Background of the Invention 5 The present invention relates to a game apparatus and more particularly to the board-type game commonly referred to as "GO".

GO is a board game that originated in China, spread to the shores of Japan sometime in the eighth 10 century, and has gradually gained in such popularity so that today enthusiasts can be found, not only in Japan, but also in the United States and Europe.

Traditional GO uses a game board upon the playing surface of which are 19 vertical lines that are 15 intersected by 19 horizontal lines, resulting in 361 intersections. These intersections are the locations for play-placement of player pieces, called "stones." Traditionally, there are the same number of stones as there are intersections: 361, 180 of the stones which 20 are white and 181 are black. Briefly, the game is played by two contestants, one using the black stones and the other using the white stones. Play alternates between each player, with one stone being played at a time. A stone must be played each turn, no "passes" or 25 skipping of turns is allowed. The object of the game is to place stones so as to surround more intersections (territory) than the player's opponent. The stones are limited to being played on the intersections of the lines inscribed on the playing surface (or on the 30. spaces between the lines—but usually not both). For some, the profundity of the intellectual pursuit in learning the game can be a life-long endeavor; for others, on the other hand, mastering the initial concepts of the game can lead to boredom or disenchantment by the 35 somewhat regimented play and limitations imposed, in part, by the constraints of game play. Unfortunately,

no satisfactory alternative games of varietal form have been heretofore proposed. Those which have been sug¬ gested generally are of the lower intellectual challenge than the traditional GO game.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a novel and unique game board and apparatus for playing GO according to traditional rules, ^' yet because of the game board design provides a much wider latitude game play than heretofore possible with the traditional GO game board. According to the present invention a game board is provided having a playing surface upon which is inscribed a plurality of rows of contiguous, equi-dimensional hexagons, together with an appropriate number of playing pieces (i.e. stones). The game is played according to the traditional rules of GO with the following modifications: pieces may be played at any hexagon corner or at the center of any hexagon. The rows of hexagons inscribed on the playing surface are preferably arranged in a first plurality of horizontal rows, each containing a number of hexagons, interlaced with a second plurality of horizontal rows, each containing a number of hexagons less than that of the first plurality of rows. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, there are 163 contiguous, equi-dimen¬ sional hexagons inscribed on the playing surface of the game board, and arranged in 7 horizontal rows (each containing 13 of the hexagons) interlaced with 6 hori- zontal rows (each containing 12 of the hexagons) in a substantially rectangular formation.

An alternate embodiment of the invention provides a game board surface for playing traditional GO games or for playing a modified GO game, the latter being disclosed below. The playing surface of the game board of the alternate embodiment has the plurality.of hexagons arranged in a substantially rectangular

configuration so that a minimum of P stone placements (i.e., plays) is needed to form a line of connecting stones from any point of play at one vertical edge to a point of play at the opposing vertical edge; and a minimum of P+l plays vertically from any point of play at one horizontal edge to a point of play at the opposing horizontal edge.

A number of advantages are obtained from the board game apparatus of the present invention. First, the invention provides an intellectually challenging board-type game that offers much ^' more complex game play when using the traditional game play rules of GO. In addition, the traditional GO game is improved. Further still, greater flexibility of movement within the game play is provided.

These advantages are realized primarily by the following aspects of the invention: In contrast to GO play on the traditional board, where only two degrees of freedom of play are allowed (i.e_, along a vertical or horizontal line from any particular intersec¬ tion) the invention provides three degrees of freedom from two separate locations: from a corner of any hexagon or from a center of any hexagon. These and other objects and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description, taken with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a game board embodying the present invention, illustrating the playing surface thereof;

Fig. 2 is an illustration of the game pieces used in playing the game board of the present invention; Figs. 3A and 3B are illustrations of the degrees of freedom of play realized with the game board of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration showing game play developments capable when using the invention to play traditional GO; Fig. 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the game board illustrated in Fig. 1 for use with a modified version of GO;

Fig. 6 is a further embodiment of the present invention illustrating the use of apertures to delineate the points of play designated by the hexagons of the present invention; and

Fig. 7 illustrates player pieces adapted to •be used in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is illustrated a game board, generally designated with the reference numeral 10, constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The game board 10 is shown as including a playing surface 12 upon which is inscribed indicia forming a plurality of contiguous, equi-dimen¬ sional, hexagons 14 arranged in interlaced horizontal rows 16 and 18. In the preferred embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 1, there are an odd number (seven) of rows 16, with each row 16 containing an odd number (13) of hexagons, and an even number (six) of interlaced rows 18 with each row 18 containing an even number (12) of hexagons.

The playing surface 12 further includes nine black star points 22-38 ("hoshi" points in traditional GO). A first hoshi point 22 is located in the center of a central hexagon 23, and the remaining eight star points 24-38 are arranged symmetrically about the central hexagon 23 in the pattern as illustrated in Fig. 1: Hoshi points 24, 26, 28 and 30 are equally spaced from the hoshi point 22 vertically above, below, to the right, and to the left, respectively, as seen in

Fig. 1; and the hoshi points 32, 34, 36 and 38 are also equally spaced diagonally from the central hoshi point 22, and located on hexagon corners as illustrated. Fig. 2 illustrates ^' a few of the game pieces or "stones" 40 used with the present invention. The number of game pieces in traditional GO (i.e., utilizing a game board having vertical and horizontal intersecting lines) depend on the number of playing positions (i.e., line intersections). Using 19 vertical and 19 horizon¬ tal intersecting lines will create 361 intersections and 180 white stones, 181 black stones. In the present invention, placement may be on any hexagon corner or at the center space of the hexagon. Accordingly, if tradition is to be adhered to, the present invention will be accompanied by game pieces that number in accordance with the number of play disposition points on the playing surface 12, i.e., 541 stones divided into 270 white stones 40a (Fig. 2) and 271 black stones 40b.

As hereinabove indicated, traditional GO play involves placement of the game pieces in a contiguous manner to form surrounded intersection (territories) on the playing surface. A second stone maybe played adjacent a first stone with only two degrees of freedom (horizontally or vertically) in traditional GO. The present invention, however, as illustrated in Figs. 3A and 3B, provides three degrees of freedom of play from one played stone. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 3A, with a stone 24 played at a hexagon corner, a second stone may be placed by the same player at any one of six locations (illustrated in phantom) adjacent the played stone 24: at hexagon corners 26a, 26c, or 26e or the hexagon center spaces located at 26b, 26d, or 26f. The three degrees of freedom from the hexagon corner at which stone 24 is played are illustrated by the double arrows A, B, and C.

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The three degrees of freedom for adjacent play from a stone played at the center of one of the hexagons 14 is illustrated in Fig. 3B by the double arrows A', B ¹ , and C. Here, a stone 28 played at the center of one of the hexagons 14; a second stone may be played adjacent thereto at any one of the six corners 30a-30f, along any one of the three paths of directions indicated by the double arrows A ¹ , B ^! and C. As mentioned, the game board 10 of the present invention is used to play the ancient game of GO according to the traditional rules. Diagrammatic illustrations of game play development, using the present invention, are illustrated in Fig. 4. The basic object of a game of GO is placement of a number of player pieces or stones in juxtaposed relation to surround vacant areas on the board (called "Ji" or territories). Two players play their respective stones in alternate fashion to form one or more configurations of connecting or linking stones. This connection of stones is referred to as "Tsunagi," and illustrated by the black stones in the development identified as D or the white stones (surrounding a number of black stones) illustrated at E (Fig. 4). A player may never place more than one stone on the board at a time, and also cannot "pass" or refuse to make a play when it is his turn to do so. Note, in Fig. 4, stones, whether black or white, are played at hexagon corners and hexagon centers. The concept of an eye, called "Me" in GO, is illustrated by the player stone developments at D, E, F, G, H, I and J. The developments at G, H, I, and J illustrate single Mes (called "Ichigan"), the actual locations of the Mes being at the points g, h, i and j, respectively. Note in particular the development at I, which illustrates use of the edge of the game board of the invention to form a Me.

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The number of Mes that may be contained within a territory designated by a surrounding number of stones is unlimited. Thus, for example, in the development at D, the white stones form within the Ji (territory) encircled, the five eyes dl-d5. Similarly, the black stone in the development at F form (at the edge of the game board) the six eyes fl-f6.

Fig. 4 also illustrates the concept of in check ("Atari") and capture ("Tori") when GO is played using the present invention. For example, at the development K three white stones are surrounded on three sides by nine black stones. If it were ^* white's play, a white stone could be played at kl, the only adjacent point of play for connecting further white stones to the line of three- white stones. This is called a "Katsuro," to the "path to survival." However, a move by black placing a stone at kl will entrap the white stones and lead to their capture or Tori. Accordingly, development at K is described as Atari.

The development at H illustrates the concept of "Shini" or dead in which a group of black stones is surrounded by white stones and having but a single Me at h. The surrounded black stones are considered to be a dead group of stones for the reasons that they are subject to immediate capture by black if a black stone is played at h. This concept is also illustrated by the development at E, where placement of a white stone at C will result in capture of those black stones surrounded by linking white stones. Conversely, the development at D and F illustrate the concept of "Iki" or alive in which a group of stones is completely surrounded by an opponent's stones, yet contains two or more Mes (dl-d5 in the development at D; fl-f6 in the development at F).

Illustrated in Fig. 5 is an alternate embodi¬ ment of the present invention in which the number of hexagons 14 is increased four additional rows of

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hexagons, two rows 16a and 18a at the top (containing 13 and 12 hexagons, respectively) and two rows 16b and 18b at the bottom (containing 13 and 12 hexagons, respectively). This alternate embodiment of the present invention provides for a modified, shortened version of GO in which the object is to form a connecting link of (single-color) stones from any point of play on one edge of the hexagonal arrangement to any point of play on an opposing edge.

As with the traditional GO, moves are alter¬ nated between the player of the black stones and the player of the white stones throughout the game, with the points of play at which a stone may be placed being any hexagon point or an open center of a hexagon. One player plays horizontally (i.e., plays to form a connecting link of stones from a left edge 50 to a right edge 52 of the hexagonal arrangement). The second player plays vertically (i.e., from the top edge 54 and bottom edge 56) in an attempt to form a connecting link of stones. Two adjacent stones form a blockade to the movement of an opponent, such as illustrated at 0. The connecting white stones 58 form a barrier that the player of the black stones cannot traverse, black must attempt to extend the link of black stones around the white stones 58, such as the possible illustrated in phantom at 60. As many lines of connecting stones as necessary can be started at any point on the board. In order to distinguish those hexagons forming the play area for traditional GO from that of the alternate embodiment, the four added rows 16a, 16b, 18a, and 18b are provided with initia (i.e., coloring, with the remaining hexagons of the board remain uncolored or provided a contrasting). Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, a further embodiment of the invention, for use for example during travel is illustrated. As shown in Fig. 6, each of,the points of play delineated on the game board 10 (Fig. 1) flJΪLE

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by the corners or centers of the hexagon 14 that are enscribed on the playing surface 12 are provided with apertures 68. The game pieces for use with the game board having the apertures 68 are illustrated in Fig. 7, and shown as black and white pegs 70 and 72, respec¬ tively. All pegs are identically constructed, and, as illustrated by the white peg 72, include a shank 74 configured to removably fit into the apertures 68 formed in the game board 10, a collar 76, separating the shank 74 from a neck portion 78. If desired, for aesthetic reasons, a bulbous head section 80 may be provided.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 allow persons to play traditional GO game, or modifications thereof, including the modifica¬ tion described with respect to Fig. 4, while traveling in moving vehicles. Game play is effected by merely placing the shank 74 of a black or white player piece 70, 72 into the desired (unoccupied) aperture 68 of the game board.

In summary, the disclosed invention provides a game board having a playing surface upon which is inscribed a substantially rectangular formation of equi-dimensional hexagons for playing the ancient game of GO according to traditional rules. Game play allows placement of stones at both hexagon corners and centers. Although the invention has been described above in considerable detail with reference to several possible embodiments, it should be appreciated that many modifications and variations exist and might be used to adapt this invention to playing GO. For example, referring to Fig. 1, the corner hexagons (designated as 16a-16d) can be eliminated, retaining still the substan- tially rectangular configuration of hexagons. According¬ ly, it should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is to be determined solely with reference* to the following appended claims.