WO2003024548A1

WO2003024548A1 - Board game

Info

Publication number: WO2003024548A1
Application number: PCT/GB2002/004297
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew Bentley; Tracey Chapman; Christopher Bentley
Original assignee: Andrew Bentley; Tracey Chapman; Christopher Bentley
Priority date: 2001-09-21
Filing date: 2002-09-20
Publication date: 2003-03-27
Also published as: GB0122820D0; GB2379891A

Abstract

A board game apparatus is described having a number spinner with a rotatable central portion, a ball, and a plurality of receivers to randomly receive the ball each representing a given number of spaces to be advanced; a plurality of symbols or tokens for moving over a board acting as a playing field; a plurality of sets of cards each comprising instructions for various gaming options; and a board being provided with marked spaces constituting a path or course extending about the board, the path or course affording a continuous track for the purpose of continuity of play, the spaces marked into distinguishable groups each associated with one of said sets of cards, and the board being further provided with an area for placement of the spinner, an area for receiving the cards, and a gaming area for the placement of bets by the players on the outcome produced by the number spinner. In particular track and spinner are modelled on the pattern of a roulette wheel.

Description

BOARD GAME

The invention relates to a board game apparatus for play by several players, or teams thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a board game apparatus which incorporates some of the features of a casino into a domestic play situation.

Board games for domestic enjoyment and entertainment, to be played by several players or teams of players, have widespread popularity and are played by all cultures as a recreational activity. Additionally, it is increasingly accepted that all games may have an important social role in particular but not exclusively in relation to social development, the promotion of teamwork, and communication between the players, as well as providing a source of entertainment and enjoyment. For these advantages to accrue, widespread participation is desirable.

Casino-based gambling games, in particular for example based on a roulette wheel or playing cards, are very popular in a number of cultures throughout the world. However, to date the effective transferring of aspects of the casino to a board game for play in a domestic environment has not always been effective. Casinos thus remain a relatively niche activity whose numbers of participants are limited. If the entertaining elements of casino play could be transferred effectively to a board game, levels of participation could be greatly increased, and application for domestic play made possible.

The present invention is directed at providing an apparatus for playing a board game which retains some of the elements of casino gaming whilst translating effectively to a domestic board game environment to offer a variety of casino related game play feature options. Thus, according to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a board game apparatus comprising a number spinner having a rotatable central portion, a ball, and a plurality of receivers to randomly receive the ball each representing a given number of spaces to be advanced; a plurality of symbols or tokens for moving over a board acting as a playing field; a plurality of sets of cards each comprising instructions for various gaming options; and a board being provided with marked spaces constituting a path or course extending about the board, the path or course affording a continuous track for the purpose of continuity of play, the spaces forming a plurality of sets designated by annotation or colour so as to constitute a plurality of distinguishable groups, each group being associated with one of said sets of cards, and the board being further provided with an area for placement of the spinner, an area for receiving the cards, and a gaming area for the placement of bets by the players on the outcome produced by the number spinner.

Play is effected by continuous movement of the tokens around the track, each token representing a player, where references herein to a player shall include a team of players. A turn marker may be provided which, by placement on an appropriate square on the board or by possession by a player or otherwise, will indicate the player whose turn it is. Each token is moved in turn in accordance with the number of spaces indicated by the ball coming to rest in the spinner. The spinner exhibits many similarities to a roulette wheel, and incorporates this aspect of casino play into the board game.

The token comes to rest on a space marked on the track, and distinguished as corresponding to one of the sets of gaming cards. Additional spaces may be provided on the track which have particular special meanings, and in particular which are not necessarily associated with the drawing of cards. For example, a space on the track may be provided indicating the beginning and end of the circuit, with the player being rewarded in some manner on reaching or passing such beginning and end. A player then draws a gaming card from the set, for example the top card in a pile thereof in conventional manner, and acts on the gaming instructions contained thereon. On completion of these gaming instructions, the player's turn is at an end, and play passes to another player in suitable order.

To involve the other players when they are not directly active, and to provide an alternative gaming option again corresponding to that commonly available in a casino, areas are provided on the board by means of suitable delineation of spaces to allow the players to place bets on the outcome when the spinner is rotated by the player whose turn it is. This gives an additional gaming option.

The spinner of necessity includes recesses to receive the ball which correspond to a plurality of different numbers, each provided with an indication corresponding to a number of spaces to be moved by the player's token. A single recess or a number of recesses and in particular an adjacent group of recesses may represent each number. The recesses may also have associated other information, for example in that the numbers may be grouped into sets identified by colour. This provides further gaming options, in that bets can be placed by the players in relation not only to the number which comes up but also in relation to the colours or the like. Suitable bets for example include which colour number will come up, whether the number is odd or even etc. The spinner is thus preferably configured like a roulette wheel, and for example numbers may be identified as red or black in like manner to a conventional roulette wheel. For practical purposes it will not normally be sensible to have the full range of numbers encountered on a conventional roulette wheel for the number spinner in accordance with the invention. Instead, relatively few different numbers will be provided. It will usually be sensible to provide an even quantity of different numbers, to allow a 50/50 split between odd and even numbers, and between red and black numbers etc. Preferably, the number spinner has apertures sectioned to provide for numbers between 1 and 6 or 1 and 8. Optionally, a zero may be provided in like manner to a roulette wheel.

The continuous track comprises a plurality of spaces, the spaces being designated by annotation or colour so as to constitute a plurality of distinguishable groups. Preferably, numbers and/or colours are used. Again, preferably the track mimics the pattern on a roulette wheel. Thus, conveniently, the track follows a generally circular path, and in particular follows a generally circular path surrounding the place on which the number spinner is to be placed. Thus, spaces on the track are preferably identified by means of two colours, and in particular red and black.

It is particularly preferred if the track copies the markings on a conventional roulette wheel, comprising the numbers 1 to 36 arranged there around in a circular track with red and black designations in conventional manner. Two sets of cards, one corresponding to red and one corresponding to black, are then provided. Optionally, the track may include a space marked as zero, and further optionally a space marked as double zero, to correspond even more closely to a roulette wheel. The zero space(s) may have special meanings, and in particularly not be associated with the drawing of cards.

The game board apparatus preferably further comprises tokens or other means of keeping score, representing money, chips etc. The rules of the game preferably provide for an end point which might be when one player has reached a set score, when one player is in possession with all of the chips or the like, or at the end of a set time or number of circuits.

A plurality of sets of cards are provided each comprising instructions for various gaming options. Preferably, the cards in each set have a common element in respect of the gaming options offered. Alternative gaming options might include an option to play a game against another player with advantage accruing to one or other player as a result, and an option to receive or give to or from a central bank and/or to play a gaming option against the central bank with possible advantage or disadvantage to the player.

In the preferred embodiment, two sets of cards are provided, for example corresponding to the red and black spaces on a roulette-style continuous track. In these circumstances, the two options might for example represent a set of cards with gaming features generally advantageous to the player, and a set of cards with gaming features generally disadvantageous to the player.

To allow for maximum gaming options to be provided by the said cards, the gaming apparatus preferably further comprises one or more sets of playing cards and/or one or more sets of dice to permit playing card and/or dice games to be played on a turn of one of the instruction cards. Preferably, the board further comprises areas delineated for the receipt of and/or for the playing with such equipment. For example, the gaming apparatus may include a playing card holder adapted to be received upon the board.

In this way, the board game apparatus incorporates not only the roulette aspects of the casino, but also card games and/or dice games. The rules may permit multiple occupancy of a given space, or may require only single occupancy of a given space on the playing board. In the latter instance, the rules may provide for some gaming option and/or forfeit to apply in the event that a second token lands upon a space occupied by a first token.

To provide for a further gaming option, the rules may permit that a player may "buy" a space on the board or, in particular, a slot on the number spinner, so that a player spinning that number is obliged to pay a disadvantageous forfeit, either in the form of a fixed "rent" or through some form of gaming option. For example, certain of the cards to be drawn may include the option of buying a space on the spinner. In this way, a player who is being successful can "buy in" to the casino, and gain another means of achieving dominance and winning the game. In particular, "rent" can be provided at such a level that once a player has "bought" all of the spaces, his victory is guaranteed.

An example of a board game apparatus in accordance with the present invention, and of the playing of a possible game which may be played using such a board game apparatus, will now be described for illustrative purposes only with reference to the accompanying Figure 1.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a possible board layout for playing the game in accordance with the invention. The schematic representation does not include all features of the imagined embodiment of the game, but these detailed features should become apparent from the foregoing.

The basic apparatus comprises a board (1) marked out into various areas for the facilitation of play. The main feature of the board is the continuous circular track (3) divided into a plurality of marked spaces (5a), (5b) for the continuous track for the purpose of continuity of play. During play, tokens (not shown) representing each player are moved around the track.

The spaces (5a), (5b) on the continuous track (3) are marked to correspond to those on a conventional roulette wheel, although these markings are not shown in the diagram for clarity. Thus, in the example given, 37 spaces are provided, constituting a zero (5a) and the remaining spaces (5b) bearing the numbers 1- 36 and being coloured red and black in conventional order and manner. Optionally, for example to comply with convention in the United States, a double zero space may be included.

Advancement around the course (3) is effected by moving the tokens (not shown) the number of spaces represented by the spinner (8) located on the board within the circular track (3). The tokens are preferably selected to reflect the context of the game and to reflect games of chance, gambling etc. (e.g. in the form of a jockey, a greyhound, dice, gaming chips etc.).

The spinner consists of an outer housing (9) and a central spinner portion (10) centrally mounted to be rotatable. The outer edge of the central spinner portion (10) is divided into a plurality of recessed areas (12) by a plurality of ridges (13). In the present example, six such recessed areas are provided, of equal shape and size. Each such recessed area is marked to indicate a move for a certain number of spaces, in the present example 1 to 6. In the present example, to increase the options for side bet gaming (in relation to which see below) the numbers are also alternately identified as red and black in similar manner to those on a roulette wheel. A zero may also be provided, again by analogy with a roulette wheel. To take a turn, a player spins the central spinner portion and inserts the ball (11) in a manner which will be familiar by analogy with roulette, and the ball (11) ultimately comes to rest randomly in one of the recesses (12). The player's token is then advanced the number of spaces indicated as corresponding to the position where the ball has finally come to rest.

As described above, the spaces on the board (5a), (5b) are designated with numbers and colours by analogy with a roulette wheel. The zero represents a start/end point of a circuit. In the event that the player's token lands on or passes the zero, a turn is considered complete, and some appropriate action taken as defined in the rules (for example adding to the player's score, collecting further chips etc.). In the event that the player's token lands on a red or a black square a gaming card is taken from one of the gaming piles (respectively R, B) .

A plurality of such cards are provided in each pile. The reverse of each card provides a gaming instruction. Gaming instructions may involve a simple single event of benefit or detriment to the player concerned, or may involve the playing of a game of chance of some description either by the player concerned individually to some benefit or detriment applying to him alone, or by the player concerned with another player. After play, cards are placed on the adjacent discard pile.

In the example embodiment of the game in accordance with the invention, red cards consist of gaming options which are generally favourable or advantageous to the player concerned, and black cards contain gaming options which are generally unfavourable or disadvantageous to the player concerned. In other words, the red cards can be considered as representing "good luck" cards and the black cards can be considered as representing "bad luck" cards. However, such a feature is of no importance to the overall play.

Some of the cards may contain instructions for gaming options involving card and/or dice games and the like, and the board game apparatus therefore further comprises a playing card carrier (15) in which can be stored playing cards for such a game. As an alternative to dice, the rotary spinner (8) may serve. In particular, the cards may contain instructions for the playing of casino-style games, such as 21 's. This gives a further casino-style game play option.

The rules of the game must provide some system for keeping score. Conveniently, the game play apparatus itself will include some form of token or counter to facilitate this. In the preferred embodiment, casino-style gaming chips are provided to enable each player to reckon his or her current score. A gaming chip storage area or bank (19) may be provided on the board. The winner may be determined as the player holding the highest value of chips or tokens after a certain period of time, or after a certain number of revolutions round the board, or may be decided as the player ending up in possession of all chips or tokens when all other players have been bankrupted.

The game works best when a reasonable number of players or teams of players are involved, for example 4 to 6. In order to provide further game play options for those players not currently taking a turn, the game board provides for betting areas (21) on which side bets may be placed on the outcome of the spinner at each turn. Each player is provided with his own betting area (21).

Again, the detailed markings of these betting areas (21) are not shown for clarity. However, in the present instance, where the spinner is marked from 1 to 6 with three red and three black numbers, markings at least allowing bets to be placed on each individual number, on red/black, on odd/even will be appropriate.

Bets are settled from the bank using usual roulette-style odds. The spinner may include a zero. A player cannot bet on a zero and if a zero is spun all bets are lost. This side bet feature gives an additional game play option to all players and not just to the player whose turn it is to move about the track (3).

Given the range of activities involved during play it can be easy to lose sight of whose turn it is. To avoid confusion in this regard, a dolly is provided to be held by the player whose turn it is until completion of his turn and then passed in an appropriate direction, for example to the adjacent player clockwise, on completion of the turn. Most conveniently, the dolly is placed on the betting area (21) of the player in question throughout his turn so as to be clearly visible. At the end of the player's turn the dolly is passed to the next player.

To allow a successful player the feeling of "buying in" to the casino, an option may be provided within the rules to allow a player to "buy" one of the spaces on the spinner (8). In the present game, this opportunity is given as an option on certain of the good luck cards (R). If a player who has been reasonably successful in accumulating chips chooses to exercise this option and buy a space on the spinner, then subsequent players must pay him a "rent" every time they subsequently score that number. It will be apparent that this is a means to add a yet further aspect to the game, and to allow players to buy in to the casino itself so as to bankrupt the other players more quickly. Indeed, should a player acquire all of the spaces on the spinner, this can itself be considered sufficient for victory. The game in accordance with the invention provides a simple but effective way of bringing many of the features of the casino into a domestic board game environment. It will be readily appreciated that many variations to the layout of the board given in this example could be envisaged without disparting from the principles of the invention, for example to include other casino or like gaming features.

Claims

1. A board game apparatus comprising a number spinner having a rotatable central portion, a ball, and a plurality of receivers to randomly receive the ball each representing a given number of spaces to be advanced; a plurality of symbols or tokens for moving over a board acting as a playing field; a plurality of sets of cards each comprising instructions for various gaming options; and a board being provided with marked spaces constituting a path or course extending about the board, the path or course affording a continuous track for the purpose of continuity of play, the spaces forming a plurality of sets designated by annotation or colour so as to constitute a plurality of distinguishable groups, each group being associated with one of said sets of cards, and the board being further provided with an area for placement of the spinner, an area for receiving the cards, and a gaming area for the placement of bets by the players on the outcome produced by the number spinner.

2. A board game apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a turn marker which, by placement on an appropriate square on the board or by possession by a player or otherwise, will indicate the player whose turn it is.

3. A board game apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein additional spaces are provided on the track which have particular special meanings, and in particular which are not associated with the drawing of cards.

4. A board game apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein areas are provided on the board by means of suitable delineation of spaces to allow other players to place bets on the outcome when the spinner is rotated by the player whose turn it is.

5. A board game apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the numbers identified on the spinner are grouped into sets identified by colour, and wherein the areas provided on the board to allow other players to place bets on the outcome when the spinner is rotated include areas allowing bets on one or more of the number, the colour, numerical groups of numbers, and whether the number is odd or even.

6. A board game apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the continuous track comprises a plurality of spaces being designated by numbers and/or colours so as to constitute a plurality of distinguishable groups.

7. A board game apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the track pattern corresponds to the pattern on a standard roulette wheel in that it follows a generally circular path surrounding the place on which the number spinner is to be placed, and in that spaces on the track are identified by means of the numbers 1 to 36 arranged there around in a circular track with red and black designations in conventional manner.

8. A board game apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim further comprising tokens or other means of keeping score, representing money, chips etc.

9. A board game apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim further comprising one or more sets of playing cards and/or one or more sets of dice to permit playing card and/or dice games to be played on a turn of one of the instruction cards, and wherein the board further comprises areas delineated for the receipt of and/or for the playing with such equipment.

10. A board game apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein a player is enabled to "buy" a space on the board or, in particular, a slot on the number spinner, so that a player spinning that number or alighting on that space is obliged to pay a disadvantageous forfeit, either in the form of a fixed "rent" or through some form of gaming option.

11. A board game apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.