Game based on tactical programming

Abstract

The invention relates to educational board games having a game board in which players compete to place player pieces on three consecutive grid spaces in a line on the game board during gameplay by selecting a subset of function cards dealt to the players, where each function card specifies one or more grid spaces on which a player piece may be placed, and one or more conditions that must be satisfied in order to place the player piece on the one or more grid spaces, and methods for playing the board games. Each function card represents a program having functions that specify a grid space on which a player piece may be placed. If a function returns true (e.g., the conditions are satisfied), then the player may place a player piece on that grid space. Otherwise, the player may not place a player piece using the function card.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A board game system in which a first player and a second player compete to place player pieces on three consecutive grid spaces in a line by selecting and playing a subset of function cards dealt to the first and second players, wherein each function card specifies one or more grid spaces on which a player piece may be placed, and one or more conditions that must be satisfied in order to place the player piece on the one or more grid spaces, the board game system comprising:
 a game board comprising:
 a game grid having a plurality of grid spaces, 
 a plurality of first function card receiving spaces that are arranged on the game board with respect to one another according to an order in which function cards placed on the plurality of first function card receiving spaces must be played, and 
 a plurality of second function card receiving spaces that are arranged on the game board with respect to one another according to an order in which function cards placed on the plurality of second function card receiving spaces must be played; 
   a plurality of first player pieces;   a plurality of second player pieces;   a first deck of function cards for the first player, the first deck comprising a plurality of first function cards each specifying one or more first grid spaces on which a first player piece may be placed, and one or more first conditions that must be satisfied in order to place the first player piece on the one or more first grid spaces; and   a second deck of function cards for the second player, the second deck comprising a plurality of second function cards each specifying one or more second grid spaces on which a second player piece may be placed, and one or more second conditions that must be satisfied in order to place the second player piece on the one or more second grid spaces.   
     
     
         2 . The board game system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first function cards includes the same cards as the plurality of second function cards, except that the plurality of first function cards is aesthetically different than the plurality of second function cards. 
     
     
         3 . The board game system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more first conditions specify that the one or more first grid spaces be available. 
     
     
         4 . The game board system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of first function cards includes a block diagonal function card, and wherein the one or more first conditions of the block diagonal function card further require that the first player piece be placed on the one or more first grid spaces to block the second player from occupying three consecutive grid spaces in a diagonal line. 
     
     
         5 . The game board system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of first function cards includes a block row function card, and wherein the one or more first conditions of the block row function card further require that the first player piece be placed on the one or more first grid spaces to block the second player from occupying three consecutive grid spaces in a row. 
     
     
         6 . The game board system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of first function cards includes a claim center function card, and wherein the one or more first conditions of the claim center function card further require that the first player piece be placed on a center one of the plurality of grid spaces. 
     
     
         7 . The game board system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of first function cards includes a claim corner function card, and wherein the one or more first conditions of the claim corner function card further require that the first player piece be placed on a corner space grid among the plurality of grid spaces. 
     
     
         8 . The game board system of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of first function cards includes a claim cross function card, and wherein the one or more first conditions of the claim cross function card further require that the first player piece be placed on a center grid space along a periphery of the plurality of grid spaces. 
     
     
         9 . The game board system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of first function cards includes a complete diagonal function card, and wherein the one or more first conditions of the complete diagonal function card further require that the first player piece be placed on a grid space to complete three consecutive grid spaces along a diagonal line. 
     
     
         10 . The game board system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of first function cards includes a complete row function card, and wherein the one or more first conditions of the complete row function card further require that the first player piece be placed on a grid space to complete three consecutive grid spaces along a row. 
     
     
         11 . The game board system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of first function cards includes a mirror corner function card, and wherein the one or more first conditions of the mirror corner function card further require that the first player piece be placed on a grid space that is at a corner of the plurality of grid spaces that is opposite another corner on which the second player has placed a second player piece. 
     
     
         12 . The game board system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of first function cards includes a mirror straight function card, and wherein the one or more first conditions of the mirror straight function card further require that the first player piece be placed on a grid space that is opposite another grid space along a line on which the second player has placed a second player piece. 
     
     
         13 . The game board system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a set of gameplay rules that specify that the first player and the second player each be provided with a number of the first deck of function cards, that each player select a subset of the number of the first deck of function cards, that each player arrange the selected subset onto their respective plurality of function card receiving spaces, and that each player attempt to play each function card among the selected subset according to the order specified by the arrangement of the selected subset onto their respective plurality of function card receiving spaces.   
     
     
         14 . The game board system of  claim 13 , wherein the gameplay rules further specify that if a given player cannot place a player piece onto the game grid using a function card, the given player's turn is passed to the opposing player, and that if both players cannot place a player piece onto the game grid using a function card, then the first passing player is to place a player piece onto the game grid at any available position. 
     
     
         15 . The game board system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more conditions is printed on each of the plurality of first function cards. 
     
     
         16 . The game board system of  claim 2 , wherein the game grid is printed on the game board at a center of the game board and is used by the first player and the second player to place their respective player pieces, and wherein the plurality of first function card receiving spaces is printed on the game board in an inverse orientation relative to the plurality of second function card receiving spaces such that the first player and second player are intended to face each other during gameplay. 
     
     
         17 . A method of playing an educational game using a game board system in which a first player and a second player compete to place player pieces on three consecutive grid spaces in a line by selecting and playing a subset of function cards dealt to the first and second players, wherein each function card specifies one or more grid spaces on which a player piece may be placed, and one or more conditions that must be satisfied in order to place the player piece on the one or more grid spaces, the method comprising:
 obtaining, by the first player, a first set of first function cards from a first deck of function cards for the first player, the first deck comprising a plurality of first function cards each specifying one or more first grid spaces on which a first player piece may be placed, and one or more first conditions that must be satisfied in order to place the first player piece on the one or more first grid spaces;   selecting, by the first player, a first subset of the first set of first function cards to be potentially played;   positioning, by the first player, each of the first subset of the first set of first function cards on one of a plurality of first function card receiving spaces that are arranged on the game board with respect to one another according to an order in which function cards placed on the plurality of first function card receiving spaces must be played;   obtaining, by the second player, a second set of second function cards from a second deck of function cards for the second player, the second deck comprising a plurality of second function cards each specifying one or more second grid spaces on which a second player piece may be placed, and one or more second conditions that must be satisfied in order to place the second player piece on the one or more second grid spaces;   selecting, by the second player, a second subset of the second set of second function cards to be potentially played;   positioning, by the second player, each of the second subset of the second set of second function cards on one of a plurality of second function card receiving spaces that are arranged on the game board with respect to one another according to an order in which function cards placed on the plurality of second function card receiving spaces must be played;   playing, by the first player, one or more of the first subset of the first set of first function cards by evaluating the one or more first conditions;   determining whether the first player piece should be placed on the game grid to occupy a grid space based on the evaluating;   playing, by the second player, one or more of the second subset of the second set of second function cards by evaluating the one or more second conditions; and   determining whether the second player piece should be placed on the game grid to occupy a grid space based on the evaluating the one or more second conditions.