U.S. patent number 3,874,671 [Application Number 05/384,927] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-01 for game board apparatus.
Invention is credited to Rex Duane Smith.
United States Patent |
3,874,671 |
Smith |
April 1, 1975 |
Game board apparatus
Abstract
A parlor game having the "age of piracy" as its theme includes a
board marked in a matrix of spaces representing locations at sea
extending between land masses on opposite sides of the board, each
land mass having several ports where "cargo" is to be bought and
sold. Players are represented by corresponding ships to be moved
about the board, and each player attempts to purchase cargo of a
desired valuation when his ship is in port and then move his ship
to a port on the other side of the board where he may receive a
profit proportional to the value of the shipment successfully
reaching port. Ships transporting cargo may land on certain spaces
of the board which result in aiding them in reaching port. Ships
transporting cargo also risk encountering hazards which can either
interrupt their course of travel or cause them to lose their cargo
enroute to port. Such hazards include the possiblity of
interception by competing players acting as non-cargo-carrying
"pirates," or interception by cargo-carrying ships of competing
players or "privateers" bearing armament which is purchased for the
purpose of doing battle with competing cargo-carrying ships, so the
battle winner will gain the loser's cargo. Players also can
purchase treasure maps which may lead the player to buried treasure
and provide a substantial increase in his assets and thereby
enhance his ability to purchase more cargo and/or armament.
Inventors: |
Smith; Rex Duane (Webb City,
MO) |
Family
ID: |
23519322 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/384,927 |
Filed: |
August 2, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/254; 273/256;
273/290 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
3/00075 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
3/00 (20060101); A63f 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/131,134 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lowe; Delbert B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Christie, Parker & Hale
Claims
I claim:
1. Game board apparatus comprising:
a. a board having indicia thereon providing a course of travel
extending from one or more starting points to one or more points of
destination so that players can move player position markers about
the board from a starting point to a point of destination;
b. means representing the equivalent of money to be in the
possession of each player;
c. a plurality of articles symbolic of cargo having a predetermined
value to be purchased with the money in the possession of the
players;
d. means for providing indications of a plurality of numerically
different percentage markups in the value of the cargo and for
associating a given percentage markup with each player who
successfully moves his position marker to a point of destination
with cargo in his possession but for preventing the amount of each
percentage markup from being known to each player in advance of his
reaching the point of destination; and
e. a plurality of articles symbolic of armament having a
predetermined value to be purchased with the money in the
possession of the players for the purpose of enhancing each
player's ability to defend his cargo from loss enroute to a point
of destination in proportion to the value of the armament in his
possession,
whereby each player must make a business decision as to the amount
of money to invest in the possibility of making a percentage markup
on his cargo as compared with the amount of money to spend to
defend his investment against potential loss.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means for providing
indications of percentage markups comprise means of chance for
determining one of a plurality of possible percentage markups in
the value of each player's cargo.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the means of chance
includes a set of cards one of which is to be drawn by each player
reaching a point of destination to provide the player with the
particular percentage markup in the value of his cargo.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for providing
indications of a plurality of numerically different percentage
losses in the value of the cargo and for associating a given
percentage loss with each player who successfully moves his
position marker to a point of destination with cargo in his
possession.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the articles
representing cargo include indications of value independent of any
specific location on the game board so that only the player's
purchasing power limits his ability to purchase cargo.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the articles symbolic of
armament include indications of value independent of any specific
location on the game board so that only the player's purchasing
power limits his ability to purchase armament.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the board includes
indications symbolic of land masses on opposite sides of the board,
and indications symbolic of one or more ports on each land mass;
and further including means for associating the indications of
percentage markups with the ports indicated on the board.
8. Apparatus according to claim 1 including an article symbolic of
buried treasure and having an indication of value providing a
substantial potential increase in the assets of a player who
obtains the treasure, an article symbolic of a treasure map having
information thereon for potentially allowing the player to obtain
the treasure, and means on the board for providing indications to
be used in conjunction with the information on the treasure map for
allowing the player possessing the treasure map to obtain the
buried treasure.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8 including means for providing
indications of a specific location on the board where a player is
required to move before the treasure map can be obtained.
10. Game board apparatus comprising:
a. a board having indications thereon representing land masses on
opposite sides of the board, one or more ports on each land mass,
and marked spaces between the land masses for providing a course of
travel extending from a starting point at a port on one land mass
to a point of destination at a port on the other land mass;
b. a plurality of differently identified position markers symbolic
of ships at sea to be moved by the players from a starting point to
a point of destination;
c. means representing the equivalent of money to be in the
possession of each player;
d. a plurality of articles symbolic of cargo having a predetermined
value to be purchased with the money in the possession of the
players;
e. means of chance for providing indications of one of a plurality
of numerically different percentage markups in the value of the
cargo and for associating a given percentage markup with each
player whose ship successfully moves to a point of destination with
cargo in its possession but for preventing the amount of each
percentage markup from being known to each player in advance of
when his ship reaches the point of destination;
f. a plurality of articles symbolic of armament having a
predetermined value to be purchased with the money in the
possession of the players for the purpose of enhancing each
player's ability to defend his cargo from loss enroute to a point
of destination in proportion to the value of the armament in his
possession;
g. means for providing indications in certain spaces of the board
symbolic of a net financial gain to a player whose ship lands on
the space; and
h. means for providing indications in certain spaces on the board
symbolic of a net financial loss to a player whose ship lands on
the space,
whereby each player must make a business decision as to the amount
of money to invest in the possibility of making a percentage markup
in the value of his cargo as compared with the amount of money to
spend to defend his investment against potential loss.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which the means of chance
includes a set of cards one of which is to be drawn by each player
reaching a point of destination to provide the player with the
particular percentage markup in the value of his cargo.
12. Apparatus according to claim 10 including means for providing
indications of a plurality of numerically different percentage
losses in the value of the cargo and for associating a given
percentage loss with each player who successfully moves his
position marker to a point of destination with cargo in his
possession.
13. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which the articles
representing cargo include indications of value independent of any
specific location on the game board so that only the player's
purchasing power limits his ability to purchase cargo.
14. Apparatus according to claim 13 in which the articles symbolic
of armament include indications of value independent of any
specific location on the game board so that only the player's
purchasing power limits his ability to purchase armament.
15. Apparatus according to claim 10 including an article symbolic
of buried treasure and having an indication of value providing a
substantial potential increase in the assets of a player obtaining
the treasure, an article symbolic of a treasure map having
information thereon for potentially allowing the player to obtain
the treasure, and means on the board for providing indications to
be used in conjunction with the information on the treasure map for
allowing the player possessing the treasure map to obtain the
buried treasure.
16. Apparatus according to claim 15 including means for providing
indications of a specific location on the board where a player is
required to move before the treasure map can be obtained.
17. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which the game board is
marked with a matrix of areas so that, in a given move, a player
has a choice of moving his ship in any one of several directions to
thereby provide a relatively large number of possible encounters
between the ships of competing players as they move about the
matrix.
18. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which the board includes an
indication of a geographical boundary line between the two land
masses so each player's ship must travel from a port on one land
mass, across the boundary line, to a port on the opposite side of
the board before the player can obtain a percentage markup in the
value of the cargo in his possession.
19. Apparatus according to claim 10 including means for designating
certain players as the equivalent of pirates to distinguish them
from the ships of players who are transporting cargo.
Description
BACKGROUND
This invention relates to parlor games, and more particularly to a
game involving strategy and skill, together with the element of
chance, and having both educational and entertainment value.
SUMMARY
Briefly, the game includes a board marked with spaces providing a
course extending from one or more starting points to one or more
points of destination on the board. Players are represented as
ships at sea to be moved about the spaces on the board. Preferably,
each player is provided with the equivalent of money for purchasing
articles representing cargo prior to moving their ships from a
starting point to a point of destination. A player whose ship
reaches a point of destination with cargo still in his possession
has the opportunity of obtaining a profit proportional to the value
of his cargo. Players landing on certain spaces of the board may
encounter hazards enroute to a point of destination causing each
player to run the risk of losing his cargo before reaching his
destination.
Preferably, the chance of obtaining a profit is provided by a set
of cards one of which is to be drawn by each player whose ship
safely reaches a point of destination. The cards provide the player
with indications of possible percentage markups in the valuation of
his cargo.
In the preferred form of the game, the hazards which a player may
encounter include the possibility of interception by ships of
competing players bearing armament to be purchased by the player
for the purpose of "doing battle" with competing cargo-carrying
ships which can result in the loss of cargo by the ship losing the
battle.
The game preferably has several elements of chance, including the
possibility of each player obtaining buried treasure which will
substantially increase his assets and thereby provide him with the
opportunity of purchasing more cargo and/or armament. Other chance
elements include the possibility that landing on certain spaces of
the board will either aid or impede a player's progress across the
board, or might result in a player either gaining or losing at
least a portion of his cargo.
The entertainment value of the game results not only from its
chance elements, but also from the variety of strategy decisions
required during the course of the game. For example, the basic
strategy requires each player to decide how much of his money
should be used to purchase cargo and how much should be used to
purchase armament to defend his cargo. Moreover, the game board
preferably is marked in a matrix of spaces so that in a given move
a player has a choice of moving in any one of several directions.
This provides a relatively large number of possible encounters
between competing players and thereby adds to the strategy of the
game.
Besides the educational value inherent in the strategy decisions to
be made by each player, the game also provides the educational
value to be gained in figuring percentage markups or percentage
losses incurred when the players' cargo-carrying ships reach their
destination.
These and other aspects of the invention will be more fully
understood by referring to the following detailed description and
the accompanying drawings.
DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the preferred arrangement of the game
board of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing one of a variety of ship-form
tokens or symbols for representing the various players of the
game;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a six-sided die to be used in
determining the length of the moves of the players;
FIG. 4 is an elevation view showing the various denominations of
token money to be used by the players during the play of the
game;
FIG. 5 is an elevation view showing some barrel-shaped pieces
representing cargo to be purchased and kept in the possession of
the players during the play of the game;
FIG. 6 is an elevation view showing the various so-called port
cards to be drawn by players when their cargo-carrying ships reach
port;
FIG. 7 is an elevation view showing various so-called 50/50 cards
to be drawn by players landing on certain spaces of the game
board;
FIG. 8 is an elevation view showing pieces shaped as cannon and
representing different sized armament to be purchased by the
players during the course of the game;
FIG. 9 shows a treasure chest of a predetermined valuation which
can be obtained by the players during the course of the game;
FIG. 10 is an elevation view showing various so-called treasure
maps to be used in determining whether a player can or cannot
obtain possession of the treasure chest;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a symbol to be used to
represent players who represent pirates rather than cargo-carrying
ships during the course of the game; and
FIG. 12 is an elevation view showing a form of slide rule for
easily calculating percentage markups of cargo reaching port.
DESCRIPTION
The present invention provides a parlor game based on a theme of
sea-going vessels during the "age of piracy" which adds interest
and entertainment value to the game. The game also involves
numerous strategy decisions and arithmetic calculations which
provide educational value to the players in addition to being
entertaining.
Referring to FIG. 1, the invention includes a game board 20
preferably marked off in a relatively large number of square spaces
22 in a manner akin to a chess board. Although the game could also
be played on a board marked in a course formed by a singular row of
squares extending about the board, it is preferred to use a
relatively large matrix of spaces, such as the fourteen by sixteen
matrix shown in FIG. 1, which provides for a relatively large
number of possible moves by each player on a given turn so as to
add to the strategy of the game.
Game board 20 preferably has the appearance of a large map in
orthographic projection, in which the straight lines which mark off
spaces 22 are representative of geographical latitude and
longitudinal lines of projection. Representations of land masses 24
and 26 are located along two opposite edges of the board.
Preferably, three darkened areas 28, 30, and 32 are located
adjacent land mass 24 to represent separate "ports" along the land.
Similarly, darkened areas 34, 36, and 38 represent "ports" along
the shore of land mass 26. Preferably, a majority of the spaces
extending between the two land masses are colored blue to represent
a body of water extending between the two land masses. As will
become clear from the description below, one purpose of the game is
for players to move from any of the ports on one land mass, across
the center of the board, to any of the ports on the land mass on
the opposite side of the board. To add interest to the game, the
center of the board can be marked as the prime meridian so that the
players will move between land in the western hemisphere, such as
the Caribbean area, and land in the eastern hemisphere, such as
Africa or Europe. To add further interest to the game, the ports on
the Caribbean side can be separately labeled, such as "Port
Royale," "Santo Domingo," "Kingston," and the like, and the ports
on land mass 26 can be labeled "Cape Town," Port Said," "Tripoli,"
"Penzance," "Liverpool," "Plymouth," or the like. The center of the
board also can be marked as the equator, in which case players
would be moving between north and south, such as between Caribbean
and South American ports, for example. In the description to
follow, the line marking the center of the board will be referred
to as the equator.
In the preferred form of the game board there are representations
of several "islands" between the two land masses and around which
the players must move when traversing from one side of the board to
the other. The islands preferably include an island 40 designated
"Treasure Island" having on it the numerals one through six located
at 42 and spaced radially apart and progressing numerically in
order in a clockwise fashion. Treasure Island also includes a space
located at 44 where a "treasure chest" is to be placed for the
purpose of being discovered during the play of the game. The game
board also includes an island 46 designated "Pirates Island" and
located diagonally with respect to and on the opposite side of the
equator from Treasure Island. Pirates Island preferably includes an
inlet 48 marked by a darkened space 50 and designated "Pirates
Cove." Pirates Island also includes a space 51 where a set of
"treasure maps" (described in detail below) is placed.
Game board 20 also includes a pair of islands 52 and 54 located
diagonally with respect to each other on opposite sides of the
equator. Island 52 includes a space at 56 where a deck of so-called
"Port" cards is placed, and island 54 includes a space at 58 where
a deck of so-called 50/50 cards is placed.
Several of the spaces designated 60 are darkened to distinguish
them from the other unmarked spaces on the board. Several other
spaces are marked with an appropriate symbol, such as the symbol at
62 representing a "hurricane" at sea. The board also includes
several spaces 64 which are marked with an X and represent the
starting point of corresponding relatively long lines 66 extending
about halfway across the board. Each line 66 terminates at a
respective space 68 represented by an arrow. Players landing on
spaces 60, 62, or 64, or on the space 50 at Pirates Cove 48, will
incur various consequences to be described in detail below.
FIG. 2 shows one of several tokens 70 for use in representing the
various players of the game. Each token preferably is shaped as a
ship, and the sail of each ship has a corresponding symbol 71, such
as the "iron cross," to distinquish the various players. The ships
also can be in different colors to distinguish the players.
During the play of the game, the players move across the board
according to the throw of a six-sided die represented at 72 in FIG.
3. Each player starts in any one of the six ports represented by
spaces 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38. The main purpose of the game is
for each player to purchase as much "cargo" as he desires when he
is in port and to then move his ship to a port on the opposite side
of the board where he then has the opportunity of selling his cargo
at a "profit," the amount of profit being in direct proportion to
the value of the cargo which is successfully transported across the
board. All players transporting cargo must move their ships across
the equator of the board to a port on the opposite side to sell
their cargo. Players may not merely travel down the coast to
another port.
The players are provided with game money illustrated in FIG. 4.
Preferably, the game money includes three sets of small circular
plastic pieces 74, 76, and 78 resembling coins and colored copper,
silver, and gold, respectively. The small copper, silver, and gold
coins preferably are in denominations of 1000, 5000, and 10,000
doubloons, respectively. The game money also includes three sets of
large circular plastic pieces 80, 82, and 84 resembling coins and
colored copper, silver, and gold. The large copper, silver, and
gold coins preferably are in denominations of 20,000, 50,000, and
100,000 doubloons, respectively. The game money also may include
several tokens illustrated at 86 and shaped as a gold bag
representing a value of one million doubloons.
The number of players in the game is not fixed. Any number can
play, but four to eight players have been found to be most
desirable. Before the game starts one of the players is chosen as
the "banker" to provide each player with money and to handle all
transactions on behalf of the bank. Each player receives from the
bank 100,000 doubloons in any assortment of denominations.
At the beginning of the game the players each throw the die 72 to
see who goes first, the player having the largest throw going
first, and the player to his left going second, etc. As described
above, players may start their ships in any port and attempt to
move across the board to any of the ports on the other side. On any
given throw of the die, a ship representing a given player may move
either forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally, as long as the
move is in a straight line, i.e., in a manner akin to the queen in
the game of chess. Any move interrupted by any land, or the side of
the board, results in the player forfeiting any unused part of the
move remaining.
The "money" in the possession of each player can be used to
purchase cargo prior to their trip across the board. Preferably,
the cargo is represented by three sets of playing pieces shaped as
copper colored barrels 88, silver colored barrels 90, and gold
colored barrels 91 shown in FIG. 5. Preferably, the denominations
of the copper, silver, and gold colored barrels are 20,000, 50,000,
and 100,000 doubloons, respectively. A player can only purchase
cargo when his corresponding ship is stationed in port. The money
used to purchase cargo goes to the bank. The player purchasing
cargo may purchase as much cargo as he wishes, limited only by his
purchasing power represented by the value of game money in his
possession. If a player who purchases cargo is then successful in
moving his ship across the board to a port on the opposite side
without losing his cargo enroute, then the player has the
opportunity of gaining a "profit." There are a variety of ways in
which a profit can be provided for a player whose ship successfully
reaches port. For example, each player reaching port can be given a
fixed amount of game money, such as 20,000 doubloons.
Alternatively, each port could have a fixed reward associated with
it, or each player's profit could be determined by the throw of the
die. However, the preferred system for rewarding a player who
successfully transports his cargo is to provide him with the
opportunity of gaining a profit in proportion to the value of the
cargo he has in his possession when he reaches port. Each player's
profit when reaching port is determined from a set of so-called
"Port" cards 92 shown in FIG. 6. During the play of the game the
stack of Port cards is placed face down at space 56 on island 52.
Each player reaching port draws a card from the top of the Port
card deck and follows its instructions. The particular set of Port
cards shown in FIG. 6 are merely representative of each preferred
type of instruction contained in the Port card deck. Preferably,
the Port card deck includes two of the cards designated 92A, three
of the cards designated 92B, four of the cards designated 92C, four
of the cards designated 92D, and two of the cards designated 92E.
Thus, a review of the cards in the Port card deck will indicate
that there is about a sixty-five percent chance for each player to
obtain a monetary benefit when he successfully reaches port.
One of the cards included in the Port deck 92 is a "Storm" card
shown at 92F. Whenever a player draws the Storm card he in essence
throws a storm over the entire board. The player drawing the card
is in port, and therefore he is safe from the storm. However, for
all the other players to be safe they must either be in port, in a
space adjacent to land, or must reach land in one throw of the die.
Thus, starting with the player to the left of the person who drew
the Storm card, each player at sea during the storm takes his turn
by throwing the die to see if he is able to reach land. If any
player cannot reach land within one throw of the die he loses all
of his cargo since, in essence, it must be thrown overboard to
lighten the ship during the storm. No other losses are incurred.
When all players at sea have taken their chance to reach shore
during the storm, the player who drew the Storm card may then take
another card from the Port deck. Any player able to move into a
port during the storm must wait until his next turn comes up before
taking a Port card.
Another purpose of the game is for each player crossing the board
to encounter many "hazards" which can result in either an
impediment to his reaching port or in a loss of some or all of the
value of his cargo. Thus, there is a certain amount of strategy
involved in each player's decisions on how much cargo to purchase
and risk during transit and which direction to move in a given turn
so as to avoid the potential hazards which can result in his loss
of cargo. The strategy of the game even includes the possibility
that players may choose to not carry cargo, but look for buried
treasure instead, or attempt to "do battle" with the ships owned by
competing players for the purpose of "robbing" their ships and
thereby causing them to lose their cargo.
A major hazard to ships carrying cargo is vulnerability to attack
from ships owned by other players. In theory, cargo-carrying ships
owned by competing players are similar in nature to merchant ships
or "privateers" during the age of piracy who were commissioned by
merchants in a certain country to attack the ships of other enemy
countries. Players can defend themselves against attack by
purchasing "armament." Armament preferably is represented by gray
and black playing pieces 94 and 96, respectively, shaped as cannon
and shown in FIG. 8. Cannon may only be purchased when a player's
ship is in port. Preferably, cannon cost 1,000 doubloons each, and
cannon must be bought in lots of five, up to a maximum of 60 cannon
per ship. Each gray playing piece 94 represents five cannon, and
each black playing piece 96 signifies ten cannon. The cannon are to
be carried on each player's ship after they are purchased so as to
be displayed at all times. Preferably, each cannon is clipped to
its owner's ship by slipping the barrel of each cannon through a
respective one of several holes 98 formed in the gunwales of
playing pieces 70.
During the play of the game "battle" occurs when two competing
ships meet on one square. Whenever the two ships are together they
are considered to be "in battle," and the ship with the more cannon
wins. The winner takes all of the other ship's cargo or treasure
maps (to be described in detail below), but the money in the
possession of the losing ship owner is considered to be banked
ashore and therefore cannot be collected by the battle winner,
unless money in the possession of the losing ship owner is treasure
booty (also to be described in detail below). If two ships meeting
on the same square have the same number of cannon, or if neither
has cannon, the battle is decided by the throw of the die, with the
higher number winning all. Ships that either do not have any
valuables except cannon on board, or nothing on board, are
considered "sunk" if they lose a battle, and therefore must
withdraw from the game. Cannon cannot be collected from another
ship, but are considered to be thrown overboard and returned to the
bank. The players at sea when a Storm card is drawn may do battle
during the storm providing they reach a space that borders land. If
such an event occurs it proceeds as if it were one of the battles
occurring during the normal course of the game. Three ships are
never allowed on one square, so a player must move elsewhere and
not move to an occupied battle square. If this is not possible he
may take another throw of the die. No battles may take place in a
port.
All battles occur only when ships land directly on a square
occupied by an opponent. If there are more spaces remaining in a
move when a player lands on a square occupied by an opponent, the
player's ship must continue on for the full number of spaces
indicated by the throw of the die so that he bypasses the opponent
rather then engaging in battle. Battles may not occur on any of the
darkened spaces 60.
A potential advantage is provided to players landing on squares 64.
The lines 66 extending away from these squares are to represent
trade winds which each player may take advantage of by following
the course designated by each line 66 and ending at a square 68
indicated by the arrow.
Another one of the potential hazards which players may encounter is
landing on squares 62 which represent "hurricanes" and result in
the loss of all the ship's cargo. No other losses are incurred by a
player whose ship encounters a hurricane.
A substantial element of chance is added to the game by the use of
a deck of so-called 50/50 cards 100 shown in FIG. 7. The 50/50
cards are to be placed face down on space 58 on island 54. Players
landing on squares 60 draw a card from the top of the 50/50 deck
and follow its instructions. Fifty percent of the cards in the deck
are good moves and fifty percent are bad moves. The 50/50 cards
shown in FIG. 7 represent each type of instruction provided by the
cards in the deck. Preferably, the deck contains three of each of
the cards designated 100A and 100B, and two of each of the cards
designated 100C and 100D.
Players not carrying cargo may elect to search for "buried
treasure" during the course of their travel across the board. To
obtain buried treasure a player must move to Pirates Cove 50 where
the player buys a "treasure map" to aid him in finding the buried
treasure. The treasure maps are shown at 102 in FIG. 10. The maps
preferably comprise six pieces of parchment resembling treasure
maps and having the numerals one through six, respectively, on
them. A player reaching Pirates Cove can purchase a treasure map
for 5000 doubloons which is paid to the bank. The treasure maps are
placed in a stack face down at space 51 on Pirates Island, and the
player purchasing a treasure map takes the top map from the stack.
After a treasure map is purchased, the player then attempts to move
to Treasure Island to search for the buried treasure. Upon reaching
any of the spaces bordering Treasure Island (with the exception of
darkened spaces 60) the player throws the die, and if the number on
the die corresponds to the number on his treasure map the player
wins the buried treasure. Preferably, the buried treasure is in the
form of a playing piece 104 shaped as a treasure chest and placed
on space 44 on Treasure Island. The treasure preferably is worth
100,000 doubloons. The game may include only one treasure 104 which
is to always remain on Treasure Island and merely be symbolic of
the hidden treasure, or the game may include several treasure
chests which can be taken by the player winning the treasure and
kept in his possession and thereafter used as money worth 100,000
doubloons. If the number thrown by the player does not equal the
number on his treasure map, but if the number thrown is located on
either side of the number corresponding to the number on his map
(e.g., four or six if the number on the map is five), then the
player receives 5,000 doubloons for his effort. Thus, a player
searching for buried treasure has a 50--50 chance of at least
breaking even. In the event a battle occurs with a player having
either a treasure map in his possession or treasure booty, the
player having the treasure map or treasure booty runs the risk of
losing it if he loses the battle.
Any player who becomes bankrupt or is unable to purchase cannon,
cargo, or treasure maps has the option of either leaving the game
or choosing to remain in the game by turning "pirate." In the
instance where a player turns pirate, a playing piece shown at 106
in FIG. 11 which resembles a "Jolly Roger" flag is attached to the
mast of the player's ship so that the player turning pirate may be
easily distinguished from the other players who are cargo-carrying
privateers. A pirate cannot purchase cargo or go to any port. If a
pirate ends up in any one of the ports he is considered caught and
must withdraw from the game. The pirate may obtain profits by doing
battle with ships owned by his opponents. The pirate can purchase
cannon at its regularly established price only when the pirate ship
moves to space 50 at Pirates Cove 48. Any booty taken by a pirate
can be sold only in Pirates Cove at 10 percent over its value. A
player is not able to win the game while he is a pirate, although
he may first pay a fine of 250,000 doubloons to be pardoned and
then he will be allowed to take down his "Jolly Roger" flag and
re-enter the game as a cargo ship. A player may turn pirate only
when he has no cargo, no treasure map, no booty, or is unable to
purchase cargo, cannon, or treasure maps. He may turn pirate
whether or not he has cannon. Pirates can search for buried
treasure, and pirates may elect not to be pardoned and merely amass
a fortune. They cannot win the game, and the last cargo-carrying
player remaining in the game after others are pirates or bankrupt
is the winner.
Thus, the game involves a substantial amount of strategy and skill
in determining how much cargo to risk carrying in hopes of possibly
making a profit which the player can then use to purchase more
cargo, armament, and/or treasure maps. A substantial amount of
strategy also is involved in deciding which of several possible
moves a player can make after each throw of the die. The strategy
inherent in the game, together with the variety of chance elements
involved, provides substantial entertainment as well as educational
value for the players. Additional educational value is inherent in
the exercise of determining percentage markups in the valuation of
cargo successfully shipped to port. To aid players in quickly
determining the percentage markup of a given shipment, a form of
slide rule 108 shown in FIG. 12 may be used. Preferably, the slide
rule is made of cardboard or a thin sheet of plastic, and includes
a base 110 having several spaced apart columns of numbers on it
representing shipment values. The number at the top of each column
represents the value of the shipment, and the numbers below the top
figure represent the value of the shipment after it has been marked
up 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent, 50 percent, 100 percent, and
200 percent. A slide element 112 adapted to slide back and forth on
base 110 includes a column of numerals representing the various
percentage markups for the cargo shipments. The slide element also
includes an opening 114 to be aligned with a certain column of
numbers on the base associated with a given shipment value to be
marked up. After the percentage markup is known from the player
drawing a Port card, the marked up value of his shipment is shown
by a number appearing in opening 114 immediately adjacent the
percentage markup figure located on slide element 112. Thus, in the
example slide rule shown in FIG. 12, a shipment having a value of
500,000 doubloons when marked up 50 percent is shown to have a
final valuation of 750,000 doubloons.
* * * * *