Domino game apparatus and a method for playing dominos

Abstract

A domino game apparatus intended to amuse and teach basic mathematical concepts to young children (generally from about 3 to about 6 years old) comprises (a) a pictorial indicia set comprising a plurality of pictorial indicia playing pieces; and (b) a symbolic indicia set comprising a plurality of symbolic indicia playing pieces, where (i) the pictorial indicia playing pieces of the pictorial indicia set are equal in number to the symbolic indicia playing pieces of the symbolic indicia set; (ii) the face of each pictorial indicia playing piece of the pictorial indicia set depicts a unique pair of pictorial indicia of numerical values; (iii) the face of each symbolic indicia playing piece of the symbolic indicia set depicts a unique pair of symbolic indicia of numerical values; (iv) each unique pair of pictorial indicia of numerical values on the face of each pictorial indicia playing piece of the pictorial indicia set corresponds to its respective numerically equivalent unique pair of symbolic indicia of numerical values on the face of each symbolic indicia playing piece of the symbolic indicia set; (v) the highest numerical value used on the face of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is N; and (vi) the total number of all the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces in the domino game apparatus is (N+1)(N+2).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A domino game apparatus comprising 
 (a) a pictorial indicia set comprising a plurality of pictorial indicia playing pieces; and    (b) a symbolic indicia set comprising a plurality of symbolic indicia playing pieces,    where: 
 (i) the pictorial indicia playing pieces of the pictorial indicia set are equal in number to the symbolic indicia playing pieces of the symbolic indicia set;  
 (ii) the face of each pictorial indicia playing piece of the pictorial indicia set depicts a unique pair of pictorial indicia of numerical values;  
 (iii) the face of each symbolic indicia playing piece of the symbolic indicia set depicts a unique pair of symbolic indicia of numerical values;  
 (iv) each unique pair of pictorial indicia of numerical values on the face of each pictorial indicia playing piece of the pictorial indicia set corresponds to its respective numerically equivalent unique pair of symbolic indicia of numerical values on the face of each symbolic indicia playing piece of the symbolic indicia set;  
 (v) the highest numerical value used on the face of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is N; and  
 (vi) the total number of all the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces in the domino game apparatus is (N+1)(N+2).  
   
     
     
         2 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where the pictorial indicia of numerical values are selected from the group consisting of visible depressions, elevations, geometric shapes, animal shapes, blank spaces, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where the symbolic indicia of numerical values are selected from the group consisting of Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, Greek numbers, Chinese numbers, Korean numbers, Egyptian numbers, and all other systems of symbolic numerical script.  
     
     
         4 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where: 
 the pictorial indicia of numerical values are selected from the group consisting of visible depressions, elevations, geometric shapes, animal shapes, blank spaces, and combinations thereof; and  
 the symbolic indicia of numerical values are selected from the group consisting of Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, Greek numbers, Chinese numbers, Korean numbers, Egyptian numbers, and all other systems of symbolic numerical script.  
 
     
     
         5 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where the pictorial indicia of numerical values are selected from the group consisting of visible depressions, blank spaces, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where the symbolic indicia of numerical values comprise Arabic numerals.  
     
     
         7 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where: 
 the pictorial indicia of numerical values are selected from the group consisting of visible depressions, blank spaces, and combinations thereof; and  
 the symbolic indicia of numerical values comprise Arabic numerals.  
 
     
     
         8 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where N is a whole number from 6 to 20.  
     
     
         9 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where N is a whole number from 10 to 15.  
     
     
         10 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where N is the whole number 10.  
     
     
         11 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where: 
 the pictorial indicia of numerical values are selected from the group consisting of visible depressions, blank spaces, and combinations thereof;  
 the symbolic indicia of numerical values comprise Arabic numerals; and  
 N is the whole number 10.  
 
     
     
         12 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where: 
 each of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is substantially identical in shape, the shape being elongated and rectangular; and  
 the face of each of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is substantially flat.  
 
     
     
         13 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where: 
 the pictorial indicia of numerical values are selected from the group consisting of visible depressions, blank spaces, and combinations thereof;  
 the symbolic indicia of numerical values comprise Arabic numerals;  
 N is the whole number 10;  
 each of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is substantially identical in shape, the shape being elongated and rectangular; and  
 the face of each of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is substantially flat.  
 
     
     
         14 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where the pictorial indicia of numerical values on the face of each pictorial indicia playing piece of the pictorial indicia set and the symbolic indicia of numerical values on the face of each symbolic indicia playing piece of the symbolic indicia set are color coordinated so that each pictorial indicia of numerical value has the same color as the color of each corresponding, numerically equivalent symbolic indicia of numerical value.  
     
     
         15 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where: 
 the face of each of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is divided into to substantially equal sections;  
 each section on the face of each of the pictorial indicia playing pieces of the pictorial indicia set displays a pictorial indicia of numerical value; and  
 each section on the face of each of symbolic indicia playing pieces of the symbolic indicia set displays a symbolic indicia of numerical value.  
 
     
     
         16 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1  where: 
 the pictorial indicia of numerical values are selected from the group consisting of visible depressions, blank spaces, and combinations thereof;  
 the symbolic indicia of numerical values comprise Arabic numerals;  
 N is the whole number 10;  
 each of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is substantially identical in shape, the shape being elongated and rectangular;  
 the face of each of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is substantially flat;  
 the pictorial indicia of numerical values on the face of each pictorial indicia playing piece of the pictorial indicia set and the symbolic indicia of numerical values on the face of each symbolic indicia playing piece of the symbolic indicia set are color coordinated so that each pictorial indicia of numerical value has the same color as the color of each corresponding, numerically equivalent symbolic indicia of numerical value;  
 the face of each playing piece is divided into to substantially equal sections;  
 each section on the face of the pictorial indicia playing pieces of the pictorial indicia set displays a pictorial indicia of numerical value; and  
 each section on the face of the symbolic indicia playing pieces of the symbolic indicia set displays a symbolic indicia of numerical value.  
 
     
     
         17 . A domino game apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a pictorial indicia set comprising a plurality of pictorial indicia playing pieces; and    (b) a symbolic indicia set of comprising a plurality of symbolic indicia playing pieces,    where: 
 (i) the pictorial indicia playing pieces of the pictorial indicia set are equal in number to the symbolic indicia playing pieces of the symbolic indicia set;  
 (ii) the face of each of the pictorial indicia playing pieces of the pictorial indicia set depicts a unique pair of pictorial indicia of numerical values selected from the group consisting of visible depressions, blank spaces, and combinations thereof;  
 (iii) the face of each of the symbolic indicia playing pieces of the symbolic indicia set depicts a unique pair of the symbolic indicia of numerical values in the form of Arabic numerals;  
 (iv) each unique pair of pictorial indicia of numerical values on the face of each pictorial indicia playing piece of the pictorial indicia set corresponds to its respective, numerically equivalent unique pair of symbolic indicia of numerical values on the face of each symbolic indicia playing piece of the symbolic indicia set;  
 (vii) the highest numerical value used on the face of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is 10;  
 (viii) the total number of pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces of the domino game apparatus is 132;  
 (ix) each of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is substantially identical in shape, the shape being elongated and rectangular;  
 (x) the face of each of the pictorial indicia and symbolic indicia playing pieces is divided into to substantially equal sections;  
 (xi) each section of each of the pictorial indicia playing pieces of the pictorial indicia set comprises a pictorial indicia of numerical value; and  
 (xii) each section of each of the symbolic indicia playing pieces of the symbolic indicia set comprises a symbolic indicia of numerical value.  
   
     
     
         18 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 17  where the pictorial indicia of numerical values on the face of each of the pictorial indicia playing pieces of the pictorial indicia set and the symbolic indicia of numerical values on the face of each of the symbolic indicia playing pieces of the symbolic indicia set are color coordinated so that each pictorial indicia of numerical value has the same color as the color of each corresponding, numerically equivalent symbolic indicia of numerical value.  
     
     
         19 . A method of playing dominos comprising the steps of: 
 (a) playing a pictorial indicia playing piece selected from a pictorial indicia set comprising a plurality of pictorial indicia playing pieces so that the played pictorial indicia playing piece only borders an already played symbolic indicia playing piece selected from a symbolic indicia set comprising a plurality of symbolic indicia playing pieces; and    (b) subsequently playing a different symbolic indicia playing piece selected from the symbolic indicia set so that the subsequently played different symbolic indicia playing piece only adjacent borders an already played pictorial indicia playing piece.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  where steps (a) and (b) are sequentially repeated a plurality of times.