Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Completing square type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-24
2001-08-21
Pierce, William M. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Completing square type
C273S264000, C273S271000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276687
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
N/A
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
N/A
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to games, and, more particularly to a board game where the object is for players to form square patterns by placing pieces on a checker-type game board. A player accumulates points for each square pattern formed and the player with the highest point total wins.
2. Description of Related Art
Games provide players with a source of entertainment and mental stimulation. Some of the most popular games are played on “boards” which are often marked off into patterns or other kinds of divisions. Perhaps the most well known game board is the checker/chess game board. The popularity of board games is evidenced by games disclosed in the background art.
One popular game enjoyed by many is the game of squares, which is commonly played using a pencil and paper. When using a pencil and paper, the players must first construct a playing field by making a series of dots equidistant from each other and in parallel rows. Then the players take turns connecting the dots while attempting to form squares. As the game progresses, dots are connected until three sides of a square on a portion of the playing field are formed. The player who draws the line forming the fourth side of a square scores a point, and marks his or her initial within the square as a tally. The player having formed the most squares at the end of the game wins. The popularity of the game of squares is reflected in a number of board game references disclosed in the background art.
U.S. Pat. No. 429,250, issued to Sperl et al., discloses a game board having a series of intersecting grooves forming a number of disconnected squares. Two players take turns at inserting small sticks or blocks, having lengths corresponding to the lengths of the sides of the squares, into the grooves while attempting to fully surround the greatest number of squares prior to the end of the game. The player who has enclosed the greatest number of squares is the winner. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 1,666,359, issued to Steves, discloses a game board adapted for playing the well known games of checkers and chess. The board further defines a series of intersecting grooves such that the board may also be used for playing the game of squares.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,342,884, issued to Anderson, discloses a board game apparatus having a plurality of upwardly projecting posts disposed in rows. Each post includes angularly spaced sockets extending toward the adjacent members. Players take turns placing elongated pieces in position connecting adjacent post members, either in a direction parallel to the side of the game board or diagonally thereto. The object for each player is to place in the socket the third playing piece which completes the outlining of a triangle. The player who completes the most triangles wins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,979, issued to Vaseen, discloses a board game wherein players, using colored chips, attempt to form patterns of numbers, letters, or geometric designs. Values are established for each pattern to determine the winner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,531, issued to McNamara, discloses a board game having a board which includes two distinguishable sets of nodes, each set of nodes being fixed to the board in an intermingled pattern. Players place game pieces on the board and relative to said nodes to achieve a desired pattern.
The games of the background art neither teach, nor suggest, a squares board game having game pieces that may be placed to form open-sided and/or closed-sided squares and wherein scoring is dependent upon the relative sides of the squares. Furthermore, the references of the background art do not disclose a multi-level squares board game wherein squares may be formed vertically.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a board game, identified by the trademark “QUADRA”, including a game board, a scoreboard, playing pieces, a playing method and strategy. The invention is intended primarily as a board game, but may be adapted for computer use. In a preferred embodiment, the board comprises a grid of approximately sixty-four spaces, and may be fabricated from cardboard, wood, plastic, or any other suitable material. In an alternate embodiment, the game may be embodied as a computer game having the components appearing on a computer display. Furthermore, in an embodiment for use while traveling the game board and playing pieces may be magnetically connectable and/or peg holes may be defined in the game board for receiving suitably adapted playing pieces having a projecting peg on the bottom thereof. In addition, any other suitable means of retaining the playing pieces on the game board is considered within the scope of the present invention. Another embodiment for travel use may comprise a pad of paper sheets depicting the game board and played using writing instruments of contrasting colors. The game may be played between two players or two teams, each team comprised of at least two players alternating turns. The game includes two sets of thirty-two (32) game pieces, each set being a different color with one color for each player/team. The object of the game is for each player, in turn, to place their game pieces on the board within the spaces provided in a manner that forms squares of one color. The spaces between the corners must be equal but do not have to be filled in to receive points. An additional object is to place game pieces in positions that prevent the opponent from completing squares. The squares may be horizontal or diagonal. Points are won for each square formed of one color, with more points being awarded for larger squares. The point system is preferably based on the number of spaces between the corners. The points may be multiplied for squares having the sides filled in with game pieces. The player/team with the most points wins at the end of the game. A game may end after no more squares can be made or after a player/team reaches a predetermined point total. Points may be kept by a score keeping component, such as a scoreboard (i.e., peg board), which may be integral, attachable, and/or detachable, or a score sheet, or automatically if the game is computer based.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple yet challenging parlor game for amusement and pleasure.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful game apparatus and method for playing a game wherein points are awarded for forming geometric figures.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of playing and scoring a version of the game of squares.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus and method for playing a multi-level version of the game of squares.
In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 429250 (1890-06-01), Sperl
patent: 653303 (1900-07-01), Macdonald
patent: 1342884 (1920-06-01), Anderson
patent: 1607660 (1926-11-01), Zabriskie
patent: 1666359 (1928-04-01), Steves
patent: 3753562 (1973-08-01), Knowlton
patent: 3784205 (1974-01-01), Cross, Jr.
patent: 4754979 (1988-07-01), Vaseen
patent: 5085440 (1992-02-01), Van Dam
patent: 5269531 (1993-12-01), McNamara
patent: 5344153 (1994-09-01), Watanabe
patent: 5443268 (1995-08-01), Mayfield et al.
patent: 6065751 (2000-05-01), Armstrong
Pierce William M.
Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler & Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A.
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for a game does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for a game, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for a game will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2454633