend to be rare cards and to have effectiveness indicia 59 and 61 which will be relatively high for both catching and running.

Referring back to results determination matrix 56, one method of moving from general offense and defense effectiveness to specific player effectiveness can be described. If a game player selects, for example, a "hook" pass, while the other game player or participant selects a "4-3" run defense, the net possible result is shown by matrix box 57a. If the effectiveness indicia for an offensive pass 49a is coded for green (G) for the highest effectiveness, and the defensive run defense is coded for green (G) , the least effective level, matrix 57a has the data entry "QB, " as indicated at 62. This, in effect, refers to the game participants back to the effectiveness indicia for the individual, namely, indicia 58 and 59 on card 41 of FIGURE 3.

As will be seen in FIGURE 3, card 41 also includes a player indicia box 63 which will be color coded with one of the colors red (R) , yellow (Y) or green (G) . This box can be used to determine which individual effectiveness indicia will control the net result of the play. During play of the game, as will be set forth below, the same card is not used to determine which individual effectiveness indicia would be employed, but another card, drawn at random, will set the effectiveness level for the individual player. Thus, if a red card is drawn for the quarterback on card 41, indicia 58 indicates that the quarterback ran, rather than passed. Another card would have to be drawn to determine the effectiveness of that run. The net result would be nine yards if the second card, for example, had a player indicia 63 which was yellow (Y) . If the first player indicia were green then the pass would be completed and the yardage would be determined by an additional step, as set forth below in connection with the Football Embodiment. In any event, review of the boxes 57 in results correlation device 56 indicates that red/red results typically cause or refer the participants back to individual identifying indicia for defensive players on cards 41, and green/green results similarly refer the participants to individual identifying indicia for offensive players. The red/red results are good defensive plays against poorly executed offensive plays, which are governed by indicia 66 and 67 relating to defensive players. Indicia 68 on card 41a of FIGURE 3A is individual effectiveness indicia for offensive linemen, and is shown in broken lines because it would not be on the same card as individual identifying indicia for defensive players, such as indicia 66 and 67. Green/green effectiveness combinations for some offensive runs and passes will yield the entry "OL" standing for offensive linemen, as well as offensive players, such as, QB and RB for quarterback and running back, respectively.

Football Embodiment

Use of the present game apparatus to play a football game can now be described by reference to FIGURES 3, 3A, 3B, 4 and 5.

In the embodiment of the present game apparatus which is based upon trading cards, the collector/participant in the game will purchase at least one starter deck 23a-23n of trading cards 41 selected from a master deck 21. The number of starter decks 23a-23n purchased can range from a single deck to numerous decks, and the starter decks can be augmented by any number of booster decks 25a-25n, depending upon the collector/participant's inclination for trying to collect the most rare and effective cards. In the collection process, numerous common cards will be found in decks 23a-23n and 25a-25n, and the collector/participant can eliminate duplications as well as trade with other collectors based upon a collector's strategy for a mixture of cards in his participant deck 24. If the game is based upon professional football, some collectors will want to collect full compliments of their local or favorite team, regardless of their play value. In a typical commercial embodiment, each starter deck 23a-23n will have 80 different cards with 4 rare cards, 16 uncommon cards and 60 common cards. Master deck 21 contains 360 different cards. Booster decks 25a-25n will contain 1 rare card, 3 uncommon cards and 12 common cards. Obviously, these numbers are not critical to the present game apparatus and other deck sizes may be employed.

As above noted, when building a participant's deck 24, a participant cannot simply load up on pass plays or else the effectiveness of his own pass plays will be only average to poor. Similarly, if the participant anticipates that an opponent will use pass plays to a large degree, stacking or building deck 24 to have a lot of pass defense cards will result in the pass defense effectiveness of his own deck only being average to poor. Weighting the participant's deck 24 too heavily in rare cards will produce injuries and penalties.

A game player or participant, therefore, might slightly favor passing or running and provide a somewhat enriched deck with rare or special cards to ensure a good "draft." The second game player or collector/participant will similarly build a deck 24 from a plurality of commercially available decks based upon his or her strategy for play of the game. The second participant might, for example, anticipate weighting of an opponent player's deck toward passing and pass defenses and conclude that the second player's deck will be weighted towards running and pass defenses. Again, however, the balancing within the cards of the effectiveness will work against skewing a participant's deck 24 to extremes.

While in the Football Embodiment the most preferred form master deck 21 will be composed of current professional football players, it will be understood that college players could be used. Moreover, players retired for five years and members of the hall-of-fame also could be used with their corresponding actual performance statistics to enable play of "old-timers" games.

One of the important features of the game apparatus and method of the present invention, which has particularly good play value is the ability to "draft" players from each participant's deck. This will normally be the first step of all embodiments of games using the present game apparatus. While one approach is simply to use players from the two participant's favorite, respective teams, in many cases players will want to draft all-star teams.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, a typical possible layout of the game equipment of the present invention during play of a football game is shown. Drafting will proceed as it is done in fantasy football leagues. Using the game apparatus of the present invention, one player will draft first, for example, after a coin flip, and can pick one card from the participant's own deck 24. Assuming the first player picks the quarterback card for Steve Young and places it in position 81, as shown in FIGURE 4, and designated by "QB." The second participant or game player may now draft one card from his own deck, but the second participant cannot pick a card which has been selected by the first participant. The second participant may also have a Steve Young quarterback card, but it cannot be selected from the second participant's deck. The second participant also realizes that the first participant cannot select another quarterback, and the second participant, might, for example, select Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys at running back and place the selected card at position 82 in FIGURE 4. The process is repeated, in turn, with each game participant selecting a quarterback (QB) , two offensive linemen (OL) , two running backs (RB) and two player cards who are wide receivers (WR) or tight ends (TE) . During the drafting process, the game participants also select two defensive linemen (DL) , two line backers (LB) and two defensive backs (DB) . Thus, each participant will have selected seven offensive players and six defensive players and preferably align the same substantially as shown in FIGURE 4. The respective players, with the exception of the quarterback, have their counterpart player across from them. The cards are placed face up so that the players' likenesses 43 can be seen by the game participants, and this completes the drafting phase of the game. The importance of the draft is that the individual effectiveness indicia representing the offensive and defensive players' abilities will be brought into play of the game, making it important that a game participant have a good draft. This, of course, is one of the important considerations of building the participant's own deck 24.

Most typically, the participant who elects to draft first will give the other participant the election to kick or receive the football. After the draft phase, each participant shuffles the unused cards in his deck 24 to randomize the same. Participant deck 24 may, at that point, be 100 cards or more. Each participant then counts out an agreed upon number of cards from his own deck 24. In play of the Football Embodiment of the present invention, the number of cards which are used to play the game determines the length of the game. Accordingly, a short game in the preferred embodiment involves counting 40 cards from participant deck 24, while a medium length game would require 50 cards, and a long game would require 60 cards.

Thus, the agreed upon number of cards are counted out and comprise a "Time Deck" 83. The remainder of participant's deck 24 now forms a "Draw Deck" 84. Both participants now draw an agreed upon number of cards from their Draw Deck, for example, 4 to 10, and most preferably 6. The cards drawn from Draw Deck 84 comprise the game participant's hand 86, and game participants are now ready for the kickoff. The first step is to draw a seventh card from Draw Deck 8 . The team kicking off now turns over the top card from Time Deck 83 and reads the kickoff indicia 87. Each card preferably has kickoff yardage listed under the letter "K", as best may be seen in FIGURE 3. In the example of FIGURE 3, the kickoff was 66 yards from the point of kickoff, which in the National Football League is the 30 yard line. Thus, the ball was kicked to the 4 yard line of the opponent. The kickoff card can then be placed face-up in a discard pile 88 near Time Deck 83. The receiving team now turns over the top card from his Time Deck and looks under "KR" for an indicia 89 showing the length of the Kickoff Return, which also is listed on each card. If the return is as shown in the card of FIGURE 3A, there was an 8 yard return to the 12 yard line. The kickoff return card is then placed upon a discard pile 88 by the receiving team. If the kickoff indicia 87 shows a "TB" that stands for touchback and there is no return. The ball is simply brought out to the 20 yard line.

The offensive player now selects one card from his or her hand of seven cards for an offensive play, based upon indicia 44 carried by the cards^'in the participant's hand. In the unlikely event that the participant should find that he has no offensive plays, he must discard hand 86 into a discard pile 91 and draw 7 new cards from Draw Deck 84, as well as suffer a 5 yard "delay of the game" penalty. This would only happen, for example, if all of the hand 86 was comprised of special or rare cards, such as card 41a with specialized instructions or offensive and defensive effects 46a. In virtually all cases, however, each game participant will have a plurality of offensive plays and a plurality of defensive plays that can be selected in their respective hands 86.

Assuming that the offensive player selects card 41 of FIGURE 3, he can place it face down on the table at 92. The defensive player will then pick a defensive card from his hand, for example, the card 41b of FIGURE 3B, which is placed face down on the table at 92. After placing the selected offensive play card face down at 92, the offensive game player can reposition his offensive players from the array shown in FIGURE 4. Thus, for example, the wide receiver (WR) card 93 can be moved to the dotted line position next to the tight end (TE) card. This provides two receivers on the right side of the formation from the quarterback (QB) card 81.

The defensive player or participant can then move his cards to react to the offensive shift, for example, by moving defensive back (DB) card 94 to the right side of the array as shown in broken lines, to match the shift by the offensive participant. The defensive participant, however, may also decide that the shift of wide receiver (WR) card 93 has nothing to do with the play that has been selected by the offensive participant. Accordingly, the defensive participant may shift linebacker (LB) card 96 to the dotted line position so as to double-team the right running back (RB) card 97 of the offensive player. Shifting is limited, however, so that there must be one offensive lineman (OL) , one running back (RB) and one wide receiver or tight end (WR or TE) in order on at least one side of the quarterback (QB) card.

Once the formations have been set, determination of the net result of the selected offensive play and the selected defense can be made. The offensive participant and defensive game participant turnover the offensive play and defense cards located at positions 92. Next, the offensive participant turns over a card from Time Deck 83 and reads the effectiveness indicia for his selected play. Assuming that the offensive play was a "trap" and that the card turned over from Time Deck 83 was card 41b of FIGURE 3B, effectiveness indicia 49 for an offensive run "OR" is yellow (Y) . Similarly, the defensive game participant turns a card from his Time Deck 83 and reads the effectiveness indicia 51a for pass defense "PD", which is what the "3-4" defense is.

The players now consult result determination device 56 of FIGURE 5. As will be seen, a trap play run against the 3-4 defense in which both the play execution and the defense execution were average or yellow (Y) will produce a 4 yard gain, as indicated at 98 on FIGURE 5. The ball, therefore, can be advanced from the 12 yard line, which is where play started, to the 16 yard line.

It is preferably in the game apparatus of the present invention when a Football Embodiment is being implemented to provide a field card, or the like, 101 which has the representation of a football field 102 thereon with yard markers 103 that can be used to keep track of the ball position on the field. The game eguipment optionally can further include a first down marker token 104 and ball marker token 106. Alternatively, a card from the Draw Deck can simply be used along one side of the field 102, as indicated at 107, to keep track of ball position, while a second card 108 at the opposite side of field 102 can be used to keep track of the first down marker.

Assuming for the sake of illustration that the offensive participant had turned over a card from his Time Deck in which the offensive run (OR) indicia was green (G) and the defensive player had similarly turned over a card from his Time Deck in which the pass defense (PD) indicia 51a was also green (G) , the result would be shown in FIGURE 5 to be "RB," as shown at 111 in FIGURE 57. This means that the offensive play was run extremely well, while the defensive selection was a pass defense that was run poorly.

Accordingly, the net result will be determined by reference back to the offensive player's running back (RB) card 97

(FIGURE 4) . Assuming that the offensive participant had drafted Natrone Means, after the defensive participant drafted Emmitt Smith, the individual effectiveness indicia 59 for the running back who ran the play would be consulted.

As will be seen on FIGURE 3, in addition to the play indicia 94, the player and side of the formation on which the play is run will be indicated by formation indicia 112, in this case " (RRB) " . This means that the Right Running Back will have run the trap play, which corresponds to card 97 in FIGURE 4. If card 97 is Natrone Means, then the indicia 59 for individual effectiveness of Natrone Means, who is an highly effective runner, will be consulted. The offensive player, therefore, turns over another card form the top of the Time Deck and reads the color-coded player indicia 63 on the newly turned-over card. If, for example, player indicia 63 on the card turned over is yellow, the individual effectiveness for Natrone Means, at indicia 59, will still be a "long" (Lg) run. In order to determine how long the run would be, the offensive player would turn over another card from the Time Deck and read indicia 113 in FIGURE 3, which is designated "LG", and for the card 41 of FIGURE 3 the run would be 15 yards. In some cases indicia 113 will read "TD" which means that the player has scored no matter where the offensive was on the field.

In the example shown, the selected play was a trap, as indicated by indicia 44 in FIGURE 3. As will be seen, however, under indicia 44 is formation indicia 112, namely, " (RRB) " . This means that the trap was run by the right running back, namely, card 97. The defense, however, has double-teamed the right running back by shifting line backer 96 to the dotted line position in FIGURE . The result of double-teaming a running back with two line backers is that che defensive effectiveness goes up one grade level. For example, a yellow (Y) effectiveness would go up to a red

(R) . If the effectiveness already was red (R) , then the offensive player's effectiveness would go down by one grade level, for example, from yellow (Y) to red (R) . If, however, the indicia 112 indicated " (LRB) " , then left running back 114 would have been used to run the trap play, and the shift by the defense of line backer 96 would leave the defense weakened. This would lower the defensive effectiveness indicia by one grade, and if it was already at green (G) , it would increase the offensive effectiveness indicia by one grade, for example, from yellow (Y) to green (G) . As can be seen from results determination matrix 56, therefore, double-teaming can have the result of pushing the net result of a particular offensive play and defense from a yardage number on the chart to the individual effectiveness indicia numbers on the cards for the particular players which have been drafted by the participants. In the area of passes, this can result in incompletions instead of gains or long gains instead of short gains. It also can result in fumbles, as indicated by "F" on results correlation device 56.

As also will be seen from results correlation device 56, in certain pass defense situations, if the offense and the defense both get a green effectiveness result, the quarterback's individual passing effectiveness 58 must be consulted. The player will turn a card from the Time Deck and then consult the "Player" effectiveness indicia 63 from the turned card and use that effectiveness level with the data on quarterback card 81 which is being played by the offensive participant. If, for example, a yellow player indicia 63 is turned from the Time Deck, the indicia 58 on card 41 of FIGURE • 3 would indicate that the pass was complete. The offensive participant must then make a Catch check to see how long the pass was. If formation indicia 112 was to the right tight end (RTE) , for example card 116 in FIGURE 4, then that card will be consulted to determine how long the pass was. Card 41b in FIGURE 3B, for example, has individual effectiveness indicia for catching at indicia 61. Another card will be turned from the Time Deck and the player indicia 63 consulted. If a yellow indicia occurs, a catch of 12 yards was made. As shown in FIGURE 3A, player indicia 63 can include the word "injured", as indicated at 53. In fact, that will be the case for most special cards 41a. The effect of an injury is that the play is completed using a yellow (Y) or ordinary effectiveness for the player, but then the player whose individual effectiveness is being checked must be removed from the table and taken out of play. The offensive game participant must then go to discard pile 88 and select a card from the discard pile 88 to replace the removed card for the injured player. If there is no player card in the discard pile 88 which meets the position requirements of the removed player card, then the participant must go to the Draw Deck 84 and turn over cards until the first replacement player card is found meeting the position requirements, at which point this card will be placed in the appropriate position in the array of offensive and defensive cards.

As also will be seen in FIGURE 3A, certain cards, usually the special or rare cards, also contain a penalty at 52 instead of effectiveness indicia 49 and 51. In the event that a penalty card is turned over, play is stopped and the penalty is assessed against the side turning the penalty card. In rare instances, both teams can return a penalty card off of the time deck, and if they are equal value they cancel each other and each game participant must select a new play. If one penalty is larger than the other, the team with the higher penalty controls and the lesser penalty is ignored.

In the preferred form, there are also a rare or infrequent number of special play cards in the master deck, which do not include a penalty at space 52. Instead, if the special instruction 46a affects both teams, such as a "bad weather" card, space 52 will have yellow (Y) or normal effectiveness indicia for both offenses and defenses. Additionally, some special play cards 41a are called "FADD" cards, which stands for "Flip Again Draw Deck" and will include a number next to "FADD." If you are the offensive participant, the number is subtracted from the yardage gained. If you are on defense and turn a "FADD" card, the number is added to the offensive yardage gained. When you flip a "FADD" card from the Time Deck, you must flip a card again, but this time from the Draw Deck, to determine the effectiveness.

For interceptions, the location of the interception from the point of passing must be determined and the return must be determined. To determine where the interception takes place, it will be seen from the passing plays on results determination chart 56 that they are numbered, for example, at 121 with a number which increases from screen to long bomb. This number generally indicates the depth at which these pass plays are run.

Thus, the indicia 121 are roughly depth indicia and in order to determine where the interception takes place, the depth indicia 121 are multiplied by the number 3. The defensive participant has the option of taking the ball where the interception occurs, namely, three times the depth indicia

121. If, however, he elects to do so, he may attempt to return the interception by turning the top card on the Time

Deck and looking at the "PR" indicia 122 which stands for both the Punt Return result and the interception return result. If the interception occurs in the end zone, the defensive player has the option of taking a touch back or attempting a return.

As will be apparent, the punt and punt returns are conducted in a manner similar to the kick and kick returns, as dictated by the conventional rules of the game and the participant's election to punt.

For fumbles the location of the ball is first determined by turning a card from the offensive participant's Time Deck and looking under "LG" for "long gain." The singles digit under "LG" indicia 113 is used to locate the ball down field from the run or reception. Who recovers can be determined by use of a card draw from the Time Deck, but it also would be possible to use a coin flip.

Similarly, field goals are governed by indicia 123, which is also used for extra points. The offensive participant, however, must add 17 yards to the line of scrimmage when kicking a field goal for extra points, nothing is added to the line of scrimmage, but if the result 124 is "55*" this means that the extra point was missed. If a field goal is being kicked, 55 is used as yardage. Two-point conversions are run from the 3 yard line using a running play only. Special play cards, such as card 41a do not have plays written on them, but instead have a variety of unique game effects and results. In most situations, the rules for use of special play cards are written on the card. If the card text is contrary to the general rules, the card text takes priority. The special play cards can range from upgrades of the play effectiveness or particular plays. For example, one card may state "Home-field crowd noises intimidates visitors! On the next play, the visiting team loses one color grade." Another example might be "This card may be played as a trick pass (RWR) play with an automatic one- color grade increase. "

After each net result is determined the participants again draw a card from their Draw Decks 84 to bring their hands back to seven cards. The next offense and defense are selected, formation changes are made, effectiveness is determined and the next results correlated or determined. Play proceeds using the rules of a conventional football game.

Each game participant has the ability to call 3 time-outs per half. When a time-out is called, the participant draws 5 cards from the Draw Deck 84 and places them in Time Deck 83 to thereby extend the time and number of plays in a quarter. Once a participant reaches the last card in the Time Deck, however, he cannot add to the Time Deck, but instead uses the Draw Deck 84 to complete the quarter until the other participant reaches the end of his Time Deck.

One feature of a time-out is that a participant may discard any number of cards from his hand 86 and draw new cards from Draw Deck 84 so that he has seven cards for the next play. This also can be done at the end of any quarter.

As is the case under the rules of football, the game participants play 4 quarters, and if there is a tie, they play an extra quarter with the first team to score winning under sudden death rules.

As can be seen, therefore, by using the game apparatus of the present invention, a very sophisticated and strategic game of football can be emulated. The results of the effectiveness of various offensive plays and defenses thereto are determined by actual statistics so that game scores tend to be realistic. Nevertheless, there is randomness so that they are not entirely predictable, which means that you have to play the game, not "mail it in." Thus, the trading card collector now has a highly entertaining additional dimension to his or her collecting hobby, namely, a competitive game which can be conducted with fellow collectors.

Baseball Embodiment

Referring now to FIGURES 6, 7 and 8, application of the game equipment and method of the present invention to a Baseball Embodiment can be described. A collectable trading card 141 having the likeness or image of a baseball player 143 and player's name 142 thereon is shown. The sport of baseball has both offensive and defensive aspects, and as shown herein the offensive indicia 144 are on the right-hand side of card 141 while the defensive indicia 146 are on the left¬ hand side of the card. Icons 147 and 148 can be used to help locate the respective offensive and defensive indicia. Generally, therefore, the offensive game participant selects a swing indicia 144, while the defensive game participant selects a pitch indicia 146. As was the case for the Football Embodiment, card 141 further includes effectiveness indicia 149 and 149a for the swing (offensive) effectiveness, as well as effectiveness indicia 151 and 151a for the pitch (defense) effectiveness. In the Baseball Embodiment, however, instead of running and passing offense and defense, the players are rated on whether or not they have "normal" or "skilled" abilities. Thus, effectiveness indicia 149 gives the effectiveness for a Normal Swing (NS) , while effectiveness indicia 149a gives the effectiveness for a Skilled Swing (SS) . Correspondingly, effectiveness indicia 151 gives the effectiveness for a Normal Pitch (NP) , while effectiveness indicia 151a gives the effectiveness for a Skilled Pitch (SP) . Again, it is preferable that the effectiveness indicia 149, 149a and 151, 151a be selected from 3 effectiveness possibilities and be color coded, with green results most favorable to the offense and red results most favorable to the defense.

As was the case with the Football Embodiment, the Baseball Embodiment includes a results correlation device, such as cards or matrices, as shown in FIGURE 7 through 7G. FIGURES 7 and 7A can be regarded as a single matrix which has been divided for ease of use and illustration. As will be seen from FIGURES 7 and 7A, there are 4 skilled pitches and 5 standard pitches which a pitcher can throw. The batters have 4 standard swings and 4 skilled swings which can be taken. Other numbers and types of pitches and swings are possible. In FIGURE 7A, additionally there are columns for bunts, skilled bunts, hit-and-run (H&R) and power. Thus charts 156 and 156a correlate the various offensive and defensive possibilities, with 3 effectiveness levels for each offensive and defensive selection. For the illustrated Baseball Embodiment therefore, there are 1,134 correlated net results which depend upon the pitch selection, swing selection and the effectiveness of each. As was the case for the Football Embodiment, green/green results tend to produce good offensive results, while red/red results tend to produce good defensive results.

In the Baseball Embodiment, the effectiveness indicia 149, 149a and 151, 151a are also "balanced" with respect to swing indicia 144 and pitch indicia 146. On card 141 a "Change Up" is a defense pitch indicia 146 and a normal pitch. Therefore, effectiveness indicia 151 for a normal pitch (NP) must be either yellow (Y) or green (G) , which are the lowest values for effectiveness. Similarly, offensive swing indicia 144 is a normal swing (NS) , namely, an "opposite field" swing, and accordingly effectiveness indicia 149 for a normal swing (NS) balances the swing indicia by being either a normal (Y) or a poor (R) color code. This balancing tends to prevent skewing or stacking of the deck by collectors to favor certain pitches or swings.

Play of a simulated baseball game using the game apparatus of the present invention is very similar to play of a football game. The first step is to draft players, usually starting with a coin flip. The first game participant or manager who elects to take the first player will select one player card 141 from his own participant's deck 24, with the second game participant selecting a player card, other than the one picked by the first participant, from the second participant's own deck. The process is continued until a player card is picked for each of the 9 positions, and a designated hitter if American League rules are followed.

The drafted players may be set out in a desired batting order, as shown by the array of FIGURE 8. The game participant who did not draft first will have the choice of being the home team and choosing the size of the ballpark, for example, from 3 possible sizes, huge, average and small. The larger the ballpark selected, the harder it is to hit homeruns for both teams, as determined by the results correlation of FIGURE 7D. Thus, the participant who selects the home park size will make that selection with knowledge of the type of deck 24 which he or she has been able to assemble and the type of team drafted.

Although not absolutely required, the game apparatus can be used in connection with a conventional baseball scorebook 151. The drafted cards 141 can be arranged on a table in batting order, and if scorebook 151 is used, entered into the scorebook. The remainder of a participant's deck 24 is then shuffled and six cards are drawn by each participant to start the game. Each player then draws one additional card before making the first play selections. Seven card hands are preferable in all game embodiments in that they provide a reasonable play selection opportunity and yet are easy to physically hold. Small hands tend to be less desirable from the play selection standpoint and larger ones from the physical manipulation standpoint, but both larger and smaller hands can be used in all embodiments of the present invention.

The offensive game participant, team at bat, will first consider who his first batter is, for example, card 193 in FIGURE 8. As can be seen from FIGURE 6A, non-pitchers will have an indicia 171 which indicates the number of Skilled Swings which they can execute. In FIGURE 6A, card 141a includes a batter which is capable of 2 types of Skilled Swings in addition to the 4 Normal Swings. A batter having indicia 171 which is the number 2 can be seen from FIGURE 7 to be able to hit both skilled stay-back swings and skilled opposite field swings. Such a batter cannot hit skilled drive swings or skilled pull swings.

The offensive participant will select a swing from indicia 144 of the cards in their hand 186. Since the hand 186 is finite and the result of a random deal, only a limited number of possible swings will be available for selection in hand 186, and the swings available must match the skills of the batter 193 who is at bat in order to be played. Again, each participant makes the initial selection without knowledge of the other participant's selection and places the selected card face down on the table at 192. During the initial selection process for the swing to be used, therefore, the offensive game participant cannot select from hand 186 a skilled swing which the particular batter 193 is incapable of using.

Chart 7A also indicates that there are types of swings listed for bunting, hit-and-run and power swings. Each card for an individual player will rate that player in these categories. Thus, for card 141a, hit rating effectiveness indicia 172 is a plus sign (+) , which may be used with results determination device 156a in FIGURE 7A. Thus, the player of card 141a can execute both ordinary bunts and skilled bunts, as well as ordinary hit-and-run swings and skilled hit-and-run swings. Power rating effectiveness indicia 173 on card 141a is a normal power rating, which would allow the use of normal power swings but not power (+) swings. A negative symbol at 173 would prevent the use of any power swings. Similarly, a negative hit symbol 172 would prevent the use of any bunts or hit-and-run swings, and pitchers, as shown by card 141, cannot use power swings since they do not have a power rating.

Accordingly, the game participant must consider the actual effectiveness indicia for the card in play or "at bat" when making the swing selection for that player from hand 186. Correspondingly, the participant who is on defense or pitching must consider the defensive indicia as provided on the pitcher's card 195, which has individual defensive effectiveness indicia 174 indicating the number of skilled pitches which the drafted pitcher 195 can make. These are identified at 176 on results correlation device 156 and 156a in FIGURES 7 and 7A. The pitcher's effectiveness is also shown by indicia 177, which rate the pitcher's control, velocity and earned run average, respectively. On pitcher's card 195, indicia 172 also rates his hitting, and indicia 178 rates his fielding defense.

Having selected a pitch card and a swing card from the respective hands, the players turn over or reveal their selections 192 simultaneously. Now, the effectiveness of the respective pitch and swing is determined. The participants each turn the top card of their Draw Deck 184 and consult indicia 149, 149a and 151, 151a. This effectiveness is then used with chart or correlation devices 156, 156a to determine the net result of the pitch and swing, when shaded or influenced further by the effectiveness of each of the pitch and the swing.

Assuming by way of example that card 193, or the batter, contains the information shown for card 141b of FIGURE 6B, and that the selected swing is a normal bunt, as indicated by indicia 144a on card 141a, the top card on the Draw Deck is turned over and we can assume shows the effectiveness for the Normal Swing to be yellow (Y) . Assuming further that the defense has selected card 141 to pitch a "change-up" and that the effectiveness of the change-up was shown by indicia 151 as red (R) on a card turned over from the defensive participant's Draw Deck. Card 141b for the particular player at bat, indicates that he may use ordinary bunts, but not bunt (+) . Accordingly, the net result of a standard change-up which is highly effective, namely, a red (R) code, against a standard bunt with normal effectiveness is shown at 185 on chart 156a by the symbol "G02", which means "ground-out to the No. 2 position or catcher."

As was the case for the Football Embodiment, therefore, after the net result has been determined, each game participant draws another card from the Draw Deck 184 and then the next swing and pitch selections are made. The process is repeated in accordance with the conventional rules of the sport which the game emulates. Thus, there would be 3 outs to an inning and 9 innings to a game. In the card game of the present invention for the Baseball Embodiment, there is no Time Deck, just as is the case with baseball, which can run between 2 and 4 hours, depending upon the scoring.

Special rules and further play determination correlation schedules can be employed, as shown in FIGURES 7B through 7G, to embellish the game with features which are an important part of the sports contest being emulated. Thus, stealing, advances, errors, in-field movement, and the like all can be included, with the effectiveness of such options controlled, for example, by indicia 195 on the game cards 141. Such indicia again would be selected from a range of effectiveness possibilities so as to shade or influence the net result by a randomness of selection of the possible effectiveness, which adds interest and sophistication to the game.

An attempt to explain all of the rules of the Baseball Embodiment will not be made herein, but the basic trading card deck again has indicia as to offensive and defensive play possibilities which are influenced by effectiveness possibilities and further influenced by the actual effectiveness of players whose likenesses appear on the cards. In the Baseball Embodiment that actual statistical effectiveness of individual players is in play for each batter and each pitcher and will influence the outcome which is determined by the results correlation device 156 and 156a. The cards are shuffled and drawn in random order so that once a conscious selection of offensive play and the defense have been made, the randomness of the effectiveness selection prevents the participants from totally controlling the game. This makes play much more interesting than merely comparing an offensive play to a defense, both of which are assumed to have only one level of effectiveness. The number of possibilities, therefore, increases substantially and reflects the reality that offensive play and defense selection are not the end of the process. Execution can significantly change the net result.

Basketball Embodiment

As best may be seen in FIGURE 9, a collectable basketball trading card, generally designated 241, is shown which has offensive indicia, generally designated 244, in the upper left-hand corner and defensive indicia, generally designated 246, in the upper right-hand corner. In the Basketball Embodiment, offensive indicia 244 is broken down into two types of offensive play indicia, namely, team offensive indicia 244a, such as "Low Block, " and one-on-one (1 on 1) offensive indicia 244b, such as "Spin Move." Similarly, there are corresponding team defensive indicia 246a, such as "Rotate" and 1 on 1 defense indicia 246b such as "Hand Check." The majority of the card, as is the case for other embodiments, contains an image or likeness, preferably in the form of an action photograph 243, of a player, for example, an NBA player, as well as his name 242.

FIGURE 10A is a results correlation device 256 which illustrates that in the preferred Basketball Embodiment there are 12 team offensive plays and 8 team defenses. FIGURE 10B is a results correlation device 256a in which there are 8 possible 1 on 1 offensive moves and 8 possible defenses which can be employed.

Accordingly, in a manner similar to the Football Embodiment offensive indicia 244 and defensive indicia 246 are randomly distributed on cards 241 of the deck in a manner which is unrelated to the likeness 243 identifying the particular player that appears on card 241.

Card 241 further contains offensive effectiveness indicia 249 for Offensive Interior plays, designated "OI" and offensive effectiveness indicia 249a for Offensive Outside plays designated "00." Similarly, effectiveness indicia 251 is for Interior Defense "ID" and 251a is for Exterior Defense "ED." Again, the indicia 249 and 251 are preferably color coded to represent a range of effectiveness possibilities, for example, poor, normal and high, with green being the highest value for offensive and the lowest value for defense and red being the poorest value for offense and the best value for defense. The indicia 249, 249a and 251, 251a relate solely to team offense indicia 244a and team defense indicia 246a.

As will be seen from FIGURE 10A so called "Normal" offensive plays also can be selected and two of these are Inside offensive plays and are designated with an "(I)", while two are Outside offensive plays and are designated in FIGURE 10A with an " (O) ." These designations indicate whether the "OI" color-coded effectiveness indicia 249 or the "00" effectiveness indicia is to be used when determining the effectiveness of these plays.

In addition, and as was provided on the Football and Baseball Embodiments, card 241 preferably includes individual effectiveness indica 258 and 259 which are related to the specific player whose image 243 is shown on the card. Again, the individual effectiveness indicia is rated from poor to high, preferably using color coding and 3 possible effectiveness levels. In the Basketball Embodiment, a further indicia 261 is provided in which a "run number" from 1 to 6 will appear on the card. Additionally, a run text indicia 262 which will indicate "Good" or "Miss" or "Good if left forward spends token." Finally, in the lower right-hand corner, an indicia 263 is provided which rates the player as normal (N) , inside (I) , outside (0) or inside/outside (I/O) player.

As in the Baseball Embodiment, all players can take "Normal" shots, and "I/O" players can take both inside and outside shots. In team play situations, "I" players cannot take outside shots and "0" players cannot take inside shots. Results correlation devices 256, 256a, such as is shown in FIGURES 10A and 10B, which correlate all possible offenses against all possible defenses for all possible effectiveness levels.

In the Basketball Embodiment it further is preferable that tokens or chips are employed that can be spent to increase a player's offensive or defensive effectiveness. Thus, each card 241 has an offensive token rating 291 and a defensive token rating, which is based upon the actual statistical skills of the particular player depicted on card 241. In FIGURE 9 the player depicted is entitled to have three offensive tokens and one defensive token which can be used during play of the game, as will be described below.

During play of the Basketball Embodiment a draft is conducted in a manner similar to that of the Football and

Baseball Embodiment, only the game participants each draft

8 players, five of which are selected to start the game.

FIGURE 11 illustrates a typical Basketball Embodiment layout. Again, drafting proceeds from one's own participant deck 24 and alternates with each participant being unable to select a player card which has been previously selected by the other participant.

As may be seen in FIGURE 11, the game participants select a point guard (1) , an off-guard (2) , a small forward (3) , a power forward (4) and a center (5) , which are positioned opposite each other. A bench of three players cards 295 of any position are also drafted.

As also is done in the Football Embodiment, the remaining deck 24 is then shuffled and a Time Deck 283 of a known number of cards is established, e.g., 40, 50 or 60 cards, depending on the length of the game. The remaining participant's deck 24 becomes Draw Deck 284. Each game participant draws a hand of 6 from the Draw Deck and starts by taking a card off the Draw Deck to complete his or her hand of 7 cards.

The Basketball Embodiment starts with a jump ball, which is determined by reference to the defensive rebound ratings at indicia 259 of the respective cards for centers. The center with the highest rating wins the tip off from the first and fourth quarters. If there is a tie, the home team wins the tip. The other participant automatically starts with possession of the ball at the start of the second and third quarters.

The game participants call plays and defenses in a manner similar to football and baseball by selecting a card from their hands 286 and placing it face down at 292 on the table. As will be seen from FIGURE 9, team play indicia 244a also includes a number in a circle, in this case "4" or the power forward, next to the play selection which identifies the player position who will be given the ball for the play.

After the offense places his or her play selections face down on the table at 292, the offensive participant may reposition his or her players, as long as each final position is held by a player eligible to play that position. Thus, the offense might switch the number 2 and 3 positions, if both players are "I/O" players, as indicated by indicia 263. The defense game participant can now make a defense selection, placing the same at 292 face down, and reposition the defense, for example, by double teaming the small forward by moving card 296 to the broken line position in FIGURE 11.

Now, unlike the Football or Baseball Embodiments, the game participants may bid using offensive and defensive tokens 297 and 298, which are advantageously color-coded or otherwise distinguishable from each other. At the time of drafting and the initial layout of cards 241, tokens 297 and 298 are placed on the cards of the starting line up, in the quantities indicated at indicia 290 and 291.

In the Basketball Embodiment the home team starts with Momentum, which means that it may play tokens 297 and 298 last, which is a substantial advantage. Assuming the offensive participant is the home team, , the defensive participant must decide first whether to play a token. For illustration, the defensive participant may play a defensive token 298 from his or her center, card 301, to have a combined defensive effect with the double team of the offense's small forward card of trying to prevent scoring by the center (5) and the small forward (3).

The effect of playing a token 297 and 298 is to increase the effectiveness of a play or defense by one color grade. Thus, a normal defense (Y) will become a strong defense (R) or a normal offense (Y) will become a highly effective offense (G) . If the highest defense (R) is turned over when effectiveness is determined, the offensive effectiveness is lowered by one grade level, and vice versa, as explained above for the Football Embodiment. Similarly, the effect of a double team is to raise the defensive effectiveness by one grade level.

In the example, the offense's small forward (3) is double teamed and the center (5) has a defensive token played against it. Since the offensive participant has called, selected, a Lower Block play for the power forward (4) and also has momentum, the offensive participant can se that his or her power forward (4) is not defended. This will result in a one grade level increase, and the offensive participant can decide to spend an offensive token 297 to produce a two grade level increase.

The participants now turn over cards 292 to reveal the play and defense selections. Each participant then turns over the top card from Time Decks 283 and checks at indicia 249, 249a and 251, 251a for the respective effectiveness of their play and defense. In this case a "Low Block" play against a "Rotate" defense is shown in box 302 of results correlation device 256 of FIGURE 10A. If the "OI" indicia 249 is yellow (Y) and the "ED" indicia 251 also is yellow

(Y) the normal result would have been "Good" or two points, as indicated at 303 because a "Rotate" defense is a poor defense against an inside play, such as "Low Block." In this case, however, the power forward (4) executing the low block is unguarded and therefore entitled to a one color upgrade to green (G) and a one color further upgrade, or defensive down grade in this case, to green (G) . This means that the net effectiveness results in green/green or "1 on

1" as shown at 304.

For the 1 on 1 play, without drawing a card from the Time Deck, an offensive 1 on 1 play is selected, , using indicia 244b, and a defense, using 246b.

Assuming that the "Spin Move" offense is selected against a "Hand Check" defense, the selection results correlation box 306 in chart 256a of FIGURE 10B shows the possible results. Each player then turns a card from his Time Deck, and if a green/green result occurs, the indicia 307 indicates a "Run." Since the power forward was not guarded during team play the offense automatically carries over a one color upgrade. The token upgrade also would carry over.

A green/green Run means that the offense has run-off a number of baskets in a row. The offensive participant will turn the top card on his Time Deck and read indicia 261 to see how many points it will get. If the Run number is 4, then the offensive participant turns the next 4 cards from the Time Deck and determines from indicia 262 whether or not he scored or missed on each card.

The participant who has made a Run, however, now loses Momentum and the right to bid tokens last. When a player's tokens are used the game participant may "Rest" the player to regain his tokens. This is done by placing the player's card face up in the Time Deck at the number of cards from the top of the deck as indicated by indicia 293 on card 241. When the player's card comes to the top of the Time Deck, he may be substituted back into the game with a full complement of offensive and defensive tokens.

The results correlation charts 256 and 256a also control skill checks in which the individual skills indicia 258 and 259 are checked. Thus a result such as "vs RF" means the skill of the right forward or small forward must be compared to the skill of the player with the ball, the power forward. The illustrated correlation devices 256 and 256a use R and L for right and left instead of player numbers, but RG=1, LG=2, RF=3, LF=4 and C=5. Similarly offensive and defensive fouls and rebounds are provided for on charts 256, 256a, as well as dunks, passes, spectacular plays ("Face"), passing and the like. A result such as "DLF" means the shot was missed and the rebound went to the left or power forward. "D Run" means a spectacular defensive play was made, and the defense goes on a Run. The symbols "G+l" mean the shot was good plus there was a foul. Special play cards also can be provided as described in the Football Embodiment.

The Time Deck operates in a manner as described for football, as do time outs, which add cards to the Time Deck. When the Time Deck of both players is exhausted, the quarter ends.

Scorekeeping can be by using cards from discard pile 288 to create scoring piles of 1, 2 and 3 points.

As will be seen, therefore, using the card game apparatus and method of the present invention, a relatively complex basketball emulation game can be played. The strategy of matching offenses and defenses is present, and the effect of the match is randomly influenced by a range of effectiveness possibilities. Moreover, the particular players on a team can be drafted and their particular statistics for effectiveness come into play regularly in the play of the game so as to make the selection of players important. The cards themselves, as was the case in the Football Embodiment, have a timing function, and the game can be particularized to the features which are unique to basketball. Once the net results are determined using the results correlation device 256, 256a the game is played using the net results and the conventional rules for scoring of the sport being emulated, in this case basketball.

Method

It will be apparent from the description of the various embodiments of the present apparatus that the method of playing a card game which emulates a sports contest comprises the following steps. First, the present method includes the step of employing at least one deck of collectable trading cards 41, 141, 241 having images or likenesses 43, 143, 243 of players thereon, all selected from a common sport. The cards each further have a play indicia 44, 144, 244 identifying at least one of a plurality of possible offensive plays in the common sport and, preferably on the same card, a play indicia 46, 146, 246 identifying at least one of a plurality of possible defenses in the common sport. The next step in the present method is the step of selecting an offensive play card from a first hand of cards. Substantially simultaneously, or serially, the step of selecting a defensive card from a second hand of cards is performed. Both hands of cards are dealt randomly from shuffled decks, 2 decks of cards are employed with each hand being dealt from the participant's own deck.

Broadly, the next step is determining a net play result of the selected offensive play card and defensive card. The determining step preferably includes determining the effectiveness of the offensive play and the effectiveness of the defense from a range of effectiveness possibilities prior to correlating the net result of the offensive play and defense using a results correlation device 56, 156 and 256.

Play of the game proceeds by repeating the selecting and determining steps to produce a plurality of net results, and finally the present method includes the step of using a plurality of net results in accordance with the rules of the sport being emulated to determine a winner of the card game.

Game Participant As Player Option

In the present game apparatus and method it is also possible to provide an option for the collector/game participants to act as players in the game being emulated. In this participant as player option, the attributes of the participant/player are determined at the start of the game. Each game participant will be able to attribute certain skills of the game to himself as a player in the game. This ability will be limited so that high skills are possible in some areas, but super skills cannot be achieved in all skill areas. Thus, the game participants will have to make trade¬ offs as to their respective skill levels.

One way of implementing this concept is to provide a game card 41, 141, 241 which has a general image or likeness 43, 143, 243 of a player of the common sport, which image is sufficiently generalized or unclear so as not to be an identifiable player. This card will be used for the participant/player card during play of the game. At the start of the game each game participant can select skills from a menu of possibilities for his own participant/player card. The cost to a participant of selecting various skill levels can be associated by a correlation device or chart with the respective skills, and the game participant will only have a limited amount of points, for example 10, which can be "spent" or attributed to acquiring skill levels during the process of building skills for his participant/player card. Once all the skills have been selected and/or the participants are out of their allotted credits for skill levels, the skills are recorded in blank spaces provided on the participant-as-player card.

The process of selecting skill levels obviously will entail considerable strategy relative to the rest of a participant's draft and relative to the skills selected by the opposition participant for his or her participant/player card.

As an added feature, the participant/player card can have the image of the participant imprinted on the card. This is regularly done at trading card collector shows currently, and could be done at such shows, or by forwarding an image to the card manufacturer.

Having created or built a participant's own participant/player card, the card is used in the play of the game in a manner analogous to conventional cards, with the individual effectiveness of the participant/player card being determined from the skills level card and the initial selection process.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A game apparatus comprising:

(a) one of:

(i) a plurality of cards forming at least one deck of cards, and

(ii) an apparatus for producing visual representations of said plurality of cards forming said deck of cards,

(b) a majority of said cards in said deck of cards each having an individual identifying indicia thereon identifying a player who plays a common sport having a plurality of possible offensive plays and a plurality of possible defenses to said offensive plays;

(c) a majority of said cards in said deck of cards further each having a play indicia thereon specifying one of:

(i) an offensive play selected from said possible offensive plays, (ii) a defense selected from said possible defenses;

(d) an effectiveness determination device for randomly determining the effectiveness of the selected offensive play and the effectiveness of the selected defense from a range of effectiveness possibilities; and (e) a results correlation device having data stored therein correlating each possible effectiveness of each possible offensive play with each possible effectiveness each possible defense to determine a net result of a particular offensive play and a particular defense once the effectiveness of each is determined using said effectiveness determination device.

2. The game apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein, said cards in said deck each include a play indicia for an offensive play and a play indicia for a defense thereon; and said effectiveness determination device is provided by an effectiveness indicia for an offensive play and an effectiveness indicia for a defense carried by each of said cards.

3. The game apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein, said play indicia for said possible offensive plays and for said possible defenses are each substantially randomly distributed on said cards comprising said deck of cards; and said deck of cards includes cards having play indicia for all possible offensive plays and play indicia for all possible defenses.

4. The game apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein, said play indicia for each said card is randomly selected from said possible offensive plays and is randomly selected from said possible defense; and said effectiveness indicia are distributed on each of said cards comprising said deck in a manner balancing said effectiveness indicia against the play indicia for each of said offensive play and said defense on said card.

5. The game apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein, said range of effectiveness possibilities includes at least two effectiveness possibilities; and balancing of said effectiveness indicia is accomplished by employing an offensive effectiveness indicia below the highest effectiveness possibility for offensive plays of the same type as said play indicia on each of said cards for said offensive play, and employing a defense effective indicia below the highest effectiveness possibility for defenses of the same type as said play indicia of each of said cards for said defense.

6. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein, said game apparatus is provided by a deck of collectable football trading cards with said individual identifying indicia on each of said cards including a likeness of a football player; and said results correlation device is provided by a results matrix data card.

7. The game apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein, said game apparatus is provided by a deck of collectable baseball trading cards with said individual identifying indicia on each of said cards including a likeness of a baseball player; and said results correlation device is provided by a results matrix data card.

8. The game apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein, said game apparatus is provided by a deck of collectable basketball trading cards with said individual identifying indicia on each of said cards including a likeness of a basketball player; and said results correlation device is provided by a results matrix data card.

9. The game apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein, said results correlation device includes data based upon actual effectiveness statistics for said common sport represented by said deck of cards.

10. The game apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein, said cards each further carry individual effectiveness indicia thereon correlated to the player identified on each card by said individual identifying indicia.

11. The game apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein, said individual effectiveness indicia are based upon actual statistics for said player identified on each card.

12. The game apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein, said individual identifying indicia is provided by an image of said player during play of said common sport.

13. The game apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein, said players identified on said deck of cards are participated in said common sport concurrently with first publication of said deck cards, and said actual statistics and said data stored in said correlation device are based upon the latest available statistics for said players and said common sport.

14. The game apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein, said players identified on said deck of cards have retired from participation in said common sport for at least five years prior to first publication of said deck of cards, and said actual statistics and said data stored in said correlation device are based upon the statistics for said players and said common sport at the time said players were participating in said sport.

15. The game apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein, said game apparatus is provided by a computer coupled to drive a display screen, said computer being programmed to produce said visual representations of said deck of cards on said display screen; said individual identifying indicia on each said representation of said cards including a likeness of a player of said common sport; and said results correlation device being provided by a memory device coupled to said computer and having data stored therein for correlating the effectiveness of offensive plays and defensive plays' to determine the net result of such plays.

16. The game apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein, said visual representations of cards include likenesses of football players.

17. The game apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein, said visual representations of cards include likenesses of baseball players.

18. The game apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein, said visual representations of cards include likenesses of basketball players.

19. The game apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein, said memory device includes data based upon actual effectiveness statistics for said common sport represented by said visual representations of said cards.

20. A card game apparatus based upon collectable trading cards for play of a sports game comprising: (a) a master deck including a plurality of different cards each having an image identifying a player of a common sport thereon, said common sport having a plurality of possible offensive plays and a plurality of possible defenses; (b) said cards in said master deck each having play indicia thereon for both of an offensive play randomly selected from said possible offensive plays and a defense randomly selected from said possible defenses, said master deck including cards having play indicia for all possible offensive plays and play indicia for all possible defenses;

(c) each said card in said master deck further having an effectiveness indicia thereon for both of an offensive play and a defense, said effectiveness indicia being selected from a range of effectiveness possibilities for said offensive plays and said defenses; and

(d) a results correlation device having data correlating each possible effectiveness of each possible offensive play with each possible effectiveness of each possible defense to determine a net result of a particular offensive play and a particular defense.

21. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein, said cards further each have individual effectiveness indicia thereon having a range of effectiveness possibilities determined by actual statistical effectiveness of the individual player whose image appears on said card.

22. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein, at least about 60 percent of the area of each card is available for the image of the player.

23. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein, said results correlation device is provided by a matrix of net results; and at least one of said matrix of net results further refers back to said individual effectiveness indicia carried by said cards.

24. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein, said range of effectiveness possibilities includes 3 possible levels of effectiveness for both offensive plays and defenses.

25. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein, said play indicia, said effectiveness indicia and said results correlation device are provided with values enabling play of a game closely emulating said common sport.

26. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein, said effectiveness indicia are selected to have values balancing the play indicia on said card for each type of said offensive play and said defenses.

27. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 26 wherein, said effectiveness indicia are lower than the highest effectiveness possibility for offensive plays of the same type as said play indicia for an offensive play on said card and for defenses of the same type as said play indicia for defenses on said card.

28. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein, said master deck is distributed in a plurality of commercial decks of less than all of said cards in said master deck with all of said commercial decks together including all of said cards in said master deck.

29. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 28 wherein, said sports game is played using two participant decks assembled by participants from cards distributed in said plurality of commercial decks.

30. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein, said cards have images identifying players who play football.

31. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein, said cards have images identifying players who play baseball.

32. The card game apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein, said cards have images identifying players who play basketball.

33. A method of playing a card game which emulates a sports contest comprising the steps of:

(a) employing at least one deck of trading cards having images of players thereon all selected from a common sport, said cards each further having play indicia thereon identifying at leaεt one of a plurality of possible offensive plays in said common sport and a plurality of possible defenses in said common sport;

(b) selecting an offensive play card from a first hand of cards using said play indicia for said offensive plays;

(c) selecting a defense card from a second hand of cards using said play indicia for said defenses;

(d) determining a net play result of the selected offensive play card and defense card;

(e) repeating said selecting and determining steps to produce a plurality of net play results; and (f) using said plurality of net play results in accordance with the rules of the sports contest being emulated to determine a winner of said card game.

3 . The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 33 wherein, prior to said selecting steps, randomly dealing said first hand to a first game participant and dealing said second hand to a second game participant; and wherein said first game participant and said second game participant each perform said selecting steps without knowledge of the card selected by the other participant.

35. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 34 wherein, said determining step is accomplished by revealing the selected cards to the other participant, and determining a net play result from a results correlation device having data stored therein correlating the net results of each possible offensive play and each possible defensive play.

36. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim

35 wherein, said determining step includes determining the effectiveness of the selected offensive play and the effectiveness of the selected defenses from a range of effectiveness possibilities using an effectiveness determination device; and during said determining step, referring to said results correlation device using the determined effectiveness for the selected offensive play and determined effectiveness for the selected defense.

37. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim

36 wherein, said step of determining the effectiveness of the selected offensive play and the effectiveness of the selected defensive play is accomplished by referring to effectiveness indicia carried by each card.

38. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim

37 wherein, said employing step is accomplished by employing a deck of trading cards in which effectiveness indicia for both an offensive play and a defense are provided on each card and are selected from said range of effectiveness possibilities to balance the play indicia of said card by providing less than the highest effectiveness possibility for offensive plays and defenses of the same type as said play indicia.

39. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 38 wherein, during said determining step, drawing one card at random from said deck of trading cards and using said effectiveness indicia on said one card to determine the effectiveness of at least one of said offensive play and said defense.

40. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 34 wherein, said employing step is accomplished by employing two decks of trading cards for said common sport to provide a participant's deck for each participant, and prior to said employing step, each game participant collects a plurality of cards from the cards comprising a master deck and selects a plurality of the collected cards to form said participant's deck.

41. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 40 wherein, prior to said selecting steps, the step of drafting individual players by each game participant picking cards having player's images thereon from the game participant's own participant's deck.

42. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 41 wherein, said drafting step is accomplished by a first game participant picking a card having an identified player's image thereon from said first game participant's own participant's deck, followed by a second game participant picking a card, other than the card picked by said first game participant, from said second game participant's own participant's deck.

43. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 42 wherein, said drafting step is repeated with each game participant picking a card from his own participant's playing deck not previously selected by the other game participant until a sufficient number of cards have been selected to enable offensive plays and defenses to be correlated for a net result specific to the players drafted.

44. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 43, and after said drafting step, shuffling the cards remaining in each participant's playing deck, and dealing said first hand to said first game participant from said first game participant's own participant's deck; and dealing said second hand to said second game participant from said second game participant's own participant's deck.

45. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 44 wherein, said dealing steps are accomplished by dealing each game participant between 5 and 10 cards.

46. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 44 wherein, said employing step is accomplished by employing trading cards further having individual effectiveness indicia thereon related to the individual player whose image appears on said card; and during said determining step referring to said individual effectiveness indicia for players picked during said drafting step.

47. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 46 wherein, said determining step is accomplished by referring to said results correlation device to determine whether to refer to said individual effectiveness indicia.

48. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 34 wherein, prior to said dealing step counting out a known number of cards from said participant's deck to act as a time deck; and using cards from said time deck during play of said game to limit the number of offensive plays for which net results are determined.

49. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 48 wherein, said using step is accomplished by using cards from said time deck to establish the effectiveness of the selected offensive play and the selected defense.

50. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 33 wherein, said employing step is accomplished by employing trading cards having images of football players thereon.

51. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 33 wherein, said employing step is accomplished by employing trading cards having images of active professional football players thereon.

52. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 33 wherein, said employing step is accomplished by employing trading cards having images of active professional baseball players thereon.

53. The method of playing a card game as defined in claim 33 wherein, said employing step is accomplished by employing trading cards having images of active professional basketball players thereon.

54. A method of playing a card game which emulates a sports contest comprising the steps of :

(a) employing two decks of trading cards having likenesses of players thereon all selected from a common sport, said trading cards further having play indicia thereon relating to one of a plurality of possible offensive plays and a plurality of possible defenses in said sport;

(b) dealing one hand of cards randomly from each of said two decks;

(c) determining which one of the two hands of cards initially shall be an offensive hand and which one of said two hands of cards initially shall be a defensive hand;

(d) selecting an offensive play card from said offensive hand using said play indicia and strategy based upon said sport;

(e) selecting a defense card from said defensive hand using said play indicia and strategy based upon said sport, each of said selecting steps each being made without knowledge of the selection made in the other hand;

(f) determining the relative effectiveness of the selected offensive play and the selected defense; (g) determining a net play result for the determined effectiveness of the selected offensive play and the determined effectiveness of the selected defense by referring to a result correlation device;

(h) periodically replenishing said two hands of cards with a card after determination of a net play result; and (i) continuing play of said game by repeating said selecting step and said determining steps produce a plurality of net play results, and using said plurality of net play results and the rules of the sports contest being emulated to: (i) periodically alternate which hand shall be said offensive hand and which hand shall be said defensive hand, and (ii) to score points as determined by the rules of the sports contest being emulated.