Method and Apparatus for a Hand Toss-Catch Game

Abstract

A unique apparatus and method for a hand toss-catch game is provided to a user for recreational and competitive gameplays. The apparatus includes a foldable game board of two panels connected with a hinge and a bracket to allow for quick deployment and storage. The panels incorporate various holes and bumps to facilitate increased difficulty. The method allows at least two teams to play and/or compete. Each player starts by tossing a ball to the game board at a starting position and catching the rebounding ball while remaining at the position. The player then plays toss-catch at each of the intermediate positions by stepping away to the next position until a finishing position. The gameplay switches to another team on the opposite side of the game board if the player does not catch the ball. The player/team with the highest number of positions played wins the game.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for playing a toss and catch game comprising:
 a game board;   at least one ball;   the game board comprising a first panel, a second panel, at least one hinge and at least one bracket;   each of the first panel and the second panel comprising a ball impact surface opposite each other;   the first panel and the second panel being terminally connected by the at least one hinge; and   the first panel and the second panel being terminally and foldably connected by the at least one bracket.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ball being an elastic ball. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 1  comprising:
 each of the first panel and the second panel of the game board comprising at least one hole; 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 1  comprising:
 each of the first panel and the second panel of the game board comprising at least one bump; and 
 the at least one bump being positioned on the ball impact surface. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ball impact surface comprises at least one coating. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the at least one coating comprises a heat treatment. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one bracket comprises a foldable bracket. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 1  comprising:
 the first panel of the game board comprising a first surface, a first edge, a first support edge, a first side; 
 the first support edge being terminally positioned on the first panel opposite the first edge; 
 the second panel of the game board comprising a second surface, a second edge, a second support edge, a second side; 
 the second support edge being terminally positioned on the second panel opposite the second edge; 
 the at least one hinge being mounted to both the first edge of the first panel and the second edge of the second panel; 
 the at least one bracket being mounted to both the first side of the first panel and the second side of the second panel; and 
 each of the first surface and the second surface being the ball impact surface. 
 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 1  comprising:
 each of the first support edge of the first panel and the second support edge of the second panel comprising a slip-resistant material; and 
 the slip-resistant material being terminally mounted to each of the first support edge and the second support edge. 
 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the slip-resistant material comprises a rubber material. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for playing a toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 1  comprising:
 the game board comprising a handle; and 
 the handle being terminally mounted to the game board adjacent the at least one hinge. 
 
     
     
         12 . A method of playing toss and catch game comprising the steps of:
 (A) providing at least one ball, wherein the at least one ball is an elastic ball;   (B) providing a game board comprising a first panel and a second panel, each having a ball impact surface;   (C) providing a playing surface, wherein the game board is centrally and firmly positioned on the playing surface;   (D) providing a starting position, a plurality of intermediate positions, and a finishing position on the playing surface to each side of the game board, facing the first panel and the second panel, respectively, wherein the starting position is at a predetermined distance away from the game board, and wherein each subsequent position is farther away from the previous position;   (E) providing a first team and a second team, wherein each team comprises at least one player, and wherein the first team is decided to play first and to play on the side facing the first panel of the game board;   (F) starting the game through tossing the ball to the game board and catching the ball after rebound by one player of one team at the starting position;   (G) playing the game through tossing and catching the ball by the same player sequentially at each of the remaining positions;   (H) switching to the other team, if the player did not catch the ball after tossing to the game board at any position or played at the finishing position;   (I) resuming the game by repeating step (F) to step (G) by one player of the other team; and   (J) ending the game if one team played at least one more position than the other team, wherein the team played at least one more position is the winning team.   
     
     
         13 . The method of playing toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 12  comprising:
 providing at least one hole to both the first panel and the second panel in step (B); and 
 wherein the at least one hole traverses through the ball impact surface. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of playing toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 12  comprising:
 providing at least one bump to both the first panel and the second panel in step (B); and 
 wherein the at least one bump is positioned on the ball impact surface. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of playing toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 12  comprising:
 providing a sudden death play to be played by both the first team and the second team in step (J), if there is a tie after all players of both teams played; 
 wherein each of the team plays toss and catch at the finishing position until one team catches the ball but the other team misses; and 
 awarding the team that wins the sudden death play. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of playing toss and catch game as claimed in  claim 12  comprising:
 switching to another player of the same team as the current player in step (G), if there is more than one player of each team; 
 if the current player did not catch the ball after tossing it to the game board; and 
 resuming the play through repeating step (F) to step (G) by the new player.