Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Piece moves over board having pattern
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-05
2002-07-16
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Piece moves over board having pattern
C273S244000, C273S243000, C273S242000, C273S288000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06419230
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to board and electronic games, and more specifically to such a game simulating the game of baseball. The present game is played using dice, or electronic random chance means providing the same odds, but an advantage is provided to players who know the game and utilize appropriate strategies during play.
2. Description of the Related Art
Innumerable active games and pastimes have been developed in the past, in the form of so-called “stick and ball” sports and others. Such games generally require that the players be fit, or at least interested in performing an athletic activity involving some exertion and effort. More sedentary games have also evolved over time, with such games generally involving either mental skills and expertise, or chance means for determining the outcome. Many of these sedentary games (board games, etc.) have attempted to simulate the strategy and action occurring in more athletic games (baseball, football, etc.), but it has proven to be difficult to create a sedentary game which includes sufficient realism to simulate a related athletic game accurately.
Accordingly, the present simulated baseball game and method provides an accurate simulation of the game of baseball, using only dice as the chance means for determining the outcome of various plays (pitches, batter actions and results, and defensive plays in the field). While at first glance the use of such chance means may appear to result in the outcome of the game being based upon pure chance, with more and less knowledgeable players having equal chances to win the game, it will be seen that a knowledge of baseball provides some advantage, in that the knowledgeable player is able to apply various tactics (e. g., steal, hit-and-run, etc.) in various situations as they may occur during the course of play. Also, the present game makes use of the greater or lesser probability of certain additive numerical combinations of dice to create greater or lesser likelihoods of certain occurrences during the course of play, as occur in an actual baseball game. The present game may be adapted to electronic and/or casino play, as well as play as a board game.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,569 issued on Apr. 14, 1981 to Stanley J. Frohlich, titled “Baseball Board Game,” describes a simulated baseball game using dice, with further action being determined by the drawing of cards having descriptions of various player actions and statistics thereon. Most of the results of the Frohlich game are determined by a series of cards which describe various actions resulting from various numbers determined by the dice, rather than using the dice themselves to determine the action, as is done in the present simulated baseball game. Moreover, Frohlich uses only two different dice (different colors, etc.) tossed simultaneously to determine the actions of both the pitcher and batter, whereas the present game utilizes a first toss of two dice by the player representing the pitcher to determine the location of the pitch (strike or ball, etc.) and a subsequent toss by the batter to determine the outcome of the swing (if any). A further toss is made by the player acting as the defense to determine the outcome of the resulting fielding play, if any, with other dice tosses being used for various other circumstances (hit and run, etc.) The Frohlich game is limited in that it must utilize statistics provided from existing players, rather than determining player action by means of the dice. Moreover, the Frohlich playing field does not provide any input to the game insofar as the results of a simulated hit or fielding play are concerned. In contrast, the field of the present simulated baseball game is divided into zones corresponding to various totals which may be achieved by tossing the dice, and which provide some input as to the outcome of the game. While Frohlich states that one object of his game is to provide a very rapidly paced game which may be played in only ten to fifteen minutes, such a short time span leaves out innumerable possibilities which may occur during actual play, with the present game taking into account most such possible situations and strategies.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,199 issued on Aug. 18, 1987 to Enrique Aguirregomezcorta, titled “Base Ball Game,” describes a simulated game in which most of the action occurs by means of dice tosses simulating the actions of the pitcher, rather than any resulting actions by the batter or defensive fielders. Aguirregomezcorta uses a random chance device having four colored areas to determine the area of the playing field in which the ball is played after being hit, with the playing field being divided into colored areas matching those of the random chance device. The present game divides the field numerically, according to various combinations which may occur using two conventional dice. Aguirregomezcorta uses a similar means to simulate the actions of an umpire, as well. Otherwise, most of the play is determined by means of drawing cards and proceeding according to the action described on the cards, as in the Frohlich game described immediately above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,651 issued on Jul. 14, 1992 to Tomas T. Tobias, Jr., titled “Baseball Board Game And Method Of Play,” describes a game using multiple pairs of cubical dice, with each pair comprising two dice of different colors. The Tobias, Jr. playing field is considerably more complex than that of the present game invention, in that Tobias, Jr. provides a series of nine subdivisions on a generally square grid, with each subdivision having a series of thirty six two digit numbers therein. Tobias does not include any single digit numbers in the play of his game, as he does not add the two dice together to provide a total between two and twelve, as is done with the present game. Rather, Tobias treats each number of each of the two dice separately in using them to determine a grid position on his board. The numbers on the Tobias, Jr. board are randomized, with an equal probability of any of the numbers being used for either side of the board, i.e., to the left or right side of second base. In contrast, the present game board is divided into sectors which are organized according to the different probabilities of various additive combinations occurring with the dice. For example, it is well known that the most likely additive number to occur with two cubical dice is seven, and accordingly, the present game designates the left short outfield area using the number seven. In an actual baseball game, it is more likely that a ball will be hit to this area than to any other, as most batters are right handed and will pull the ball somewhat to the left side of the field. The present game divides the infield and outfield further, using similar logic to provide realistic play according to various probabilities using additive numbers from the dice pair, which is not disclosed by Tobias, Jr. Moreover, Tobias, Jr. requires a separate table in order to arrive at the nine different general areas of his playing board, since no single number may be greater than six when the dice are not used additively. This complicates the Tobias, Jr. game relative to the present game, by adding a further step to play. In addition, Tobias, Jr. does not provide a realistic rendition of the playing field with its base paths and other features, which features are a part of the present simulated baseball game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,292 issued on Jun. 21, 1994 to Steven G. Dileva et al., titled “Method Of Playing A Baseball Board Game,” describes a board game relating to various financial aspects of professional baseball. No simulated play of an actual baseball game is provided by the Dileva et al. board game. Rather, the goal of the Dileva et al. game is to acquire a greater amount of simulated wealth than the other player(s). Advance during pl
Collins D
Layno Benjamin H.
Litman Richard C.
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