Board game

Abstract

Embodiments of a board game of racing, luck, and strategy include a game board providing a plurality of adjacent paths upon which players advance game pieces, with the goal of being the first to remove all of one's game pieces from the game board. Directional game pieces indicate allowable directions of movement as the game pieces are advanced along the paths or from path to path, wherein a special exception provided by rules of the game allows a player to change the directionality of a game piece. Rules of the game further provide for capturing or blocking an opponent's game pieces, as well as for early removal of a portion of one's own game pieces, by creating a variety of formations with the game pieces. Various embodiments of the board game allow for the use of non-directional game pieces, team play, and variations in the game board.

1 . A board game comprising: 
 a plurality of game pieces, a first portion of said plurality of game pieces assigned to a first player and a second portion of said plurality of game pieces assigned to a second player;    a playing surface for placement of said game pieces, wherein said playing surface includes a plurality of spaces arranged in a plurality of adjacent paths, wherein a first portion of said spaces form an assigned territory for said first player and a second portion of said spaces form an assigned territory for said second player, and wherein said first player's assigned game pieces are placed on said first player's assigned territory and said second player's assigned game pieces are placed on said second player's assigned territory; and    a set of rules, wherein at least one rule of said set specifies that a first portion of each player's game pieces move from said player's assigned territory along said adjacent paths in a first direction and that a second portion of each player's game pieces move from said player's assigned territory along said adjacent paths in a second direction, wherein said first direction is opposite from said second direction.    
   
   
       2 . The board game of  claim 1 , wherein at least one rule of said set specifies that a player who first removes all of his or her game pieces from said playing surface after moving said game pieces along said adjacent paths and back to said player's assigned territory wins said game.  
   
   
       3 . The board game of  claim 1 , further comprising a move-indicating device, for indicating, to one of said players, two numbers selected by chance, wherein said player may move one or two of his or her assigned game pieces on said playing surface in accordance with said numbers indicated by said move-indicating device.  
   
   
       4 . The board game of  claim 3 , wherein said move-indicating device includes at least one of the set comprising: one or more dice, one or more spinning dials, and one or more cards imprinted with numbers.  
   
   
       5 . The board game of  claim 3 , wherein at least one rule of said set specifies that if said move-indicating device indicates odd doubles, said player may carry out a move from a first set of moves, and at least one rule of said set specifies that if said move-indicating device indicates even doubles, said player may carry out a move from a second set of moves, wherein said first set of moves and set second set of moves are different.  
   
   
       6 . The board game of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said game pieces indicate a directionality with respect to said adjacent paths that, in accordance with said set of rules, prohibits movement of said game pieces in a direction opposite to said directionality; and    one set of said first and said second set of moves comprises reversing said directionality of one or two of said player's game pieces with respect to said adjacent paths.    
   
   
       7 . The board game of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 in accordance with said set of rules, a player may position his or her game pieces in a predetermined formation for blocking another player's game pieces from advancing over said predetermined formation; and    one set of said first and said second set of moves comprises allowing said player to advance his or her game pieces over another player's predetermined formation for blocking.    
   
   
       8 . The board game of  claim 1 , wherein at least one rule of said set specifies that a player who positions a predetermined portion of his or her game pieces on a predetermined formation of spaces on said playing surface may remove said predetermined portion of his or her game pieces from said playing surface.  
   
   
       9 . The board game of  claim 8 , wherein said predetermined formation of spaces comprises a number of adjacent spaces on a single path, and wherein said adjacent spaces fall within anther player's assigned territory.  
   
   
       10 . The board game of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 a third portion of said plurality of game pieces is assigned to a third player;    a third portion of said spaces form an assigned territory for said third player and said third player's assigned game pieces are initially placed on said third player's assigned territory; and    at least one rule of said set specifies that said one of said players, after seeing said two numbers selected by chance, may choose not to move his or her assigned game pieces and may allow a second player to move said second player's assigned game pieces on said playing surface in accordance with said numbers indicated by said move-indicating device.    
   
   
       11 . The board game of  claim 1 , wherein at least one rule of said set specifies that a player who positions a predetermined portion of his or her game pieces on a predetermined formation of spaces on said playing surface may block another player from advancing game pieces over said predetermined formation.  
   
   
       12 . A method of playing a board game, using a board having spaces arranged in a pattern, comprising: 
 providing a moveable game piece having a directional indication relative to said pattern, wherein said directional indication can be changed by a player of said board game;    placing said moveable game piece on a space in said pattern, said space contiguous with at least three other spaces in said pattern; and    permitting a player to move said game piece in a direction which is dependent on said directional indication on said game piece.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: permitting a player, based on the rules of said board game, to change said directional indication on said game piece relative to said pattern.  
   
   
       14 . A game board for playing a game with a plurality of game pieces, said game board including a geometric shape comprising a plurality of concentric paths, said concentric paths divided into a number of spaces for placement of said game pieces, wherein, in accordance with rules of said game, said game pieces advance along said concentric paths.  
   
   
       15 . The game board of  claim 14 , wherein said concentric paths are divided into an equal number of spaces.  
   
   
       16 . The game board of  claim 14 , wherein said geometric shape is a shape from the set comprising: a circle, a square, a triangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, a nonagon, and a polygon.  
   
   
       17 . The game board of  claim 14 , wherein said concentric paths are divided into an equal number of spaces by lines extending from equidistantly spaced points around a perimeter of said geometric shape and extending inwardly towards a center of said geometric shape across said concentric paths, wherein a set of spaces between two adjacent lines forms a bar.  
   
   
       18 . The game board of  claim 17 , wherein said geometric shape comprises five concentric paths and sixteen bars.  
   
   
       19 . The game board of  claim 17 , wherein a game piece on a first space on a first concentric path may move laterally along a bar that includes said first space to a second space in said bar, wherein said second space is on a second concentric path.  
   
   
       20 . The game board of  claim 17 , wherein a set of adjacent bars form a home territory.  
   
   
       21 . The game board of  claim 14 , wherein said geometric shape is divided into uniquely identifiable sections, said uniquely identifiable sections comprising an equal number of spaces.  
   
   
       22 . The game board of  claim 21 , wherein said uniquely identifiable sections are distinguishable from one another by at least one of the set comprising: their background color, their border color, their background design, their border design, their background texture, their border texture, a visual distinction, and a tactile distinction.  
   
   
       23 . The game board of  claim 14 , wherein an indicator in each of at least a portion of said plurality of spaces indicates one or more directions, and wherein, in accordance with said rules of said game, a game piece may be advanced from said space only in a direction indicated by said indicator.  
   
   
       24 . A game piece for use in a game played on game board on which are indicated a plurality of adjacent spaces, said game piece sized to fit within a first space of said plurality of adjacent spaces, said game piece further indicative of a forward direction, a backward direction, and two lateral directions, wherein, in accordance with rules of said game, said game piece may be moved to a second space in a forward direction or in a lateral direction from said first space and wherein said game piece may not be moved to a second space in a backward direction from said first space.  
   
   
       25 . The game piece of  claim 24 , wherein said game piece is shaped to indicate said forward direction, said backward direction, and said two lateral directions.  
   
   
       26 . The game piece of  claim 25 , wherein said game piece is shaped with a pointed portion to indicate said forward direction.  
   
   
       27 . The game piece of  claim 24 , wherein said game piece may be rotated to change its direction with respect to said game board.  
   
   
       28 . A method of playing a board game, comprising: 
 providing a game board having a geometric shape printed thereon, wherein said geometric shape comprises a plurality of paths, said paths divided into a number of spaces, and wherein a set of adjacent spaces form a home territory;    for each player of said board game: 
 (a) assigning a unique home territory and a uniquely identifiable set of directional game pieces; and  
 (b) placing said uniquely identifiable set of directional game pieces on said player's home territory, wherein a first portion of said set of directional game pieces is placed, pointing in a first direction, on a first set of spaces and wherein a second portion of said set of directional game pieces is placed, pointing in a second direction, on a second set of spaces; and  
   alternating, amongst said players of said board game, taking turns according to rules of said board game, until one player has removed all of his or her directional game pieces from said game board and said one player wins said board game.    
   
   
       29 . A game for three or more players in which players alternate taking turns, wherein taking a turn includes a turn-taking first player being provided with a set of numbers selected by chance, in accordance with which said first player plays said game, and wherein a rule associated with said game allows said first player, after seeing said set of numbers, to offer said set of numbers to a second player, wherein after said turn, said three or more players continue to alternate taking turns as if said first player had not offered said set of numbers.