US3747926A - Tic tac toe game - Google Patents

Abstract

A game wherein points are awarded by completing rows of matching sets of playing pieces. The game includes a playing surface having a predetermined number of playing areas arranged in rows and a plurality of groups of playing pieces. One playing piece from each plurality of groups is to be placed in each playing area. In one embodiment, translucent colored playing pieces in groups of magenta, cyan, and yellow when placed on top of each other during successive turns, produce additional colors; a player being required to complete a row of a particular color in order to score points. In this embodiment, the playing areas are transparent while the remainder of the playing surface is opaque. In an alternative embodiment, the interrelated groups of playing pieces are concentrically circular, the smallest piece can be a solid circular piece and the next pieces cylindrically-shaped rings in increasing sizes.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Odom [ TIC TAC TOE GAME George P. Odom, Pine Plains, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Jeremiah E. Berk, Esq.,

Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

22 Filed: Oct. 21, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 191,394

[75] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl 273/130 B, 273/137 R [51] Int. Cl. A63b 3/00 [58] Field of Search 273/130 A, 130 AB,

273/130AC,130B,130C,130D,131R,131 A, 131 AD, 131 AC, 131 AB, 131 BB, 131 B, 131 D, 134 AD, 135 B, 135 AC, 136 E, 153

[ July 24, 1973 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham [57] ABSTRACT A game wherein points are awarded by completing rows of matching sets of playing pieces. The game includes a playing surface having a predetermined number of playing areas arranged in rows and a plurality of groups of playing pieces. One playing piece from each plurality of groups is to be placed in each playing area. In one embodiment, translucent colored playing pieces in groups of magenta, cyan, and yellow when placed on top of each other during successive turns, produce additional colors; a player being required to complete a row of a particular color in order to score points. In this embodiment, the playing areas are transparent while the remainder of the playing surface is opaque. In an alternative embodiment, the interrelated groups of playing pieces are concentrically circular, the smallest piece can be a solid circular piece and the next pieces cylindrically-shaped rings in increasing sizes.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJULZMSB FIG.4A

FIG.5

GEORGE DOME EJGA FIG.6

EJQQEJA TIC TAC TOE GAME BACKGROUND l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a game, and more particularly to an educational game for teaching colors and set theory wherein points are scored by completing rows of matching sets of playing pieces.

2. Description-of the Prior Art The most relevant known prior art relates to the classic game of tic tac toe. For tic tac toe there is required a playing surface having nine playing areas arranged in three rows of three areas each. It is played by two players, each being assigned a particular symbol, such as X or O (or a distinguishable playing piece). Each of the players alternately place their assigned symbol (or playing piece) in an empty playing area until one of the players completes three in a row and is declared the winner.

The tic tac toe game, although quite popular, has a number of detrimental aspects. One such disadvantage isits simplicity permitting the game to be easily mastered and resulting in a large number of games in which neither player wins. Additional disadvantages include a relative lack of either aesthetic appeal or educational value, and the fact that only two people can play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide a more challenging game,.0f the type wherein points are scored by completing rows of playing areas with matching sets of playing pieces drawn from a common pool, usually resulting in a winner.

It is another object of my invention to provide an educational game teaching the subtractive color process and set theory.

Still further objects of my invention include providing a game having aesthetic appeal, and playable by any reasonable number of people.

Briefly, in accordance with one aspect of my invention, there is provided a planar surface, such as a playing board, having a predetermined number of playing areas arranged in rows. The shortest row is at least three playing areas long. A plurality of groups of playing pieces are also provided. Typically, three groups of playing pieces are used, the number of playing pieces needed from each group being equal to the number of playing areas. Each playing area is adapted to receive one playing piece from each of the groups of playing pieces. Each player draws, in turn, a playing piece from one of the groups placing the chosen piece on a playing area. Points are awarded to a player completing a row of identical playing pieces (or matching sets of playing pieces) by placing the last such piece in the row, in tic tac toe fashion; the number of points awarded being equal to the length of the completed row. A row of matching sets of playing pieces is a row. having more than one playing piece in each playing area, such that all the playing pieces in each playing area are drawn from the same groups of playing pieces.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the groups of playing pieces are interrelated. For'example, translucent colored playing pieces in groups of magenta, cyan and yellow, place on top of each other during successive turns, produce additional colors; a player being required to complete a row of a particular color in order to score points. In this embodiment, the

playing areas are transparent while the remainder of the playing surface is opaque, preferably black. As an example, placing the last yellow playing piece in a row, thereby completing a yellow row, awards the player the number of points equal to the number of playing areas in the row. Subsequently, placing cyan playing pieces over all the yellow playing pieces, provides a green row. A set of playing pieces consisting of one piece from each of the groups of cyan, yellow and magenta, provides an opaque (black) playing area.

In an alternative embodiment, the interrelated groups of playing pieces are concentrically circular. If three groups of playing pieces are desired, the smallest piece can be a solid circular piece and the next two pieces cylindrically shaped in increasing sizes. A set of playing pieces would then consist of either a combination of one playing piecefrom any two groups, or one playing piece from each of the three groups. As a further variation, playing pieces may be rectangles of inter-fitting size. As in the preferred embodiment, points are scoredby completing rows of matching sets of playing pieces. I

The above mentioned objects, features and advantages of my invention, together with others inherent in the same, are attained by the apparatus illustrated in the drawings, the same being merely preferred exemplary forms, and are described more particularly as follows.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the playing surface.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of one playing area with a playing piece in place.

FIG. 3 shows the playing pieces for use with the playing surface of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an alternate playing surface.

FIG. 4A is a sectional view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows the playing pieces for use with the playing surface of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another alternate playing surface.

FIG. 7 shows the playing pieces for use with the playing surface of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION Now describing my invention with respect to the various figures, there is shown in FIG. 1, a playing surface 100. The playing surface has opaque or black areas 20 and transparent areas 22 numbered 1-19. The numbers 1-19 do not appear on the playing surface but have been inserted for simplifying the explanation of the rules of play. The playing surface can be constructed by any one of numerous techniques providing the illustrated configuration. For example, holes corresponding to the playing areas 1-19 can be cut from black paper and the resultant structure adhesively joined to a piece of transparent plastic. The playing surface can also be produced photographically such that after developing the areas 20 are black while the remaining areas are transparent. Numerous alternatives will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

The playing areas are arranged in intersecting rows such as the row consisting of playing areas 1, 5, 10, 15 and 19, and the row consisting of playing areas 4,5,6, & 7. The only requirement is that the shortest row be three playing areas long such as the row consisting of playing areas, 1,2 and 3. The playing surface could therefore be enlarged to include additional rows of greater length. With the playing surface of FIG. 1, a source of light (not shown) is required. When the playing surface 100 is used in a horizontal position, the source of light should come from underneath thereby shining through the various playing pieces to be placed on the playing areas.

In order to avoid the expense of an artificial source of light, the playing surface 100 is mounted vertically such as by taping to a window, for example. Natural daylight then passes through the transparent playing areas 1-19. Vertical mounting requires means 24 for retaining the playing pieces in position, as shown in FIG. 2. With continued reference to FIG. 2, there is shown a particular playing piece (m) retained in playing area 22 by retaining means 24, the latter preferably being a transparent pocket. Transparent pockets or retaining tabs are readily adhesively joined to the playing surface 100. Note that the playing piece is substantially the same size as the playing area being any convenient size such as several inches in diameter.

The playing pieces are translucent and colored as shown in greater detail in FIG. 3. Preferably, I use three groups of playing pieces colored magenta(m), cyan(c) and yellow(y). When playing the game in the vertically mounted configuration shown in FIG. 2, the playing pieces are preferably constructed from thin plastic material. When using a horizontally mounted configuration, the playing pieces can be of heavier translucent plastic material similar in size and shape to poker chips.

Each of the playing areas l-l9 is adapted to receive three playing pieces, one from each of the groups of magenta(m cyan(c) and yellow(y). This is one reason for keeping the playing pieces quite thin in the vertically mounted configuration. For the playing surface of FIG. 1, 57 playing pieces are required, 19 from each of the three color groups. In the event that a larger or smaller playing surface is used, a corresponding number of playing pieces are provided.

Refer now to FIG. 4, for an alternate embodiment not requiring a special light source other than normal room illumination. The intersecting rows of playing areas are arranged similar to the FIG. 1 embodiment and are labeled 22. to show their correspondence. Playing surface 200 is any convenient playing board constructed from wood, cardboard, or other suitable material usually used for gameboards. Generally, the playing board 200 would be a heavier material than the vertically mounted configuration specifically illustrated in FIG. 2. A cross-section of one of the playing areas of playing board 200 is illustrated in FIG. 4A. This cross-section has also been enlarged for purposes of illustration and is shown with a complete set of playing pieces inserted therein. The playing pieces are illus trated in greater detail in FIG. and are labeled with corresponding reference numerals. The smallest playing piece 51 fits in the center of the playing area, the playing piece 52 normally surrounds it, while playing piece 53 normally surrounds playing piece 52. The playing areas 22' are adapted to receive one playing piece from each group of playing pieces in a substantially precisely positioned relationship. As seen in greatest detail in FIG. 4(A), it is possible to place a playing piece 51 and a playing piece 53 in playing area 22' and have a suitable groove remaining for playing piece 52. As in the previous embodiment, 19 playing pieces are required from each of the groups of playing pieces, 51, 52 and 53.

Refer now to FIGS. 6 and 7 for a still further alternate embodiment. The playing board 300 of FIG. 6 resembles the traditional tic tac toe configuration, but in combination with the playing pieces of FIG. 7, it serves to illustrate my invention in a most simple form. The nine playing areas are sufficiently large to receive a full set of playing pieces, one from each of the groups 71, 72 and 73. In this case, nine playing pieces are needed from each of the groups of playing pieces 71, 72 and 73. With the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 6, a prospective winner of three points by the placement of a playing piece 71 in the upper right hand corner (playing area 303) is illustrated. This will become more apparent in the following more particular description of the rules of play.

OPERATION The basic rule of the game is that points are scored by completing rows of matching playing pieces or sets of playing pieces. For purposes of describing the operation, the playing areas in FIG. 6 have been numbered 301-309. The only requirement of the playing surface is that it have a predetermined number of playing areas arranged in intersecting rows, each playing area being adapted to receive a plurality of playing pieces. In the case of FIG. 6, nine playing areas are provided, each of them large enough to receive at least the three playing pieces shown. Twenty-seven playing pieces are required, nine from each of the groups of playing pieces, 71, 72 and 73. These groups of playing pieces are placed in individual piles from which each player can draw. Two or more players can play. A first player starts out by placing a playing piece on one of the playing areas. The first player is followed by a second player who also takes a playing piece and places it on a playing area of his choice. The only restriction is that it is prohibited to place two playing pieces from the same group on the same playing area. In other words, two of the same pieces may not be placed on the same area. With the arrangement indicated in FIG. 6, the player with the next turn would take a playing piece from the group 71 and place it in playing area 303. This would complete a row of matched playing pieces and the player would record the three points thus won. In subsequent play, a circular piece from the group 73 might be placed in playing area 305 permitting a player to place a square from the group 71 playing pieces into playing area 308 completing a row of matching sets of playing pieces. Namely, a combination of playing pieces from more than one group constitutes a set and the completing of a row of matching sets of playing pieces rewards that player with three points, the number of playing areas in the completed row in this example. This procedure is continued and repeated until each playing area contains a complete set, namely one playing piece from each of the three groups of playing pieces 71, 72 and 73.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated at FIG. 1, the playing area is expanded to I9, and the playing pieces not only vary in color but cause other colors to appear as the playing pieces are combined in various combinations making the game educational as well as highly pleasing aesthetically. The combination of a cyan and yellow playing piece results in green. The combination of magenta and yellow results in red. The combination of magenta and cyan results in blue. The conbination of one playing piece from each of the three groups renders the playing area opaque. When placedagainst a window, an opaque surface will appear black. These colors are chosen from the subtractive color system. Note that even though only three groups of playing pieces are provided, players can win not only with rows of magenta, cyan or yellow, but also with green, red, blue and black. A row of green, for example, constitutes a row of matching sets of playing pieces in the sense that cyan and yellow form a set of two. If a player were to complete a row consisting of playing areas 1, 5, 10, and 19 with a matching set of playing pieces, such as the color red, he would be awarded five points which he would record. 0n the other hand, completing the row consisting of playing areas 4, 5, 6 and 7 would award a player only four points, etc.

Note that in the FIG. 1 configuration, the rows of playing areas do not intersect at right angles but rather at acute and obtuse angles. This permits an expansion of the playing area and varying lengths of rows. Note also that the playing pieces are of substantially the same size and shape as the playing areas providing the aesthetically most pleasing arrangement. Also, by having the playing areas and playing pieces circular, alignment problems are avoided. By providing a retaining means for the playing pieces such as transparent pockets 24 the playing pieces are held in a precisely superimposed spaced relationship to the playing areas such that when a complete set of playing pieces has been placed, the playing area becomes completely opaque.

In conclusion, what I have described is a game wherein points are scored by completing rows 'of matching playing pieces or matching sets of playing pieces. Numerous variations will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art. For example, the rules could be modified to permit the taking away of playing pieces as well as the addition thereof. I myself have found that using particular colors, I can change the color of a set of playing pieces merely by turning them over.

For example, a particular shade of pink, found in the Rohm and Haas plexiglas catalog number 2085, played in combination with the previously described colors, will change color when turned over, provided a fluorescent light source is used.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that various other changes in structure and mode of operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1 claim:

1. In a game of the type wherein points are scored by completing rows of matching sets of playing pieces, said game comprising:

A playing surface having a predetermined number of playing areas arranged in intersecting rows, the playing areas of said playing surface being transparent, the remainder of the playing surface being opaque;

A plurality of interrelated groups of playing pieces adapted to be placed on the playing areas of said playing surface, each of the groups of playing pieces being translucent and of a different color, each'playing piece being shaped to substantially cover one playing area; and

Each one of said playing areas being adapted to serially receive one playing piece from each of said groups of playing pieces, more than one playing piece on any playing area forming a set.

2. A game as in claim 1 wherein said playing areas and playing pieces are circular. 3. A game as in claim 2 wherein the plurality of groups of playing pieces comprises:

A first one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces being colored magenta;

A second one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces being colored cyan;

A third one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces being colored yellow;

Said playing areas being adapted to receive one playing piece from each one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces such that when one playing piece from each one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces is placed on one playing area, said playing area becomes opaque.

4. A game as in claim 3 further comprising:

Means for retaining said playing pieces in a precisely superimposed spaced relationship to said playing areas such that when one playing piece from each one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces is placed on one of said playing areas, the playing area becomes opaque.

5. A game as in claim 4 wherein the playing surface is vertically mounted and the retaining means comprises transparent pockets adapted for retaining one playing piece from each of the plurality of groups of playing pieces.

Claims (5)

1. In a game of the type wherein points are scored by completing rows of matching sets of playing pieces, said game comprising: A playing surface having a predetermined number of playing areas arranged in intersecting rows, the playing areas of said playing surface being transparent, the remainder of the playing surface being opaque; A plurality of interrelated groups of playing pieces adapted to be placed on the playing areas of said playing surface, each of the groups of playing pieces being translucent and of a different color, each playing piece being shaped to substantially cover one playing area; and Each one of said playing areas being adapted to serially receive one playing piece from each of said groups of playing pieces, more than one playing piece on any playing area forming a set.

2. A game as in claim 1 wherein said playing areas and playing pieces are circular.

3. A game as in claim 2 wherein the plurality of groups of playing pieces comprises: A first one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces being colored magenta; A second one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces being colored cyan; A third one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces being colored yellow; Said playing areas being adapted to receive one playing piece from each one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces such that when one playing piece from each one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces is placed on one playing area, said playing area becomes opaque.

4. A game as in claim 3 further comprising: Means for retaining said playing pieces in a precisely superimposed spaced relationship to said playing areas such that when one playing piece from each one of said plurality of groups of playing pieces is placed on one of said playing areas, the playing area becomes opaque.

5. A game as in claim 4 wherein the playing surface is vertically mounted and the retaining means comprises transparent pockets adapted for retaining one playing piece from each of the plurality of groups of playing pieces.

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