Chess board

Abstract

 A chess board comprises a base (10) and a plurality of elements, for example comprising support plates (20), having support surfaces of two contrasting colours for supporting chess playing pieces. The different support surfaces may be positioned at selected heights relative to the base, for example the different support plates (20) being mounted on pegs (30) of selected lengths. The arrangement enhances the players' enjoyment of the game and can also improve their playing ability.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the game of chess and more particularly to a novel form of chess board for use when playing the game of chess.

[0002] There have been many previous proposals for modifying the game of chess. These have usually involved alteration or extension of the rules of playing the game and, for various reasons, have not proved popular.

[0003] I have now devised a novel form of chess board which is arranged for playing the game of chess according to the usual rules, without modification, but which enhances the players enjoyment of the game.

[0004] In accordance with the present invention there is provided a chess board which comprises a base and a plurality of elements having support surfaces of two contrasting colours for supporting chess playing pieces, the arrangement being such that the different support surfaces may be positioned at selected heights relative to the base board.

[0005] In use therefore, the "squares" of the chess board lie at different heights, rather than all lying in one plane. Use of this chess board enhances the players' enjoyment of the game, and can also improve a player's ability to play chess.

[0006] Preferably the support elements comprise plates preferably of square shape, and mounting elements on which the support elements are mounted at selected heights.

[0007] Preferably the mounting elements comprise elongate pegs arranged to fit, at their lower ends, into sockets in the base and, at their upper ends, into sockets in the underside of each support plate. Preferably the underside of each support plate is formed with a projecting stud arranged to fit into the sockets of the base (when the plate is to be mounted at the level of the base): preferably this projecting stud is formed with a socket into which the upper end of a said peg can be fitted, (when the plate is to be mounted at a selected height above the base).

[0008] Preferably the end portions of the pegs taper and the sockets of the base and undersides of the support plates taper in complementary manner. Preferably the end portions of the pegs, and also the sockets, are of a non-circular cross-sectional shape, to prevent the support plates turning, in use of the board.

[0009] The chess board is preferably marketed with a plurality of pegs of at least three different lengths, and more preferably with the pegs of seven different lengths. It will be appreciated that, in the former case, up to four different levels for the support plates are possible, whilst in the latter case up to eight different levels are possible (including the base level).

[0010] Where the chess board consists of the base, 64 support plates and a number of mounting pegs, the whole can be packed in a compact manner when dismantled. However, the chess board can be set up and dismantled quite quickly and easily.

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a base part of a chess board in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section through one half of the base of Figure 1;

FIGURE 3 is an underside view of one of the support plates of the chess board;

FIGURE 4 is a view of one of the mounting pegs of the chess board;

FIGURE 5 is a diagram to show a number of different possible cross-sectional shapes for the mounting pegs and sockets of the chess board; and

FIGURES 6 to 8 show diagrammatically a number of different layouts which can be employed in use of the chess board.

[0012] Referring to Figure 1, there is shown the base of a chess board in accordance with the invention, this base having a flat top 10 formed with a peripheral rib 12, and formed across its top with ribs 14 which divide the top 10 into an 8 x 8 array of squares: each of these squares is formed at its centre with a socket 16. By way of example, the ribs 12 may be of 2mm width and 2mm height, whilst the ribs 14 may be of 4mm width of 2mm height.

[0013] As shown in Figure 2, the top 10 of the board is of uniform thickness (for example of 3mm) throughout, except for the ribs 12, 14 and the sockets 16. The top 10 is supported around its periphery on an integral wall 18, e.g. 4mm thick and 14mm high (from its bottom edge to the upper surface of the top 10). The sockets 16 are formed by projections from the underside of the top 10, these projections having opposed walls of uniform thickness (e.g. 2mm) tapered towards each other. The bottoms of the sockets 16 are partially closed by peripheral flanges 17. In the example shown, the sockets 16 are square in section, but alternative cross-sectional shapes may be used, for example as shown in Figure 5. Each socket 16 has, in the example shown, an internal depth of 12mm and tapers from a square of 10mm x 10mm at its top to a square of 8mm x 8mm at its bottom.

[0014] The chess board further comprises 64 square plates 20, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Each plate 20 has a flat top surface: there are 32 plates each having its top surface light e.g. white in colour, and 32 plates each having its top surface dark e.g. black in colour. Each plate 20 may have a thickness of 2mm, and its underside is formed with a rib 22, which in the example shown is 2mm wide and 2mm deep, and inset from the periphery of the plate by 2mm. The underside of each plate 20 is also formed with a projecting stud 24, which is shaped and dimensioned to fit into a socket 16 of the base 10. Thus, in the example shown, the stud 24 has a square outer cross-sectional shape, and tapers from 10mm x 10mm at the level of the underside of the rib 22, to 8mm x 8mm at its lower end, its height being 12mm. The length of each side of each plate 20 is equal to the centre-to-centre distance of adjacent sockets 16 of the base 10. It will be appreciated that each of the plates 20 can be fitted directly onto the base 10, with its projecting stud 24 fitted into one of the sockets 16 of the base and its rib 22 lying against the flat top of the base 10, whilst the plate overlaps, around its edges, half the width of the adjacent ribs 14 (or the whole of the width of any adjacent ribs 12).

[0015] The chess board further comprises a number of pegs 30, each for example as shown in Figures 2 and 4. Each peg 30 has a square cross-sectional shape, which varies in dimension along the length of the peg. At its lower end, the peg 30 has a tapering end portion 31 of complementary shape and size to each socket 16 of the base 10: thus, in the example shown, the portion 31 has a length of 12mm and tapers from 10mm x 10mm at its inner end to 8mm x 8mm at its outer end. Adjacent the portion 31, the peg 30 has a portion 32 which tapers down to a 6mm x 6mm cross-section. The peg 30 then has a main portion 33 of uniform, 6mm x 6mm cross-section, and finally a tapering upper end portion 34 which tapers from 6mm x 6mm to 4mm x 4mm over a length of 10mm. The latter, tapering upper end portion 34 is complementary to a tapering, square-section socket 26 formed in the projecting stud 24 of each of the plates 20. Accordingly the peg 30 may be fitted into a socket 16 of the base 10 (as shown in Figure 2) and support a plate 20 on its upper end.

[0016] The chess board is provided with a number of pegs 30 having different lengths (i.e. the lengths of their main portions 33 vary). In a "standard" form, the board may be marketed with 24 pegs of 49mm length, 24 pegs of 86mm length and 28 pegs of 123mm length. In a "deluxe" form, the board may be marketed with the above-mentioned set of pegs, plus 16 pegs of 160mm, 16 pegs of 197mm, 16 pegs of 234mm and 16 pegs of 271mm.

[0017] In use, the players have considerable choice as to how they set the board up. The 64 plates 20 are of course laid out in the usual 8 x 8 array with alternating colours in each row and in each column: however, the vertical heights at which the different plates are supported may be chosen. Thus, selected plates at selected positions may be fitted flat on the base 10, whilst other plates at other selected positions are supported by pegs 30 of selected heights. The number and variety of lengths of the pegs 30 enable a variety of different layouts to be selected, at the choice of the players.

[0018] Figures 6 to 8 show examples of board layouts which may be set up and I have given suggested names to each of these as shown. In these layouts, a blank square represents that the corresponding plate is fitted directly onto the base: the numbers 1,2....7 represent the use of pegs of successive lengths, e.g. 1 for pegs of 49mm length, 2 for pegs of 86mm, 3 for pegs of 123mm, 4 for pegs of 160mm, 5 for pegs of 197mm, 6 for pegs of 234mm and 7 for pegs of 271mm.

[0019] It will be appreciated that once the chess board has been set up according to the selected layout, it may be used to play a game of chess according to the usual rules of play. However, because the playing pieces are moved across squares at different levels, the enjoyment of the game is enhanced. I have also found that use of the board enhances the players' ability at the game.

[0020] Whilst the support elements have been shown as flat plates 20, it will be appreciated that they may be of various sizes and shapes, e.g. in the shape of spheres, ovoids, triangles, hexagons or cubes, for example.

Claims

1. A chess board which comprises a base and a plurality of elements having support surfaces of two contrasting colours for supporting chess playing pieces, the arrangement being such that the different support surfaces may be positioned at selected heights relative to the base board.

2. A chess board as claimed in claim 1, in which said support elements comprise plate, preferably of square shape, and mounting elements on which the support elements are mounted at selected heights.

3. A chess board as claimed in claim 2, in which said mounting elements comprise elongate pegs arranged to fit, at their lower ends, into sockets in said base and, at their upper ends, into sockets in the undersides of the respective support plates.

4. A chess board as claimed in claim 3, in which the underside of each support plate is formed with a projecting stud arranged to fit into a said socket of said base, for mounting said support plate at the level of said base, said stud being formed with said socket to receive the upper end of a said peg, for mounting said support plate at a selected height.

5. A chess board as claimed in claim 3 or 4, in which opposite end portions of each said peg taper and said sockets of said base and of said support plates taper in complementary manner to the lower and upper end portions, respectively, of said pegs.

6. A chess board as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, in which end portions of said pegs, and also said sockets, are of non-circular cross-sectional shape.

7. A chess board as claimed in any preceding claim, arranged for said support surfaces to be positioned at three or more (and preferably seven) different heights above said base.

Drawing