U.S. patent number 3,889,954 [Application Number 05/331,605] was granted by the patent office on 1975-06-17 for board game apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Research & Development. Invention is credited to Jack T. Malisow.
United States Patent |
3,889,954 |
Malisow |
June 17, 1975 |
Board game apparatus
Abstract
A game is disclosed having a board with marked spaces or areas
constituting a path of progression about the board. A portion of
the spaces are designated for various property locations such as
particular gambling hotels, restaurants, and the like. Spaces are
also designated for certain reward/penalty spaces, such as "Pass,"
"Don't Pass," "Income Tax," "Go To Jail," "Jail," "Vigorish,"
"Airport," and the like. Playing pieces are provided with one piece
representing each player, and chance taking apparatus, such as
dice, determine the movement of each piece about the board. The
game further includes a medium of payment, such as token money, and
ownership indicators, such as title cards, for properties that may
be purchased. Additional chance taking apparatus, such as cards, a
roulette wheel, or the like, are provided to determine the payments
from a player whose playing piece at the end of a particular cycle
of movement comes to rest on a particular location. The amounts of
such payments are controlled by chance taking limits set forth at
each such location and further by the choice of the players and
whether or not another player has ownership rights in the
particular location.
Inventors: |
Malisow; Jack T. (Minneapolis,
MN) |
Assignee: |
Research & Development
(Minneapolis, MN)
|
Family
ID: |
23294638 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/331,605 |
Filed: |
February 12, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/256;
273/274 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
3/00157 (20130101); A63F 3/0052 (20130101); A63F
1/04 (20130101); A63F 3/00072 (20130101); A63F
2003/00066 (20130101); A63F 3/00006 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
3/00 (20060101); A63f 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/134 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,243,017 |
|
Aug 1960 |
|
FR |
|
915,550 |
|
Jan 1963 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Lowe; Delbert B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Nemer; Bruce A. Westman; Nickolas
E.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Game board apparatus, comprising in combination: a game board
having marked locations constituting a path of progression about
the board, with at least some of the locations being possessory
locations and at least some of the locations being nonpossessory,
reward/penalty locations; means for indicating ownership of the
possessory locations; means for determining the reward/penalty of
the reward/penalty locations; at least two playing pieces with one
playing piece being associated with each player of the game; chance
taking apparatus for determining the movement of the playing piece
of each player along the path of progression on the board, at least
a portion of the possessory locations comprising betting possessory
locations, at least one additional different known chance taking
apparatus, one of said chance taking apparatus being selectable by
a player whose playing piece comes to rest on a betting possessory
location possessed by an opposing player for determining an
occupancy payment due said opposing player by betting prior to
movement from the betting possessory location in a game of chance
using only said one selected chance taking apparatus; means for
indicating a minimum and maximum bet required for determining said
occupancy payments due to an owner of a betting possessory
location; and a medium of payment for satisfying certain
obligations or benefits from the means for determining the
reward/penalty and for satisfying occupancy payments for possessory
locations.
2. The game board apparatus of claim 1, wherein some of the
possessory locations comprise nonbetting locations including means
for indicating a fixed amount for occupancy payments due when a
playing piece comes to rest thereon.
3. The game board apparatus of claim 2, wherein: the game board is
generally square in configuration; the path of progression is
arranged about the periphery of the board to form a generally
square closed figure of four sides with a particular location in
each of the corners of the square thereby defining a space within
the square for placement of the chance taking apparatus and
reward/penalty cards; each side of the path of progression includes
several betting possessory locations, at least one nonbetting
possessory location, and at least one reward/penalty location; and
wherein the four locations in the corners of the board are
reward/penalty locations to thereby allow a variety and well
intermingled arrangement of locations about the board.
4. The game board apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for
determining the reward/penalty of the reward/penalty locations
comprises cards.
5. The game board apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the game board is
generally square in configuration; the path of progression is
arranged about the periphery of the board to form a generally
square closed figure of four sides with a particular location in
each of the corners of the square thereby defining a space within
the square for placement of the chance taking apparatus and the
means for determining the reward/penalty; each side of the path of
progression includes several betting possessory locations, at least
one nonbetting possessory location, and at least one reward/penalty
location; and wherein the four locations in the corners of the
board are reward/penalty locations to thereby allow a variety and
well intermingled arrangement of locations about the board.
6. Game board apparatus comprising in combination; a game board
having marked locations constituting a path of progression on the
board, with at least some of the locations being possessory
locations including betting possessory locations, and at least some
of said locations being nonpossessory reward/penalty locations; at
least two playing pieces with one playing piece being associated
with and movable to represent each player of the game; means for
indicating ownership of the possessory locations whereby individual
players may own said possessory locations; means for determining
the reward due a player landing in some of said reward/penalty
locations; separate means for determining the penalty imposed upon
a player landing in some of said reward/penalty locations; chance
taking apparatus for determining the movement of the playing piece
representing each player along the path of progression on the board
and for determining occupancy payments due to the player holding
means for indicating ownership of a betting possessory location
from a different player landing on that possessory location by
betting and playing a known game of chance with said chance taking
apparatus means for indicating fixed maximum and minimum bets in
each of said betting possessory locations to provide different
worth to the betting possessory locations; a medium of payment for
satisfying occupancy payments and for satisfying at least some
rewards to and some penalties imposed upon players landing in some
of the respective reward/penalty locations; the means for
indicating penalties imposed upon a player for landing on at least
one of said reward/penalty locations including several different
possible penalties at the one location, at least one of said
penalties comprising paying an amount of said medium of payment
into a reward fund, and at least one of said reward/penalty
locations including means to entitle a player landing thereon to
collect said reward fund.
7. The game board apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for
determining the reward due in at least some reward/penalty loctions
comprise a plurality of cards each including a different reward,
and said separate means for determining the penalty imposed in at
least some of said reward/penalty locations include cards having
different penalties thereon.
8. The game board apparatus of claim 6 wherein some of the
different possible penalties at said one location include penalties
involving movement to possessory locations on said game board.
Description
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates generally to a board game and more
particularly to a board game including purchase and chance.
With the increasing amounts of leisure time available to persons
generally in modern society, an increasing need has been felt for
amusement devices to occupy such leisure time. A selected class of
such amusement devices has been generally favored as providing
substantially nonrepetitive play, requiring logic and intelligent
decision making during play, and generally maintaining a high
degree of interest for an extended period of time. Board games are
within this selected class.
The present invention provides such a board game.
SUMMARY
A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a game
board with marked spaces and areas constituting a path of
progression about the board. A majority of the spaces are
designated for various real estate property locations, such as
gambling hotels, and restaurants. A plurality of cards are also
provided, each card uniquely indicating the ownership of a
particular hotel or restaurant. The remaining spaces are designated
for certain reward/penalty functions which may not be owned.
Playing pieces are further provided with one piece uniquely
representing or being associated with each player. Dice are
provided as a first chance taking apparatus to determine the
movement of each player's playing piece along the progression of
spaces on the board, and cards, a roulette wheel, the dice, and the
various individual reward/penalty cards are also included to
determine penalities, payments, or benefits to be accrued to a
player whose playing piece comes to rest upon a particular
location, whether that location is associated with a location which
may be owned or is a reward/penalty location.
Token money is also provided so that a player whose playing piece
comes to rest upon a particular hotel or restaurant may, if it is
not previously owned, purchase ownership rights to that location
upon the game board. The token money is further used as a medium of
complying with the rewards or penalties dictated by cards
associated with the reward/penalty locations upon the game board
and also for payments required by the bank or the owners of various
locations should the playing piece of a nonowning player come to
rest upon a location which may be owned.
In the event the playing piece of a player comes to rest upon a
hotel or restaurant, a payment must be made either to a central
banking authority for the game or to the owning player. The player
whose piece so comes to rest may thus be forced to bet an amount
within limits stated at the particular location upon the results of
chance taking apparatus to be determined by the betting player and
at odds determined by the ownership rights of the particular
locations.
It is, thus, a primary object of the present invention to provide a
novel board game apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such
apparatus for allowing the play of a board game including purchase
and chance.
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention
will become clearer in light of the following detailed description
of an illustrative embodiment of this invention described in
connection with the drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of a game board according to the
present invention, including plan and perspective views of various
of the remaining apparatus necessary for play of the board game of
the present invention.
FIGS. 2 and 3 represent cards indicating ownership in various of
the locations upon the game board of FIG. 1.
Where used in the various figures of the drawings, the same
numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the
terms "right," "left," "back," "front," "vertical," "horizontal,"
and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that
these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the
drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and
are utilized only to facilitate describing the present
invention.
In FIG. 1, a game board 10 useful in using the board game apparatus
of the present invention is shown. Game board 10 includes a
plurality of marked spaces, locations, or areas constituting a path
of progression about board 10, which path is generally designated
12. In particular, path 12 includes locations 14 to 49 arranged
sequentially and continuously to form a border around the outer
edge of board 10 and enclose a central portion 50. It will be
obvious to those skilled in the art that the path need not be so
arranged but may be any path in any arrangement about the board. A
path arranged about the border of the board is deemed preferred,
however.
Within central portion 50 of board 10, first chance taking
apparatus or dice 52 are shown. Additional chance taking apparatus
are also shown within portion 50 in the form of conventional
roulette apparatus, generally designated 54, and including a
conventional roulette wheel 56, shown in perspective for visual
purposes, and a conventional roulette playing board 58. Chance
taking apparatus in the form of conventional playing cards,
designated 60, are also arranged within central portion 50 as is a
location, designated 62, arranged to receive money 98 for the
purposes further explained hereinafter.
Also within central portion 50 of board 10 are stacks of
reward/penalty cards in the form of cards 64 designated "Pass"
cards and cards 66 designated "Don't Pass" cards. Cards 64 and 66
are arranged face down in the position indicated and each set
includes 24 individually imprinted cards.
In the preferred embodiment the legends on the twenty-four "Pass"
cards 64 are:
You hit the jackpot on the 10 cents slot machine at the landmark
.... go there you win $100!
an eye-witness clears you of all charges .... get out of jail
pass!
you have made 5 straight passes shooting craps, a high-roller tips
you $150!
go to the bagdad room at the alladin and see the show, compliments
of the house. collect $125!
return immediately to the airport .... your lost luggage has been
found. collect $200!
your bail has been paid .... get out of jail pass!
you have won the keno jackpot at the golden nugget, collect $200
.... go there. how about that!
your football parlay comes in from churchill downs. congrats,
collect $275!
you won dinner for two at the "follies bergere." collect $200!
your hotel bill has been paid compliments of the house .... collect
$200!
you hit the jackpot on the 50 cents " slot machine at the horseshoe
.... you win $200 (go there & collect)!
you win $200 at the "wheel of fortune" at the tropicana .... go
there & collect!
you win a small keno jackpot at the mint .... go there and collect
$85!
you hit the jackpot on the $1 slot machine at the plaza. collect
$250 you're hot!go there
pick up all the money at the top of the strip!
your dinner bill has been paid at circus maximus compliments of
caesars. go there and collect $175!
you win $250 at baccarat in circus circus .... now that's luck!go
there & collect.
you hit the jackpot at the nickel slot machine at the hotel
fremont. you win $50! go there.
you win at the "wheel of fortune" in bonanza .... go there. you are
now $100 richer. collect it!
you win $500 playing baccarat. when you're hot you're hot!
the player on your left has found your lost traveler's checks.
split $200 with him and be sure to thank him!
a free dinner, compliments of the next restaurant you land on! (do
not pay $300)
you have just been given $300 in chips .... compliments of the
sahara! (go there & collect)
you hit the jackpot on the 25 cents slot machine at the thunderbird
.... you win $150! go there & collect.
similarly, the preferred legends on the twenty-four "Don't Pass"
cards 66 are:
Your bill at the congo room is $125. go to the sahara and pay
it!
you've been dealt 3 straight blackjacks at the flamingo. you tip
the dealer $200, pay the hotel! and go there ....
you're called home on business .... your plane ticket costs $150
.... pay it!
pay your tab at the top of the strip. match the amount there!
excursion rates for the "hoover dam tour" are billed to you. pay
$85!
oh, oh. you've lost the rest of your traveler's checks. pay
$325!
you ordered lunch for yourself and guests out at the swimming pool.
pay $75
you lose $350 at the "wheel of fortune" .... what kind of luck is
that?
your tab at the "singing sword" lounge show is $120 .... pay the
royal las vegas!(and go there)
you're such a big sport you buy a round of drinks for everyone at
the bar. pay $200!
your dinner tab at the circle-f is $125. go directly to the
frontier and pay it!
your bill at the casinde de PARIS IS $140 .... GO TO THE DUNES AND
PAY IT!
You better quit while you are ahead. you have just lost $425 at
baccarat!
your hotel bill for one week stay is $400. we trust you did enjoy
yourself. pay it now!
you have run out of credit .... return to the airport but don't
collect $200!
your "quickie" marriage is annulled. pay $125 to the justice of the
peace for services unrendered!
you've been stuck with the check at versailles theatre. go to the
riviera and pay $125!
pay the nevada state income tax .... $185!
you certainly have enjoyed the dinner-show at the lido de PARIS.
THE BILL IS $165 .... GO TO & PAY THE STARDUST!
No luck. you lose $275 at craps .... pay the hilton! and go
there.
what happened to your luck? .... you lose $500 at baccarat!
you have just put $225 in the $1 slot machine .... pay the sands!
(and go there.)
another loss. this time pay $75 to the desert inn and don't play
keno again. (go to the desert inn!)
you're out of luck .... go directly to jail!
at two locations about the edge of board 10, two piles of token
money, generally designated 68 and 70, are shown with one pile
associated with each of the two players indicated as using the
board game apparatus 10 of the present invention. Each of the
players has sorted the tokens into individual piles by
denominations such that money 68 includes piles 72, 74, 76, 78 and
80 of denominations of $5, $20, $50, $100, and $1000. Further, pile
70 is similarly sorted into denominations indicated as 82, 84, 86,
88, and 90. While specific denominations are shown, it will
immediately be realized by those skilled in the art that no
limitation to the precise values given is intended. Fewer
denominations or more denominations may be used, if desired.
Also shown in FIG. 1 are a plurality of individual playing pieces,
generally designated 92, shown as situated adjacent location 14.
Pieces 92 include separate player pieces 94 and 96, which may be
items specifically related to the rules of the game, such as
differently colored miniature slot machines, or other pieces which
can be separately identified.
The locations of FIG. 1 are divided into particular classes
including possessory locations which comprise real estate locations
such as hotels and restaurants which may be owned by a particular
player and reward/penalty locations which comprise such locations
as "Pass," "Don't Pass," "Vigorish," "Income Tax," "Go To Jail,"
"Jail," "Top Of The Strip," and "Airport" which may not be
owned.
Therefore, the preferred embodiment of the possessory locations
includes hotels designated 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29,
31, 33, 35, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 45, 46, 48, and 49. As shown in
FIG. 1 in the preferred embodiment, the restaurants include
locations 21, 26, 39, and 47. The reward/penalty locations include
the "Pass" locations 30 and 43, the Don't Pass" locations 20 and
37, the "Vigorish" location designated 16, the "Income Tax"
location designated 34, the "Go To Jail" location designated 41,
the "Jail" location designated 23 and the "Airport" location
designated 14. Notice that the reward/penalty locations designated
"Pass" and "Don't Pass" are associated with the cards 64 and 66
designating the reward or penalty as indicated above and explained
hereinafter.
Each real estate possessory location has an associated indicia of
ownership or title card and these cards are generally represented
in FIG. 2 as cards 102 arranged in rows as they appear on the edges
of board 10. Cards 102 include specific title cards 104 to 125,
inclusive. As specifically designated on cards 104 and 124, each
real estate title card 102 includes; a name, designated 126; a
cost, designated 128; and a bet, designated 130, for purposes
hereinafter explained. Thus, with respect to card 104, the name 126
is indicated as "Golden Nugget," the cost 128 is indicated as
$1700," and the bet 130 is indicated as "Bet $50 - 500."
Similarly, FIG. 3 shows the restaurant cards generally designated
131 as specifically including cards 132 to 135, inclusive,
representing the one restaurant located on each edge of board 10.
As specifically designated on cards 132 and 135, each restaurant
card includes: a name, designated 136; a cost, designated 138; and
an indication of payment, designated 140. Thus, for example, the
restaurant card designated 132 indicates a name 136 of "Foxy's," a
cost of $1700," and a payment 140 indicated as "Collect-$300."
OPERATION
The object of the game apparatus of the present invention is to
allow the play of a board game including purchase and chance where
tokens representing individual players progress about a path on a
board in a repetitive and cyclical manner depending upon a chance
taking apparatus, in this case the throw of dice. Each player
begins with a given amount of token money in his possession,
progression about the board allows various transactions to occur
which can increase or decrease the amount of token money in the
possession of each player, and the object of the game is for one
player to come into possession of all of the token money of all
other players of the game and thus be the only player possessing
token money.
More specifically, the total amount of money, such as money 68 and
70 shown in FIG. 1, originally is in the possession of the bank,
i.e., a neutral repository unattached to any player. For
convenience, one of the players may be selected as the
representative of the bank and handle all transactions in the name
of the bank. When operating in this capacity, the player selected
must function in a neutral capacity. The role of the bank's
representative may further be delegated to various of the players
at various times of the game.
Each player is then given an initial amount of money by the bank.
In the preferred embodiment, $10,000 is allotted each player, and
this money is represented by the piles 68 and 70 shown in FIG. 1.
It will be realized that while the game is indicated as played by
two persons in the present description, no limitation to this
number is intended. Since the game is competitive, the minimum
number is two; however, the maximum number must be determined by
the tastes of the various players.
Each player is also assigned a playing piece, such as the playing
pieces 92 shown in FIG. 1. Each playing piece is then placed on an
initial location, in the preferred embodiment a location designated
Airport 14 in FIG. 1, and the game is begun with each player
rolling dice 52 to determine the starting player. In the preferred
embodiment, the player obtaining the highest number on the dice
begins play followed by the remaining players in clockwise
order.
The first player, assumed for the purposes of this description to
have been assigned playing piece 94, then begins play by again
rolling dice 52 and moving his playing piece 94 the number of
squares indicated by the vertically facing dots on the dice, as
conventional. For example, the dice 52 shown in FIG. 1 have three
vertically upraised dots, and thus playing piece 94 would be moved
across locations 15 and 16 and come to rest upon location 17
designated "Hotel Fremont."
Since location 17 is a possessory location, the first player then
has the option of purchasing possessory rights to this location
from the bank, initially deemed to be the owner of all possessory
locations, since this location is not yet owned by another player,
or gambling with the bank for landing rights on this location 17.
The betting rules of the game of the present invention will be
discussed further hereafter.
Upon purchasing a particular location by paying an amount to the
bank, the player is given a title card 102 such as are shown in
FIG. 2. For example, if the first player purchases rights to
location 17, he must pay the amount of $1800 indicated at 128 on
title card 105, and he is given title card 105 for the Hotel
Fremont by the bank. The purchasing player is now considered the
owner of this location for the remainder of the game, unless he
sells the location as discussed below.
The second player then rolls the dice, in turn, and moves an
appropriate number of spaces or locations. Assume, for the sake of
description, that the number 7 appears on dice 52. The second
player then moves playing piece 92 seven squares which would
require playing piece 92 to come to rest, end a turn, or land on
location 21, which is further a possessory location designated
"Foxy's Restaurant."
Upon landing upon a restaurant, the landing player may also
purchase a possessory interest and obtain a title card, such as is
illustrated in FIG. 3, by the payment of an amount designated, in
the case of location 21 the amount 138 designated upon title card
132 as $1700. In the event the landing player does not wish to
purchase rights to restaurant location 21, he must pay the amount
of $300 indicated at 140 upon location 21, and upon title card 132,
and proceed. Similarly, as indicated at 140 upon title card 132, a
nonpossessing player landing upon location 21 must pay the
possessing player an amount of $300.
Since it is assumed that only two players are using the game
apparatus 10 of the present invention, a cycle of play has been
completed, and the first player to throw the dice to indicate the
number of locations to be moved by his playing piece again does so.
The game continues in this manner until one player has accrued all
of the token money not possessed by the bank.
It will now be realized that various other of the locations 14-49
may at times be landed upon by one or more of the playing pieces
92. For example, after traversing the path 12 once in the cyclical
repetitive fashion, a playing piece will either land on or pass
location 14, designated "Airport." In the preferred embodiment, the
rules of the game apparatus of the present invention then indicate
that a player collects an amount of $200 from the bank.
Similarly, a playing piece 92 may land on location 32, designated
"Top of the Strip." If this location is landed upon, an amount of
money, designated 98 in FIG. 1, is collected from the "Las Vegas"
space designated 62 in FIG. 1. The bank then replenishes the amount
of money at space 62.
A playing piece 92 may also land on location 16, designated
"Vigorish," where the preferred rules indicate that the player must
pay to the bank ten percent of the cost of the most expensive hotel
possessed by the player.
A playing piece 92 may also land upon location 34, designated
"Income Tax," whereupon the player must pay to the bank ten percent
of all money in his possession, exclusive of the value of his owned
properties.
A playing piece 92 may also land upon location 41, designated "Go
To Jail," whereupon this playing piece is moved to location 23,
designated "Jail", while accruing the benefits attendant upon
passing location 14. While at location 23, the player cannot buy
property, receive any amounts from other players landing on his
restaurants or hotels, and the pass and don't pass cards applicable
to his hotels are no longer in effect. He is, in effect, excluded
from the game while on location 23. In order to remove a playing
piece 92 from the location 23, except upon casually landing upon
location 23 when traversing the path 12, a player must shoot craps,
i.e., obtain a total of seven or eleven on the first roll of dice
52, or he must make two straight passes, with one pass being
accomplished if a number other than seven or eleven appears on the
first roll of the dice. The player continues to roll the dice
attempting to again obtain the number first rolled before a seven
is rolled. As is conventional in the game of craps, if a player
first rolls a 2, 3, or 12, he then immediately loses.
A player may attempt to extract himself from jail location 23 each
time it is his turn, in rotation, to roll the dice to advance his
playing piece 92. Ultimately, if unsuccessful at otherwise
extracting himself, he can pay the bank the amount of $500 and move
as normally.
Another manner of being forced to move a playing piece 92 to jail
location 23 is to land at a don't pass location, such as don't pass
location 20 or 37. Upon landing at either of these locations, a
player selects the top card from the don't pass cards 66 and pays
money or moves his playing piece 92 as indicated on the don't pass
card. It is to be noted that one of the don't pass cards 66
requires the player to move his playing piece 92 to jail location
23.
All monies indicated to be paid by the don't pass cards, as in the
legends indicated above, are to be paid to the hotel owner or
placed upon location 62 of board 10 to be won by the next player
landing upon space 62, "Top of the Strip." That is, for example,
one legend of the don't pass cards 66 directs a player "YOUR BILL
AT THE CONGO ROOM IS $125. GO TO THE SAHARA AND PAY IT!" A player
would then move his playing piece 92 to location 25 and pay the
owner of location 25 $125. If no specific location is indicated on
the don't pass card 66, for example the card with the legend
"YOU'RE CALLED HOME ON BUSINESS .... YOUR PLANE TICKET COSTS $150
.... PAY IT!," the monies are deposited at location 62.
Similarly, a player may land on pass location 30 or 43 and must
select a pass card 64, receive the benefit thereof, and move his
playing piece 92 if so directed. Similarly to the case of the
directions on the don't pass cards 66 above, all monies indicated
on a pass card 64 are paid by the hotel owner or by the bank,
depending upon the legends appearing upon the card, as indicated
above.
If the selection of either a pass card 64 or don't pass card 66
causes a player to move his playing piece 92 past location 14, he
does not collect the normal monies for so passing.
The rules of betting used when a player lands on a particular hotel
may now be explained. If the hotel is not owned, i.e., the title
card 102 is not in the possession of another player, and the
landing player does not desire to buy the hotel, he must gamble
with the bank for landing rights. If a player decides to gamble, he
must bet within the minimum and maximum limits indicated upon each
of the title cards 102 and upon a similar location upon each of the
locations 14-49. For example, a player landing upon location 15
would bet between $50 and $500 as indicated at 130 on title card
104 in FIG. 2.
A player then chooses the particular gambling apparatus desired by
him, i.e., dice 52 to play craps, roulette apparatus 54 to play
roulette, or cards 60 to play blackjack. Each of these games is
then played according to the conventional rules of the game, and
when playing with the bank, the player gambles at even odds, i.e.,
one dollar bet is paid and returned at one dollar.
If a particular hotel is owned by another player, the hotel owner
decides the amount the landing player must bet. The landing player
then chooses the particular chance apparatus, i.e., blackjack,
craps, or roulette, as indicated above, and plays the particular
game. If the landing player loses to an owning player, the odds are
2 to 1 against him, i.e., he must pay the owning player two dollars
for every one dollar bet.
Further, a player must have sufficient money before he gambles to
pay any bet made. That is, if betting with an owner, he must have
an amount in money sufficient to pay twice the amount of the bet,
if he loses. If a landing player has insufficient money, he must
sell his property before playing. The bank will pay one-half the
cost of his property, and the remaining players in the game have
the option of bidding against each other for the property,
beginning at an amount one-half the value of the property. The
property is then sold to the highest bidder, and a player must
continue to sell property until he has sufficient money to cover
any bet he is forced to make.
If a landing player has sold all of his property and yet does not
have sufficient monies to meet the amount required, he must bet an
amount which would allow him to meet his obligation if he loses,
i.e., one-half of the monies he has if he is gambling against a
property owner and the entire amount he has left if he is gambling
against the bank. Also, if a landing player does not have
sufficient monies to meet his obligation to a restaurant location
owner, or any other type of nonbetting loss, he must pay one-half
of the monies he has. This means that a player can only lose all of
his money by gambling.
Similarly, the owner of a particular location must have sufficient
monies to cover any minimum bet which may be made by a landing
player. In the case of roulette where the odds may be as high as 35
to 1, the possessor of a particular location need not have monies
sufficient to cover all of the potential winning amount.
If a landing player wins and the possessor of the property does not
have sufficient money to pay the landing player, the possessor must
give the landing player all of the property owned by the possessor
and retain only an amount up to $500.
If a possessor of a particular location does not have sufficient
monies to cover a minimum bet and holds no other property, he must
sell to the bank the property upon which the other player has
landed, and the landing player proceeds to play against the bank as
indicated.
Now that the basic teachings, and some of the extensions and
variations, of the present invention have been explained, many
further extensions and variations will be obvious to one having
ordinary skill in the art. For example, no limitation to the number
of locations comprising path 12 is intended. More or fewer
locations may be used.
Also, various further types of possessory or reward/penalty spaces
will be envisioned by those skilled in the art.
Additionally, various other, more, or fewer, chance taking
apparatus may be employed in the present invention.
Further, no limitation to the precise names of the locations is
intended. Other locations representing gambling establishments or
other possessory objects may be used in place of the hotels and
restaurants indicated.
Furthermore, no limitation to the precise representation of the
game board of the present invention is intended. The game board of
FIG. 1 is deemed preferred for aesthetic purposes, however, many
other aesthetic representations could be used.
Thus, since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other
specific forms without departing from the spirit or general
characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated,
the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all
respects illustrative and not restrictive The scope of the
invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by
the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the
meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be
embraced therein.
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