Board game

Abstract

The present invention is a strategy and/or educational board game in which 2-4 players distribute game pieces, e.g., marbles or other tokens, according to a particular sequence among a common field of play, with the object of the game being to be the first player to collect a predetermined number of game pieces in a “home” location. Each player is assigned a single home location for their exclusive use; the remainder of the field of play is commonly shared by all players. In a preferred embodiment, a spinner is spun by each player, with the spinner stopping and pointing at a number or graphic. The player must locate the same number or graphic on the field of play to identify the starting point for a move. Once the number or graphic is located, game pieces sitting in a well associated with the number or graphic are picked up by the player, and the player chooses movement in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. The user then distributes the game pieces, one-by-one, in each well encountered in the selected direction. The game pieces are not associated with any player, that is, all of the same pieces are usable by all of the players when the pieces are in play.

1 . A method for playing a strategic board game wherein the game is played by two or more players on a game board having a home location for each player and having a common field of play shared by all players, said field of play including plural pathway locations situated between said home locations, and further having multiple game pieces positionable within said home locations and said pathway locations, and further including a move designator activated by each player, in turn, to identify a starting position among said plural pathway locations for beginning a move, said method comprising the steps of: 
 allowing each player to be an active player when it is their turn to play;    having the active player activate the move designator to identify a starting point for a move to begin a turn;    having the active player observe said starting point to determine a quantity of said game pieces located at said starting point;    if there are no game pieces located at said starting point, terminating the active player's turn and allowing a next player to begin their turn as the active player;    if there are game pieces located at said starting point, having the active player select a direction for movement and then, one by one, beginning with a pathway location adjacent to said starting point in the selected direction of play, placing said game pieces in successive pathway locations until said game pieces being deposited are depleted;    if the last of said game pieces removed from the starting position is deposited in a pathway location that was empty at the time of deposit, terminating the active player's turn;    if the last of the game pieces removed from the starting position is deposited in a pathway location containing game pieces at the time of the deposit, having the active player pick up said game pieces and continue to deposit said game pieces, one by one, in the pathway locations in the selected direction;    if said active player's home location is encountered along the path of deposit, having the active player place a game piece in said active player's home location;    if a non-active player's home location is encountered along the path of deposit, having the active player skip over the non-active player's home location;    if a last of the game pieces being deposited is deposited in the active player's home location, terminating the active player's.    
   
   
       2 . A game apparatus comprising: 
 a home location for each player of said game;    a field of play comprising plural pathway locations serially connecting each of said home locations;    multiple game pieces positionable within said home locations and said pathway locations;    a move designator identifying a starting position among said pathway locations for beginning a move, whereby each of said pathway locations is identified by a graphical pathway image, and wherein said move designator designates a graphical designation image corresponding to one of said graphical pathway images, thereby identifying said starting position for beginning a move.    
   
   
       3 . The game apparatus of  claim 2 , whereby said move designator includes a pool of graphical designator images from which said selection is made, each of said graphical designator images corresponding to a graphical pathway image positioned within each of said pathway locations.  
   
   
       4 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said graphical designator images and said graphical pathway images comprise sequential numbers.  
   
   
       5 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said graphical designator images and said graphical pathway images comprise particular shapes.  
   
   
       6 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said graphical designator images and said graphical pathway images comprise particular pictures.  
   
   
       7 . The game apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said apparatus comprises: 
 a game base on which is printed all graphical designator images and all graphical pathway images used on said apparatus; and    a game top defining said home locations and said pathway locations.    
   
   
       8 . The game apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said game top defines four home locations, and wherein said home locations are circular in shape.  
   
   
       9 . The game apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said pathway locations are generally rectangular in shape.  
   
   
       10 . The game apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said home locations and said pathway locations each comprise well-shaped areas having walls to contain game pieces placed therein.  
   
   
       11 . The game apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said game base is detachable from said game top.