There are a great many different board games. Frequently, these games seek to find a compromise between educational benefit and playing enjoyment.

The more enjoyable a game is to play, the more likely the educational content will be remembered or learned by the players. However, games with more useful educational content are frequently less interesting to play, particularly for children. There is therefore always a problem of devising a game with useful educational content which is at the same time enjoyable and easy to play.' The invention seeks to provide an enjoyable game with useful geographical educational content.

According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for playing a board game comprising: a map of an area, showing a plurality of geographical features; a playing surface marked with a plurality of playing areas connected together in a sequence, a plurality of the playing areas each representing one of the geographical features of the area shown on the map and also indicating a task; a plurality of player tokens for movement around the playing surface; a plurality of player tokens for application to the map ; means for determining the number of moves between playing areas to be made by a player's token at each turn ; and a plurality of question cards each having a plurality of questions and answers, wherein at least some of the tasks indicated comprise the requirement to answer a question card question.

The invention combines a separate geographical map with a playing board. The game played on the playing board can thus be made interesting and engaging, and the interaction required by the game with the separated map provides all opportunity for passive learning from the map. The question cards also provide an opportunity for

learning. Preferably, the questions of the question cards are also geographical in nature, but the level of difficulty is such that the game relies upon the strategic movement of the player tokens at least as much as it relies upon detailed geographical knowledge.

The apparatus preferably further comprises a set of rules, the rules requiring the following: each player in turn operating the means for detennining the number of moves; when a player, after making the determined number of moves, lands on a playing area representing a geographical feature, the player completes a task to occupy the geographical feature, and places one of the plurality of player tokens on the map at the corresponding geographical feature; and the winner being declared based on the occupation of a given pattern of geographical features.

The game thus requires the identification of the location of different geographical features, such as countries, and this provides a passive learning opportunity.

The task may comprise answering a question from the plurality of question cards, and this provides a further learning opportunity.

However, other tasks preferably comprise obtaining a predetermined result from the means for determining the number of moves. This task is not knowledge based but essentially has a random chance of success, so that the game can be played successfully with minimal previous geographical knowledge.

The given pattern may comprise a predetermined number of geographical features which border each other on the map. For example, the aim may be to obtain 5 bordering countries.

The means for determining the number of moves may comprises one or two dice, or other random number generator.

The map is preferably mounted upright and is metallic, and wherein the plurality of player tokens for application to the map are magnetic. This is then mounted for all to see, and provides a progress report on the game.

The apparatus may further comprise a plurality of geographical feature cards. The rules may then further require allocation of a predetermined number of geographical feature cards to each player at the beginning of play, each player occupying the corresponding geographical features at the beginning of the game. The number of cards given out can be altered to influence the likely duration of the game.

The apparatus may further comprise a plurality of strategy cards. The rules may then. further require allocation of a predetermined number of strategy cards to each player at the beginning of play. These can be required for submission when landing on certain playing areas.

In particular, the playing areas can be arranged as at least two concentric rings interconnected by bridging areas, and crossing these bridging areas can require the submission of a strategy card. These bridging areas and the concentric rings allow a large number of areas to fit on a suitable board size, but they also allow the player to have some influence over where the player token ends at the end of the move, although at the expense of a limited number of strategy cards.

Each bridging area may allow the passage of a player token in one direction only.

The rules may further require having an additional move when landing on a bridging area.

The playing areas may include at least one challenge area, for enabling one player to challenge for occupation of a geographical feature occupied by any other player. This provides additional strategic control to the players. The rules may then further require submission of a strategy card when making a challenge. Furthermore, the rules may further require completion of the task associated with the geographical feature in order for a successful challenge to be made.

The playing areas may further include a plurality of steal areas, for enabling one player to steal occupation of a geographical feature occupied by any other player (with no taslc), although this may be at the expense of a predetermined plurality of strategy cards when making a steal.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 shows the game board of the board game of the invention ; Figure 2 shows the map of the board game of the invention; Figure 3 shows an example of question card of the board game of the invention ; and Figure 4 shows the other cards used in the board game of the invention.

The board game of the invention has a playing surface on which player tokens are moved around, a separate map providing geographical features of an area, in particular

countries of a continent. The players move tokens around the playing surface, but can also apply tokens to the map. These may be the same or different tokens. Movement of the tokens around the playing surface is determined by the throw of a pair of dice. Finally, there are a number of question cards, and also other types of card as will be explained below.

The different pieces of equipment making up the board game will first be described, followed by an explanation of how the game is played.

Figure 1 shows the game board on which the player tokens are moved around in dependence upon the throw of the dice. The playing surface 10 has a number of playing areas, shown as squares 12 connected together in a sequence. In the example shown, the playing areas 12 are arranged as two concentric squares, and these are connected together by bridging areas 14. The total number of playing areas 12 is sufficient to provide one playing area for each of the countries forming part of the game, and a number of additional playing areas, such as the bridging areas 14. Most of the playing areas represent one of the countries shown on the map. By way of example, a playing area for France is shown at 12A and a playing area for Spain is shown as 12B. Each of the playing areas representing a country also indicates a task.

As shown in Figure 1, the playing area 12A for France has the symbol"Q"which indicates that a question must be answered correctly in order to"win"France. The playing area 12B for Spain has a task relating to a throw of the dice. As shown, this playing area has a task of"roll even". In other words, whether or not the player"wins"Spain will depend on a further roll of the dice.

The bridging areas 14 allow passage of player tokens in one direction only, and this is represented by the arrows formed in the bridging areas. As shown for the bridging area 14A, landing on this space (rather than passing through it) also gives an additional roll of the dice, hence the marking"Go Again".

The playing areas 12 also include one or more challenge areas, one of which is shown as 16 in Figure 1. Another type of playing area 12 is a"steal"area, one of which is shown as 18 in Figure 1.

Finally, a number of the playing areas 12 are"strategy"areas 20 and when these are passed a"strategy card"is obtained. As will be explained further below, these strategy cards have a number of functions, but not least, one strategy card must be given up when

crossing a bridging area 14. As shown in Figure 1, the strategy areas are in each comer of the playing surface.

The tokens which are moved around the playing surface by the players may be in any suitable form, typically distinguished by colour.

Figure 2 shows the map which also forms part of the board game of the invention.

The map 30 is mounted on a metallic surface so that magnetic tokens can be applied to the map. For example it can be printed on a card substrate and then bonded to a metal support. The map is mounted upright, and as shown comprises a substantially flat metal surface 32 and a pair of supporting legs 34.

In this example, the map is a map of Europe, and identifies different countries as different areas on the map. Of course, different continents may be used, and the game may be based on features other then countries, for example lakes, mountains, rivers etc. Each country represented needs to be sufficiently large that a token can be placed on the area occupied by that country. Thus, some countries which are too small may not be represented on the map or may be combined with a. neighbouring country as a single geographical feature for the purposes of the game. Preferably, the map is an accurate reflection of the continent, and playing the game thus provides passive learning of the geographical area shown on the map.

As will be explained further below, the object of the game is to occupy a number of countries on the map, in a particular pattern. This pattern is preferably a chain of countries which border each other, for example five bordering countries. For the purposes of the game, artificial bridges may be created across bodies of water. For example the map shown in Figure 2 schematically indicates England 40 connected to France 42 by a bridge 44, and shows Scotland 46 connected to Norway 48 by a bridge 50.

A country is occupied by landing on a playing area 12 representing a country, and completing the associated task correctly.

As mentioned above, one task may involve throwing the dice again, and another task involves answering a question from a question card.

Figure 3 shows an example of question cards used.

Each question card preferably has only a single body of a question, followed by 12 refinements. For example as shown in Figure 3, the main body of the question is essentially"In which country is the following lake ?" The question card provides 12

different questions. by listing 12 lakes, and the corresponding 12 answers by listing the 12 countries forming the answer.

The questions are preferably of a geographical nature.

The question to be asked is selected by the dice count which resulted in the player reaching that playing area 12. In a refinement of the invention, the game can be played with one or two dice. Younger players can play with one dice, and this means they will always obtain questions 1-6. Thus, questions 1-6 may be relatively easy, and questions 7- 12 may be relatively difficult.

As mentioned above, there are a number of other cards used in the game. Figure 4 shows in simplified fonn these additional cards. A strategy card is shown at 60, and this is simply a card which can be gained or submitted as play progresses. A country card (more generally a geographical feature card) is shown as 62. The purpose of these cards is to allocate a number of countries to players at the beginning of the game. The number of countries allocated will determine how long the game takes to play.

Figure 4 also shows the player tokens 64 for application to the map, and these are simply small magnetic pieces of different colours. The same tokens may be used for movement around the playing surface 10, although different pieces may be used.

Figure 4 also shows a score card 68. This is a magnetic pad which is attached to the map and displays the score of the players (when scoring is used, which is optional). A pen is provided and the pen markings can be wiped off the card 68.

The way in which the game is played will now be described.

The game is ideally for three or four players or teams of players. In the preferred implementation, the object of the game is to achieve a line of five connecting countries on the map, including the artificial bridges connecting countries, as described above.

At the beginning of the game, each player (and in the following a"player"is intended to cover a player or a team) is dealt a number of (for example four) country cards (62 in Figure 4) and four strategy cards (60 in Figure 4). The first country card dealt to each player provides their starting position on the playing surface 10. Each player has a different colour, they have a player token for movement around the playing surface of this colour, as well as a selection of player tokens for application to the map, of the same colour. Each player positions tokens on the map corresponding to the four country cards they have already been dealt. During the game, the players will be trying to land on

specific countries on the playing surface 10. To make this easier, the playing areas representing countries are preferably arranged alphabetically on the playing surface 10.

Once the players have occupied their initial four countries, the use of the country cards 62 is finished (although some variations may use the country cards further).

In order to detennine which player has the first turn, the player nearest to a given playing area 12 will start. For example, the player nearest to Moldova can start the game.

The first player then rolls the two dice, and moves clockwise around the board a number of spaces corresponding to the combined dice count. When a player reaches the playing area next to a bridging area 14, there will be a choice of directions in which to continue moving the player token. If the player wishes to cross the bridge, because this will result in the player landing on a desired country area, a strategy card (60 in Figure 4) has to be given up. The strategy card is given up to a main pile of strategy cards, for example placed on the centre of the playing surface 10. If a player lands on the bridge itself, an additional throw of the dice is obtained, as shown by playing area 14A, but again one strategy card is given up.

A player will not be able to cross bridges 14 if a player has no strategy cards remaining. In order to gain strategy cards, the player simply needs to pass a corner square 20 of the board. When passing the corner square 20, an additional strategy card is taken from the pile in the centre. If the player lands on the corner square 20, a strategy card is again obtained, and the player has an additional throw of the dice.

If the player lands on a country area, the country area will indicate a task, as explained with reference to playing areas 12A and 12B. If the task is a question, then one of the opponent players reads the question from the next question card (shown in Figure 3) in the pile, and selects the specific question based on the previous dice throw. If the player gives the correct answer, the country is then occupied by the player, and they must place one of their tokens on the country on the map 30.

The answers of these questions can all relate to a nationality or country of origin, and will always be European for the European version of the game. Of course, the questions can be more diverse if desired.

As described above, the aim of the game is to obtain a line of bordering countries.

It may be that a player is hindered because another player occupies one key country.

This is the purpose of the challenge areas 16 and the steal areas 18.

If a player lands on the challenge area 16, the player can challenge for any country owned by another player. To make a challenge, the player must give one strategy card to the opponent who owns that country. The challenge involves completing the task associated with that country.

For example, if one player wishes to challenge for France, then the challenging player and the player who owns France will compete for France using a question from the next question card. A third player reads the question, and the first of the challenging player and the owning player to give the correct answer will be the new owner of France.

If a country is associated with a dice roll task, then the challenging player and the owning player each carry out a dice roll. The challenging player and the owning player both have a dice roll, and this continues in rounds.. The winner of the challenge will be the first team to be successful in the dice roll challenge, when the other-player was not successful in that round.

A player can also challenge for a country owned by another player simply by landing on the country area on the player surface 10. Thus, landing on the challenge area 16 provides an opportunity for challenging for any occupied country. Landing on the France area 12A provides an opportunity either for occupying France if it is not yet occupied, or else for challenging the current occupier of France.

The steal area 18 also provides an opportunity for obtaining a country from a previous occupier. In this case, there is no challenge, and the country is simply stolen, but four strategy cards must be placed in the centre pile.

In the preferred arrangement of the playing surface 10, there is only one challenge area 16, but a number of steal areas 18, for example three.

When a player has made a line of five connecting countries, this round of the game is over. Of course, it may be decided that this is the complete game so that only one round is played.

However, for a multiple round game, a scoring scheme can be followed.

At the end of each round, the winner of the round scores a number of points corresponding to the number of countries they occupy and the number of strategy cards they have remaining. In addition, the winner of the round scores an additional five points.

Bonus points may also be awarded for a winning line of more than the required 5 countries (for example an extra 3 points for each additional country in the winning patteni/Ene).

The other players score one point for each of the countries they occupy, but lose a point for each of the (wasted) strategy cards.

A running total of the scores can be written on to the score card 68 shown in Figure 4, and play can continue until a target score is reached.

The board game of the invention teaches geographical recognition of an area, and also provides general knowledge geographical questions. However, the game can be played successfully with limited knowledge of the questions, particularly as a fi-action of the countries (for example approximately one third) can be won by a dice roll. In addition, the questions are preferably ordered so that a single set of question cards provides two levels of play, one for juniors and one for adults.

In the version described above, the country cards are used only at the beginning. In a refinement, there may be three types of task; the two described above, and a third which tests knowledge about a country. For this, the country cards may be used, and they may each have a list of 12 questions about the particular country. Alternatively, an additional set of country questions may be provided.

In the example above, a magnetic map is shown, with magnetic tokens for application to the map. Of course, a lighter and cheaper map board may be used, for example plastic, card or board, and holes may be provided for receiving the tokens. The tokens may then have a head and a connection pin. The map and the game board may also be foldable for packaging into a standard game size box.

Il1 the detailed example above, the country cards 62 are used only to determine the initial countries owned by the different players. hi a refinement, these country cards can also be used during the game. After the country cards have been used at the beginning of the game, they are replaced into a single pile and shuffled. During the game, if a player lands on the board space for a country which they already occupy, they can take a gamble.

This involves paying two strategy cards (to the common pile) and taking the country card from the top of the pile. This country is then occupied by that player. This may involve the loss of the country from another player, or it may have been previously unoccupied.

This adds an element of random country occupation.

The game board can be printed on both sides, and the two sides can provide different levels of complexity. The example and refinements described above may be considered as a standard game option.

The additional elements of a more demanding game option will now be described.

In addition to the country squares on the game board based on questions and the country squares based on a dice roll, some country squares are defined as"choose"country squares.

These"choose"country squares give the player the option of : - answering a question card (in normal manner) - meeting a dice roll condition -meeting a challenge based on the country landed on.

The dice roll condition may be more complicated than the two dice examples. given above. For example, the dice roll condition may involve three dice. The game board indicates the criteria to be satisfied, and this may be the requirement for a pair or better, namely a pair, a run (e. g. 2,3, 4) or a prile (e. g. 3,3, 3). Any suitable condition can be set.

The challenge based on the country landed on can involve giving two facts about the country in question without looking at the map. The map provides all the answers needed, and the two facts can for example be any two of : - the capital -the population -all the bordering countries Other facts may be allowed which can also be seen from the map, for all seas or oceans bordering the country (or indeed an indication that the country is landlocked). Also, younger players may need only to give one answer.

The standard dice roll country squares may also involve the roll of three dice.

Although a number of preferred implementations of the game have been described, various alterations may of course be made.