Method for playing a football-based bean bag tossing game

Abstract

Cornhole games have been a mainstay during tailgating events at football games across the United States. However, the traditional cornhole game offers little challenge as the board has but one target opening and scoring is limited. Further, the traditional cornhole game has no real connection to the game of football; it does not present a representation of the field of play and does not apply the rules of football. The purpose of this invention is to create a method of play for a bean bag tossing game that is based on the game of football and incorporates the rules and strategies of the game of football. In an effort to create such a football-based bean bag tossing game, the game should incorporate the concepts of kickoffs, including onside kickoffs, punts, including fake punts, driving down the field by gaining yardage, the ability to kick a field goal or score a touchdown when in scoring position, the loss of yardage through application of penalties, the loss of possession through the application of turnovers, the possibility of scoring a touchdown after an opponent's turnover, the ability to attempt a last-chance Hail Mary touchdown, and the option to try for a 2-point conversion after a touchdown is scored. The game should also provide the player with an opportunity to use strategy when deciding what plays to make. With this football-based bean bag toss game, all of the main elements of the game of football listed above are incorporated and the game plays out similarly to a real game of football.

1 . A method for playing a tossing game based on the sport of football, where the object of the method is to score points by accumulating yards to get into position to score touchdowns and field goals, while avoiding penalties and turnovers.
 The method of  claim 1 , where the tossing game is played with a planar playing surface with markings commonly found on a football field and with appropriate openings there-through, such openings having been designated as targets with positive or negative values based on the events and activities that take place in the game of football, comprising, at a minimum:   a. Openings ( 1 ) designated as Yardage Targets;   b. Openings ( 2 ) designated as Penalty Targets;   c. Openings ( 3 ) designated as Turnover Targets;   d. An opening ( 4 ) designated as a Scoring Target;   e. An opening ( 5 ) designated as an Onside Kick Target;   f. An opening ( 6 ) designated as a Fake Punt Target;   g. An opening ( 7 ) designated as a Pick 6 Target; and   h. An opening ( 8 ) designated as a Hail Mary Target.   The method of  claim 1 , where players stand a defined distance from the playing surface and attempt to toss projectiles through the openings in the playing surface.   The method of  claim 1 , where the projectiles tossed are preferably bean bags, but may be balls or other similar items capable of being tossed through the openings in the playing surface.   The method of  claim 1 , where a plurality of projectiles may be used for each turn.   The method of  claim 1 , where the method comprises the following:   a. Steps to kickoff;   b. Steps to score an onside kick in lieu of a kickoff;   c. Steps to accumulate yards and move downfield to get into scoring position;   d. Steps to score field goals;   e. Steps to score touchdowns;   f. Steps to score 2-point conversions;   g. Steps to score a touchdown after an opponent's turnover;   h. Steps to score a punt;   i. Steps to score a fake punt in lieu of a punt;   j. Steps to score a “Hail Mary” touchdown in lieu of a punt or fake punt; and   k. Steps to complete a game by number of quarters; and   I. Steps to complete a game by set number of points.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to score a kickoff comprise the following:   a. The player starting the game, and thereafter any player who has scored any touchdown or field goal, must attempt a kickoff prior to the start of the opposing player's turn;   b. To score a kickoff, the player has one opportunity to toss a projectile through an opening designated as a Scoring Target ( 4 );   c. If the toss is successful, the opposing player begins his next turn;   d. If the toss is unsuccessful, the opposing player begins his turn with a 20-yard bonus; and   e. In lieu of a kickoff, a player may elect to attempt an onside kick.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to score an onside kick comprise the following:   a. To score an onside kick, the player has one opportunity to toss a projectile through an opening designated as a Onside Kick Target ( 5 );   b. The Onside Kick Target ( 5 ) is active only during a kickoff;   c. If the onside kick is successful, the player attempting the onside kick retains possession and starts his next turn; and   d. If the onside kick is unsuccessful, the opposing player begins his turn with a 20-yard bonus.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to accumulate yards and drive downfield to get into scoring position comprise the following:   a. A player attempts to toss projectiles through the openings in the playing surface designated as Yardage Targets ( 1 );   b. Where a player successfully tosses a projectile through a Yardage Target ( 1 ) with a positive yardage value, the player adds that yardage to his total yardage accumulated on that turn;   c. Where a player tosses a projectile through an opening designated as a Penalty Target ( 2 ) with a negative yardage value, the player subtracts that yardage from his total yardage accumulated on that turn;   d. Where a player successfully accumulates at least 80 yards in one turn, with at least one projectile remaining, he is in position to score a touchdown and may attempt to score a touchdown;   e. Where a player successfully accumulates at least 40 yards in one turn, with at least one projectile remaining, he is in position to score a field goal and may attempt to score a field goal; and   f. Where a player fails to accumulate at least 40 yards in one turn, with at least one projectile remaining, he is out of scoring range and with his last projectile he may only attempt a punt, a fake punt, or a Hail Mary touchdown.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to score a field goal comprise the following:   a. Where a player has successfully accumulated at least 40 yards in one turn with at least one projectile remaining, he may attempt to score a field goal by tossing a projectile through an opening designated as a Scoring Target ( 4 );   b. The Scoring Target ( 4 ) is active to score a field goal only where a player has successfully accumulated 40 yards in one turn;   c. A player may make only one attempt for a field goal, regardless of the number of projectiles remaining;   d. If a player successfully scores a field goal, he is awarded three points and then attempts a kickoff or onside kick before the opposing player begins his next turn; and   e. If a player is unsuccessful in scoring a field goal, the opposing player begins his next turn.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to score a touchdown comprise the following:   a. Where a player has successfully accumulated at least 80 yards in one turn with at least one projectile remaining, he may attempt to score a touchdown by tossing a projectile through an opening designated as a Scoring Target ( 4 );   b. The Scoring Target ( 4 ) is active to score a touchdown only where a player has successfully accumulated 80 yards in one turn;   c. A player may make as many attempts as he has projectiles remaining, but can only score one touchdown in any turn;   d. If a player successfully scores a touchdown, he is awarded seven points or he may elect to attempt a 2-point conversion;   e. If the player elects to take seven points, the scoring player then attempts a kickoff or onside kick before the opposing player begins his next turn;   f. If the player elects to attempt a 2-point conversion, that attempt is made by the player immediately after having scored the touchdown; and   g. If the player is unsuccessful in scoring a touchdown, the opposing player begins his next turn.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to score a 2-point conversion comprise the following:   a. A player has one opportunity, after scoring a touchdown and electing to attempt a 2-point conversion, to toss a projectile through the opening designated as a Scoring Target ( 4 );   b. The Scoring Target ( 4 ) is active to score a 2-point conversion only where a player has successfully scored a touchdown;   c. If the player successfully scores the 2-point conversion, he is awarded a total of eight points for the touchdown;   d. If the player is unsuccessful, he is awarded a total of six points for the touchdown; and   e. Once the player has attempted the 2-point conversion, successful or not, that player then attempts a kickoff or onside kick before the opposing player begins his next turn.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to score a punt comprise the following:   a. Where a player has only one projectile remaining and has failed to accumulate at least 40 yards, the player may attempt a punt;   b. To score a punt, the player the player has one opportunity to toss his last projectile through an opening designated as a Scoring Target ( 4 );   c. The Scoring Target ( 4 ) is active to score a punt only where a player has only one projectile remaining and has accumulated less than 40 yards in one turn;   d. If the toss is successful, the opposing player begins his next turn;   e. If the toss is unsuccessful, the opposing player begins his turn with a 20-yard bonus;   f. In lieu of a punt, a player may elect to try for a fake punt or a Hail Mary touchdown.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to score a fake punt comprise the following:   a. To score a fake punt, the player has one opportunity to toss his last projectile through an opening designated as a Fake Punt Target ( 6 );   b. The Fake Punt Target ( 6 ) is active only for a player's last projectile;   c. If the fake punt is successful, the player scoring the fake punt retains possession and begins a new turn with all of the accumulated yards gained on his prior turn;   d. If the fake punt is unsuccessful, the opposing player begins his turn with a 20-yard bonus.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to score a Hail Mary touchdown comprise the following:   a. To score a Hail Mary touchdown, the player has one opportunity to toss his last projectile through an opening designated as the Hail Mary Target ( 8 );   b. The Hail Mary Target ( 8 ) is active only for a player's last projectile;   c. If the Hail Mary touchdown is successful, the player who scores the Hail Mary touchdown is awarded 7 points or may elect to attempt a 2-point conversion;   d. If the Hail Mary touchdown is unsuccessful, the opposing player begins his turn with a 20-yard bonus.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to score a touchdown after the turnover comprise the following:   a. Where a player tosses a projectile through an opening designated as a Turnover Target ( 3 ), the opposing player may immediately thereafter attempt a touchdown after the turnover or try to accumulate yardage for his next turn;   b. To score a touchdown after the turnover, the opposing player has one opportunity to toss a projectile through an opening designated as a Pick 6 Target ( 7 );   c. The Pick 6 Target ( 7 ) is active only immediately after an opposing player's turnover;   d. If the opposing player successfully scores a touchdown after the turnover, he is awarded seven points or he may elect to attempt a 2-point conversion;   e. If the opposing player is unsuccessful in scoring a touchdown after the turnover, he then begins his new turn;   f. If, after a player has scored a turnover, the opposing player, in attempting to score a touchdown after the turnover, tosses the projectile through an opening designated as a Yardage Target ( 1 ), that yardage is added to the opposing player's accumulated yardage on his next turn;   g. If, after a player has scored a turnover, the opposing player, in attempting to score a turnover touchdown, tosses the projectile through an opening designated as a Penalty Target ( 2 ), that yardage is deducted from that player's accumulated yardage on his next turn;   h. If, after a player has scored a turnover, the opposing player, in attempting to score a turnover touchdown, tosses the projectile through an opening designated as a Turnover Target ( 3 ), the player who scored the initial turnover then has an opportunity to score a turnover touchdown or to accumulate yardage for his next turn.   The method of  claim 1 , where when the Scoring Target ( 4 ), Onside Kick Target ( 5 ), Fake Punt Target ( 6 ), Pick 6 Target ( 7 ) and Hail Mary Target ( 8 ) are inactive, they may be assigned a positive yardage value and act as a Yardage Target ( 1 ).   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to complete a game based on the number of plays comprise the following:   a. A complete game is divided into four quarters;   b. Players alternate play regarding possession of the ball;   c. Each player has two possession opportunities per quarter, subject to turnovers;   d. A complete game is played when four quarters have been played;   e. The winner of the game is the player who has accumulated the most points in a complete game;   f. Where the players are tied after a complete game, each player is awarded one additional possession until one player breaks the tie; and   g. Where the players play additional possessions, for any touchdown scored after the second additional possession, the player must attempt a 2-point conversion.   The method of  claim 1 , where the steps to complete a game based on a set point total comprise the following:   a. Players agree on a set point total prior to the start of the game; and   b. A complete game is played when one player has accumulated enough points to meet or exceed the set point total.