Dice Throwing Board Game

This application claims priority to Provisional Application Nos. 63/656,133, filed Jun. 5, 2024, and 63/663,176 filed Jun. 23, 2024, which are herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure generally relates to recreational games. More specifically, the disclosure relates to board-based dice throwing games.

There are many games that utilize the action of skillfully throwing, sliding, rolling, bouncing, pitching, or tossing objects into desired scoring areas. The requirement of physical skill appeals to players who are interested in getting better at a game through repetition of play. Examples include shuffleboard, corn-hole, beer die, horseshoes, darts, and bowling. A large amount of space, which is not always readily available, is often required to enhance the challenge of a successful throw and to further incentivize players to keep playing for improvement. These games also tend to lack portability due to size, shape, and quantity of required components.

There are also many games that utilize chance, typically through the use of dice or cards, to build excitement and even competition between opposing players. Examples include Yahtzee, Craps, War, and Blackjack. However, luck alone loses its excitement over time. External incentives are often used to compensate for this, which are not easily provided as an additional feature in a unit for sale. Other popular games include mental skill elements to retain interest, but these tend to add complexity and a learning curve that deters new players.

There is a desire to develop board-based dice throwing games focusing on, for example, the intersection of skillful throwing of objects and chance elements. There is also a continued demand for new games that promote excitement, are simple to learn, can be played anywhere, and retain interest over time.

As recited in examples, Example 1 is a game board apparatus for a dice throwing game. The apparatus includes a board having a playing surface where dice are projected and roll, the playing surface including one or more scoring areas where the dice land for points, a score piece path positioned on the playing surface, the score piece path comprising a plurality of score piece positions, and one or more score pieces removably engageable with one or more of the plurality of score piece positions and configured to block dice throws by an opponent player.

Example 2 is the apparatus of Example 1, where the playing surface is an unbounded rolling surface for the dice.

Example 3 is the apparatus of Example 1 or 2, where the one or more scoring areas includes one or more primary scoring areas, and one or more enhanced scoring areas, at least one of the one or more enhanced scoring areas being positioned within the one or more primary scoring areas, and one or more alternate enhanced scoring areas.

Example 4 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 1-3, where the playing surface further comprises one or more penalty areas.

Example 5 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 1-4, where the board comprises a first playing surface component and a second playing surface component coupled to each other.

Example 6 is the apparatus of Example 5, further including a closing feature configured to connect the first playing surface component and the second playing surface component and allow the first playing surface component and the second playing surface component to move with respect to each other between a playing position and a closed position.

Example 7 is the apparatus of Example 6 where the closing feature comprises at least one hinge.

Example 8 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 1-7, further including one or more dice.

Example 9 is the apparatus of Example 8, where at least one of the dice is a polyhedral dice including a plurality of facets, each facet denoting a points value.

Example 10 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 1-9, where at least one of the score pieces includes a main body and a placement feature coupled to the main body, and the main body is configured to block the dice throws by the opponent player.

Example 11 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 1-10, where the board includes a recess formed on a rear surface or a side surface of the board.

Example 12 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 1-11, where the score piece path has a “Z” shape.

Example 13 is a method of playing a dice throwing game. The method includes throwing dice by a player such that the dice are directed on a playing surface of a game board, determining a final location of the dice on the playing surface, calculating a turn total for the player based at least in part on the determined final location of the dice, moving a score piece along a score piece path on the playing surface based on the turn total, the score piece path including a plurality of score piece positions, and removably engaging the score piece to one or more of the plurality of score piece positions such that the score piece blocks dice throws by an opponent player.

Example 14 is the method of Example 13, further including deploying the game board from a closed position to a playing position.

Example 15 is the method of Example 14, where the game board includes a first playing surface component and a second playing surface component coupled to each other by a closing feature, the closing feature is configured to connect the first playing surface component and the second playing surface component and allow the first playing surface component and the second playing surface component to move with respect to each other between the playing position and the closed position.

Example 16 is the method of any one of Examples 13-15, further including determining that the dice are thrown from behind a throw line on the playing surface.

Example 17 is the method of any one of Examples 13-16, further including determining that the dice roll on the playing surface at least once.

Example 18 is the method of any one of Examples 13-17, where the moving a score piece along a score piece path includes moving the score piece incrementally forward for a positive turn total, and moving the score piece incrementally backward for a negative turn total.

Example 19 is the method of any one of Examples 13-18, further including determining that the score piece is positioned at an end position of the plurality of score piece positions of the score piece path.

Example 20 is the method of Example 19, further including entering a redemption turn for an opponent player.

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

While the disclosure is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

As the terms are used herein with respect to measurements (e.g., dimensions, characteristics, attributes, components, etc.), and ranges thereof, of tangible things (e.g., products, inventory, etc.) and/or intangible things (e.g., data, electronic representations of currency, accounts, information, portions of things (e.g., percentages, fractions), calculations, data models, dynamic system models, algorithms, parameters, etc.), “about” and “approximately” may be used, interchangeably, to refer to a measurement that includes the stated measurement and that also includes any measurements that are reasonably close to the stated measurement, but that may differ by a reasonably small amount such as will be understood, and readily ascertained, by individuals having ordinary skill in the relevant arts to be attributable to measurement error; differences in measurement and/or manufacturing equipment calibration; human error in reading and/or setting measurements; adjustments made to optimize performance and/or structural parameters in view of other measurements (e.g., measurements associated with other things); particular implementation scenarios; imprecise adjustment and/or manipulation of things, settings, and/or measurements by a person, a computing device, and/or a machine; system tolerances; control loops; machine-learning; foreseeable variations (e.g., statistically insignificant variations, chaotic variations, system and/or model instabilities, etc.); preferences; and/or the like.

Although illustrative methods may be represented by one or more drawings (e.g., flow diagrams, communication flows, etc.), the drawings should not be interpreted as implying any requirement of, or particular order among or between, various steps disclosed herein. However, some embodiments may require certain steps and/or certain orders between certain steps, as may be explicitly described herein and/or as may be understood from the nature of the steps themselves (e.g., the performance of some steps may depend on the outcome of a previous step). Additionally, a “set,” “subset,” or “group” of items (e.g., inputs, algorithms, data values, etc.) may include one or more items, and, similarly, a subset or subgroup of items may include one or more items. A “plurality” means more than one.

As used herein, the term “based on” is not meant to be restrictive, but rather indicates that a determination, identification, prediction, calculation, and/or the like, is performed by using, at least, the term following “based on” as an input. For example, predicting an outcome based on a particular piece of information may additionally, or alternatively, base the same determination on another piece of information.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, while the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this disclosure also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as they fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

There is a desire to develop board-based dice throwing games focusing on, for example, the intersection of skillful throwing of objects and chance elements. There is also a continued demand for new games that promote excitement, are simple to learn, can be played anywhere, and retain interest over time. For example, dice throwing games with skill, luck, and strategy elements and without high complexity are in high demand in the board game space, which provides enhanced entertainment, encourages new learners, and allows players of all ages to compete. The use of a compact playing surface in the space of collaborative, skilled, throwing games is also desired. This allows for the dice throwing game to be played anywhere and to target a variety of audiences.

According to certain embodiments, dice throwing games are provided to excel in the above listed areas, of which other dice games, throwing games, and dice throwing games often fall short of in one way or another. In some embodiments, methods and apparatuses for playing a dice throwing game are provided to offer players an immersive gaming experience enriched by strategic depth and aesthetic appeal.

In certain embodiments, a game board apparatus for a dice throwing game includes a board having a playing surface. The playing surface includes one or more scoring areas. A score piece path is positioned on the playing surface, the score piece path includes a plurality of score piece positions. One or more score pieces are removably engageable with one or more of the plurality of score piece positions. In some embodiments, the score pieces are positioned to block dice throws by an opponent player.

is a top view of an example game board apparatusfor a dice throwing game, in accordance with embodiments of the subject matter of the disclosure.is a perspective view of the example game board apparatus. In certain embodiments, the game board apparatusincludes a game board or base. The baseextends along a longitudinal direction between a first endand a second endand has a first side surfaceand a second side surface.

In some embodiments, the baseincludes a first surface componentand a second playing surface componentcoupled to each other at a connection location. The first playing surface componentand the second playing surface componentcan be coupled to each other by any suitable mechanisms. In some embodiments, the first playing surface componentand the second playing surface componentcan be substantially the same and serve as a first half component and a second half component of the base.

In certain embodiments, the baseincludes a playing surfaceon which a dice throwing game can be played. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the playing surfacecan be a flat, open dice-throwing surface without edge barriers to keep dice from falling off. In some embodiments, the playing surfaceincludes a first playing surfaceon the first surface componentand a second playing surfaceon the second playing surface component. In some embodiments, the first playing surfaceand the second playing surfacecan be substantially the same and serve as a first half playing surface and a second half playing surface of the playing surface.

In some embodiments, the playing surfacecan have a shape selected from, for example, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a cross, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, a nonagon, a decagon, a trapezoid, a quadrilateral, a combination thereof, and the like.

In some embodiments, the playing surfacecan be made from at least one material selected from wood, metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, rubber, vinyl, leather, fabric, foam, any combination thereof, and the like.

In certain embodiments, each of the first playing surfaceand the second playing surfaceincludes one or more primary scoring areas. In the embodiment depicted in, each of the first playing surfaceand the second playing surfaceincludes a scoring areapositioned adjacent to the respective first endand the second end. Each of the primary scoring areashas a respective boundary line. In some embodiments, the boundary linescan be substantially parallel to the respective first endand/or second end.

In some embodiments, at least one of primary scoring areashas a shape selected from, for example, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, a nonagon, a decagon, a circle, an oval, an ellipse, a trapezoid, a quadrilateral, any shape formed by one or more lines through the shapes, any combinations thereof, and the like.

In some embodiments, an enhanced scoring areais provided within one or more of the primary scoring areas. An enhanced scoring area can include, for example, a hole or a recessed portion formed into the playing surface. In some embodiments, the enhanced scoring areacan be positioned at a central area of the primary scoring area. In some embodiments, one or more enhanced scoring areascan be positioned at other desired location on the playing surfaceto add challenge to gameplay dynamics and offer players an additional strategic avenue to explore.

In some embodiments, at least one of enhanced scoring areashas a shape selected from, for example, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, a nonagon, a decagon, a circle, an oval, an ellipse, a trapezoid, a quadrilateral, any shape formed by one or more lines through the shapes, any combinations thereof, and the like.

In certain embodiments, the game board apparatusincludes one or more alternate enhanced scoring areas. In some embodiments, the alternate enhanced scoring areascan be placed in a corner of the playing surfaceadjacent to the respective first endand/or second end. An alternate enhanced scoring area can introduce further complexity to the game, encouraging players to consider diverse tactics and angles of approach. Each area of a primary scoring area, an enhanced scoring area, and an alternate enhanced scoring area can be spacious enough to accommodate one or more dice (e.g., dicein), and provide the foundational structure for scoring.

In some embodiments, at least one of the alternate enhanced scoring areashas a shape selected from, for example, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, a nonagon, a decagon, a circle, an oval, an ellipse, a trapezoid, a quadrilateral, any shape formed by one or more lines through said shapes, any combination thereof, and the like.

In some embodiments, one or more penalty areas (not shown in) can be added to the playing surfaceto provide more avenues for strategy and increase the stakes of high-risk throws.

According to certain embodiments, the versatility of the game board apparatusextends to its structural composition and aesthetic appeal. The playing surfaceaccommodates various geometric shapes and colors and caters to diverse preferences or game styles. For example, the various scoring areas are not limited in the way that they are defined. The playing surfacemay be cut, burned, colored, etched, painted, printed, or overlaid in any form to define scoring and penalty areas. Additionally, the game board apparatusoffers flexibility in material selection, with options ranging from wood, to plastic, to metal, ensuring durability and functionality of the aforementioned playing mechanisms. This versatility further extends to at least some of the scoring areas, the enhanced scoring areas, the alternate enhanced scoring areas, and/or the penalty areas.

In certain embodiments, the game board apparatusincludes a score piece pathpositioned on each of the first playing surfaceand the second playing surfaceof the playing surface. The score piece pathincludes a set of score piece positionsincluding, for example, a start position, one or more mediate positions, and an end position. The set of score piece positions, from the start position, through the one or more mediate positions, to the end position, can correspond to respective points scored during a game. In some embodiments, a sequence of scoring can be defined from the start position, through the one or more mediate positions, to the end position. The score piece pathmay include any number of positions. In some embodiments, the score piece pathcan include at least five score piece positions. The set of score piece positionscan be placed in any orientation. Any score positionmay be defined as a start position, a mediate position, an end position, or any combination of the positions.

In certain embodiments, as shown in, the game board apparatusfurther includes one or more score piecesto be engaged with the one or more score piece positionsof the score piece path(e.g., as shown in). According to certain embodiments, the apparatusincludes a plurality of score pieces. Each score piecesis capable of temporary fixation to one of the score piece positions.

In some embodiments, as shown in, an example score pieceincludes a main bodyand a placement featurecoupled to the main body. The placement featurecan be removably attached to one of the score piece positions. In some embodiments, the placement featurecan be temporarily attached to a score piece position by, for example, a peg, a magnet, a tenon, an adhesive, a suction cup, and the like. In some embodiments, the main bodyhas a first diameter, and the placement featurehas a second diameter. The first diameter is greater than the second diameter. The main bodycan be configured to block the dice throws by an opponent player. In some embodiments, as shown in, a first score piececan be temporarily stack on top of or temporarily attach to a second score pieceby, for example, a peg, a magnet, a tenon, an adhesive, a suction cup, and the like. In some embodiments, as shown in, the main bodyincludes a recesson a top surfaceconfigured to receive the placement feature.