Game apparatus and method

• US 20090121427A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HGK Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Markman Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Evans, G. Gordon, Berkowitz, Norman G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,276,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/146
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00703 Tokens or chips
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/04 Dice dice tops A63F5/04 D; Dice-boxes; Mechanical dice-throwing devices casino or betting games played on boards A63F3/00157
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0402 Rolling boards

Abstract

A dice game and method of playing a dice game is disclosed wherein provided are ten dice, a dice box having a score pad and bonus card holding area, playing chips and chip holders, a score payout card, and instructions for playing the game. Players take turns rolling the ten dice in the dice box, and if three like kind or more dice of the same suit are rolled, such dice are placed on the score pad and removed from play, after which the player must decide whether to reroll the remaining dice or bank the point from the initial roll. If on a subsequent roll in a turn a dice of the same suit is not rolled, the players turn is over and all points accumulated in such turn are lost. If three like kind or more dice are not rolled on an initial roll, the player selects a “bonus” card and is awarded the designated number of points on the card, and the dice are rolled again. After a play becomes the “winner” by being the first to achieve 122,000 points, each other play will have a final turn in which to attempt to achieve an even higher score, with the player achieving the highest score becoming the “high roll winner”.

Claims

1. A method of playing a strategic dice game comprising:

(a) providing from 8 to 12 individual dice having identifying legends on substantially all flat surfaces, each die being marked on its surfaces with the same identifying legends as each other dice,

(b) establishing an order of serial play for a selected group of players by any convenient selection method,

(c) each player then rolling in turn all of the dice simultaneously, and selecting an identifying legend which is rolled a predetermined minimum number of times as being that player'"'"'s identifying legend for said turn,

(d) counting the number of dice rolled having said selected identifying legend and awarding the player a predetermined number of points for that roll,

(e) removing from further play in said turn the dice rolled having said selected identifying legend,

(f) the player then having the option of either banking the awarded points and ending said turn, or throwing one or more further hands of dice using only the dice remaining in play and attempting to roll one or more dice having said selected indentifying legend, and if successful to accumulate additional points in said turn, but if one or more dice not having said selected identifying legend are not rolled, said player'"'"'s turn is ended and all points accumulated in the turn are not banked,

(g) the players continuing to take turns throwing dice hands in the initially assigned order until one player'"'"'s accumulates a predetermined total number of points derived from players throwing dice hands having an identifying legend selected for that turn, with said player becoming the nominal winner and being allowed to complete said turn.

2. A method of playing a strategic dice game in accordance with claim 1 wherein a total of 9 to 11 dice are used in each initial throw.

3. A method of playing a strategic dice game in accordance with claim 1 wherein ten dice are used in each initial dice throw.

4. A method of playing a strategic dice game in accordance with claim 1 wherein after the predetermined winning score is attained by a player each of the other players is availed a final serial turn to attempt to accumulate an even greater point total than that of the nominal winner, with the player accumulating the greatest point total that exceeds the total score of the nominal winner being declared the grand winner, but if no player accumulates a point total greater than the nominal winner, the nominal winner is also declared the grand winner.

5. A method of playing a strategic dice game in accordance with claim 1 wherein a supply of shuffled bonus cards have a bonus point total marked thereon is available during play, one of which cards is to be assigned to a player in random order upon an initial roll in a turn not resulting in at least one instance of an identifying legend occurring a predetermined minimum number of times, the bonus point total marked on said bonus card being added to that player'"'"'s score,

6. A method of playing a strategic dice game in accordance with claim 5 wherein after a player is assigned a bonus card in a turn, said player will be awarded another opportunity to roll all of said dice in the same turn.

7. A method of playing a strategic dice game in accordance with claim 6 wherein every turn results in a player being awarded and having the opportunity to bank points which are added to said player'"'"'s total score.

9. A strategic multiple player dice game in accordance with claim 8 wherein there are from 9 to 11 dice provided for use in the game in accordance with claim 1.

10. A strategic multiple player dice game in accordance with claim 9 wherein there are 10 dice used in the game.

8. A strategic multiple player dice game in which a minimum multiplicity of identical die faces are initially required to be thrown to establish a first score, and said multiplicity of dies is subsequently removed from play but a lesser number of die are then accepted to add to the score of such player in subsequent throws, in which, however, if the selected die'"'"'s face identifier is not thrown the player loses all accumulated score in such turn, the first to accumulate a predetermined added score being declared the winner, comprising;

(a) a set of from 8 to 12 identical dice displaying readily identifiable separate symbols on each separate die face,

(b) a walled thrown die receptacle for receiving thrown dice, said receptacle having a substantially planar throwing surface and walls surrounding such throwing surface adapted to retain thrown dice without substantially obscuring the dice from surrounding players,

(c) planar chips representing various combinations of accumulated die values appropriate to such game,

(d) at least one chip retaining holder adapted to facilitate quick inspection and calculation of the general value of chips accumulated by a player upon cursory viewing by a player in the game, and

(e) a set of values providing for a set order of throwing of the dice and accumulation of each accumulated players points necessary to win said strategic dice game inclusive of rules for display of accumulated chips.

11. A strategic multiple player dice game in accordance with claim 8 wherein there are multiple chip retaining holders, one for each player, and provided with a structured separator means allowing a viewer to quickly determine broadly how many compartments are filled with chips and thus estimate the score of the player to which the holder is assigned for use.

12. A strategic multiple player dice game in accordance with claim 11 wherein each row of chips in the holder is provided with just enough space to accommodate a set number of chips of that denominator, and having a raised portion on the end so the end chip in a row is raised slightly from the other chips indicating a completed row of chips.

13. A strategic dice game in accordance with claim 12 additionally comprising a set of bonus cards for distribution to players who on an initial roll in a turn have failed to roll any set of die having a minimum multiplicity of identical die faces.

14. A method of playing a game between at least two players wherein the players are guaranteed to score points on any initial roll comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing an order of play for said players,

(b) the initial player activating a first chance determining mechanism capable of displaying at random a plurality of identifying legends from an established set of said legends, and if at least one set of a predetermined number of occurrences of any single one of said identifying legends results, one of said sets is removed from play and the player can either accept an award previously assigned to said result, ending said player'"'"'s turn, or alternatively the player can activate said chance determining means again time in an attempt to achieve further occurrences of the previously selected set of identifying legends,

(c) wherein if a subsequent activation of the first chance determining mechanism in the same turn does not result in at least one occurrence of the selected identifying legend, said player'"'"'s turn is ended and all points accumulated in said turn are lost, and play is passed to the next player, and

(d) whereby if upon said initial activation of the first chance determining means in a turn a predetermined number of occurrences of any single one of said legends does not result, said player provided with an award through a second chance determining mechanism, after which said player is given another opportunity to active said first chance determining mechanism.

15. A method of playing a dice game in accordance with claim 18 comprising the additional steps:

(e) whereby upon one of said players becoming the first to achieve a predetermined total award and then upon achieving said total being declared the winner of the game, and

(f) whereby upon one of said players being declared the winner, each of the remaining players will awarded a final turn to try accumulate an even greater total award than that of the winner, with the player accumulating the highest total award being declared the ultimate winner.

16. A method of playing a dice game in accordance with claim 15 wherein said first chance determining mechanism is a set of ten dice that are thrown together, and if three like kind or more of any of said dice is rolled, said three like kind or more dice are separated from the other dice, after which said first player can either accept an award of points equal to a previously assigned point total for combination of dice, or alternatively the first player can roll the remaining dice again in an attempt to roll additional dice having the same value as the initial three like kind or more dice, with the preassigned point total for said additional dice being added to the score for said player, and in the event that the dice symbols of the originally elected three like kind or more dice do not come up in a subsequent roll in a turn, said player'"'"'s turn is ended and the preassigned point total for that turn is not added to the player'"'"'s score.

17. A method of playing a dice game between two players in accordance with claim 16 wherein said second chance determining mechanism is a deck of bonus cards for which there is a variable chance of obtaining various points.

18. A method of playing a dice game between two players in accordance with claim 14 wherein when a score is preset as a winning score and when one player realizes such score such player is declared a winner.

19. A method of playing a dice game in accordance with claim 19 wherein each player is allowed at least one throw of dice subsequent to a declaration of a winner and the player with the highest score after each player has taken such additional throw is declared to be the winner of the game.