Throne Chess Game

Abstract

A board game comprises a board having multiple levels and play pieces. The board has darker spaces and lighter spaces that alternate such that a darker space will contact multiple lighter spaces and a lighter space will contact multiple darker spaces, the board having multiple player positions. Each player position associated with a location along the edge of the board.

Claims

1. A board game comprising: a board having multiple levels and play pieces, the board having darker spaces and lighter spaces that alternate such that a darker space will contact multiple lighter spaces and a lighter space will contact multiple darker spaces, the levels arranged such that each level below another level has at least one row of exposed spaces that are not directly beneath another level, the exposed spaces on each level being the only spaces on which play can occur, the board having multiple player positions, each player position associated with a location along the edge of the board.

2. The board game of claim 1 wherein the play pieces comprise pieces having a different assortment of functions.

3. The board game of claim 1 wherein each level has an odd number of spaces.

4. The board game of claim 1 having a single space being a throne, the game being won in one of several predetermined ways, these ways can be selected from the ways comprising, 1) capturing the throne with a king, 2) capturing the throne with a pawn if the king is captured, 3) capturing the throne with a pawn if the king is captured and the pawn is the last pawn, 4) gain the most points by having the last player on the board if all kings and pawns are previously captured.

5. The board game of claim 1 having levels that can be moved with respect to one another.

6. The board game of claim 1 wherein the levels are positioned in a pyramid style wherein there is a base level and a plurality of upper levels, each upper level having two less spaces in both length and width than the level immediately below it.

7. The board game of claim 1 wherein the play pieces include at least one king, queen, rook, knight, bishop, and pawn.

8. The board game of claim 7 wherein: a) the at least one king moves one space at a time in any direction; b) the at least one rook can only ascend or descend in the same move, can only descend when at the edge of a level, can move in only non-diagonal directions, can move around the level in a single level direction without passing through another player; c) the at least one bishop can move diagonally in a straight line without passing through another player; d) the at least one queen can move as the at least one rook and the at least one bishop; e) the at least one knight can move in an L-shaped movement having a long leg and a short leg wherein the long leg is 2 to 3 spaces and the short leg is one space shorter than the long leg, the angle between the long leg and short leg is 90 degrees; f) the at least one pawn can move one square per turn, the at least one pawn can capture a piece diagonally.

9. The method of playing the board game of claim 1 wherein: a) the board game levels are centered above one another such that each lower level has a ring with a width of one space exposed about each upper level, the top level being a single space; b) the play pieces include at least one king, queen, rook, knight, bishop, and pawn and are arranged in a predetermined set-up; c) each player makes a single move during each turn wherein: i) the at least one king moves one space at a time in any direction; ii) the at least one rook can only ascend or descend in the same move, can only descend when at the edge of a level, can move in only non-diagonal directions, can move around the level in a single level direction without passing through another player; iii) the at least one bishop can move diagonally in a straight line without passing through another player; iv) the at least one queen can move as the at least one rook and the at least one bishop; v) the at least one knight can move in an L-shaped movement having a long leg, and a short leg wherein the long leg is 2 to 3 spaces and the short leg is one space shorter than the long leg, the angle between the long leg and short leg is 90 degrees; vi) the at least one pawn can move one square per turn, the at least one pawn can capture a piece diagonally; d) play continues until a player wins in one of several predetermined ways.

10. The method of playing the board game of claim 9 wherein: a) the play pieces are arranged in a standard set-up; b) the predetermined ways can be selected from the ways comprising, 1) capturing the throne with a king, 2) capturing the throne with a pawn if the king has been previously captured, 3) capturing the throne with a pawn if the king has been previously captured and the pawn is the last pawn, 4) gain the most points by having the last player on the board if all kings and pawns are previously captured.

11. The method of playing the board game of claim 9 wherein: a) the play pieces are arranged in a suicide squad set-up; b) each player makes setup moves during the first three turns of the game; c) after the first three turns each player takes every available capture; d) play continues until one player wins by capturing the throne with his king.

12. The method of playing the board game of claim 9 wherein: a) the play pieces are arranged in a hidden king set-up; b) Players choose strategy options prior to the match beginning; c) Place your marked pawn anywhere in the row of pawns; d) play continues until one player wins by capturing the throne with his hidden king.

13. The method of playing the board game of claim 9 wherein: a) the play pieces arc arranged in a throne race set-up; b) Players choose strategy options prior to the match beginning; c) Play continues until one player wins by capturing the throne with a pawn.

14. The method of playing the board game of claim 1 wherein: a) the board game levels are skewed over to one corner such that each lower level has a ring with a width of two space exposed about two sides of each upper level, the top level being a single space; b) the play pieces include at least one king, queen, rook, knight, bishop, and pawn and are arranged in a pack of wolves set-up; c) each player makes a single move during each turn wherein: i) the at least one king moves one space at a time in any direction; ii) the at least one rook can only ascend or descend in the same move, can only descend when at the edge of a level, can move in only non-diagonal directions, can move around the level in a single level direction without passing through another player; iii) the at least one bishop can move diagonally in a straight line without passing through another player; iv) the at least one queen can move as the at least one rook and the at least one bishop; v) the at least one knight can move in an L-shaped movement having a long leg and a short leg wherein the long leg is 2 to 3 spaces and the short leg is one space shorter than the long leg, the angle between the long leg and short leg is 90 degrees; vi) the at least one pawn can move one square per turn, the at least one pawn can capture a piece diagonally; d) a super king is used to protect the throne, the super king has all the moves defined for a queen, a rook, and a bishop; e) Play continues until an opponent player wins by capturing the throne with a king of the opponent player.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0043] A detailed description of the invention is hereafter described with specific reference being made to the drawing.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of multiple layers of an embodiment of the multi-layered board of the invention.

[0045] FIGS. 2a-2f are top views of individual levels of an embodiment of the multi-layered board of the invention.

[0046] FIG. 3 is a top view an embodied game set-up of an embodiment of the multi-layered board of the invention.

[0047] FIG. 4 is a top view an embodied game set-up of an embodiment of the multi-layered board of the invention.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a top view an embodied game set-up of an embodiment of the multi-layered board of the invention.

[0049] FIG. 6 is a top view an embodied game set-up of an embodiment of the multi-layered board of the invention.

[0050] FIG. 7 is a top view an embodied game set-up of an embodiment of the multi-layered board of the invention.

[0051] FIG. 8 illustrates moves of pieces on the inventive play board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein specific preferred embodiments of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated. It should be noted that the terms column, row, or diagonal are not necessarily strictly linear.

[0053] The term grid does not require a regular shape such, as that for a rectangle, triangle, etc. or any shape having an axis of symmetry, though in some embodiments the grid does have an axis of symmetry. As used here a grid comprises at least one row with one or more spaces and at least one column of one or more spaces. It should be noted that this could also consist of a single space as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2f wherein the space is both a row and a column. For the purposes of this disclosure, like reference numerals in the figures shall refer to like features unless otherwise indicated.

[0054] Throughout this specification the term player can include a single individual or a team.

[0055] In FIG. 1 an embodied game board 10 having multiple layers 20-70 is shown. As illustrated the base level 20 is the largest grid and the top level 70 is the smallest comprising a single space as shown. As shown there are alternating colors/hues that make up each grid level of the multi-layer board 10 grid except for level 70 which as shown is of a single color/hue. As shown the grid layers are black and white, however there are multiple other colors and hues that could be used for each alternating space. For instance, the white spaces can be off-white and the black spaces can be grey. The black spaces as shown can be a color and the white spaces a white or off-white. Likewise the black spaces can be black or grey and the white spaces as shown can be of a color. In some embodiments the alternating black spaces and white spaces as shown can also be alternating colors or alternating hues of a color. These are only examples, and should not be considered exhaustive.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 1, each level is square and each level above another level is two spaces 5 smaller in both length and width. As shown, base level 20 has 11 spaces 5 along each side (width and length are the same in the square grid levels as shown). Level 30 immediately above base level 20 has 9 spaces along each side. Likewise, level 40 has two less spaces in width and length than level 30, level 50 than level 40, level 60 than level 50, and level 70 than level 60. As shown, the levels 20-70 are stacked on one another such that there is a one space 5 ring of spaces exposed on each lower level when an upper level is placed on it. To illustrate, in FIG. 3 only a one space ring is seen of level 20 when covered by level 30. Likewise, only a one space wide ring is seen of level 30 when covered by level 40. Each level being covered by another level as illustrated here can have a one space wide ring exposed.

[0057] FIGS. 2a-2f illustrate embodied levels. Those shown are square and can have varying widths 8 and lengths 7. The orientation for widths 8 and lengths 7 as shown in FIG. 2a can be applied to all the levels and boards within this application. In some embodiments the length and width is based on a space 5 of width and length 1.25 inches. Thus levels 20, 30,40, 50, 60, and 70 can have lengths 7 and widths 8 of 13.75, 11.25, 8.75, 6.25, 3.75 and 1.25 respectively. In some embodiments there are an even number of spaces in width and length. In some embodiments the alternating color/hue pattern (sometimes called a checkerboard pattern) is only present on the board portions that will be exposed during play.

[0058] In some embodiments the levels 20-70 are affixed to one another and cannot move relative to one another. In some embodiments the levels are not attached to one another and are manually stacked before play. In some embodiments the levels are attached but can move relative to one another; in some embodiments in two particular positions as shown in FIG. 3 (which shows a standard board level setup) and FIG. 5 (which shows the board levels skewed to one corner). In some embodiments, the board 10 creates multi-levels 20-70 simply by marking the levels on a single flat board without actually requiring multiple pieces. In some embodiments the entire board 10 has multiple levels wherein an upper level is physically higher than a lower level while constructed from a single piece of material.

[0059] The play pieces can have movements as defined and/or shown in FIG. 8.

[0060] I. When playing the standard game, the play pieces 80 (pieces include at least one king 81, queen 82, rook 83, bishop 84, knight 85, and pawn 86) can be arranged as illustrated in the standard set-up of FIG. 3. As shown, the throne is the space of the upper level 70. The game is won in one of several predetermined ways selected from the ways comprising: 1) capturing the throne with a king, 2) capturing the throne with a pawn if the king is captured, 3) capturing the throne with a pawn if the king is captured and the pawn is the last pawn, 4) gain the most points by having the last player on the board if all kings and pawns are previously captured.

[0061] The king 81 can move one space at a time in any direction.

[0062] The rook 83 can a) only ascend or descend in the same move, b) only descend when at the edge of a level, c) move in only non-diagonal directions which are oblique to the orientation of the length and width, and d) move around the level in a single level direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise) without passing through another player.

[0063] The bishop 84 can move diagonally in a straight line without passing through another player.

[0064] The queen 82 can move as the rook and the bishop. It may also be decided that the queen additionally have the special move of first moving one space diagonally and then moving one or more additional spaces diagonally and at 90 degrees from the first portion of the move; this special move also entails first moving one or more spaces and then moving one space diagonally and at 90 degrees from the first portion of the move.

[0065] The knight 85 can move in an L-shaped movement having a long leg and a short leg wherein the long leg is 2 to 3 spaces and the short leg is one space shorter than the long leg and the angle between the long leg and short leg is 90 degrees.

[0066] The pawn 86 can move one square per turn and can capture a piece diagonally moving forward or backward.

[0067] The board game levels 20-70 are centered above one another such that each lower level has a ring with a width of one space exposed about each upper level. During play, each player makes a single move during each turn. A turn is when each player has made a single move. When one turn ends another begins unless the game has ended. Play continues until a player wins in one of the predetermined ways described above.

[0068] II. When playing the suicide squad game, the play pieces 80 (pieces include at least one king 81, queen 82, rook 83, bishop 84, knight 85, and pawn 86) can be arranged as illustrated in the Suicide Squad set-up of FIG. 4. As shown, the throne is the space of the upper level 70. The game is won when one player captures the throne with a king.

[0069] The king 81 can move one space at a time in any direction.

[0070] The rook 83 can a) only ascend or descend in the same move, b) only descend when at the edge of a level, c) move in only non-diagonal directions which are oblique to the orientation of the length and width, and d) move around the level in a single level direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise) without passing through another player.

[0071] The bishop 84 can move diagonally in a straight line without passing through another player.

[0072] The queen 82 can move as the rook and the bishop. It may also be decided that the queen additionally have the special move of first moving one space diagonally and then moving one or more additional spaces diagonally and at 90 degrees from the first portion of the move; this special move also entails first moving one or more spaces and then moving one space diagonally and at 90 degrees from the first portion of the move.

[0073] The knight 85 can move in an L-shaped movement having a long leg and a short leg wherein the long leg is 2 to 3 spaces and the short leg is one space shorter than the long leg and the angle between the long leg and short leg is 90 degrees.

[0074] The pawn 86 can move one square per turn and can capture a piece diagonally moving forward or backward.

[0075] The board game levels 20-70 are centered above one another such that each lower level has a ring with a width of one space exposed about each upper level. During play, each player makes a single move during each turn. A turn is when each player has made a single move. When one turn ends another begins unless the game has ended. In some embodiments, each player uses the first three turns making setup moves. A setup move is one in which another player's play pieces are not captured. After the first three turns, each player takes every available capture. Play continues until a player wins by capturing the throne with his king.

[0076] III. When playing the Hidden King game, the play pieces 80 (pieces include at least one king 81, queen 82, rook 83, bishop 84, knight 85, and pawn 86) can be arranged as illustrated in the Hidden King set-up of FIG. 5. In some embodiments an identifier or identifying mark is placed on the pawn which is the hidden king. This can be placed on the bottom of the pawn. As shown, the throne is the space of the upper level 70. The game is won in one of several predetermined ways selected from the ways comprising: 1) capturing the throne with the hidden king, 2) capturing the throne with a pawn if the hidden king is captured, 3) capturing the throne with a pawn if the hidden king is captured and the pawn is the last pawn, 4) gain the most points by having the last player on the board if all hidden kings and pawns are previously captured.

[0077] The hidden king can move one space at a time in any direction. The hidden king is limited in some embodiments to capturing a piece only diagonally. In some embodiments the hidden king can capture an opponent's piece in any direction.

[0078] The rook 83 can a) only ascend or descend in the same move, b) only descend when at the edge of a level, c) move in only non-diagonal directions which are oblique to the orientation of the length and width, and d) move around the level in a single level direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise) without passing through another player.

[0079] The bishop 84 can move diagonally in a straight line without passing through another player.

[0080] The queen 82 can move as the rook and the bishop. It may also be decided that the queen additionally have the special move of first moving one space diagonally and then moving one or more additional spaces diagonally and at 90 degrees from the first portion of the move; this special move also entails first moving one or more spaces and then moving one space diagonally and at 90 degrees from the first portion of the move.

[0081] The knight 85 can move in an L-shaped movement having a long leg and a short leg wherein the long leg is 2 to 3 spaces and the short leg is one space shorter than the long leg and the angle between the long leg and short leg is 90 degrees.

[0082] The pawn 86 can move one square per turn and can capture a piece diagonally moving forward or backward.

[0083] The board game levels 20-70 are centered above one another such that each lower level has a ring with a width of one space exposed about each upper level. During play, each player makes a single move during each turn. A turn is when each player has made a single move. When one turn ends another begins unless the game has ended. Play continues until a player wins in one of the predetermined ways described above.

[0084] The players choose strategy options prior to the match beginning. The hidden king is placed in the row of pawns 86. Play continues until a player wins in one of the predetermined ways described above.

[0085] IV. When playing the Throne Race game, the play pieces 80 (pieces include at least one knight 85, and at least one pawn 86) can be arranged as illustrated in the Throne Race set-up of FIG. 6. As shown, the throne is the space of the upper level 70. The game is won when a player captures the throne 70 with a pawn 86.

[0086] The knight 85 can move in an L-shaped movement having a long leg and a short leg wherein the long leg is 2 to 3 spaces and the short leg is one space shorter than the long leg and the angle between the long leg and short leg is 90 degrees.

[0087] The pawn 86 can move one square per turn and can capture a piece diagonally moving forward or backward.

[0088] The board game levels 20-70 are centered above one another such that each lower level has a ring with a width of one space exposed about each upper level. During play, each player makes a single move during each turn. A turn is when each player has made a single move. When one turn ends another begins unless the game has ended. Play continues until a player wins by capturing the Throne 70 with a pawn 86.

[0089] V. When playing the Pack of Wolves game, the play pieces 80 (pieces include at least one king 81, queen 82, rook 83, bishop 84, knight 85, and pawn 86) can be arranged as illustrated in the Pack of Wolves set-up of FIG. 7. Note that the Throne 70 is now in a corner and all the board levels 20-70 have been shifted such that all the board levels have a corner positioned at or below the corner throne 70. In this embodied set-up each upper level is flanked on two sides by a lower level having a two-space width 90 exposed. The defending player protects the throne 70. The Queen 82 is placed on the Throne and the king defending the throne 70 is a Super King 81. The opponent players have a different set-up than the defending player and are attacking the defending player in an effort to capture the throne with one of the opponent players' kings 81. The game is won when the first opponent player captures the Throne 70 with the opponent's king 81.

[0090] The Super King 81 has all the moves defined for a queen, a rook, and a bishop.

[0091] The king 81 can move one space at a time in any direction.

[0092] The rook 83 can a) only ascend or descend in the same move, b) only descend when at the edge of a level, c) move in only non-diagonal directions which are oblique to the orientation of the length and width, and d) move around the level in a single level direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise) without passing through another player.

[0093] The bishop 84 can move diagonally in a straight line without passing through another player.

[0094] The queen 82 can move as the rook and the bishop. It may also be decided that the queen additionally have the special move of first moving one space diagonally and then moving one or more additional spaces diagonally and at 90 degrees from the first portion of the move; this special move also entails first moving one or more spaces and then moving one space diagonally and at 90 degrees from the first portion of the move.

[0095] The knight 85 can move in an L-shaped movement having a long leg and a short leg wherein the long leg is 2 to 3 spaces and the short leg is one space shorter than the long leg and the angle between the long leg and short leg is 90 degrees.

[0096] The pawn 86 can move one square per turn and can capture a piece diagonally moving forward or backward.

[0097] During play, each player makes a single move during each turn. A turn is when each player has made a single move. When one turn ends another begins unless the game has ended. Play continues until an opponent player wins by capturing the throne with an opponent player's king.

[0098] It should be noted that the spaces 5 can be of a variety of colors, hues, and light/darkness. Any use of light and dark spaces can also mean various hues and/or colors. Varying textures can also be used as can varying heights along a level 20-60. The board 10 can range from being much smaller or much larger than the dimensions given for an embodied game wherein the spaces 5 were sized to be 1.25. In some embodiments, the levels can have a substantially higher step.

[0099] There are many variations for this game. The throne in most instances is the greater focal point than the opponent's king. In standard chess the king is captured/check mated; this can occur anywhere on the Board. As embodied and described above the instant invention focuses on a non-moving position (the throne) for capture. Some embodiments do allow for movement of the throne however.

[0100] This game can be adapted to a digital embodiment. The digital embodiment can also help in keeping up with the points a player scores and the skill level and points the player himself has accumulated. In all games, whether digital or not, points can be used as shown in the player chart for the value of the throne itself (100), the king (30 points), the queen (25 points), a bishop (20 points), a rook (15 points), a knight (10 points), and a pawn (5 points). The last player may also be awarded 50 points in some embodiments.

[0101] The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. The various elements shown in the individual figures and described above may be combined or modified for combination as desired. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term comprising means including, but not limited to.

[0102] Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim 1 should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below.

[0103] This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.