Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Piece moves over board having pattern
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-15
2001-07-17
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Piece moves over board having pattern
CD21S348000, CD21S349000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260847
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
Not application
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not application
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not application
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to chess game boards
2. Description of Prior Art
The game of chess or checkers has been played by two players on a rectangular figured chess board containing 64 squares, alternately colored light and dark, with two sets of 16 chess peaces. Players face one another with their game pieces taking up the rows of squares closet to them. Many variations to this game were invented and patented, none are like my invention, some examples:
D251862
D262897
D289532
D299933
D306322
D317791
D369626
D376824
D409671
3851883
4093237
4249740
4322085
4580787
4778187
4856789
5197742
5403005
5421582
5449178
5492332
5577730
5536014
5536015
5647593
5662329
5692754
5735523
5871212
None of the Design or Utility Patents listed above remotely looks like or is played like this invention. In all the above listed prior art, the invention was either rectangular or circular in configuration. My invention is a board that is fluid like in appearance. Some others not listed were three-dimensional, concave, convex, multi-player games or used symbols within the squares to add complexity to the original game. The art of the game is similar, but the complexity of the distortion from my board makes my game more difficult to play and to maintain one's sanity. My board is oblique and fluid like in design.
Patent D251862 is the only design that closely matches my invention. This patent uses the 64 total playing units per a typical chess playing field. The difference is that this board is a concentric circle board. Patent D251862, D262897, D289532, D306322, D369626, D376824, D409671 and 4322085 are all concentric type boards unlike my invention. Patent D299933 is a three dimensional game board and uses raised block squares. Patent D317791 uses more than 64 playing squares or units. Patent 3851883 uses more than 64 squares to play. Patent 4093237 is a chessboard game played with more than two players. Patent 4249740 is playing checkers and chess at the same time on a rectangular board. Patent 4580787 is a rectangular board with hex-like squares. Patent 4778187 uses more than 64 squares. Patent 4856789 is a multi player game. Patent 5197742 is a chessboard with magnetic chess pieces. Patent 5403005 is a chessboard with removable blocks. Patent 5421582 is a rectangular board with hexagon squares. Patent 5449178 is a different method of playing same where captured pieces become pawns. Although patent 5492332 uses a pentagonal shaped playing field, it is different than mine in that this invention uses one-hundred eighty squares. Patent 5577730 is a chessboard that converts into a carrying case. Patent 5536014 is a chessboard with numbers and letters in the spaces to add complexity. Patent 5536015 is a chessboard game using valuable symbols and items to teach children economics. Patent 5647593 is a chessboard game using fewer pieces to teach children how to play. Patent 5662329 is a three dimensional game board. Patent 5692754 is a rectangular 2 level board. Patent 5735523 is a modified board with two extra columns. And patent 5871212 is a chessboard that comes apart like a puzzle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a radically modified chess board made to look like modem fluid art. The board is not three-dimensional and does not incorporate any of the complex symbols within the board to make the game any different other than to make it more insane to play. Maybe it can't be played and will just sit like a coffee table top, intriguing or challenging the best of minds. The best use for one of the designs,
FIG. 2
, is that it can used to play chess with opponents seated on the same side like when seated on an airline. The majority of my invention boards are intended to not have sharp edges or straight-line designs, but flow like wood grain with intersecting similar grains. The boards are distortions of chessboard designs as if one were to take a plastic chessboard and melt it. Melted and twisted into some of the various forms I've shown in the figures better describes one of my oblique chessboards.
An object of this invention is to provide a distorted chess game board that may be played by only the best and well versed in the art. Another object of this invention is to provide a distorted chess game board that incorporates all the interest of conventional chess game but that provides a twist of insanity to those willing to challenging playing the game. Still another object of this invention is to provide a distorted chess game board that can be used as an alternate coffee table top verses present-day rectangular checkerboard tops, modern art.
A further object of this invention is to provide a distorted chess game board that can be played as if the players were playing in outer space. Played as an outer space chess game, pawns reaching opposite ends of the board enter into other dimensions. In the other dimension, the player can begin to play another totally different game. See description specifications for details.
And still another object of this invention is to create a chess board game that forces the players to have to think in a fluid like manner verses a straight line and box type mentality of conventional chessboards. Keeping track of an opponent's position and concentrating on rank, threat and ability is somewhat easy with conventional square chessboards. Converting fluid lines to square boxes per my invention in one's mind adds additional challenges.
Rectangular and polygon like boards are shown to demonstrate similarities to this invention in straight-line form. Although the straight-line forms can be manufactured their appeal aesthetically is questionable. Also note that although this invention does not address chess pieces, I left that up to the imagination of the manufacturer. Some chess piece suggestions would be, to manufacture them to appear like melted soldiers, maybe all the same height, color or size to add difficulty. Why should pawns all look the same, do people? And are all castles the same in appearance, etc? Subtle differences in chess piece appearances would be a welcome addition to this game.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a chessboard device of oblique configuration. The game is played similar to a conventional chess game, except that 16 curved lines that make up the 64 playing spaces adds more mental concentration and challenge.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 402709 (1998-12-01), Colebank
patent: D. 409671 (1999-05-01), Baker
“Chess II”, Ungame Co., Games Magazine, Jul./Aug. 1978, p. 7.*
“Catastrophic 8 × 8 Chess”, A. Missoum, www.chessvariants.com, Jun. 1997.*
“Knot Chess”, A. Missoum, www.chessvariants.com, Jun. 1997.*
“Chessopoly”, Ralph Betza, www.chessvariants.com, Jun. 1997.
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