Board game

Abstract

A board game can be played by persons of all ages, with minimal training. The board includes a path having a repeating sequence of coded spaces, a material storage area, and a set of home bases, each home base having indicia which correspond to the various coded spaces. Each home base is associated with a different player or team. The players or teams accumulate or lose game pieces, based on instructions received according to operation of a spinner. The first player or team to place game pieces on all of the spaces, belonging to that player or team, wins the game. The game allows players to develop intricate strategies for allocating and positioning game pieces. Also, players or teams may agree to become allies, enabling the game strategy to become as complex as desired.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of playing a game, comprising: 
 a) providing a playing area having a path including a plurality of coded spaces, a material storage area, and a plurality of home bases, the material storage area being stocked with a plurality of game pieces,    b) associating at least one player with at least one home base, and with a plurality of coded spaces bearing indicia corresponding to indicia on said home base,    c) randomly assigning an instruction to each player, wherein said instruction governs acquisition and placement of game pieces, and    d) determining a winner based on which player is first to place game pieces on all of said coded spaces which are associated with that player's home base.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein there are five possible instructions obtainable in step (c), 
 i) wherein a first instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from the material storage area, or from the player's home base, and to place said game piece on a coded space on the board belonging to that player,    ii) wherein a second instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from one of that player's coded spaces, or from that player's home base, and to place said game piece in the material storage area,    iii) wherein a third instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from a coded space belonging to another player, or from a home base of another player, and to place said game piece on a coded space belonging to the first player,    iv) wherein a fourth instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from a coded space belonging to the player, or from that player's home base, and to give said game piece to another player by placing said game piece on a coded space belonging to that player, and    v) wherein a fifth instruction comprises requiring a player to choose from among the instructions listed above, and to follow such instruction.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the coded spaces are selected to have color codes.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the coded spaces are selected to have patterns.  
     
     
         5 . A method of playing a game, comprising: 
 a) directing a plurality of players to place and remove game pieces from a plurality of coded spaces on a game board, wherein each coded space on the game board is associated with a different player,    b) determining a winner according to which player is first to place game pieces on all of the coded spaces associated with that player.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the directing step comprises determining an instruction, according to operation of a random device, wherein there are five possible instructions, 
 i) wherein a first instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from a material storage area, or from the player's home base, and to place said game piece on a coded space on the board belonging to that player,    ii) wherein a second instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from one of that player's coded spaces, or from that player's home base, and to place said game piece in the material storage area,    iii) wherein a third instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from a coded space belonging to another player, or from a home base of another player, and to place said game piece on a coded space belonging to the first player,    iv) wherein a fourth instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from a coded space belonging to the player, or from that player's home base, and to give said game piece to another player by placing said game piece on a coded space belonging to that player, and    v) wherein a fifth instruction comprises requiring a player to choose from among the instructions listed above, and to follow such instruction.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the coded spaces are selected to include color codes.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the coded spaces are selected to have pattern codes.  
     
     
         9 . A method of playing a game comprising directing a plurality of players to place game pieces on, and to remove game pieces from, a path on a board, the path having a plurality of coded spaces, the coded spaces being associated with different players, and determining a winner based on the first player to place game pieces on all of his or her own coded spaces.  
     
     
         10 . A method of playing a game, comprising: 
 a) providing a playing area having a path including a plurality of coded spaces, a material storage area, and a plurality of home bases, the material storage area being stocked with a plurality of substantially identical game pieces,    b) associating at least one player with at least one home base, and with a plurality of coded spaces bearing indicia corresponding to indicia on said home base,    c) randomly assigning an instruction to each player, wherein said instruction governs acquisition and placement of game pieces, and    d) determining a winner based on which player is first to place game pieces on all of said coded spaces which are associated with that player's home base,    wherein there are five possible instructions obtainable in step (c), 
 i) wherein a first instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from the material storage area, or from the player's home base, and to place said game piece on a coded space on the board belonging to that player,  
 ii) wherein a second instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from one of that player's coded spaces, or from that player's home base, and to place said game piece in the material storage area,  
 iii) wherein a third instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from a coded space belonging to another player, or from a home base of another player, and to place said game piece on a coded space belonging to the first player,  
 iv) wherein a fourth instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from a coded space belonging to the player, or from that player's home base, and to give said game piece to another player by placing said game piece on a coded space belonging to that player, and  
 v) wherein a fifth instruction comprises requiring a player to choose from among the instructions listed above, and to follow such instruction.  
   
     
     
         11 . Apparatus for playing a board game, comprising: 
 a) a game board defining a path including a plurality of coded spaces, the game board also having a material storage area and a plurality of home bases,    b) a plurality of game pieces, and    c) means for determining one of a plurality of instructions at random.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the coded spaces are color-coded.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the coded spaces are coded with patterns.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the determining means comprises a spinner.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the home bases have mutually distinct codes, said codes corresponding with codes of said coded spaces.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein all of the game pieces are substantially identical.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of instructions includes five possible instructions, 
 i) wherein a first instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from the material storage area, or from the player's home base, and to place said game piece on a coded space on the board belonging to that player,    ii) wherein a second instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from one of that player's coded spaces, or from that player's home base, and to place said game piece in the material storage area,    iii) wherein a third instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from a coded space belonging to another player, or from a home base of another player, and to place said game piece on a coded space belonging to the first player,    iv) wherein a fourth instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from a coded space belonging to the player, or from that player's home base, and to give said game piece to another player by placing said game piece on a coded space belonging to that player, and    v) wherein a fifth instruction comprises requiring a player to choose from among the instructions listed above, and to follow such instruction.    
     
     
         18 . Apparatus for playing a board game, comprising: 
 a) a game board defining a path including a plurality of coded spaces, the game board also having a material storage area,    b) a plurality of game pieces, and    c) means for determining one of a plurality of instructions at random,    wherein the coded spaces comprise a repeating sequence of codes along the path.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein all of the game pieces are substantially identical.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the determining means comprises a spinner.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the game board also defines a plurality of home bases.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of instructions includes five possible instructions, 
 i) wherein a first instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from the material storage area, or from the player's home base, and to place said game piece on a coded space on the board belonging to that player,    ii) wherein a second instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from one of that player's coded spaces, or from that player's home base, and to place said game piece in the material storage area,    iii) wherein a third instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from a coded space belonging to another player, or from a home base of another player, and to place said game piece on a coded space belonging to the first player,    iv) wherein a fourth instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from a coded space belonging to the player, or from that player's home base, and to give said game piece to another player by placing said game piece on a coded space belonging to that player, and    v) wherein a fifth instruction comprises requiring a player to choose from among the instructions listed above, and to follow such instruction.    
     
     
         23 . Apparatus for playing a board game, comprising: 
 a) a game board defining a path including a plurality of coded spaces,    b) a plurality of game pieces, and    c) means for determining one of a plurality of instructions at random,    wherein the coded spaces comprise a repeating sequence of codes along the path.    
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the board also includes a material storage area.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the board also includes a plurality of home bases.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein all of the game pieces are substantially identical.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said plurality of instructions includes five possible instructions, 
 i) wherein a first instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from the material storage area, or from the player's home base, and to place said game piece on a coded space on the board belonging to that player,    ii) wherein a second instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from one of that player's coded spaces, or from that player's home base, and to place said game piece in the material storage area,    iii) wherein a third instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from a coded space belonging to another player, or from a home base of another player, and to place said game piece on a coded space belonging to the first player,    iv) wherein a fourth instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from a coded space belonging to the player, or from that player's home base, and to give said game piece to another player by placing said game piece on a coded space belonging to that player, and    v) wherein a fifth instruction comprises requiring a player to choose from among the instructions listed above, and to follow such instruction.    
     
     
         28 . Apparatus for playing a board game, comprising: 
 a) a game board defining a generally closed path including a plurality of coded spaces, the game board also having a material storage area and a plurality of home bases, the home bases having mutually distinct codes corresponding to codes of said coded spaces,    b) a plurality of substantially identical game pieces, and    c) a spinner for determining one of a plurality of instructions at random,    wherein said plurality of instructions includes five possible instructions, 
 i) wherein a first instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from the material storage area, or from the player's home base, and to place said game piece on a coded space on the board belonging to that player,  
 ii) wherein a second instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from one of that player's coded spaces, or from that player's home base, and to place said game piece in the material storage area,  
 iii) wherein a third instruction comprises requiring a player to take a game piece from a coded space belonging to another player, or from a home base of another player, and to place said game piece on a coded space belonging to the first player,  
 iv) wherein a fourth instruction comprises requiring a player to remove a game piece from a coded space belonging to the player, or from that player's home base, and to give said game piece to another player by placing said game piece on a coded space belonging to that player, and  
 v) wherein a fifth instruction comprises requiring a player to choose from among the instructions listed above, and to follow such instruction.