US2976044A - Board game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 21, 1961 G. s. coRPENlNG BOARD GAME APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 0G13. 29, 1958 :l INVENTOR,

ATTORNEYS March 21, 1961 G. s. CORPENING 2,976,044

BOARD GAME APPARATUS Filed Oct. 29, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E E-L 5 2.0m. DlcE AND PAY BANK MAYBE iO TIMES THE AMOUNT SHOWN FOR EACH DOUBLE, Rom. PAY MAN oN Youl AND PAY AGMN LEFT $100 F ma smnues MAY O17- Y Mx READ ALouD 60 "59 DAY lo o .m

YOUR, CASH Rom. DICE wrrH ou Youn RIGHT IF HE ROLLS HIGHER PAY AHM 200 1. c MM5 M PAY BANK. LOAN IF SOMEONE OWNS THE CLNM,

Dpuua Tue BANK CHARGE ALL. :21m-.512:5 am L. man

INVENTOR') GENE S. CORPENING HIGHEST PAY PLAYER WHO DOES 5f, wo

ATTORNEYS March 2l, 1961 G. s. coRPENlNG 2,976,044

BOARD GAME APPARATUS Filed oct. 29, 195s 4 sheets-sheet s ETL- 516 l LUC KY Foa 51am@ r/ UNLUCKY Move 5 SPACES FORWARD on. vm amm. -pAY $50 Fora wmNmG- l $50 COTTON D\CK\NG CONTEST 58 .CIV `\12cslvs. $65. Foy E Youl '84',H. TY C.

l #?Q EQK PAY CLAIM 'TA |F `ou -HAD DouaLes oN -DRAwme r+hs CARD AND ELECT T0 Rom. AeAm, man com-mui WITH YOUR REGULAR ROLL $50 Prin, CLAN",

POUND TAKE ouT A cA-Tcn- Pouch( |r DESAP-ED INVENTOR, GENE 5. CoRPEmNG.

F-GRSACH 'DoubLEg Rom..

AND COLLECT AG-AlN.

COLLECT $75 BY im hdl, AMAN@ ATTORNEYS March 21, 1961 G. s. coRPENlNG 2,976,044

BOARD GAME APPARATUS Filed 00'0. 29. 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR, E 8 GENE; SCORDEMNG,

BY gui-mj 4f d ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,976,044 BOARD GAME APPARATUS Gene S. Corpening, 27 N. Main St., Granite Falls, N.C.

Filed Oct. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 770,529

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-134) This invention relates to a game apparatus and more particularly to a board game apparatus of the type having a designated course or playing path on the board through which playing pieces representing players are moved in a manner determined by chance or skill or both.`

The type of game in which the game apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention may be categorized is that type of game in which la substantially flat playing board is utilized, the upper surface of which is provided with suitable representations or markings indicating a course or playing path. During play, the

playing pieces or tokens representing the individual play.

ers are moved through the course and a variety of situations are presented to each of the players by the element of chance and skill to thereby eiect the competitive standing or position of the players participating in the game. In time, one of the players eventually emerges the winner and the game is terminated. Many of these so called board type games merely involve movement of the players tokens through the playing path or course in Va manner determined by chance in accordance with means such as dice, a dial indicator or pointer arranged to be spun, land the like. The game is thus reduced to ymerely a game of chance which is primarily of amusement value with very little educational or instructive worth. This means, of course, that the game will be of interest primarily to players o-f limited education such as individuals of a lower age group. Some of the board games purport to add the element of skill to the play so thatv a player can enhance his chances of winning by the applicationV of good judgment, shrewd manipulation, bargaining and the like. some element of skill on the part of the playersare still primarily games of chance and by the very nature of the board game type of apparatus prevent any substantial exercise by the players of their intellectual capabilities, competitive logic, and the like. f

Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide a new and novel board game apparatus.

Another object of this invention is toprovide a new and novel board game apparatus which requires the exercisev of good judgment, bargaining ability and thelike on the part of the players during the completitive play so that the winning player is determined mainly by the greatest degree of mental skill displayed between the opposing players. f

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved board game apparatus which is inherently highly instructive so as to impartto the players extensive trainingin the basic elements of business competition, investments and the like.

VA further object `of the invention is to prcvie a new and improved game apparatuspwhich is simple in con# struction, inexpensive to manufacture, and which provides both amusement and education for v.the participating players. f j

A still further object of the invention is to provide However, most of such games which require Figura 8 is an illlllrafsalat @stipulated 21st@ I A 0f Practicefor the United IStates Patent Oice; t

2,976,044 Patented Mar. 21, 1961 a new and novel board game apparatus which appeals to individuals of virtually all age groups, both young andA old alike.v A Y v This invention further contemplates the provision of an instructive type of game board apparatus having a continuous playing course containing a combination of various situaitons arranged to be encountered by the players registering movement therethrough which is not only entertaining, but permits the exercise of bargaining` techniques and economic maneuvering by the various; opposing players whereby the standing of the players in the game may readily change from time to time while simultaneously providing suicient elements of chance and variety of playl so as to stimulate interest and provide suspense.

In general, the objects of the invention and other related objects are accomplished by providing a playing surface or board on 'the upper surface of which is graphically designated by means of printing -or the like a main course which constitutes a playing path for the various players participating in the game, the winner of which is determined by the last nancially solvent player remaining. This playing path, which is preferably continuous for continuity of play, is divided into a plurality of interconnected areas, the majority of which are conveniently designated as property areas. Suitable indicia is inscribedV on a selected number of these areas including penalties` assessable to players when their playing pieces rest there on. Secondary'spaces are provided on' thev game board adjacent these penalty areas which may be entered by players resting on Ithe adjacent penalty areas so that the spaces constitute a protective zone and permit the entering player to avoid the course penalty to which this player. would otherwise be` subjected to if this players token' remained on the penalty area. Ownership to these secondary spaces may be acquired by the players and therefore provide free entrance by the owning player and owner' ship of these secondary spaces carries with it the right of exclusion or the eXaction of penalties from opposing players which desire ,entrance in order to escape the' penalties of the main course. Players on the main course., and on the secondary spaces which they ydo not own are further penalizedtwhen Va subsequent player lands onffa previously occupied area or spacewhich penalties areinacreased proportionally with the number of Catch cards). held by the subsequent player. Other areasro'fvarious types are interspersed throughout the penalty areas which similarly atleet the position of the players in the game.

Some of the objects of the invention lhaving been stated, other objects will appearjwhen taken in connectionivith'` the accompanying drawings, in which* l f Q Figure l is a plan view of a playing board for aboardf game apparatus constructed inaccordancewith the inve j tion, portions of which are suitably colored'accordn'gj to the color symbols for draftsmen prescribed infhe' Rules Figure 2`is1a perspective vieu/fof a pair of dice `for; registering movement of the players during the game; Figure 3 isan Aelevation'view ofv a pluralityfof flags' or pennants included inthe gamewhich are suitably colf. I ored in accordance with the color symbolsV vreferre to above; Y .s s

Figure 4 is an elevation'view of a plurality ofplaylng pieces for the various players each playing piece repre-Q senting a readilydistinguishable object;

Figure 5 represents a set of cards identified 'as I May-betr` cards which are included inthe game; 1 p 5, Figure 6 represents a set of cards identified as Lck'y cards which are included in the game; v

A Figure 7 llustratesnthe CatchVcards whichja cluded in the game; Vand l 3 money in various denominations which is included in the game.

Referring now to the drawings and to Figure 1 in particular, the game apparatus of the invention includes a playing surface which is preferably in the form of a board designated generally by the numeral 11 in Figure 1. In the preferred embodiment, the board 11 is substantially square-shaped as shown and contains an upper surface 12 o n which is provided, by printing or the like, suitable indicia and graphic illustrations in accordance with the intion as will be explained hereinafter. While any name suitable for the game apparatus of the invention may be employed, the commercial embodiment of the game is preferably referred to as Discount, a name which reects the trading or business training aspect of the game. ln the commercially manufactured form of the game which is to be merchandised, the name Discount is imprinted centrally on the playing surface 12 as shown in Figure l.

In order to provide a playing field for the players, a playing path or main course, designated generally by the numeral 13, is provided. The main course 13 is divided into a series of interconnected areas numbered for the purpose of this description. from 1 to 40 as shown. These areas extend around the board in four substantially straight sections or legs to thus provide corner areas numbered 1,11, 21 and 31 as shown. The main course 13 is continuous with the Start area 1, constituting the starting point so that the players may move through the course A13 continuously during the play until termination of the game. The board surface 12 also contains marked- 0E regions 42, 43 adjacent the center of the surface which indicate for convenience that portion of the surface 12 on which sets of cards identified as Lucky and Maybe cards respectively are to be piled.

Each of the opposing players is represented by a playing piece or token for registering movement through the course 13, ve of which are shown in Figure 4 and are designated by the numerals 44 through 48. 'I'he tokens represent readily distinguishable objects as shown and one of the tokens is assigned to a player so that each players movement through the course 13 may be readily identified without confusion.

Any suitable means involving the element of chance may be included in the game for indicating the length or extent of a players movement through the course 13 as each player takes his turn at play. Preferably a pair of dice 49 as shown in Figure 2 are employed, the numbers appearing on which after a roll by a player, determine the number of areas in the main course 13 through which the players token is to be moved.

A specific number of the areas in the main course 13, preferably a majority, are categorized under what may be termed penalty areas which provide a penalty which is normally assessed to a player whose token is resting thereon. In the specific embodiment illustrated, these penalty areas are conveniently designated as property areas having penalty values of various amounts appropriately inscribed on each so that the penalized player must contribute cash in that amount to the depository or Bank for money and the like which is established prior to beginning the game.

As shown in Figure 1, these property areas are arranged into groups having similar physical characteristics and each of these groups is identified by an appropriate color. Briefly, beginning at Start area 1- and moving clockwise around the board, Deserts, colored red and numbered 7, 9 and 10 constitute the first group. Continuing around the board, the succeeding groups are Mountains, shown in blue and designated by the numerals z12, 14 and 15, Rivers, shown in yellow, and designated by the numerals 17, 19 and 20, Parks shown in green and designated by the numerals 22, 24 and 25, Lakes shown in orange and designated by the numerals 27, 29. and 30, Hills shown in Purpleand designated by the numerals 32, v34, and Volcanes, colored grey and designated by the numerals 4 38, 40. It will be noted that all of the areas in each color group are arranged on the same side of the board which facilitates conduct of the play in a manner which will be explained hereinafter.

The resting of a players token on one of these prop erty areas will normally cause a financial assessment to this player in the amount shown in the area. This assessed cash penalty goes into the Bank. In order to permit the player to avoid this penalty payment, a secondary space is provided adjacent each of the property areas and ownership of these spaces may be acquired by the players. These secondary areas are designated as shown by numerals corresponding to the numeral on the area of the main course with which the secondary space is is associated together with the addition of the letter a. As can be seen by reference to Figure 1, these secondary spaces are positioned on the board surface 12 between the main course 13 and the marginal edges of the playing board 11.

The secondary spaces, which hereinafter will be referred to as Claims, have inscribed thereon values which represent the cost of the Claim or, in other words, the payment in cash which a player must make to the Bank in order to obtain ownership of each Claim. The obtaining of ownership to the Claims will now be explained.

If the Claim is not owned or is what may be referred to as open, the player landing on an area adjacent the open Claim may move into the Claim and may purchase ownership of the Claim for the amount shown on the particular Claim.

Indication of ownership is made by means of ags or pennants, ve of which are shown in Figure 3. These flags are designated by the numerals 51-`55 and are appropriately colored so as to correspond to the color of the players token and thereby identify the player to whom the Claim belongs. The playing surface 12 of the board 11 is suitably perforated so as to provide recesses 57 on leach Claim for receiving the staff of the flag and thus permit the flag to be located in an upstanding manner. The ownership of la Claim carries with it the right in the -owner to move onto the Claim if his token lands on the adjacent area and therefore avoid payment of the penalty shown on the area. In addition, the ownership of the Claim permits the exclusion of any other player landing on the adjacent area from the Claim or the privilege of the Claim owner of exacting a cash payment from the player who wishes to enter the owned Claim from an adjacent area and thus avoid the penalty on the adjacent area. This cash payment for permission to enter is of no set value but is determined by bargaining, trading and the like between the owner and the player desiring entrance. This transaction would naturally call upon the trading ability of both of the players involved. y

The main course 13 also includes a variety of additional areas which lend further interest to the game and which intensify the competitive play between the participants. As discussed above, the additional areas are preferably less in number than the property areas and are distributed throughout the main course 13. 'In the specific embodiment illustrated, the additional areas include Gold Mines, four of which `are shown numbered 6, 16, 26 and 36, having Claim spaces numbered correspondingly associated therewith, each of ,which is centrally positioned in one of the four legs of the main course 13, Lucky areas 18, 33 and 37, Maybe areas 23 and 35, Collect" areas 2, 4 and 5 including the Start area 1 which provide a financial benefit of the amount indicated to the player whose token rests thereon, a penalty area 3 having an associated Claim requiring a player to pay 20% of his cash, a Next Time Move Forward or Backward area 39, a Go Back to Nearest Player area 8 having an associated Claim space and Catch areas 13, 28. The three other corner areas 11, 21 and 31 are designated as Safe Landingj Rest Home, and Move to Collect $50 respectively.

When a players token lands on a Luckyarea or a Maybe area, the player is required to select the top card from a piled or stacked set of Lucky cards 58 which are shown in detail in Figure 6 or the top card from a piled set of Maybe cards 59 which are shown in detail in Figure 5 respectively. These cards 58, 59 are appropriately stacked in the regions 42, 43 respectively on the board surface 12 and award the player selecting the card a financial benefit, a iinancial burden, or dictate some movement on the main course 13. The inscriptions on the Maybe and Lucky cards are shown lclearly in Figures 5, 6 respectively and the player required to select one of the cards carries out the instructions thereon and returns the card to the bottom of the pile. While any number of the cards 58, 59 may be provided, in the specic embodiment illustrated 18 of the Lucky cards and 17 of the Maybe cards are employed and any suitable play effecting information such as shown in the drawings may be inscribed on the cards. All of the Lucky areas and Maybe areas except Maybe area 35 have no claim spaces associated therewith so that the players landing thereon will not be able to avoid drawing the appropriate card.

Play or simulated money in various denominations is provided for the game which is shown in Figure 8 and which is identied generally by the numeral 61. The money 61 may be of any `suitable denomination and preferably is provided in denominations of l, 5, l0, 20, 50, 100,A and 500 dollars as shown.

`An important feature of play in the game is derived from the areas designated as Catch areas 13, 28 which permit the player whose token rests thereon to purchase a Catch card 62 if desired by paying $100 to the Bank. Each of the Catch'cards has :a cash-in value of $80' as indicated in Figure 7. These Catch cards which are yalso referred to as Catch Policies may also be acquired by a player when so directed by one of the Lucky cards 5'8. In accordance with the novel arrangement of the game apparatus, these Catch cards indicate a multiplier for determining the total amount of the cash penalties to which a player is subjected when his token is caught on an area by a subsequent player who jointly occupies the same area in a manner to be explained hereinafter.

When play is to be engaged in utilizing a novel game constructed in accordance with the invention, two or more players up to any reasonable number may participate, each one being assigned `a playing piece such as one of the tokens shown in Figure 4. As previously discussed, the tokens are readily distinguishable from the standpoint of design as well as color which color corresponds to the color of one of the flags 51-55. For clarity, no color symbols have been shown on the tokens of Figure 4.

One of the players is placed in charge of the Bank and this `player handles the money for the Bank prior to beginning the game and during the game. The player in charge'of the Bank participates in the game in the manner of the regular players. Prior to beginning the game, each of the players is given an initial cash allowance, preferably approximately $2500. It should b e understood that when a players liabilities exceed his assets this player is bankrupt and must withdraw from the game as a loser. Each of the participating players therefore attempts to force the other players into bankruptcy and thus become the winner by being the last financially solvent player in the game.

The several players roll the dice 49 and the player receiving the highest number on the dice is the rst toA move. This player rolling high dice, whose token together with the rest of the players tokens are initially on the Start area l, rolls again and moves his token through the number of areas in accordance with the numbers on the dice. After this first players turn is completed` the p'ay moves successively around the board from player to player preferably to the lefty of the first player. Each time aplayer passes the Start area 1 while moving in a forward direction, this player receives from the Bank.

When a player lands on one of the property areas and remains thereon, this player is required to pay the Bank the cash amount or penalty indicated on that area. However, in order to avoid this penalty payment, and if the Claim adjacent the area is not owned, the player may move his token into the adjacent Claim where this player may remain safe and is not assessed the penalty. If this Claim is not owned and if the player so chooses, the player may purchase this Claim from the Bank for the value shown in the Claim space. After purchase, the ownership of the Claim is designated by a flag such as shown in Figure 3 of the color assigned to the particular player. The Claim owner may thereafter exclude all other players from entering this Claim, if desired.

However, if the Claim adjacent the area on which the players token rests is already owned, having been previously purchased by another player, the player must then bargain with the Claim owner for entrance and it is only after the player has paid the agreed-upon price to the Claim owner that the player can enter the Claim. If the Claim owner and player cannot agree on la price, the owner may preclude entrance of the player to the owned Claim. If such entrance is barred, a player must pay the penalty to the Bank in the amount shown on the area. It should be understood that if the Claim is one already owned by the player whose token rests on the adjacent area, that player may readily move onto the Claim without any further action and without payment of the area penalty.

If the player elects to remain on the area paying the appropriate penalty shown, or even if the player moves onto an adjacent Claim `which is owned by another player, this player is exposed to further hazards in that if a subsequent player lands on an area that a previous player is occupying or catches this previous players token by jointly occupying an area, the subsequent player is entitled to collect a sum of money, namely $200 for each of the Catch cards or Policies 62 that this subsequent player possesses at the time. This subsequent player may also catch a previous player by moving into a Claim not owned but occupied by the previous player. As previously explained, the Catch cards 62 are acquired byr either landing on one of the Catch areas 13, 28 in the main course and electing to purchase a Catch card or if the player is so directed by the Luck cards 58. Furthermore, the previous player who is caught has all of the Catch cards which this caught player possesses at the Vtime cancelled and the Catch cards must be returned tor the Bank. It therefore represents a distinct advantage to aplayer lto acquire as many Catch cards 62 is possible. However, it should be understood that if this previous player has moved on to the Claim adjacent the area, which Claim is owned by the previous player, a subsequent player landing on the area adjacent this Claimcannot subject this previous player to the Catch card cash penalty or cancellation of the previous players Catch cards.

Asv can be understood, the above described play in- I volving the penalty areas, Claim spaces and Catch cards promotes considerable maneuvering and bargaining ability between the players involved. Many approaches are available to the players as to how each such situation should be handled particularly where a previous player occupies a Claim owned by another player and a third player lands on the area adjacent the Claim. The Claim owner, of course, has the choice of refusing to let the third player into the Claim whereby the occupying player would be caught or of demanding cash for such entrance and the occupying player can bargain using cash with both the Claim owner and the third player to prevent being caught lr should be understood that the token caught by a l subsequent player can only be the token on the main course area or Claim where the subsequent player elects to remain iinally. In other words, a subsequent player may not catch a token on an area on the main course and then move into a Claim and catch another player.

When a player is pressed for money or for any other reason, the player may elect to mortgage the Claim or Claims this player owns for one-hall:` of their value to the Bank. In this event, the tlag which indicates the players ownership of 'the Claim is laid prone on the board surface 12 on the mortgaged Claim to indicate that the Claim is mortgaged. The mortgaged Claim can be unmortgaged only by repaying the loan to the Bank plus an interest charge of $30. When a players token lands on an area adjacent the mortgaged Claim, this player may move onto the Claim without the payment of a fee either to the Bank or to the Claim owner regardless of adverse ownership. Furthermore, the player moving onto a mortgaged Claim may then announce this players intention to purchase the mortgaged Claim. If the owner of the Claim does not unmortgage the Claim immediately, the player announcing an intention to purchase must buy the Claim by paying the full Claim price to the Bank and receives ownership of the Claim free of any mortgage. In another relationship, the player owning a mortgaged Claim may sell or trade this mortgaged Claim but the mortgage remains on the Claim at all times until it is paid oi.

As discussed above, a player who occupies a Claim which this player owns is safe from being caught by subsequent players. However, if this player has mortgaged the Claim which this players token is occupying, this player is subject to being caught and is subjected to all of the Catch card penalties as if the Claim was owned by another player.

As previously stated, the property areas have been subdivided into groups, all areas of any one group being arranged on th same side of the board 11. Furthermore, all of the areas in each of these groups are similarly colored for identification of the groups. When a player acquires ownership of the Claims adjacent all of the areas in a particular group, this player may increase the penalty imposed on other players and thus enhance this players chance for victory which as previously explained is accomplished by bankruptcy or financial collapse of the opposing players. To this end, when one player acquires a color group such as the Claims adjacent all of the Deserts or all of the Lakes, the penalty charge which must be paid to the Bank as indicated on these areas is doubled and a player whose token lands thereon and who remains there must therefore pay this double charge to the Bank. However, the player who owns a color group of Claims may mortgage these Claims in the above described manner but the Bank charge on the color group of areas remains double.

Ownership of Claims adjacent the Gold Mines areas 6, 16, 26 and 36 may also be acquired in the manner of the property areas as explained above. Although no cash penalties are shown on the Gold Mine areas, the player who owns a single Claim adjacent a Gold Mine invokes the imposition of a Bank charge or penalty of $.50 on the Gold Mine area which is then assessable to a player whose token lands thereon. If a player owns two Gold Mine Claims, the Bank charge is $100 on each area, $200 on each Gold Mine area for single ownership of three Gold Mine Claims, and $300 on each area for ownership by one player of all four of the Gold Mine Claims. In this manner, the penalty on a player landing on a Gold Mine is increased proportionally with the number of Gold Mines held by a single player.

During the progress of the game, any player who deems it desirable may borrow once from the Bank of demand the sum of $300. This $300 must be repaid; with A$30 interest when the next doubles are rolled on the dice by any of the players. However, when doubles are rolled by a player, this player must complete this particular move before the debtor is required to pay back the $300 loan or lesser amount which the indebted player borrowed from the Bank.

With respect to the corner areas on the board, Safe Landing area 11 requires no action on the part of a player landing thereon. A player landing on the Rest Home area 21, must remain there until an odd number or doubles on the dice are rolled by the player during this players regular turn. A player rolling either must come out on the number thrown. However, the player may also purchase a move out of the Rest Home area by paying the Bank $20 prior to rolling the dice.

The Move To Collect $50 corner area 31 moves the player whose token lands thereon to the Start area 1.

This player is then entitled to collect as does the player who lands on the Start area 1 during regular play as determined by the dice 49 when the player is moving in a forward direction. This $150 represents the Collect $50 together with the $100 for passing Start area 1 which is paid at the same time by the Bank for convenience. A player landing on Start area 1 while moving backwards collects $50 and collects nothing for passing Start area 1 while moving backwards. The collect areas 2, 4, 5 award the amounts indicated thereon to the player landing thereon.

Another area on the main course 13, which is iden titied by the numeral 8, contains the designation Go Back to the Nearest Player. This means that a player landing on this area 8 can either move onto the Claim adjacent the area 8 (Claim 8a) if possible or must go backward to the nearest token representing a player which token must be either on a main course area or on a Claim adjacent the main course. A player electing to go backward to the nearest token may stay on the area containing the token and thus cate that player or move onto the Claim adjacent thereto in the above described manner of regular play. If a player should go back all the way around the board and return to the same area 8 without encountering a token as in the case wherein all of the other players tokens are on Claim space 8a, this player may then occupy it.

Another area carries the inscription Next Time Move Forward or Backward and is identified by the numeral 39. This means that a player whose token rests on this area may move in either direction during the next regular turn of that player the appropriate number of areas according to the throw of the dice except if the player throws doubles and elects to move backward he does S0 only for that move as the next throw must be accompanied by a move in a forward direction only.

During regular play, a player rolling doubles on the dice moves according to the normal movement prescribed in the game but is then entitled to roll again subject to the directions of the board as before. If on the third roll, the player again rolls doubles, no movement is made and the player must pay the Bank $100. The next player then plays in the normal manner. The penalty area 3 identified by Pay 20% of Your Cash as well as the Maybe card which contains the instruction Pay 10% of Your Cash means that a player landing on area 3 or drawing this Maybe card computes this debt to the nearest hundred counting $50 as less than one-half and pays the amount computed to the Bank in cash.

As stated above, the object of the game is to bankrupt the opposing players until the last solvent player remaining emerges the victor. As each player becomes bankrupt during play and is forced from the game, the assets of the bankrupt player go to the Bank. However, any other arrangement may be made to provide for disposition of the bankrupts assets such as by giving the assets to the owner of the Claim beside which the bankrupt player last landed. Another rule is generally provided wherein, if a player withdraws from the game after bankruptcy owing a Catch card debt, all of this players cash and Catch cards go to the catching player. This caught players only other assets, that is the Claims, are preferably returned to the Bank.

Various other rules improve the playing of the game such as a requirement that the players keep all of their money in view with the various denominations sorted so that the opposing players may readily determine the f1- nancial position of the opposition. Also no lending, giving or gambling for money is permitted except as the regular play directs.

From the above description, it can be seen that through the novel arrangement of the invention an unusual game has been provided which permits the exercise of considerable financial and bargaining ability between opposing players in a manner such as might be encountered in everyday life. The game is therefore not only educational, but provides a high degree of amusement, in that it is characterized by rapidly shifting competitive posi- Itions, financial gains and set-backs which come with startling rapidity at times. Furthermore, although chance is definitely a consideration in the game, a player with an agile mind and with good investment ability can rapidly improve his inancial position and win the game. A player is not necessarily bankrupt until the last possible moment since the possession of Catch cards permits. a quick change in a players financial position and money may be raised in a relatively short period of time by such means as mortgaging Claims, cashing Catch cards, selling Claims, or obtaining a loan from the Bank. The game itself is relatively inexpensive to manufacture but provides a maximum of entertainment and educational value.

In the drawings and speciication there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific tenus are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being delined in the claims.

Iclaim:

1. A game apparatus for a plurality of players comprising, in combination, a playing board, a continuous main course on said board divided into a plurality of interconnected playing areas of substantially equal size and constituting a playing path for .the players, said main course having penalties associated therewith assessable to players registering movement therethrough, secondary spaces adjacent to at least some of said playing areas on said main course to which ownership may be acquired by the players and which constitute a protective zone rom the penalties of the main course, such ownership carrying with it absolute territorial control over said secondary spaces, each of said secondary spaces corresponding in size to each of said playing areas, each of said secondary spaces being contiguous to one respective playing area adjacent thereto along a boundary line common to said secondary space and the corresponding playing area, means deiining related indicia on each of said secondary spaces and the corresponding playing area contiguous thereto, and means including individually distinctive sets of elements corresponding to the respective players for positioning on said board in each of said secondary spaces to identify the particular player acquiring ownership of each of said secondary spaces.

2. A game apparatus as delined in claim 1, wherein said playing board is provided with a plurality of recesses in the playing surface thereof, said recesses being individually located in each of said secondary spaces, said 66 individually distinctive sets of elements comprising ag stais with pennants thereon for removable reception within said recesses, each of said pennants in one set having the same color and diering from the colors of the pennants in the other sets, whereby ownership of each of said secondary spaces can be traced to a particular player through the color of the pennant on the ilag stati received in the recess located therein.

3. A game apparatus for a plurality of players comprising, in combination, a plurality of individually distinctive tokens constituting playing pieces for the respective players, a playing board, a continuous main course on said board divided into a plurality of interconnected playing areas of substantially equal size and constituting a playing path for the tokens of the players, said main course having penalties associated therewith assessable to players registering movement therethrough, secondary spaces adjacent to at least some of said playing areas on said main course to which ownership may be acquired by the players and which constitute a protective zone from the penalties of the main course, such ownership carrying with it absolute territorial control over said secondary spaces, each of said secondary spaces corresponding in size to each of said playing areas, each of said secondary spaces being contiguous to one respective playing area adjacent thereto along a boundary line common to said secondary space and the corresponding playing area, means defining related indicia on each of said secondary spaces and the corresponding playing area contiguous thereto, and means including individually distinctive 'sets of elements corresponding to the tokens of the respective players for positioning on said board in each of said secondary spaces to identify the particular player acquiring ownership of each of said secondary spaces.

4. A game apparatus for a plurality of players comprising, in combination, a playing board, a continuous main course on said board divided into a plurality of interconnected playng areas of substantially equal size and constituting a playing path for the players, said main course having penalties associated therewith assessable to players registering movement therethrough, secondary spaces adjacent to at least some of said playing areas on said main course to which ownership may be acquired by the players and which constitute a protective zone from the penalties of the main course, such ownership carrying with it absolute territorial control over said secondary spaces, each of said secondary spaces corresponding in size to each of said playing areas and being disposed outwardly on said board with respect thereto, each of said secondary spaces being contiguous to one respective playing `area adjacent thereto along a boundary lineV common to said secondary space and the corresponding playing area, certain of said secondary spaces being interconnected and certain of said secondary spaces having a `gap therebetween to deiine portions on said main course of playing areas free. 'om the presence of a secondary space contiguous thereto, means defining related indicia on each of said secondary spaces and the corresponding playing area contiguous thereto, and means including individually distinctive sets of elements corresponding to the respective players for positioning on said board in each of said secondary spaces to identify the particular player acquiring ownership of each of said secondary spaces.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,026,082 Darrow Dec. 31, 1935 2,174,058 McGennis Sept. 26, 1939 2,666,644 Strehlow Ian. 19, 1954

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