U.S. patent number 3,765,682 [Application Number 05/236,845] was granted by the patent office on 1973-10-16 for property investment board game apparatus.
Invention is credited to Basil Braude.
United States Patent |
3,765,682 |
Braude |
October 16, 1973 |
PROPERTY INVESTMENT BOARD GAME APPARATUS
Abstract
Property investment game comprising a track having a series of
marked spaces identifying different classes of property and
preferably grouped together in different categories, the marked
spaces constituting a continuous path along which a first marker
can move in accordance with indications of dice, and a price chart
in a continuous circuit on a common board with the track, having a
series of marked spaces along which one or more second markers can
move in accordance with indications of the dice, the price chart
spaces indicating different prices lying numerically in order. The
second marker or markers are movable numerically upwards and
downwards along the price chart spaces to establish rising and
falling prices in accordance with market conditions which are
determined at the commencement of the game and which are adjusted
continually as the game progresses in accordance with indications
of the dice and/or actions of players of the game.
Inventors: |
Braude; Basil (Johannesburg,
ZA) |
Family
ID: |
22891213 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/236,845 |
Filed: |
March 22, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/256 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
3/00072 (20130101); A63F 3/00006 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
3/00 (20060101); A63f 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/134,135 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
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|
|
916,655 |
|
Aug 1946 |
|
FR |
|
1,340,942 |
|
Sep 1963 |
|
FR |
|
915,550 |
|
Jan 1963 |
|
GB |
|
Claims
I claim:
1. Game apparatus comprising:
a. a track having a series of marked spaces constituting a
continuous path along which a first marker is movable in steps
dependent on successive indications of indicator means, each track
space identifying a class of property;
b. a market condition regulator adjustable in accordance with the
indications of said indicator means to establish varying market
conditions; and
c. a price chart which has a series of marked spaces indicating
different prices lying numerically in order and along which at
least one second marker is movable in steps dependent on the
successive indications of the said indicator means, the second
marker being movable numerically upwards and downwards along the
price chart in accordance with market conditions indicated by the
market condition regulator to establish rising and falling
prices.
2. Game apparatus comprising a board including:
a. a track having a series of marked spaces constituting a
continuous path along which a first marker is movable in steps
dependent on successive indications of indicator means, each track
space identifying a class of property;
b. a market condition regulator representing the numbers 2 to 12
and having at least one indicator movable relative to the numbers
in accordance with the indications of said indicator means to
establish varying market conditions; and
c. a price chart which has a series of marked spaces indicating
different prices lying numerically in order and along which at
least one second marker is movable in steps dependent on the
successive indications of the said indicator means, the second
marker being movable numerically upwards and downwards along the
price chart in accordance with market conditions indicated by the
market condition regulator to establish rising and falling
prices.
3. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the prices
indicated by adjacent price chart spaces differ in steps such that
each successive price along the chart is a substantially fixed
percentage of the immediately preceding price.
4. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the market
condition regulator comprises a clock face numbered 2 to 12; and at
least one rotary indicator hand.
5. In game apparatus the combination of:
a. a track having a series of marked spaces constituting a
continuous path, each track space identifying a class of
property;
b. indicator means operative to give successive indications;
c. a property marker progressively movable along the track in steps
comprising numbers of track spaces dependent on successive
indications of said indicator means;
d. a market condition regulator adjustable in accordance with the
indications of said indicator means to establish varying market
conditions;
e. a price chart having a series of marked spaces indicating
different prices lying numerically in order; and
f. at least one price marker movable along the price chart in steps
comprising numbers of chart spaces dependent on successive
indications of said indicator means, the movement of the price
marker being upwards and downwards in accordance with market
conditions indicated by the market conditions regulator to
establish rising and falling prices.
6. Game apparatus comprising:
a. a track having a series of marked spaces constituting a
continuous path, each track space identifying a class of
property;
b. a set of dice marked to give any one of a plurality of different
numerical indications when thrown;
c. a property marker progressively movable along the track in steps
comprising numbers of track spaces depending on the indications
given by successive throws of said dice;
d. a market condition regulator representing a series of numbers
corresponding to the various numerical indications that can be
given by said dice, the market condition regulator being adjustable
to give indications relative to its numbers in accordance with
numerical indications given by throws of said dice to establish
continually varying market conditions;
e. a price chart having a series of marked spaces indicating
different prices lying numerically in order; and
f. at least one price marker movable along the price chart in steps
comprising numbers of chart spaces depending on the indications
given by successive throws of said dice, the direction of movement
of the price marker being numerically upwards and downwards along
the price chart depending on prevailing market conditions as
indicated by the market condition regulator.
7. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 6, comprising a set of two
six-sided dice each of which is marked to give numerical
indications from 1 to 6; and a market condition regulator having a
face numbered from 2 to 12 and an indicator movable over the
numbers of the face.
8. Game apparatus comprising:
a. a track having a series of marked spaces constituting a
continuous path, each track space identifying a class of property
and the different classes of property being grouped together in
different categories;
b. indicator means operative to give successive indications;
c. a property marker movable progressively along the track in steps
dependent on successive indications of said indicator means;
d. a market condition regulator adjustable in accordance with
successive indications of the indicator means to establish varying
market conditions;
e. a price chart having a series of marked spaces indicating
different prices lying numerically in order; and
f. a price marker for each of the categories of properties, each
price marker being movable along the price chart in steps with each
successive indication of said indicator means, each step of a price
marker being dependent on the indication in question of the said
indicator means and the direction of each step of each price marker
numerically upwardly and downwardly along the price chart being in
accordance with market conditions indicated by the market condition
regulator at that time.
9. Game apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, comprising at least one
track space in each category which is selected for special rating;
and an additional price marker movable along the price chart.
Description
This invention relates to games and more particularly to property
investment games.
According to the invention, game apparatus includes a track having
a series of marked spaces constituting a continuous path along
which a first marker can move in accordance with indications of
indicator means, such as one or more dice, each track space
identifying a class of property; and a price chart having a series
of marked spaces along which at least one second marker can move in
accordance with indications of indicator means, the price chart
spaces indicating different prices lying numerially in order.
The second marker may be moved numerically upwards and downwards
along the price chart spaces to establish rising and falling proces
in accordance with market conditions which are predetermined at the
commencement of the game and which are adjusted continually as the
game progresses.
The track and the price chart may be provided on the same or on
different boards. Preferably the price chart is in the form of a
continuous circuit on the same board as the track.
According to another aspect of the invention a method of palying a
property investment game includes the steps of manipulating number
indicator means; moving a first marker along a property identifying
track a number of steps indicated by the indicator means; moving at
least one second marker along a price indicating chart a number of
steps dependent on the number indicated by the indicator means in a
price rising or falling direction depending on prevailing market
conditions; conducting a transaction in a class of property at a
price indicated on the price chart by the second marker; repeating
the procedure; and continually adjusting the prevailing market
conditions as the game progresses.
The market conditions may be adjusted continually in accordance
with indications of the indicator means and/or actions of players
taking part in the game.
The different classes of property identified by the track spaces
may be grouped together in different categories.
The track spaces of different categories may be distinctively
marked.
At least one track space in each category may be selected for
Glamour Stock rating and may be distinctively marked.
Where the different classes of property are grouped into different
categories a second marker may be provided for each category, the
different second markers being distinctive in appearance.
Thus according to the method of playing the game, a second marker
for each of a plurality of different categories of property may be
moved along the price indicating chart a number of steps dependent
on the number indicated by the indicator means and on the track
space on which the first marker lands; and a transaction may be
conducted in any class of property at a price indicated on the
price chart by the second marker for the category to which the
class of property belongs.
The track spaces may identify any required property, such as real
estate, but preferably the chart spaces identify classes of shares
to provide a stock exchange investment game.
Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the track spaces
identify different sections of the stock exchange, such as coal
shares, diamond shares, gold shares, banking shares or the like.
Each track space may also identify a plurality of companies in the
particular section and the different sections may be grouped
together in different categories, such as Mining, General, Consumer
Goods and Durables.
At the commencement of the game, the first marker may be placed on
a predetermined track space and may be moved either clockwise or
anti-clock-wise, but preferably clockwise in conventional manner,
by a number of spaces indicated by the first indication given by
the indicator means. Assume that the first marker lands on a track
space identifying Gold shares in the Mining category say. Gold
shares or the shares of any other company in the same category may
then be bought and/or sold at their prevailing market price as
indicated on the price chart by the second marker belonging to the
category in question, as will be explained in greater detail below.
Shares from other categories may also be bought and/or sold but at
their prevailing market price as indicated on the price chart by
the second marker belonging to the relevant category.
At the commencement of the game, the second markers may all be
placed on a predetermined price chart space and may then be moved
either numerically upwards or downwards by a number of spaces
dependent on the number indicated by the first indication of the
indicator means (i.e. dependent on the number of spaces through
which the first marker moves with the first indication). Whether
the second markers move upwards or downwards on the price chart
depends on the prevailing market conditions.
The prevailing market conditions and the adjustment thereof as the
game progresses, may be determined in any suitable manner. A
preferred arrangement for a stock exchange game will be described
in detail below.
The prices indicated by adjacent price chart spaces may differ by
any required amount. The price difference between adjacent pairs of
price chart spaces may or may not be the same throughout.
Preferably the prices increase in one direction in steps such that
each successive price is a fixed percentage of the immediately
preceding price. Thus, for example, each successive price may be 2
percent higher than the immediately preceding price. It will be
appreciated that the prices decrease in the opposite direction.
By providing prices which differ by such a fixed percentage, the
game may be adapted for buying or selling of property to be
effected with the payment of a commission, brokerage or the like
which equals the fixed percentage. For example, assume that the
prices rise in steps of two per cent from $100, say, to give
successive prices of $100, $102, $104, etc., in successive price
chart spaces. If a second marker lands on the $102 space, the
property in question may be bought or sold at a commission,
brokerage or the like of 2percent. Thus, the net selling price
would be $100 as indicated automatically by the next lower price
space and the net purchasing price would be $104 as indicated
automatically by the next higher price space.
The apparatus may include any suitable indicator means, preferably
a pair of dice.
Furthermore, the apparatus may include a first marker and at least
one second marker adapted for use as described above, each marker
being distinctive in appearance. Such a first marker may
hereinafter be referred to as a property marker or as a share
marker. Such a second marker may hereinafter be referred to as a
price marker.
In a sophisticated version of the game, in which the classes of
property are grouped in different categories, a second (price)
marker may be provided for each category.
The apparatus may also include at least one property certificate
for each of a plurality of specific properties in each class of
property.
Thus for a stock exchange investment game, there may be a plurality
of different companies in each stock exchange section. For example,
there may be a section for coal shares and this section may be
represented by a plurality of specific coal mining companies.
The apparatus may also include a market condition regulator.
In a preferred embodiment where a pair of dice is used as indicator
means, the market condition regulator may comprise a clock face
numbered from 2 to 12 and provided with at least one rotary
indicator hand. At the start of the game, the prevailing market
conditions may be predetermined by setting the clock hand between
any two adjacent numbers on the clock face. Each time or at certain
special times when a throw of the dice indicates a number above the
clock hand position, the latter is moved one number lower on the
clock face to increase the odds for a number above the clock hand
position to be indicated with the next throw of the dice. At the
same time, a second marker may be moved upwards on the price chart
by cn spaces to provide an increased market price, where n = the
number indicated by the first throw of the dice and c is any
predetermined integer selected for a rising market. (In an
alternate variation the second marker may be moved downwards on the
price chart by xn spaces to provide a decreased market price where
x is any predetermined integer selected for a declining
market).
Each time or at certain special times when a throw of the dice
indicates a number below the clock hand position, the latter is
moved one number higher on the clock face to increase the odds for
a number below the clock hand position to be indicated with the
next throw of the dice. At the same time the second marker may be
moved downwards on the price chart by xn spaces to provide a
decreased markt price, where n again equals the number indicated by
the throw of the dice and x is the predetermined integer selected
for a declining market. (In the alternate variation the second
marker may be moved upwards by cn spaces to provide an increased
market price).
Integers c and x may be different to provide for different price
changes in rising and in declining markets for the same number
indicated by a throw of the dice. On the other hand c may equal x
to provide the same change in rising and in declining markets for
the same number indicated by a throw of the dice. In a preferred
embodiment of a stock exchange investment game, c = 1 in a rising
market (i.e. a bull market) and x = 2 for certain values of n in a
falling market (i.e. a bear market). (In the alternate variation c
= 2 in a rising market and x = 1 in a falling market).
It will be appreciated that if the numbers indicated by successive
throws of the dice change from a value higher than that indicated
by the clock hand to a lower value, or vice versa, the market trend
is adjusted or reversed automatically by the throw of the dice.
However, where a market is sustained by the numbers indicated by
successive throws of the dice remaining to one side of the clock
hand, a correction to halt or reverse the trend may be effected
when the trend has been sustained a predetermined maximum
extent.
Thus, in a preferred embodiment of a stock exchange game, a trend
may only be reinforced for a predetermined maximum number of throws
of the dice (i.e. movements of the markers), say a cycle of four
throws, whereafter the clock hand is returned to the position it
occupied at the start of such predetermined number of throws. For
this purpose, the market condition indicator may include a long
hand to indicate changing market conditions as described above and
also a short hand to indicate the position from which a market
trend commences.
Instead of using a market condition indicator comprising a clock
face and at least one hand, any other suitable means may be used.
For example, one or more dice may be used for this purpose using a
numerical notation requiring the throwing of odd and/or even and/or
double numbers etc., to end a bull or bear sequence. Alternatively,
dice bearing bull and bear notations in different proportions may
be used. As yet another alternative, a pack of cards carrying
different proportions of bulls and bears may be used.
The apparatus may include currency of different denominations. The
currency may comrpise bank notes, chips or the like.
Tokens, discs or the like may be provided for indicating market
trends and/or conditions. Thus for a stock exchange investment
game, at least one animal figure of a bull and at least one animal
figure of a bear may be provided.
Numerous variations on the basic principle of the game are possible
without departing from the spirit of the game. For example,
provision may be made for the payment of dividends, taxes, levies,
directors fees, interest, salaries and the like. Also, provision
may be made for a plurality of stock exchanges in different
countries, each of the various stock exchanges operating under its
own market conditions. Furthermore, provision may be made for
devaluation, take-over bids, new issues, bankruptcy and the like.
Also provision may be made for individual players to influence the
progress of the game by means of the use of special cards, for
example.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by
way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a board according to the
invention for a stock exchange investment game.
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of certain aids which may
be used with the board of figure 1.
The game may be played by two or more persons with one or more
boards, each of which is indicative of market conditions for its
own stock exchange area. Thus a plurality of stock exchanges in
different parts of the world may be represented by the same number
of boards which may be substantially similar to the board
illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings but differing only in detail
to reflect the names of local industries and other local
conditions.
The board illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings comprises:
a. an inner track 1 comprising a series of 28 numbered spaces 2
which are named to indicate different types of shares, such as coal
shares (space No.1), copper shares (space No.2), etc. Each space 2
represents say 6 different companies (not individually represented
on drawings) in respect of which share dealings may be
conducted.
Spaces 2 are grouped in four differently coloured categories 3a,
3b, 3c and 3d designated as Mining, General, Consumer Goods and
Durable, each category comprising a sequence of seven spaces 2 with
the middle space 2a in each category singled out for Glamour Stock
rating. Categories 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d are distinctively
coloured.
b. an outer circuit 4 comprising a series of 120 spaces 5, every
fifth space numbered 10 to 91, successive spaces 5 bearing price
markings (not shown) which increase regularly in approximate 2
percent steps from 10(100) to 91(910) units of price, such as
cents, pence, dollars, pounds or the like. Outer circuit 4
constitutes a price chart.
c. a diagrammatic rerpesentation 6 of bull and bear market
cycles.
d. spaces 7 for the location of cards relating to:
i. government bond prices
ii. income tax, and
iii. pledge accounts
e. a market condition regulator 10 in the form of a clock with a
rotary long hand 9, a rotary short hand 8 and a clock face 11
marked from 2 to 12.
f. a table 12 relating dividends to share prices.
One or more of the following aids (certain of which are illustrated
in FIG. 2) may be provided:
a. a set of two six-sided dice of conventional design bearing
numbers from 1 to 6 (not shown)
b. a large sized property marker 13 (which will hereinafter be
referred to as a "share marker") which is adapted to be moved
clock-wise along the inner track 1 in accordance with numbers
indicated by throws of the dice.
c. five smaller sized price markers 14 in five different colours
which are adapted to move backwards and forwards along the outer
circuit 4, the colours of four of the price markers corresponding
respectively to the colours of the four categories 3a, 3b, 3c and
3d of inner track 1. The remaining price marker is of a fifth
colour and corresponds to the Glamour Stocks of the four spaces 2a
of track 1, one space 2a belonging to each of the four categories
3a, 3b, 3c and 3d.
d. differently sized tokens, 3 Bull and 3 Bear, for location at
different stages of the Bull and Bear Market cycle 6. These tokens
(not shown) may comprise animal figures of bulls and bears.
e. 168 Share Certificates, such as 15, one for each of the 6
individual companies represented by each of the 28 spaces 2 of
inner track 1.
f. 40 Government Bond Certificates, such as 16, in denominations of
$1,000, $2,000, $3,000 and $4,000 par value each,.
g. nine Income Tax Cards such as 17, for display on Income Tax
space 7b
h. 21 Government Bond Price Cards, such as 18, for display on
appropriate space 7a
i. Currency chips (not shown) in various denominations totalling
$240,000.
j. 20 Action Cards, such as 19, which may be used to influence the
course of the game.
k. a numerical table showing the value of different quantities of
shares at various market prices.
This may be provided to facilitate the playing of the game and
avoid continual calculation.
The object of the game is to invest as skillfully as possible, the
winner being the player at the end of the game with the greatest
net asset value in cash, bonds and shares.
To facilitate the complex changes inherent in the game, various
special roles and functions may be allocated to the players, such
as:
1. Minister of Economic Affairs:
a. Control of the Market Regulator 10 and the Bull and Bear
Tokens.
b. Movement of the share marker 13 on inner track 1.
2. Minister of Finance:
a. Income Tax regulation and collection.
b. Movement of the five price markers 14 on outer circuit 4.
3. Governor of the Reserve Bank:
a. Marking of the Government Bond Price.
b. Issuing and encashment of Goverment Bonds
c. Goverment Bond interest payments.
4. Company Secretary:
Issuing of Shares
5. Stock Broker:
a. Repurchase of Shares
b. Covering of Short Sales
6. Bank Manager:
a. Issuing of loans and collection of interest on pledge
accounts.
b. Attention to dividend payments and collections, fees and
salaries.
INITIAL PROCEDURE
1. draw for seats. Highest throw of the dice occupies seat number 1
with lower numbers occupying the seats adjacent in clockwise
rotation.
2. Allocation of Special Roles to players in rotation from seat
number 1 for the Minister of Economic Affairs to seat number 6 for
the Bank Manager. With less than six players, some players will
assume two roles.
3. a. Distribution of $20,000 worth of currency chips to each
player in the following proportions:
4 .times. $3,000
6 .times. $1,000
4 .times. $300
6 .times. $100
5 .times. $30
5 .times. $10
b. Allocation of the remaining chips to the Treasury.
4. Distribution of $50,000 worth of Government Bond Certificates 16
in equal proportions amongst the players.
5. Distribution face downwards of an equal number of Action Cards
19 to each player until an indivisible number of cards remain.
6. The Minister of Economic Affairs will place the share marker 13
on the 28th space 2 of inner track 1.
7. The Minister of Finance will : place each of the five price
markers 14 on the first space 5 of the outer circuit 4.
8. The Governor of the Reserve Bank will :
place a card 18 marked 100 percent in the Government Bond price
space 7a.
9. The Minister of Economic Affairs and thereafter each player in
rotation will exercise any or all of the privileges of their Action
Cards, simultaneously handing in the relevant cards to the
Treasury. On passing the 28th inner circuit space 2, both the used
and the unused Action Cards 19 are collected and redistrbuted.
Action Cards 19 bear different instructions applying for example to
the position of the Market Regulator and the various price markers
so as to enable players to influence the market as well as to
participate in its vagaries.
10. The Minister of Economic Affairs will throw the two dice.
11. The Minister of Economic Affairs will now attend to two
functions :
a. He will move the share marker 13 clock-wise along the inner
track 1 by a number of spaces 2 equal to the value of the throw so
that it rests on a section representing six companies A,B,C,D,E,
and F. In each instance a specific company is selected for a bonus
dividend by the value of the throw, i.e. company A for throw 7,
company B for throws 2 or 8, and so on (see also paragraph 14 below
and paragraph 10 of "Continuation Procedure").
b. i. If the dice throw is between 7 and 12 he will place the short
hand 8 and the long hand 9 of the market regulator 10 between
numbers 7 and 6 and place a large Bull token on the appropriate
section 6 of the board. A major Bull (or upward) market is now in
operation, and the odds are in favour of its continuation.
ii. If the dice throw is between 6 and 2, he will place the short
hand 8 and the long hand 9 of the market regulator 10 between
numbers 7 and 8, and place the large Bear token on the appropriate
section of the board. A major Bear (or downward) market is now in
operation, and the odds are in favour of its continuation.
12. The Minister of Finance will:
a. Place an Income Tax Card 17 marked $4,000 in the Income Tax
space 7b and collect $4,000 from each player for the Treasury.
b. Move each of the five price markers 14 from the first space 5
along outer circuit 4, either:
i. in a clock-wise or forward direction in a Bull market, or
ii. in an anti-clock-wise or backward direction in a Bear market,
by
A. a number of spaces 5 equal to the value of the dice throw,
or
B. a number of spaces 5 equal to twice the value of the dice throw
for numbers 2 to 6 in a Bear market, and in the caee of the price
marker corresponding in colour to the category 3 now accommodating
the share marker by
C. a further number of spaces 5 equal to the above movements, and
in the case of the Glamour Stock price marker, by
D. a further six spaces 5.
13. The Governor of the Reserve Bank will :
a. offer Government Bond Certificates 16 to any of the players, in
clock-wise rotation starting from the player who is next to throw
the dice, one Certificate at a time, at the current market
price.
b. offer short sales in Bonds equal to the one Government Bond
Certificate 16 to each of the players in rotation. Should a player
invest in a short sale (i.e. he prefers to invest in cash and pay
for this in the currency of Bonds), he will place as security for
the transaction, cash equal in value to the short sale on the Bond
Certificate 16 and the Governor will similarly collect from the
Treasury an equal amount and place this on the Certificate 16.
14. The Company Secretary will now offer to each of the players, in
the same order, either:
a. one Share Certificate 15 in any one of the spaces 2 of inner
track 1, at the current market price.
Market price for any share will be the price indicated by the
coloured price marker 14 corresponding to the category of the
company. Where the price marker 14 rests on a blank space, the next
highest number will be the purchase price. Conversely in the case
of a sale, the next lower number will be the price, or
b. Short sales in shares corresponding to one Share Certificate 15
using a similar procedure to that outlined in INITIAL PROCEDURE
paragraph 13(b) above, but substituting shares for bonds.
Before every throw of the dice each player may open only one
transaction at a time dealing in either bonds or the shares of one
company, but he may at any time close any or all open transactions,
i.e. he may at any time sell shares owned or cover a short sale. To
simplify issuing procedure only one Share Certificate is available
for each company, but in order to allow players to choose varying
quantities, the Certificates are issued in the following
denominations:
Company a(selected by dice throw 7) -- 1,000 shares
Company b (selected by dice throws 2 or 8) -- 2,000 shares COMPANY
C (selected by dice throws 3 or 9 -- 4,000 shares
Company d (selected by dice throws 4 or 10 -- 8,000 shares
Company e (selected by dice throws 5 or 11 -- 16,000 shares
Company f (selected by dice throws 6 or 12 -- 32,000 shares
15. The Bank Manager may at any time open Pledge Accounts for an
initial fee of 12 percent and collect interest of 12 percent on
such accounts each time the share marker 13 passes the 28th space 2
on inner track 1. The amount advanced on such accounts will be
equal to half the current price of shares pledged, the loan being
rounded off to the nearest thousand dollars. Shares with a total
value of less than $1,000 will not be acceptable as security. The
Bank Manager will record the loan by placing the Share
Certificate/s 15 on any of the 4 Pledge Account spaces 7c and by
covering the Share Certificate/s with an amount equal to the
advance. Should all 4 Pledge Account spaces 7c be in use, no
further loans will be available for the time being. Players may
redeem their loans whenever an interest payment is made.
CONTINUATION PROCEDURE
1. player number 2 initiates the use of Action Cards 19 and
thereafter throws dice for the initial procedure to be repeated
with the following additions and exceptions.
2. In a Bull market with a throw:
a. corresponding to numbers on the high (clock-wise) side of the
long hand 9, the latter is moved one position anti-clock-wise to
between 6 and 5.
b. corresponding to numbers on the low (anti-clock-wise) side, the
long hand 9 is moved one position clock-wise to between 7 and
8.
This signals a technical correction in a Bull market and the small
Bear token is placed on the CORRECTION ONE space in the Bull and
Bear cycle representation 6.
3. In a Bear market with a throw:
a. corresponding to numbers on the low side of the long hand 9 the
latter is moved one position clock-wise to between 8 and 9.
b. corresponding to numbers on the high side, the long hand 9 is
moved one position anti-clock-wise to between 7 and 6. This signals
a Rally in a Bear market and the small Bull token is placed on the
RALLY ONE space in the Bull and Bear cycle representation 6.
4. The Market regulator 10 continues to be altered in this manner
until there is a deviation of three spaces of the long hand 9 from
the short hand 8 or a change of market direction occurs, in which
case the long hand 9 is moved back in one sweep to the position of
the short hand 8 and the long hand deviation sequence repeats
itself. Each movement of the long hand (corresponding to a throw of
the dice) is representative of 3 months in time. Note that a
CORRECTION ONE may revert to a Bull market or proceed to a
CORRECTION TWO represented by an intermediate sized Bear token.
This in turn may also revert to a Bull market or mature into a new
major Bear market in which case the down movements on the outer
circuit 4 for throws between 2 and 6 will be for an additional
distance. Similarly, a Bear market may be interrupted by minor or
major Rallies (i.e. Rally One or Rally Two represented respectively
by small or intermediate size Bull tokens, or a major Rally may
mature into a new Bull market. Each phase of a Correction or Rally
is representative of three months and therefore a new major market
can not be declared until a nine month period has elapsed. At such
a point, the short hand 8 of the market regulator 10 is moved one
position clockwise or anti-clock-wise for a new Bear or Bull market
respectively. The odds now, by virtue of the position of the small
hand 8 of the Market regulator 10, favour a continuation of the new
market until the cycle is broken. Should a change of direction
occur when the hands 8, 9 are in apposition, the cycles of
sub-cycle tend towards 12 months, whereas at other junctures the
lengths incline towards fifteen months. At the end of approximately
one year, corresponding to a completed circuit of inner track 1,
the Minister of Economic Affairs will decide on whether he prefers
market conditions to remain the same or whether they should be more
Bullish or Bearish, in which event he will adjust the Market
regulator 10 by shifting the short hand 8 by a maximum of one
position clock-wise or anit-clock-wise. At no time, however, may
the short hand go below 5 or above 9.
5. At the beginning of each circuit the Minister of Finance will
decide on his Fiscal Policy for the year and alter, if he wishes,
the income tax rate for the year by $500 from that for the previous
year, down to a minimum of $2,000 and up to a maximum of $6,000, by
placing the appropriate Income Tax Card 17 in the Income Tax space
7b.
6. The five price markers 14 are moved as before, i.e. forward for
up movements and backward for down movements, except that in a down
swing in a Bear Market they are moved double the distance for
numbers 2 to 6.
7. The Governor of the Reserve Bank will increase (or diminish) the
Bond price by multiples of 10 percent as determined by the number
of Bonds in circulation. For every additional completed 10,000 the
Bond price will rise by 10 percent and the corresponding price will
be displayed on the board. Players in rotation may again purchase
or sell or take short positions in Bonds, or cover (close) any
previous short position, i.e. buy in at the current price, any
short sale previously negotiated. The Bond Certificate 16 is
thereupon returned to the Governor and the player collects all the
cash previously placed on the Certificate 16, i.e. his security and
the proceeds of the original short sale. When the share marker 13
passes the 28th space 2 on inner track 1, the Governor will pay
interest of $60 per 1,000 to all holders of Government Bonds and
collect equivalent amounts from the holders of short positions in
bonds.
8. The Company Secretary will repeat his role in the same manner as
before.
9. The stock Broker will also repeat his role, but in addition will
be responsible for supervising any short sale covering which is
performed in a manner similar to the covering of short sales in
bonds. When a covering transaction has been completed, the Stock
Broker will return the Share Certificate 15 to the Company
Secretary.
10. The Bank Manager's role will remain the same, but in addition,
he will :
a. pay out dividends to all shareholders and collect dividends from
all holders of short positions each time the share marker 13 passes
the 28th space 2. Bonus dividends at the same rate as ordinary
dividends are also payable to shareholders of a specific company
when the share marker 13 and a throw of the dice make such a
selection (see paragraph 11 of INITIAL PROCEDURE above). Dividends
will vary with the rise and fall of share prices. The rate will be
5 cents for shares between 32 and 91; and 10 cents between 100 and
290. Any further trebling of share prices will again double the
dividend. Correspondingly, when prices fall to between 29 and 10
cents, dividends will have to 21/2 cents and finally decrease to 1
cent for share prices between 9.1 and 3.2 cents. No dividends are
payable at lower prices. Note that because of smaller fluctuations
in dividends than share prices, dividend yields on a percentage
basis will be lower in Bull than Bear markets.
b. pay out Director's fees and Chairman's salaries when the share
marker 13 passes the 28th space 2. Should any player hold 16,000
shares in a company, he becomes appointed to the Board and receives
Directors fees equal to 10 percent of the current market price of
shares held in this company. Should he hold 32,000 shares in a
company he becomes Chairman of the company and collects a salary
equal to 25 percent of the value of his shares.
11. After each cycle of three years the player on the left of the
Minister of Economic Affairs becomes Minister of Economic Affairs
and all other roles also shift one position in a clock-wise
direction.
INTERNATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGES
More than one board (stock exchange) may be used when five or more
investors participate in a game. Under such circumstances any
player with the exception of the Minister of Economic Affairs may
sell his shares and bonds and transfer his money to another
exchange provided there are at least two players left at the
exchange after his departure.
TERMINATION OF THE GAME
The game terminates when each solvent player has had an opportunity
of being Minister of Economic Affairs. Games may be shortened by
restricting each player's term of office to one or two years.
During the course of a game a player may go insolvent, by not being
able to meet his income tax commitments. Under such circumstances,
he retires from the game for competitive purposes, but may, with
the permission of the other players, obtain an inheritance of
$20,000 from the Treasury and reparticipate in the game.
It will be appreciated that many variations in detail are possible
without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For
example, in the above preferred embodiment, the various numerical
values which are given may be changed to suit circumstances. Also,
the special roles allocated to various players may be designated by
different names. Certain of the special roles may be omitted or
additional roles may be added as required. The Market condition
Regulator 10 may comprise part of the board of FIG. 1 or may
comprise a separate device located on or adjacent the board.
* * * * *