Game board and game apparatus including same

Abstract

A game apparatus includes a first total number of playing-pieces and an article of manufacture including: a grid structure which is sufficiently flexible so as to be substantially conformable to a surface of a substrate on which the grid structure is disposable; apertures in the grid structure exposing corresponding portions of the surface of the substrate on which the grid structure is disposable; areas of the apertures being sized to accommodate corresponding playing-pieces of a game; and a second total number of the apertures being sufficient to accommodate the first total number of the playing-pieces.

1 . An apparatus for playing a game comprising:
 a grid structure which is sufficiently flexible so as to be substantially conformable to a surface of a substrate on which the grid structure is disposable;   apertures in the grid structure exposing corresponding portions of the surface of the substrate on which the grid structure is disposable;   areas of the apertures being sized to accommodate corresponding playing-pieces of a game;   a first total number of the apertures being sufficient to accommodate a second total number of the playing-pieces, each the playing pieces being a hollow conical frustum.   
     
     
         2 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the grid structure includes:
 first lines extending in a first direction; and 
 second lines extending in a second direction, the second direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction; 
   the first lines intersecting with corresponding ones of the second lines to define an array of apertures in the grid structure;   corresponding ones of the first lines are either alpha first lines or beta first lines, there being at least one alpha first line and at least one beta first line;   corresponding ones of the second lines are either alpha second lines or beta second lines, there being at least one alpha second line and at least one beta second line;   the at least one alpha first line has a different appearance with respect to the at least one beta first line so as to define at least two instances of a first type of subarray within the array of the grid structure; and   the at least one alpha second line has a different appearance with respect to the at least one beta second line so as to define at least two instances of a second type of subarray within the array of the grid structure.   
     
     
         3 . The game apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the array is an N×N array, N being a positive integer;   there are two alpha first lines which are internal to the N×N array (internal alpha first lines);   there are two alpha second lines which are internal to the N×N array (internal alpha second lines); and   the two internal alpha first lines intersecting with corresponding ones of the two internal alpha second lines to define N×N instances of a third type of subarray.   
     
     
         4 . The game apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the array has first, second, third and fourth borders;   there are an additional two alpha first lines which are substantially aligned correspondingly as the first and third borders; and   there are an additional two alpha second lines which are substantially aligned correspondingly as the second and fourth borders.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The game apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 relative to the second direction, each of the at least one alpha first line has a size which is different than a size of each of the at least one beta first line; or   relative to the second direction, each of the at least one alpha second line has a size which is different than a size of each of the at least one beta second line.   
     
     
         7 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first total number of the apertures is a positive integer multiple of the second total number of the playing-pieces; or   the second total number of the playing-pieces is a positive integer multiple of the first total number of the apertures.   
     
     
         8 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the apertures is substantially square; and   each of the playing-pieces has a footprint which is substantially circular.   
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the game is based on a number placement puzzle SUDOKU;   the number placement puzzle SUDOKU involves numerals 1 through 9; and   the game is a version of the number placement puzzle SUDOKU in which:
 the first total number of the playing-pieces is 81; 
 the playing-pieces are organized as nine sets, each set including a corresponding nine of ones of the playing-pieces; 
 each of the nine sets has a correspondingly different appearance; 
 each of the nine of ones of the playing-pieces in each set has substantially the same appearance; and 
 the nine sets represent correspondingly the numerals 1 through 9 of the number placement puzzle SUDOKU. 
   
     
     
         11 . A game apparatus comprising:
 a first total number of playing-pieces; and   an article of manufacture including:
 a grid structure which is sufficiently flexible so as to be substantially conformable to a surface of a substrate on which the grid structure is disposable; 
 apertures in the grid structure exposing corresponding portions of the surface of the substrate on which the grid structure is disposable; 
 areas of the apertures being sized to accommodate corresponding playing-pieces of a game; and 
 a second total number of the apertures being sufficient to accommodate the first total number of the playing-pieces, each the playing pieces being a hollow conical frustum. 
   
     
     
         12 . The game apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the grid structure includes:
 first lines extending in a first direction; and 
 second lines extending in a second direction, the second direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction; 
   the first lines intersecting with corresponding ones of the second lines to define an array of apertures in the grid structure;   corresponding ones of the first lines are either alpha first lines or beta first lines, there being at least one alpha first line and at least one beta first line;   corresponding ones of the second lines are either alpha second lines or beta second lines, there being at least one alpha second line and at least one beta second line;   the at least one alpha first line has a different appearance with respect to the at least one beta first line so as to define at least two instances of a first type of subarray within the array of the grid structure; and   the at least one alpha second line has a different appearance with respect to the at least one beta second line so as to define at least two instances of a second type of subarray within the array of the grid structure.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The game apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein:
 relative to the second direction, each of the at least one alpha first line has a size which is different than a size of each of the at least one beta first line; or   relative to the second direction, each of the at least one alpha second line has a size which is different than a size of each of the at least one beta second line.   
     
     
         15 . The game apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 each of the apertures is substantially square; and   each playing piece has a footprint which is substantially circular.   
     
     
         16 . The game apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the game is based on a number placement puzzle SUDOKU;   the number placement puzzle SUDOKU involves numerals 1 through 9; and   the game is a version of the number placement puzzle SUDOKU in which:
 the second total number of the playing-pieces is 81; 
 the playing-pieces are organized as nine sets, each set including a corresponding nine of ones of the playing-pieces; 
 each of the nine sets has a correspondingly different appearance; 
 each of the nine of ones of the playing-pieces in each set has substantially the same appearance; and 
 the nine sets represent correspondingly the numerals 1 through 9 of the number placement puzzle SUDOKU. 
   
     
     
         17 . The game apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 each of the nine sets has a correspondingly different color;   each of the nine of ones of the playing-pieces in each set has substantially the same color.   
     
     
         18 . The game apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the game is chess or checkers.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for playing a game which is a version of a number placement puzzle SUDOKU, the game involving numerals 1 through 9, the apparatus comprising:
 playing-pieces, a first total number of the playing-pieces being 81;
 each playing piece is a hollow conical frustum; 
 the playing-pieces being organized as nine sets, each set including a corresponding nine of ones of the playing-pieces; 
 each of the nine sets having a correspondingly different appearance; 
 each of the nine of ones of the playing-pieces in each set having substantially the same appearance; and 
 the nine sets representing correspondingly the numerals 1 through 9 of the game; and 
   an article of manufacture including:
 a grid structure which is sufficiently flexible so as to be substantially conformable to a surface of a substrate on which the grid structure is disposable; 
 apertures in the grid structure exposing corresponding portions of the surface of the substrate on which the grid structure is disposable; 
 areas of the apertures being sized to accommodate corresponding playing-pieces of a game; and 
 a second total number of the apertures being sufficient to accommodate the first total number of the playing-pieces. 
   
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first total number of the playing-pieces is a positive integer multiple of the second total number of the apertures.   
     
     
         22 . The game apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 each of the nine sets has a correspondingly different color.   
     
     
         23 . The game apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein:
 each of the nine sets has a correspondingly different color.   
     
     
         24 . The game apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 each of the nine sets has a correspondingly different color.