Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Piece moves over board having pattern
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-24
2003-07-15
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Piece moves over board having pattern
C273S236000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06592123
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates primarily to a circular chess board and playing techniques associated with the board, and more particularly with new methods of defining traditional chess play and strategy.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Chess is a well established strategy game that has been in existence for centuries. Its nearest predecessor Chaturanga is written about in seventh century Sanskrit writings. Due to the nature of trade travel, and expansion, the game was popular in the known world by the fourteenth century. During this period there was not a standard form of the game, and the existing system was much unlike current chess systems. The current chess system is modern chess and the regulations are set by the Federation Internationale des Eschecs (FIDE). These modes of play are established for use on a square game board divided into sixty-four equal squares of alternating dark and light color. There have been variations in the past to both the board, and the rules of play. As described in detail below, there are other circular chess boards and modes of play in current existence, but none like the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,279 issued to Taylor has four spaces in the center that expand in the second row to twelve spaces, in the third row to twenty spaces, and in the outer row to twenty-eight spaces. The shapes of each row of spaces is not congruous with the previous or next row. Unlike the present invention, the “squares” on the board are varying shapes and sizes, there are no void spaces along one diameter of spaces, and the spaces do not extend from the center in a coherent angle fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,756 issued to Linnekin, has fourteen alternating bi-color chess spaces extending equally seven each side from a void center space. This system employs one hundred and twelve playable spaces and one center zone designed to facilitate travel of pieces through the middle of the board. Unlike the present invention there are fourteen playable squares per circular row instead of sixteen or eighteen depending on the version of play, it does not have a row of spaces that can be voided along one diameter, and has a center zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,883 has multiple segments that can be added or taken away as needed, or to accommodate different numbers of players. The parts of the board are arcs that are shaped like rainbows. The arcs vary in size depending on if they are intended to be a center arc or outer arc that fit around the center arcs. Unlike the present invention, this board can be used for more than two players, does not have a diameter that contains void spaces, the center is not a solid part of the board but a cut out, is fourteen spaces in diameter instead of eight, and twenty-two spaces per circular row instead of sixteen or eighteen, depending on mode of play.
U.S. Pat. No. 376,824 issued to King is an ornamental design for a circular chess board. The design consists of a center circle with twelve spaces extending in diameter, and twenty-four spaces on each circular row. Superimposed on the board is a spirograph image. Unlike the present invention, King's device is a design alone, and not a new system of play, it is twelve spaces in diameter, not eight, twenty-four spaces per circular row instead of sixteen or eighteen depending on mode of play, and the device has no void spaces in any diameter.
U.S. Pat. No. 306,322 issued to Kropfl is a design for a circular game board in which the center row of spaces curve in peaks to exhibit a wave like appearance across the board. Kropfl's device is eight spaces in diameter not counting the center circle. Unlike the present invention, this patent is for a design only, not an additional playing system, the board has wave like spaces as one diameter, twenty spaces per circular row instead of sixteen or eighteen depending on mode of play, and does not have void spaces along one diameter row.
U.S. Pat. No. 356,604 issued to Miccio, is a game board that is eight spaces in diameter and each circular row has eighteen spaces. Unlike the present invention, there is no diameter containing void spaces, and it is a design only with no new method of play or new strategy for chess.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,191 issued to Tankerslety, is a board and game system in which each quadrant of the circle is equal to the number of spaces and field of play as a regular sixty-four square board. The system of play that is set forth can be exhibited in three separate ways, one quadrant, two quadrant, or four quadrant playing systems. In one quadrant mode of play, you must simultaneously play your piece as though it were in the space it actually is physically located in, and its mirror space directly across the board. However your piece must physically stay in its beginning quadrant. In two quadrant chess, you play your piece in the space that it occupies and in the space that is the mirror image of that space. Additionally, you can move your pieces to the quadrant directly across from the one it is in. Two quadrant playing is set up like traditional chess, but you play your mirror image space as well. Four quadrant chess is a system in which you can play your piece from the space it occupies, or any of the other three spaces that are alike to it in the other quadrants. Unlike the present invention, Tankersley's invention is sixteen spaces in diameter instead of eight, there is no diameter row that contains void spaces, there are thirty-two spaces per circular row instead of sixteen or eighteen, depending on mode of play, and there is no mode of play that is employed in the way that the void spaces are employed in the present invention. This mode of play will be explained in depth later.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,856 issued to Hoerbelt is a spirograph shaped game board and a system of play that can accommodate two to five players. Unlike the present invention, the board is not actually circular, but lotus petal shaped, does not have a diameter of spaces which can be voided, has a twenty space arc instead of a eight space diameter, is not intended for only two players, and mode of play is different due to the lack of void spaces, shape of the board, and number of players.
Therefore a need has been established for a chessboard that is circular, with an extra diameter containing voidable spaces, eight spaces in diameter, that employs versatile number of playable spaces for two persons playing chess.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I. The Board
The board is divided into seventy-two spaces, arranged along intersecting rows,or diameters, and four concentric closed lines or circles. One of the nine intersecting rows contains void spaces. The void spaces do not share a color with any of the other spaces on the board. These void spaces are unplayable depending on the version of the game that is implemented.
II. Mode of Play
There are several modes of play which can be implemented, maximal, medial, minimal, and other. In the maximal version only the two spaces on the outer circle are voided as unplayable. In the medial version the two outer spaces and the two adjacent spaces in the second circle on the diameter of spaces that are possible voids are voided as unplayable. In the minimal version the two spaces on each the outer, adjacent second, and adjacent third circles on the diameter with spaces that can be voided are deemed as unplayable. Other versions can void any number or distribution of void spaces on the single diameter with spaces that can be voided. Spaces can be voided by use of stones, or coins to indicate the non-playable spaces. Players may not cross through or land on any of the voided spaces. Players will choose mode of play at the beginning of the game, and that will be continuous through the game.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3851883 (1974-12-01), Hitchcock
patent: 3917273 (1975-11-01), Blackwood
patent: 4364568 (1982-12-01), Tracy
patent: 4553756 (1985-11-01), Linnekin
patent: 4804191 (1989-02-01), Tankersley
patent: 4886279 (1989-12-01), Taylor
patent: D306322 (1990-02-01), Kropfl
pat
Mattlage Alan Roy
Mattlage Martin Raymond
Greenberg Michael L.
Greenberg and Lieberman
Layno Benjamin H.
Mendiratta V K
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