Game device

Abstract

 A game device is in the form of a dripmat 1 having a cutout 5 which can be arranged at any desired angular orientation within an aperture 2. Markings around the aperture and the periphery ofthe insert 5 contribute towards a player's score. The markings may be present on one or both sides of the mat and insert.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for playing a game made of card or sheet.

[0002] According to the present invention, there is provided a game device in the form of a card or sheet having an aperture therethrough and a card or sheet insert insertable in the aperture in a number of different orientations, the card or sheet and the insert having indicia thereon whose relative positions on insertion of the insert determine a score in the game. Preferably, for ease of manufacture and simplicity, the insert is a simple cut out of the card or sheet leaving the aperture. The aperture is preferably circular to maximize the number of different orientations in which the portion can be placed.

[0003] Suitably indicia are distributed around the inner periphery of the aperture and the outer periphery of the insert. Preferably the indicia are provided on both sides of the insert and/or both sides of the card or sheet. By this means, it is possible to arrange that for part of a player's turn, the indicia on the reverse side of the sheet/card and/or insert, which, of course, he cannot see, contribute to his own or his opponent's score, thereby introducing an uncontrollable element into the scoring.

[0004] Suitably, one set of indicia represents game scores and the other comprises pointers whereby alignment of a pointer and a particular score indicium determines a score achieved in the game.

[0005] Each surface of the card/sheet may have a complete set of score values, in which case the arrangement of score values preferably differs on the two surfaces or alternatively some values may be on one side and the remainder on the other.

[0006] The device may be in the form of a drip mat as found in bars and so forth and can therefore be produced at negligible extra cost over and above that of the conventional dripmat. The application of the device is, however, by no means limited to dripmats. For example, a number of the devices, suitably made of durable/washable material such as plastics may be provided in a carrying wallet, box or similar to provide a games set e.g. to entertain children while travelling.

[0007] A wide variety of different games may be catered for by suitable printing of the device. The following description illustrates the application of the invention to darts and card games.

[0008] The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figures la-and Ib show the front and reverse sides, respectively, of the main part of a dripmat according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 2a and 2b show the front and reverse surfaces respectively of the disc insert which completes the first embodiment of the present invention; and

Figures 3a and 3b show the front and reverse surfaces of a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figures la, lb and 2a, 2b show one form of dripmat according to the present invention, made from the conventional card material. The main part 1 of the dripmat is, as shown in Figures la and lb, in the shape of an elongate rectangle having a circular aperture 2 towards one end. Around the periphery 3 of aperture 2 on both surfaces la and lb are printed respective sets of indicia 4a, 4b which, as shown, represent the scores around the edges of a dart board. It will be seen that the scores in the set 4a follow the layout of a standard dart board while the second set 4b is angularly offset and shuffled compared with this standard format. The reason for this will become apparent from the description below.

Figures 2a and 2b show the disc 5 which is cut or stamped from the mat 1 to form the aperture 2. It will be seen from Figures 2a and 2b that its two surfaces 6a, 6b are each printed around their periphery with the pattern 7a, 7b of the "doubles" area of the dart board and the outer part of the singles area.

[0009] Three darts 8a, 8b, 8c of the same colour are drawn on this disc, clearly positioned in one of the "doubles" or "singles" segments.

[0010] The darts 9a, 9b, 9c on the reverse of the disc are of similar appearance, although they may be differently positioned, and may be of a different colour.

[0011] The dripmat 1 and aperture 2 may be made from any suitable material, preferably card or stiff paper for cheapness and ease of manufacture.

[0012] In the printing process the position of the darts on both sides may be varied on different dripmats so that a large number of different combinations may be produced.

[0013] On the dripmat which contains the disc, twenty numbered segments are drawn on the perimeter of the circle adjoining the disc, so that the disc may be aligned to correspond to them. These numbered segments also appear on the reverse side of the dripmat, although the order of the same 20 numbers may be varied. One or both sides of the dripmat may be printed with instructions for play.

[0014] Similarly, the order of the numbered segments in the indicia 4a, 4b on both sides la, lb of the mat may be varied on different dripmats, so that a large number of different combinations may be produced.

[0015] Therefore, a very large number of different scoring combinations may be produced on both front and reverse, by rotating the discs in different positions and also by interchanging different discs and dripmats.

[0016] These combinations may be used to achieve scores in a variety of different types of conventional dart games.

[0017] The score achieved on one side of the dripmat by a particular orientation of the disc 5 in the hole determines another score on the reverse which cannot be seen by the player without turning it over, or known by him except by an exceptional feat of memory. Thus, the reverse side score can be used to produce a result uncontrollable by him, e.g. one which must be added or subtracted, or a score for an opponent.

[0018] Most conventional dart games including "301", "Killer" and "Hi/Lo" can be played using the dripmat as shown in Figs la, lb and 2a, 2b.

[0019] The two players may use the same or two or more different dripmats and one or more inserts to play or the same dripmat and two or more different inserts.

[0020] A special promotional feature of the game is that the mathematical probability of any score can be precisely calculated by the arrangement of the printing plates, but these probabilities can be achieved-only by a totally free interchange of the dripmat components, so that in a limited production run, extremely high odds can be established against the correct assembly of any particular score on both sides of the dripmat.

[0021] This is useful feature in consumer competitions where the intention is to offer a few expensive prizes to large numbers of people, with predictable and small odds of winning, and/or large numbers of small prizes, with higher predictable chances of winning. Importantly, winners are determined by skill, in finding and arranging the right combination of dripmat and disc; thus no "tiebreaker" would be necessary, as the contest is not a lottery, whether or not a consideration is involved.

[0022] Figures 3a and 3b show the front and reverse sides of a further form of dripmat I' which is printed with suitable markings to enable the playing of a card game, specifically poker. Thus, it will be seen that disposed around the periphery of the aperture 2 is a series of symbols 4'a and 4'b representing different playing cards. Twenty six of the fifty two playing cards of a conventional pack are shown on one side of the mat and the remaining 26 on the other. Each side of the disc 5' is printed around its edge with a series of marks 10 for alignment with the edges of the "cards" and two distinguishable sets of pointers 11, in this case hollow and solid triangles, which can be aligned with the "cards" to achieve a particular score. The purpose of the two distinguishable sets of pointers on each side is that each player takes part of his score from each side of the mat using one set of pointers and his opponent does likewise using the other set. It will be appreciated that this is another way of introducing an uncontrollable element into each player's score, a principle which may be applied to other games.

[0023] As with the darts mat, various conventional card games may be played.

[0024] It will be appreciated that the principles described above can be applied to dripmats for playing a multiplicity of other games.

Claims

1. A game device in the form of a card or sheet having an aperture therethrough and a card or sheet insert insertable in the aperture in a number of different orientations, the card or sheet and the insert having indicia thereon whose relative positions on insertion of the insert determine a score in the game.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the insert is a cutout of the card or sheet.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the aperture is circular.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the indicia are distributed around the inner periphery of the aperture and the outer periphery of the insert.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the indicia are provided on both sides of the insert and/or both sides of the card or sheet.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one set of indicia represents game scores and the other comprises pointers whereby alignment of a pointer and a particular score indicium determines a score achieved in the game.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims in the form of a dripmat.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there are indicia on both surfaces of the card or sheet each representing a complete set of score values.

9. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein there are indicia on each surface of the card or sheet, the indicia on each surface representing scores different from those on the other surface.

10. A game device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures la, lb, 2a and 2b or Figures 3a and 3b of the accompanying drawings.

Drawing