The present invention concerns a game consisting of a playing board divided into a central section and several play sections, one for each player, each of which play sections having a number of marker rings, preferentially figures and symbols, as well as means by which each player is able to make moves by means of playing devices, and which moves are hidden from the other players.

Such a game is known from US patent no.4,779,873. Each desired move is done by means of a number of electrical switches, each leading to its individual lamp and to which current is supplied when the playe s move is to be made known to the other players. This game reqires batteries or other form of supply of current in order to work, is fairly complicated due to the circuits, can give rise to problems when lamp bulbs fail, while there are also rather few variation possibilities in the method of play.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a game of the type as above mentioned and which does not depend on the supply of electric current, does not have parts which requirement replacement or maintenance and which additionally provide greater possibility of variation in the method of play. According to the invention this is done whereby each play section include a part which can be raised to give access to a service area underneath, which service area contains at least some of the above mentioned means for making moves, which moves can be done by means of the playing devices mentioned.

Further advantageous features of the invention are given in the dependent claims.

For a better understanding of the invention a more detailed description follows with refcrance to the design example shown in the accompanying drawings, where :

fig. 1 shows a picture in perspective of a game according to the invention, and fig.2 shows a picture in perspective of a section which forms part of the game in fig. 1, seen from underneath.

The game as shown in fig. 1 comprises a playing board (1) having a central section (2) and four playing sections (3), each of which having a series of marker rings (4) in the form of figures, symbols, colour, etc. Each playing section (3) comprises a part (5) which can ^' be raised to give access to a service area (6) underneath. In the example shown the raisablc part (5) is ia- the form as a trapeze and is hinged to the playing board (1) by the central section (2). The non-parallel sides of the raisable part (5) have flexible walls (7) which prevent sideways viewing into the service area (6) when the part (5) is raised

The central section (2) has a central space (8) with partitions which border onto the respective service areas (6). Each partition has a hole (9) connecting the central space (8) with the respective service area (6).

The central space (8) can be closed by means of a lid (10), which has down-facing walls (11) which when the lid is in place blocks the holes (9) into the service area (6).

Fig. 2 shows the lid (10) turned upside down. It will be seen that the walls (11) form an internal space (12) into which access is partially limited by the inward-projecting collar (13). The space (12) can be used for shaking one or more dice with the lid positioned as in fig. 2. The collar (13) helps to keep the dice in place in the space while being shaken and it also makes it more difficult for them to be seen by players when the lid is turned and put in place in the central space (8), where the dice will fall out through the central opening formed by the collar (13).

The service areas (6) are seperated from each other by means of partitions (14). The service areas contain storage containers (15, 16) for playing devices, ball / marbles (17) and counters (18). Further, the service area 6 contains a ramp 19 connected to the service area s hole 9 into the sentral space 8. Marbles 17 which are placed on the ramp 19 will roll into the central space 8 when the hole 9 is opened when the lid 10 is opened up.

In the partitions 14 between the service areas 6 there are several openings, of which two are visible in fig.l. One is a split 20 through which a counter 18 can be pushed into the adjoining service area. The other opening is a hole 21 through which a marble can be put from the adjoining service area and collected in the collectin box 22. At the side of the hole 21 there is another hole which is not visible. By putting a marble on a ramp 23 the player can send a marble into the neighbouring service area 6, where it will remain lying in a collectin area similar to the box 22.

According to the invention the game can be played in a number of ways and with different types of playing devices. When playing by using marbles and counters as shown in fig.l, these can for example, be used in the following way. Given that each of the players has five marbles 17, a number of these (from 0 to 5) can be placed on the ramp 19 while the lid 10 is in place in the central space 8. The purpose of the game then is to guess the total number of marbles which will roll into the central space when the lid 10 is removed. The moves take place when the counters are placed on one of the numbers nil to twenty on the play section 3. If non of the players has guessed correctly when the lid 10 is removed, the stake remains until the next round.

A variation of the game when marbles are used is when each players receives a number of marbles in four different colours. The purpose here is to collect these in order to assemble five marbles of the same colour. A player sends the colours he is not collecting himself on to, e.g., the player on his left by putting the marble into hole 21 in the partition 14. When a player has assembled five equal-coloured marbles, this can be indicated in various ways, e.g. by putting the marbles on the ramp 19 and letting them roll into the central space 8.

Another way to play is to use dice. One or more dice are shaken in the lid 10, after which the lid is placed in the central space 8 as explained above. The players move by placing counters on one of the dice symbols in their playing sections. The lid 10 is thereupon removed so that the number of dots shown on the dice can be seen and it can be noted which player has chosen correctly.

In a further variation of play, a deck of cards is used having the same symbols as in the playing section. Moves are made by placing counters on one of these symbols. The cards are then turned up one after the other until a card tallios with a symbol that has been gambled on.

In yet another variation only one of the service areas 6 is used, and then by one player who acts as game leader and bank. The game leader selects a number of marbles, possibly also with different colours, which are placed on the ramp 19 in his service area. The other players attempt to guess his combination by placing counters on their own playing sections.

According to the invention it is understood that the game can be designed in ways other than as shown and described, for example, the number of playing sections can be increased or decreased, and the marker rings on the playing sections can be varied in kind and number, depending , for example, on the chances given to the players to receive a prize for their gamble. The playing sections 3 may have different colours, while the counters and marbles can have similar colours so that it is easier to see what the individual players have done. Additionally, marbles can be used which have colours other than the players ^* in order to increase the variation possibilities of the game. The game is constructed specifically to allow the players to make up their own game methods. A suitable size for a table model with four playing sections could, e.g., be 41 x 41 x 3 cm.