Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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GAME BOARDS
This invention relates to a game apparatus, and in
particular to game board pieces which can interlock to
form a vir~ually in~inite variety o~ game board
configurations. This invention also relates to a game
apparatus that can be used to play variations of the
game of chess.
Board games in which a square or rectangular game
board with a cross-lined pattern of small squares or at
least two colours is utilised are well known, as for
example in the games of checkers and chess. The object
of such well known games is to win by moving mar}cers,
such as chessmen or checkers, over the board in
accordance with the rules of play.
It is not, however, well known to include as part
of the game the construction of a game board itself by
assembly of pieces, player by player, in turn.
However, if this is done, utilising the present
invention, the assembled game board can assume a
virtually infinite variety of configurations and
thereby add a further dimension to a known game, as
certain configurations may be either advantageous or
dlsadvantageous to individual players.
The invention has for its object the provision of
game board pieces which can be securely interlocked to
each other in the course of a game, to provide an
almost infinite variety of game board shpes.
This invention has for a further object the
provision of board pieces which when assembled can
provide a game board of any shape, including the
standard game board, and when disassembled are easily
portable and occupy a minimum amount of space.
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This invention has for a further object the provision
of a novel version of the game of chess whereby the players
assemble the game board, piece by piece in accordance with
defined rules, prior to playing a game substantially in
accordance with the rules of play of the traditional game of
chess.
In a broad aspect, the present invention rélates to a
game board piece for assembling a game board, said piece
being provided with means for interlocking it with similar
pieces, characterized in that said interlocking means
comprises a laterally resilient member with laterally
extending barbs, which projects from at least one side of
said piece and at least one aperture in at least one other
side of said piece, such that the resilient member of a
first piece is adapted to slide through the aperture of a
second piece, whereupon the barbs of the first piece engage
an inner surface of the side of said second piece.
Further features and details of the invention will be
apparent from the following description of certain specific
embodiments which is given by way of example with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
invention;
Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of this embodiment;
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the embodiment;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment
of this invention;
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Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the second
embodiment;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a dowel piece
used in the second embodiment;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a third
embodiment;
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a dowel piece
used in the third embodiment;
Figure 9 is a top plan view of one possible
configuration of an assembled game board in accordance
with the present invention;
Figure 10 is a top plan view of a second possible
configuration of an assembled board in accordance with
the present invention;
~'igure 11 is a top plan view of a configuration o~
an assembled game board with an odd number oE ranks,
showing -the positioning of a "no-man's land" marker;
Figure 12 is a top plan view of a configuration of
an assembled game board with an even number of ranks,
showing the positioning of a "no-man's land" marker.
Reerring firstly to Figures 1 to 3 the game board
piece illustrated generally at 1 comprises a planar top
surface 2 integral with sidewalls 3,~,5 and 6. The
game board piece may be of any suitable configuration
(e.g. triangular, octagonal), but in the form shown is
a thin, flat, square. Each of sidewalls 3y~ and 5 is
provided with an aperture 7. Sidewall 6 is provided
with an arrow-shaped projection 8 which has a throat 8a
widening into laterally extending barbs 9.
The projection is adapted to slide through the
aperture 7 of an adjoining piece, whereupon the barbs,
which compress inwardly as the projection is pushed
through the aperture 7, engage the inner surface of the
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adjacent sidewall 6, -thereby locking together a pair of
pieces. Alterna-tively, two game pieces may be
interconnected by simply lowering the aperture 7 of the
sidewall 6 of a first piece over the throat 8a portion
of the projection 8 of a second piece, such that the
barb 9 of the second piece engages the inner surface of
the adjacent sidewall 6 thereby locking the pieces
together. The interlocked pieces are adapted to
withstand coplanar forces applied thereto. The pieces
are released from each other by the simultaneous
application of vertically opposed forces perpendicular
to the plane of the pieces.
In the second embodiment illustrated in Figures 4
to 6, there is provided a game board piece indicated
lS generally at 10 adapted to interlock with another piece
10 by means of a dovetail pin 11. The game board piece
10 is provided with a generally planar top surface 12,
four sidewalls 13 with dovetail apertures 14 and a
slotted bottom surface 15. A portion of a dovetail pin
11 fits within any one of the apertures 14 of adjacent
board pieces thereby locking together a pair of pieces.
In the third embodiment illustrated in Figures 7
and 8, the game piece indicated generally at 20
comprises a flat solid rectangle. Located centrally in
each sidewall is a circular aperture 21 adapted to
receive a portion of a cylindrical dowel 22 and thereby
keep two adjacent pieces in proper relative position.
Referring next to Figures 9 and 10 two possible
configurations of an assembled game board comprising
sixty-four interlocked game board pieces in accordance
with the present invention are shown.
The method of playing the novel version of the
game of chess commences with the assembly of the game
board in accordance with the following steps-
lo Build a square "core" of 2 white and 2 black
squares, with a white square in the lower right-hand
corner. Place the core in the centre of the table or
playing surface.
White begins the game by connecting a white square
to any side of either of the black squares in the core.
Black follows by connecting a black square to the side
of any of the white squares. The players continue, in
turn, until all of the 64 squares have been joined
together.
Squares may be joined by either player to any
opposite colour square that forms the board. Gaps or
open spaces in the board are allowed. Tlle board may be
built in any pattern or conflguration; squares are
placed to suit the strategy of each player in putting
the opponent at a disadvantage.
2. The following rules apply:
(i) A player may connect only one square at a
time to a square of the opposite colour.
(ii) Once a square has been connected legally, and
the player's hand removed from that square, the square
may not be detached and placed somewhere else~
(iii) If it is discovered, at any time, that a
square has been connected illegally (white to white,
black to black), that square must be removed. All
other squares connected after the illegal square was
connected must also be removed along with any chess
pieces placed on the board. The game continues with
the square that was connected illegally being placed in
a legal position.
3. Whan the board is complete, count the number of
horizontal rows. If -the total is an odd number, the
middle row is declared "no-man's land"~ A "no-man's
land" marker is placed next to the middle row, off the
board, in a horizontal position (see Figure 11).
If the total number of rows is even, the middle
two rows are declared "no-man's land". The "no-man's
land" marker is placed next to the middle rows, off the
board, in a vertical position (see Figure 12).
"No-man's land" divides the board into two sides.
In the nex-t stage of the game, players position their
chess pieces on their side of "no-man's land".
Once the game has been assembled, players position
their chess pieces one at a time, and in turn, on the
side of the board closest to them. Pieces must be
posltioned on the squares that form the playing board,
and not in the open spaces or gaps, or in "no man's
land". Whlte positions the Eirst piece.
The initial positioning of the pieces is in
accordance with the followlng rules:
(i) A piece may not be positioned in "no-man's
land".
(ii) The king may be positioned at any time. All
other pieces must be positioned in the following order:
pawns, bishops and knights (in any order); rooks
(castles); and queen.
(iii) A player may position pieces on any
unoccupied square of either colour (in his or her
respective side of the board), with the following
exceptions:
- no piece may be positioned so that it can
capture, or be captured by, an piece already on the
board
~ no piece may be positioned so that it would
put the opposing king in check
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- the king may not be posi-tioned so that it
would be placed in check.
(iv) Players may position both oE their bishops on
squares of the same colour.
(v) If a player has fewer than 16 squares on his
or her side of 'Ino-man's land", that player must
forfeit 1 piece for each square under 16, in the
- following order: pawns; knights and bishops (in any
order); rooks; and queen. (For example, a player with
only 15 squares on his or her side of "no-man's land"
must forfelt 1 of his 8 pawns. If a player has only 7
squares on his or her side of "no-man's land", not only
must all 8 pawns be forfeited, but the player must also
give up a knight or bishop). Once the player h~s
lS decided which p:Lece~s) to foreeit, the rema:Lnirlg pieces
must be positioned, in turn, according to rules 1 to 4.
Once these have all been positioned, the player misses
one or more turns until all oE the opponent's pieces
are on the board.
(vi) If a player cannot position the required
piece without breaking one or more of the above rules,
the player forfeits that piece and misses a turn.
~vii) If a player fails to position the king during
this stage of the game, that player loses the game.
(viii) If it is discovered, at any time, that a
piece has been positioned illegally, the pieces from
both sides (white and black) must be repositioned as
they were before that piece was illegally placed. The
game continues with the illegally-positioned piece
being placed in a legal position.
(ix) If a pIayer removes his or her hand from a
piece that has been positioned legally, that piece
cannot be removed and placed in another location.
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Pieces are moved according to the rules of chess,
with three exceptions:
(i) Pawns may only move one square on their first
move.
(ii) Castling is not allowed.
(lii) Pawns may be promoted to other pieces (other
than the king) when they are moved to the opponent's
end of the board providing that the square to which a
pawn is moved is in the last two rows and form the edge
of the board nearest the opponent.
Gaps in the yame board may be crossed by knights
only. White plays firs-t~
The pieces are played in accordance with the
following rules:
(i) If a player touches a piece, it must be
moved, providing a legal move is possible.
(ii) If a player removes his or her hand from a
piece after it has been moved to a legal position, the
move is complete and may not be retracted.
(iii) If a player touches onr of his or her
opponent's pieces, the piece must be captured, if
possible, with any legal move.
(iv) If a player wishes to adjust a piece on a
square (either their own piece or one of the
opponentls), to place it in the cemtre of a square for
instance, the player must tell the opponent before
doing so.
(v) If it is discovered, at any time, that an
illegal move was made, the pieces from both sides must
be repositioned as they were before the illegal move.
The game continues with a legal move of the piece that
was played illegally. If this is not possible, than
any other legal move is permitted.
The game ls won when a player checkmates his or
her opponent.
The novel variation of the game of chess may be
drawn by:
- agreement
- stalemate (when a player is unable to make a
legal move)
- perpetual check (where one player continues
to check the opponent's king indefinitely)
- repetition ~where the identical position is
repeate~ three times, and not necessarily in
succession)
- the 50-move rule twhere no pawn is moved or
piece taken, other than a pawn, in 50 moves).
The present lnvention admits of many novel
variations of the traditional game of chess, several of
which are further described hereafter:
Quick Game
Each player has 16 squares and 8 pieces (3 pawns,
20 1 rook, 1 knight, 1 bishop, 1 queen and 1 king). Rules
of play are the same as in standard game.
Maior Game
Players require 123 game board squares. Each
player has 64 squares and 31 pieces (16 pawns, 4 rooks,
4 knights, 4 bishops, 2 queens and 1 king). Rules of
play are the same as in s-tandard game.
Fr~e Game
Played with a core. To start the game, white
places the first square on the table with black
proceeding in the normal way. Rules of play (for
positioning and playing the pieces) are the same as in
standard game.
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Fixed Game
Players agree on the design of the board and build
lt accordingly. Rules of play (for positioning and
playing -the pieces) are the same as in standard game.
Core Game
Players do not use the standard 4-square core but
any other agreed-upon core design. Rules of play ~for
positioning and playing the pieces) are khe same as in
standard game.
Limited Game
Pieces are assigned points (queen 9, rook 5,
bishop 3, knight 3, pawn 1). Players position p:ieces
of their own choice on the board to a maximum of 30
points. Rules of play (for positioning and playing the
pieces) are the same as in standard game.
Promotional Game
Players agree in which rows pawn promotion will be
allowed. Players may also agree to no pawn promotion
at all. The other rules of play are the same as in
standard game.
Expert Game
Once the king is on the board, players have the
option of moving a piece already on the board rather
than positioning a new piece. The other rules are the
same as in standard game.
Territorial Game
Players may place squares on top of one of their
existing s~uares to form a "hill", with the following
effec-ts:
- The passage of bishops, rooks and queens is
blocked.
These pieces may not move beyond a hill in
one move.
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They must be brought to rest on the hilltop
and may only proceed further on subsequent turns. If
two hills are adjacent, pieces may only move from one
hilltop to another on single turns~
- Knights may move around hills bu-t ~ay not
land on a hilltop.
- Pawns may be moved onto a hilltop, as they
would on any other square. However, a pawn that is on
a hilltop may take a piece of cause check on one or two
squares along the diagonals leading from the hilltop,
or simply move one or two squares forward from the
hilltop.
Players may agree to limit the number of hills each of
them ma~ build.
Blind Game
~ ules of play (in building the board and playing
of the pieces) are the same as in standard game.
However, the positioning of the pieces is done "blind",
such that each player does not discover the location of
the opponent's pieces until all of the pieces are on
the board.
Three sets of game board squares are required as
well as a third person to act as judge. Players build
one board following the rules of standard game. Two
other identical boards are built. Both players and the
judge get one board each~ These should be arranged so
-that each player sees only one board, but the judge
sees all three.
Players then proceed to position their pieces on
their separate boards according to the standard rules.
The judge monitors the positioning of the pieces on his
or her board, and notifies a player when a piece is
positioned illegally. When this happens, the player
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must immediately reposition the piece legally,
according to the judge's ruling. When all the pieces
have been positioned, the game continues with both
players playing on the judge's board.
S Multiple Game
Combine two or more of the variations hereinbefore
described.
Preferred embodiments of the invention have been
described above but it will be obvious -to persons
skilled in the art that various modifications can be
made without departing from the scope of the invention
as defined by the following claims~
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