String and bead game

Abstract

A game including a string attached at each end to a wall, and moderately tensioned so as to have a minimal amount of sag. At each end of the string, a series of several scoring zones are designated by different colored lines or colored segments of the string. Each scoring zone has a designated point value assigned to it, with higher point values assigned for scoring zones closer to the end of the string. Mounted on the string are a number of beads, each of which has a centrally located hole through which the string passes. The game is played by standing near one end of the string and propelling the beads along the string toward the opposite end. The beads are propelled one-by-one along the string using a sort of throwing motion, with the object being to impart the necessary velocity to the bead to cause it to come to rest in a scoring zone. After the first bead has been played, the remaining beads are played in a similar manner, and can also be used to bump earlier played beads into higher scoring zones farther along the playing line.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A game comprising: 
 an elongate member extending laterally between two endpoints and having at least one scoring zone proximate at least one endpoint;    at least one playing piece slidably mounted on the elongate member and slidable toward the at least one scoring zone.    
     
     
         2 . A game according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one playing piece comprises a plurality of playing pieces slidably mounted on the elongate member.  
     
     
         3 . A game according to  claim 1  wherein the elongate member is selected from the group consisting of a string, a cable, and a monofilament line.  
     
     
         4 . A game according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one scoring zone includes a plurality of scoring zones proximate at least one endpoint.  
     
     
         5 . A game according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one scoring zone includes at least one scoring zone proximate each end of the elongate member.  
     
     
         6 . A game according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one scoring zone includes a plurality of scoring zones.  
     
     
         7 . A game according to  claim 7  wherein the plurality of scoring zones includes scoring zones having varying scoring values.  
     
     
         8 . A game according to  claim 7  wherein the scoring values of the plurality of scoring zones are greater for scoring zones closer to an endpoint of the elongate member.  
     
     
         9 . A game according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one playing piece is slidable by a player towards the at least one scoring zone.  
     
     
         10 . A game according to  claim 6  wherein the plurality of scoring zones are each of a uniform length along the elongate member.  
     
     
         11 . A game according to  claim 6  wherein the plurality of scoring zones vary in length.  
     
     
         12 . A game according to  claim 6  wherein the plurality of scoring zones are defined as differently colored zones along the length of the elongate member.  
     
     
         13 . A game according to  claim 1  further comprising a tension adjusting apparatus connected to the elongate member.  
     
     
         14 . A game according to  claim 13  further comprising the tension adjusting apparatus interconnecting the elongate member to an adjacent support member.  
     
     
         15 . A game according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one playing piece comprises a bead having an opening therethrough and the elongate member slidably disposed within the opening.  
     
     
         16 . A game according to  claim 2  further comprising a plurality of resilient playing pieces.  
     
     
         17 . A method of playing a game comprising the steps of: 
 providing an elongate member extending laterally between two endpoints;    defining at least one scoring zone on the elongate member proximate at least one of the endpoints;    providing at least one playing piece slidably mounted on the elongate member; and    propelling the at least one playing piece along the elongate member toward one endpoint and attempting to cause the playing piece to come to rest in the at least one scoring zone.    
     
     
         18 . A method of playing a game according to  claim 17  wherein the at least one playing piece comprises a plurality of playing pieces slidably mounted on the elongate member.  
     
     
         19 . A game according to  claim 17  wherein the elongate member is selected from the group consisting of a string, a cable, and a monofilament line.  
     
     
         20 . A game according to  claim 17  wherein the at least one scoring zone includes a plurality of scoring zones proximate at least one endpoint.  
     
     
         21 . A game according to  claim 17  wherein the at least one scoring zone includes at least one scoring zone proximate each end of the elongate member.  
     
     
         22 . A game according to  claim 17  wherein the at least one scoring zone includes a plurality of scoring zones.  
     
     
         23 . A game according to  claim 22  wherein the plurality of scoring zones includes scoring zones having varying scoring values.  
     
     
         24 . A game according to  claim 22  wherein the relative scoring values of the plurality of scoring zones are greater for scoring zones closer to an endpoint of the elongate member.  
     
     
         25 . A game according to  claim 17  wherein the at least one playing piece is slidable by a player towards the at least one scoring zone.  
     
     
         26 . A game according to  claim 22  wherein the plurality of scoring zones are each of a uniform length along the elongate member.  
     
     
         27 . A game according to  claim 22  wherein the plurality of scoring zones vary in length.  
     
     
         28 . A game according to  claim 22  wherein the plurality of scoring zones are defined as differently colored zones along the length of the elongate member.  
     
     
         29 . A game according to  claim 17  further comprising a tension adjusting apparatus connected to the elongate member.  
     
     
         30 . A game according to  claim 29  further comprising the tension adjusting apparatus interconnecting the elongate member to an adjacent support member.  
     
     
         31 . A game according to  claim 17  wherein the at least one playing piece comprises a bead having an opening therethrough and the elongate member slidably disposed within the opening.  
     
     
         32 . A game according to  claim 18  wherein the at least one playing piece comprises a plurality of resilient playing pieces.  
     
     
         33 . A game according to  claim 1  further comprising the endpoints being level.  
     
     
         34 . A game according to  claim 1  further comprising the endpoints being vertically displaced from one another.  
     
     
         35 . A method of playing a game according to  claim 17  further comprising the endpoints being level with one another.  
     
     
         36 . A method of playing a game according to  claim 17  further comprising the step of positioning one endpoint higher than the other.  
     
     
         37 . A method of playing a game according to  claim 17  wherein the step of propelling the at least one playing piece along the elongate member toward one endpoint and attempting to cause the playing piece to come to rest in the at least one scoring zone includes propelling a first playing piece toward one endpoint, and propelling a second playing piece toward the one endpoint, the second playing piece impacting the first playing piece and propelling the first playing piece toward a higher value scoring zone.  
     
     
         38 . A method of playing a game according to  claim 17  wherein the elongate member includes a first portion having a first frictional characteristic with respect to the at least one playing piece, and a second frictional characteristic with respect to the at least one playing piece.  
     
     
         39 . A method of playing a game according to  claim 18  wherein the plurality of playing pieces are assigned equal point scoring values.  
     
     
         40 . A method of playing a game according to  claim 18  wherein the plurality of playing pieces are assigned different point scoring values.