WO1997025115A1

WO1997025115A1 - Table game using a polyhedron

Info

Publication number: WO1997025115A1
Application number: PCT/IT1996/000041
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto Fugolo
Original assignee: Roberto Fugolo
Priority date: 1996-01-09
Filing date: 1996-03-01
Publication date: 1997-07-17
Also published as: ITMI960025A0; ITMI960025A1; IT1281602B1; AU4842696A

Abstract

Table game wherein chance is invoked by the throw of a polyhedron (10) the number of whose facets is not less than the number of letters of the alphabet of a known language, each facet carrying a symbol corresponding to a letter or to other symbols (15), use being made of the symbol obtained from a throw made by a player, alternating with throws made by another or by other players, to complete blank squares (94) made on cards (91) until a word (93) or a phrase of ordinary meaning has been formed, the winner being that player who first completes the word or the phrase.

Description

TABLE GAME USING A POLYHEDRON

The invention concerns table games based on chance and using mechanical means offering accidental unforeseeable indicat ions . In the most widely played of such games the mechanical means are dice or roulettes.

In both cases each throw yields a randomly indicated number that produces certain effects in accordance with rules or customs . These games are obviously played either for pure amusement or for winnings by raising the stakes and therefore in no way serve to help children to learn the language. As speed of learning by children varies with the stimulus they receive and the pleasure they feel, it follows that the ideal game is one that, to use a well-known expression, combines "'business' with pleasure".

Purpose of the above invention is to achieve this result by helping children to learn, almost unconsciously, making a game of some of the earliest steps in education. Subject of the invention is a table game in which chance is consulted by means of a polyhedron with a number of facets at least as many as the- letters of the alphabet of any known language, such as Italian.

The symbol obtained from a throw made by the player that alternates with another or more players is used to com- plete blank squares drawn on cards in order to form a word or a phrase that has ordinary sense.

The player who manages to do this first is the winner. The symbols on the polyhedron can contain two or more of he same vowe1s . The symbols on the polyhedron can comprise one or more jo¬ kers.

The word or phrase must be formed on one card on which is marked the expression, composed in the blank squares, using letters taken from transfers or others chosen from a set of loose letters.

The card may show a picture of the object together with its name .

There can also be blank squares and a picture of the object. The words or phrases may be formed by elimination (various throws of the polyhedron that produce letters included in the words) of the letters in said words or phrases.

Elimination can also be made by covering the letters with the counters provided.

Cards can have all blank squares, the task of the player being to complete the squares with phrases or words having some ordinary sense, doing so by using the letters obtained from throws .

The invention offers evident advantages.

Enjoying the game a child can learn, without even noticing it, certain words already heard and new ones as well and their meaning as, having to make or unmake a word, the player must try to understand its sense. The game becomes even more interesting when the player has to translate pictures into words or when a choice must be made , from among the letters supplied at random, of those needed to complete a word or a phrase which has ordinary sense.

The competition created among the children playing acts as a stimulus to think as quickly as possible so as to be the winner. In conclusion, the winner is the child who "has learned", even unwittingly, more than the others, since victory can¬ not be achieved without having understood the meanings of the words and symbols.

The simplicity of the game, though played according to strict rules, including cultural advantages and the means necessary for it, makes it of very low cost, extremely easy to sell and within the reach of all young players. Characteristics and purposes of the invention will become still clearer from the following examples of its execution illustrated by diagrammatically drawn figures. Fig.1 The multi-facet polyhedron in two positions.

Fig.2 A pack of cards with squares and names of animals. Fig.3 A sheet of transfers. Fig. A set of loose letters. Fig.5 A set of blank counters. Fig.6 A pack of cards with squares and names of objects. Fig.7 A pack of cards each with ten plain squares. Fig.8 A pack of cards with squares and the picture of an object . Fig.9 pack of cards with squares and the picture and name of an object.

Fig.10 A pack of cards each with sixteen plain squares. Fig. il Example of playing the game with a first throw,with cards showing the names of animals. Fig. 12 Placing the letter A, obtained by the first throw, with a transfer on the card in Fig. I I . Fig. 13 The card after placing the letter A. Fig. 14 Second and third throws, giving letters L and F of no use in this case. Fig. 15 Fourth throw giving the letter G, of use in making up the card. Fig. 16 Fifth throw, giving the letter M of no use. Fig. 17 Sixth throw goving the Joker and adding T from the transfers. Fig. 18 A pack of cards with the name of an object. Fig. 19 First throw with a card showing the word 'boat ' and obtaining the letter F of no use. Fig.20 Second throw obtaining the letter B placed on the card with a letter taken from the set of loose ones.

Fig.21 Third throw obtaining the letter M of no use. Fig.22 Fourth throw obtaining the letter A placed on the card with one taken from the set of loose letters. Fig.23 Choice of a pack of cards with a picture and ord. Fig.24 Choice of a card with a picture and word, and throw obtaining a joker so that the loose letter V can be placed on the card. Fig.25 Choosing the alternative game in which the word can be unmade, obtaining the joker permits elimination of the V by covering it with a blank counter.

Fig.26 Choice of a pack of cards with a picture and no word. Fig.27 The throw obtains a joker and the letter V placed on the card . Fig.28 Choice of a pack of larger cards with squares for composing phrases; start of the composition by throws giving useful results. Fig.29 The phrase is completed by a throw giving letter B. The two illustrations in Fig.1 show the polyhedron 10 with a number of facets I I, the two positions respectively indi¬ cating on facet 12 the letter A 14, and with facet 13 the joker 15. The facets of the polyhedron show all the letters of the Italian alphabet plus two or more vowels repeated. Fig.2 shows a pack 16 of cards 17 with ten squares five of which 18 with letters forming the word GATTO 20 and five 19 which are blank respectively placed against those with letters Fig.3 shows a sheet 30 of letters 31,32, transferable by pressure .

Fig.4 shows a set 40 of counters 41 on which letters of the Italian alphabet, like B 42, C 43, E 44 are printed. Fig.5 shows a set 50 of blank counters 51. Fig.6 shows a pack 60 of cards 61 each with ten squares of which five 62 have letters forming a word, e.g. BARCA 63, and the other five 64 are blank.

Fig.7 shows a pack 70 of cards 71 with ten empty squares 72. Fig.8 shows a pack 80 of cards 81 containing eight blank squares 82 and a rectangle 83 with a picture.84 of asailing boat. Fig.9 shows a pack 90 of cards 91 in whose four squares 92 are the letters of a word, eg. VELA 93, five blank squares 94 and the rectangle 95 with a picture 84 of a sailing boat . Fig.10 illustrates a pack 96 of cards 97 with sixteen blank squares 98.

Figs.11-17 show five stages of playing the game. The players have chosen the card 17 with the word 20 GATTO and in turn they throw the polyhedron 10 on a flat surface. Fig. I I shows the result of one player's first throw. The polyhedron stops on the facet 12 showing the letter A 14 which corresponds to the letter A 21 on the card. The player can then use the transfers 30 (Fig.12) to place a transfer letter A 31 on the blank square 22 correspond¬ ing to the letter 21 in the word, as in Fig.13.

The second player's throw produces letter F 25 (Fig.14) of no use . The first player throws again obtaining the letter G 26 to be applied (Fig.15) to the card by a transfer letter G

32 in the blank square 23.

The second player's second throw gives the letter M 27, of no use . The first player's third throw obtains the Joker 15 permit¬ ting application of a third letter T,33, taken from the sheet of transfers.

Continuing the game, the winner will be the one who first completes a card. It is of course possible to play either with one card or with two equal cards to be filled separately by two players.

In the first case a random throw may decide the game.

In the second case a number of lucky throws will be needed in order to in. Figs. 18-22 show a further game using the card 61 bearing the word BARCA 63 taken from the pack 60.

The second player's first throw produces the letter B,28, applied to a blank square 64 on the counter 42.

The second player's second throw gives the letter A 14 and with this two counters of letter A,45, are placed in the blank squares 65,66, and so on.

Figs.23-24 illustrate the choise of card 91 from pack 90 (Fig.23) comprising the word VELA 93 on squares 92 and a picture of a sailing boat 84 on the rectangle 95. The thro of the polyhedron 10 has produced the Joker 15 so the player puts the counter with letter V 45 in the blank square 95, and so on (Fig.24) to begin formation of the word 93 VELA. In one variation of the" game, the word VELA can be comple¬ ted by thro s of the polyhedron, covering one by one the letters as shown in Fig.25 where the blank counter 51 has been placed over the V 96 in the word. Fig.26 shows a pack 80 of cards 81 with eight blank squares 82 and the rectangle 83 ith a picture of a sailing boat 84. The throw of the polyhedron 10 gives the Joker 15 and makes possible formation of one letter of a phrase, eg. BARCA A VELA corresponding to the picture 84. In Fig.27 the first lettera B,42, has been placed using a counter 40.

Figs.28, 29 show two stages of the game using a card 97 in which are sixteen blank squares 98. The fruitful throws of the polyhedron, such as indicated by letters A 14 and N 16 have enabled the player to place a number of letters such as A 45,E 44, and C 43 (Fig.28) to make up the phrase 37 "IL CANE ABBAIA" .

The final throw, giving the letter N 16 has permitted the player to complete the phrase (Fig.29) with the counter 41.

Claims

1. Table game chara erized in that chance is invoked by a polyhedron ( 10) the number of whose facets ( 11- 13) is at least as many as the letters of the alphabet of a known language, such as Italian or any other, on each of which facets is a symbol corresponding to a letter ( 14, 16,25-28) or other symbols ( 15) the symbol used being that obtained from a throw made by a player, alternately one with.another or with several others, for completion of blank squares ( 19, 22,23,64,65,72,94,98) made on cards ( 17,61,71,81,91,97) to form an expression (20, 47, 93)word or phrase of an ordinary meaning, the winner being the player who has formed a word or phrase before any other player.

2. Table game as in claim 1 characterised in that the symbols ( 14- 16,25-28) of the po¬ lyhedron ( 10) contain two or more equal vowels.

3. Table game as in claim 1 characterized in that the symbols of the polyhedron ( 10) comprise one or more jokers ( 15).

4. Table game as in claim 1 characterized in that the word (20,63,93) or phrase (47) is formed on a card ( 17,61,71,81,91,97), this being done by placing in the blank squares ( 19,22,23,64,65,72,82,94, 98) letters (31,32) taken from a sheet (30) of transfers.

5. Table game as in claim I characterized in that formation of the word . ( 20 , 63 , 93 ) or phrase (47) on a card ( 17,61,71,81,91,97) is obtained by placing letters in the blank squares ( 19,22,23,64,65,72, 82,94,98), letters that are chosen from a set (40) of loose letters (42-44) marked on counters (41) and the like.

6. Table game as in claim 1 characterized in that the expression, word ⁽20,63,93⁾ or -g.-

phrase are printed on the cards ( 17,61,71,91) and that there are blank squares ( 19,64,94) one corresponding to each of the letters in the expression, to be filled as and

when the throw of the polyhedron ( 10) indicates one of 5 the letters printed.

7. Table game as in claim 6 characterized in that on the cards the expression (93) is associated to the picture (84) of the object indicated by said express ion .

10 8. Table game as in claim 1 characterized in that on the cards (81,91) is the picture (84) of an object and a number of blank squares (82,94) to be filled little by little ith letters indicated by the polyhedron ( 10) and belonging to the object seen in the pic-

I 5 ture .

9. Table game as in claim 1 characterized in that the words (93) or phrases are printed in the squares (92), said words or phrases being formed or eliminated by various useful throws of the polyhedron ( 10) 0 that produce letters (96) comprised in said words or phrases.

10. Table game as in claim 9 characterized in that elimination of the letters (96) is obtained by covering them with blank counters (51).

11. Table game as in claim 1

25 characterized in that the squares (98) on the cards (97) are all blank, the player having to complete said squares with phrases (47) or words which have an ordinary meaning, using the letters ( 14, 16) indicated by throws of the poly^¬ hedron ( 10) .