A board game including a board with at least four sides, the board having edges and corners, wherein the board has multiple individual spaces, wherein the multiple individual spaces are designated with geometric shapes, wherein four or more of the multiple individual spaces are differentiated from the other individual spaces, wherein the differentiation is shape, color, pattern, and/or shading, wherein none of the differentiated spaces are next to each other, and two or more sets of game pieces, wherein each of the game pieces has a top and a bottom, wherein the top and bottom are differentiated from each other by color, shading, and/or pattern, wherein the top and the bottom both have flat surfaces, wherein each set of game pieces has three categories of game piece, wherein each category of game piece differentiated from the others, wherein the differentiation is color, shape, pattern, and/or shading.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
a 9×9 square board having four edges and four corners, having eighty one squares, wherein nine of the squares are a different color from the other squares, wherein four of the differently colored squares are located in each of the four corners, one of the differently colored squares is in a center of the board, and four of the differently colored squares are located in a center square of each edge of the board; and, two sets of game pieces, wherein each set of game pieces has nine pieces, wherein each game piece has a top half and a bottom half, wherein the top half and the bottom half are different colors, wherein each set of game pieces has three categories of game piece, wherein each category of game piece has a different shape than the others, wherein a first category of the three categories has one piece, a second category of the three categories has three pieces, and a third category of the three categories has five pieces, wherein each game piece has two flat surfaces on opposite sides of each other. . A board game comprising:
a board with at least four sides, the board having edges and corners, wherein the board has multiple individual spaces, wherein the multiple individual spaces are designated with geometric shapes, wherein four or more of the multiple individual spaces are differentiated from the other individual spaces, wherein the differentiation is shape, color, pattern, and/or shading, wherein none of the differentiated spaces are next to each other; and, two or more sets of game pieces, wherein each of the game pieces has a top and a bottom, wherein the top and bottom are differentiated from each other by color, shading, and/or pattern, wherein the top and the bottom both have flat surfaces, wherein each set of game pieces has three categories of game piece, wherein each category of game piece differentiated from the others, wherein the differentiation is color, shape, pattern, and/or shading. . A board game comprising:
claim 2 . The board game of, wherein the board has four sides having four edges and four corners.
claim 3 . The board game of, wherein the multiple individual spaces are squares.
claim 4 . The board game of, wherein the four or more differentiated spaces are located in the four corners of the board.
claim 5 . The board game of, wherein the four or more differentiated spaces is nine or more differentiated spaces, wherein four of the differentiated spaces are located in each of the four corners, one of the differentiated spaces is in a center of the board, and four of the differentiated spaces are located in a center square of each edge of the board.
claim 6 . The board game of, wherein a first category of the three categories has at least one piece, a second category of the three categories has at least three pieces, and a third category of the three categories has at least five pieces.
claim 7 . The board game of, wherein the multiple individual spaces and the differentiated spaces are differentiated by color and the top and the bottom of the game pieces are differentiated by color.
claim 8 . The board game of, wherein the two or more sets of game pieces are two sets of game pieces.
providing a board with at least four sides, the board having edges and corners, wherein the board has multiple individual spaces, wherein the multiple individual spaces are designated with geometric shapes, wherein four or more of the multiple individual spaces are differentiated from the other individual spaces, wherein the differentiation is shape, color, pattern, and/or shading, wherein none of the differentiated spaces are next to each other; providing two or more sets of game pieces, wherein each of the game pieces has a top and a bottom, wherein the top and bottom are differentiated from each other by color, shading, and/or pattern, wherein the top and the bottom both have flat surfaces, wherein each set of game pieces has three categories of game piece, wherein each category of game piece differentiated from the others, wherein the differentiation is color, shape, pattern, and/or shading; associated players each choosing one of the two or more sets of game pieces; the associated players placing the pieces on the board according to a pre-set arrangement of pieces; a first player of the associated players moving the first player's pieces in order to capture a second player of the associated players pieces; the second player moving the second player's pieces in order to capture the pieces of the first player, wherein the piece is captured when the pieces of the first player are on both sides of the second player's piece or the pieces of the second player are on both sides of the first payer's piece, wherein a first category of piece can move vertically, horizontally, or diagonally any number of spaces, wherein a second category of piece can move vertically or horizontally any number of spaces, wherein a third category of piece can move vertically or horizontally any number of spaces, wherein the third category of piece can directly move from one differentiated space to another; flipping a captured piece 180 degrees onto the other flat surface; and, the first player ending the game by capturing all of the second player's pieces or the second player ending the game by capturing all of the first player's pieces. . A method for playing a board game, the method comprising the steps of:
claim 10 . The method of, wherein the board has four sides having four edges and four corners, wherein the multiple individual spaces are squares, wherein the four or more differentiated spaces are located in the four corners of the board.
claim 10 . The method of, wherein the four or more differentiated spaces is nine or more differentiated spaces, wherein four of the differentiated spaces are located in each of the four corners, one of the differentiated spaces is in a center of the board, and four of the differentiated spaces are located in a center square of each edge of the board, wherein a first category of the three categories has at least one piece, a second category of the three categories has at least three pieces, and a third category of the three categories has at least five pieces.
claim 12 . The method of, wherein the multiple individual spaces and the differentiated spaces are differentiated by color and the top and the bottom of the game pieces are differentiated by color, wherein the two or more sets of game pieces are two sets of game pieces.
claim 10 . The method of, wherein the associated players are three or more players.
claim 10 . The method of, wherein the pieces movement comes to a stop when reaching either an edge or the piece of another player.
claim 12 . The method of, wherein the two or more sets of game pieces are different colors, and the associated players each choose a color, setting up their pieces such that the color chosen is on top.
claim 16 . The method of, the first category piece is placed in the center of an edge in the differentiated space, the second category pieces surround the first category piece, and the third category pieces surround the second category pieces.
claim 17 . The method, wherein one half of the pieces is white and the other half of the pieces is black.
claim 10 . The method of, wherein the first player can be a team of players and the second player can be a team of players.
Complete technical specification and implementation details from the patent document.
This application claims priority to a provisional application dated Nov. 8, 2024, having Ser. No. 63/718,066, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. The present teaching relates generally to board games, and more particularly to strategy board games.
Board games are tabletop games that typically use pieces. These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked game board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well.
Many board games feature a competition between two or more players. To give a few examples: in checkers (British English name ‘draughts’), a player wins by capturing all opposing pieces, while Eurogames often end with a calculation of final scores. Pandemic is a cooperative game where players all win or lose as a team, and peg solitaire is a puzzle for one person.
There are many varieties of board games. Their representation of real-life situations can range from having no inherent theme to having a specific theme and narrative. Rules can range from the very simple to deeply complex. Play components now often include custom figures or shaped counters, and distinctively shaped player pieces commonly known as meeples as well as traditional cards and dice.
In the late 1990s, companies began producing more new games to serve a growing worldwide market. In the 2010s, several publications said board games were amid a new Golden Age or “renaissance”. Board game venues also grew in popularity; in 2016 alone, more than 5,000 board game cafés opened in the U.S.
Many board games are now available as video games. These are aptly termed digital board games, and their distinguishing characteristic compared to traditional board games is they can now be played online against a computer or other players. Some websites allow play in real time and immediately show the opponents' moves, while others use email to notify the players after each move. The Internet and cheaper home printing has also influenced board games via print-and-play games that may be purchased and printed. Some games use external media such as audio cassettes or DVDs in accompaniment to the game.
A 1991 estimate for the global board game market was over $1.2 billion. A 2001 estimate for the United States “board games and puzzle” market gave a value of under $400 million, and for United Kingdom, of about £50 million. A 2009 estimate for the Korean market was put at 800 million won, and another estimate for the American board game market for the same year was at about $ 800 million. A 2011 estimate for the Chinese board game market was at over 10 billion yuan. A 2013 estimate put the size of the German toy market at 2.7 billion euros (out of which the board games and puzzle market is worth about 375 million euros), and Polish markets at 2 billion and 280 million zlotys, respectively. In 2009, Germany was considered to be the best market per capita, with the highest number of games sold per individual.
In one aspect of the present teaching, a board game utilizes multiple pieces on a checkered board.
In another aspect of the present teaching, the game is played with two or more players, each having a set of identical playing pieces.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described aspects or the application and uses of the described aspects. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the aspects of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims.
1 4 FIGS.-C 4 4 FIGS.A-C 4 FIG.A 4 FIG.B 4 FIG.C With reference now to, the present teaching contains a game board and three different types of pieces. In one aspect of the present teaching, the game board is designed for two players and is a 9×9 square board. The board has nine squares which are a different color from the other squares (or differentiated from the other squares in some other manner). In this aspect, the nine different squares are located in each of the four corners, one in the center of the board, and four in the center square of each edge of the board. In this aspect, there are three different types of pieces (see). Each piece has a top half and a bottom half, wherein the two halves are different colors. In this aspect, each player has one piece represented in, three pieces represented in, and five pieces represented in.
1 4 FIGS.-C 1 FIG. 4 FIG.A 4 FIG.B 4 FIG.C 4 FIG.A 4 FIG.B 4 FIG.C With continuing reference to, using the game board shown in, the piece fromis placed in the center of an edge in the differently colored space. This piece is then surrounded by the three pieces shown in. These three pieces are then surrounded by the five pieces shown in. In this aspect, the piece fromcan move horizontally, vertically, and diagonally; the pieces fromcan move horizontally and vertically; and the pieces fromcan move horizontally and vertically.
1 4 FIGS.-C 4 FIG.C With continuing reference to, the game is played as follows. The first player chooses to be black, and the second player chooses white (or whatever color scheme is being used on the pieces) and ensures that their color is on the top of each of the first player's pieces. The second player ensures that their color is on the top of the second player's pieces, which will be opposite of the first player. The players take turns moving their pieces. All of the pieces may move for as many spaces as the player chooses, as long as there are no other pieces (of either player) in the way. A piece may not move into a space already occupied by another piece (of either player), and a piece may not jump over another piece (of either player). An exception to the “no jump” rule is that the piece shown incan move from any of the differently colored squares to any of the other unoccupied differently colored squares, even if they would have to jump other pieces to do so. The second player's piece is captured by the first player having one of the first player's pieces on either side of the second player's piece. The first player's piece is captured by the second player having one of the second player's pieces on either side of the second player's piece. The capture of a piece can only occur vertically or horizontally, with the exception of a piece in the corner. A piece in the corner can be captured by the opponent's pieces being in the two spaces perpendicular to the corner space. Once a piece is captured, it is flipped over to the color of the capturer. Multiple pieces can be captured on the same move. If a player moves his piece in such a way that two or more of the opponent's pieces now have the capturing player's pieces on either side, multiple pieces are captured. In this aspect, the first player's piece can only be captured if the second player moves his piece to surround the first player's piece. If the first player moves his piece such that it is now between two of the second player's pieces, the first player's piece is not captured. The second player's piece can only be captured if the first player moves his piece to surround the second player's piece. If the second player moves his piece such that it is now between two of the first player's pieces, the second player's piece is not captured. If pieces are placed such that one of the players can no longer move any of his pieces, the game ends in a stalemate. The game ends when one player captures all of the pieces of the other player.
1 4 FIGS.-C With continuing reference to, another aspect of the present teaching allows for more than two players to play the game. When more than two players are playing, the game play is the same, except that players take turns in clockwise fashion. In another aspect of the present teaching, the game can be played with teams. When playing teams, either team member may move any of their team's pieces.
1 4 FIGS.-C 4 FIG.A 4 FIG.A With continuing reference to, another aspect of the present teaching, the game end can be modified, such that capture of the opponent's piece represented inends the game. Another aspect would be the game ending when one player captures all of the opponent's pieces, except for the piece represented in.
1 4 FIGS.-C With continuing reference to, it is to be understood that the game board is not limited to a particular size, a particular number of squares, a particular number of differently colored squares, or a particular location of the differently colored squares. It is also to be understood that any number of each of the different types of pieces can be utilized, as long as each piece has a top and a bottom, with different colors (or some other way to differentiate the two sides) on the top and bottom. In one aspect of the present teaching, chain reactions of captured pieces are not permitted.
Non-limiting aspects have been described, hereinabove. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods and apparatuses may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of the present subject matter. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
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November 7, 2025
September 10, 2026
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