Board game

Abstract

A board game includes a game board having a plurality of game spaces disposed thereon, four player start areas and four player home areas. Players use four sets of player game pieces, each set of player game pieces being visually distinct from the other three set. The game requires players to move game pieces from start areas to home areas in concert with drawn cards having assigned values and play characteristics. Players play in teams of two, fostering strategy and teamwork in advancing game pieces, attacking opponents' pieces, and protecting their pieces from attack.

1 . A game, comprising: 
 a game board;    a plurality of game spaces disposed on said game board;    four player start areas;    four player home areas; and    four sets of player game pieces, each set of player game pieces being visually distinct from the other three set.    
   
   
       2 . The game of  claim 1  wherein said game spaces are depressions in the game board.  
   
   
       3 . The game of  claim 2  wherein said depressions are of one shape selected from the group of shapes consisting of hemispherical, cylindrical, cubic, and rectangular.  
   
   
       4 . The game of  claim 2  wherein said player game pieces include a spherical element.  
   
   
       5 . The game of  claim 4  wherein the player game pieces are marbles.  
   
   
       6 . The game of  claim 2  wherein said player game pieces include corresponding structures sized to mate with said depressions.  
   
   
       7 . The game of  claim 2  wherein said depressions are cylindrical and game pieces include cylindrical elements.  
   
   
       8 . The game of  claim 1  wherein said game spaces include projections and said player game pieces include receptacles structured to couple with said projections.  
   
   
       9 . The game of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a game card deck.    
   
   
       10 . The game of  claim 2  wherein the game card deck comprises a standard deck of playing cards.  
   
   
       11 . The game of  claim 2  wherein the game card deck comprises two standard decks of playing cards.  
   
   
       12 . The game of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of game spaces are disposed on said game board in an equilateral parallelogram arrangement.  
   
   
       13 . The game of  claim 12  wherein each side of the equilateral parallelogram arrangement includes nineteen game spaces disposed therein.  
   
   
       14 . The game of  claim 12  wherein the equilateral parallelogram is a square.  
   
   
       15 . The game of  claim 12  wherein the equilateral parallelogram is a rhombus.  
   
   
       16 . The game of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a trough disposed in said game board.    
   
   
       17 . The game of  claim 16  wherein said trough is disposed in said game board medial to said game spaces and distal to said start areas and home areas.  
   
   
       18 . The game of  claim 16  wherein said trough is disposed in said game board distal to said game spaces, start areas and home areas.  
   
   
       19 . The game of  claim 16  wherein said trough is structured to catch a player game piece to prevent said game piece from sliding or rolling off an edge of the game board.