Games with changeable playing pieces

Claim 2

In a game played by a plurality of persons wherein each person is assigned at least one playing piece, and including a playing surface having designations indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the improvement comprising, a. at least one playing piece for each player, b. said playing piece having a plurality of indentifying faces, c. each identifying face of every playing piece having an identifying characteristic different from the characteristics of any other identifying face on the same playing piece, d. said identifying characteristics used to determine varying capabilities of movement of the pieces over the board''s surface, and e. selection means bearing at least one of each of the identical identifying characteristics of the faces of the playing pieces for operation by each person to select by chance on each operation a particular one of said identifying characteristics for positioning the piece on the playing surface with the selected identifying characteristic face in preferential position relative to the other faces to provide a visual indication of the capabilities of movement of the piece on the surface of the board.

Claim 3

A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein the playing pieces comprise substantially flat elements having upper and lower faces for displaying said characteristics.

Claim 4

A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pieces comprise three-dimensional elements with at least three different identifying characteristics being located on different faces of said pieces.

Claim 5

A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said identifying characteristics comprise colors on said faces.

Claim 6

A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said identifying characteristics comprise numerical designations on said faces.

Claim 7

A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said identifying characteristics comprise symbols on said faces.

Claim 8

A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said playing surface displays a plurality of adjacent playing piece positions, and wherein said identifying characteristics determine the number of positions that can be moved in one turn by the person holding the piece.

Claim 9

A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said playing surface defines alternative lines of travel for said playing pieces, and wherein said identifying characteristics determine the particular lines of travel for the playing pieces during a move of the playing piece by the person holding the playing piece.

Claim 10

A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein each person playing the game is assigned a plurality of playing pieces, and wherein said game permits the capture of the playing piece of one player by a playing piece of another player, said identifying characteristics determining the ability of a particular playing piece to capture another playing piece, and determining the vulnerability to capture of one playing piece by another playing piece.

Claim 11

A game in accordance with claim 9 wherein some playing pieces of each person have identifying characteristics different than other playing piEces of that person, and wherein the playing piece to be changed during a given move is selected by the person holding the piece.

Claim 12

A game in accordance with claim 1 including at least some additional playing pieces having a single identifying characteristic displayed on one face thereof.

Claim 13

A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said selecting means comprises a die having identifying characteristics on its faces corresponding to the characteristics of said playing pieces whereby the die can be thrown by a player with the characteristic displayed by the uppermost face on the die determining the position of a playing piece on said surface.

Claim 14

A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said selecting means comprise a spinner and dial, said dial displaying characteristics corresponding to the characteristics on the faces of said pieces.

Claim 15

In a checker game wherein each player is assigned a plurality of playing pieces, and including a playing surface displaying a plurality of squares indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires diagonal movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the playing pieces of one player having the ability to jump playing pieces of an opposing player whereby the opposing player''s pieces are removed from the board, the improvement wherein said playing pieces define a plurality of faces, at least some of said faces having an identifying characteristic indicating the number of moves a piece can take in one turn, and selecting means operable by each player resulting in the selection of one of said characteristics whereby the position of the piece on the playing surface can be changed to locate the face having the selected characteristic in a preferential position relative to other faces of the piece to thereby provide a visual indication of the number of moves allowed for the piece, said identifying characteristics being numerical values displayed on said faces, and said selecting means comprising a die having numerical values on its faces corresponding to those on said playing pieces.

Claim 16

In a checker game wherein each player is assigned a plurality of playing pieces, and including a playing surface displaying a plurality of squares indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires diagonal movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the playing pieces of one player having the ability to jump playing pieces of an opposing player whereby the opposing player''s pieces are removed from the board, the improvement wherein said playing pieces define a plurality of faces, at least some of said faces having an identifying characteristic indicating the number of moves a piece can take in one turn, and selecting means operable by each player resulting in the selection of one of said characteristics whereby the position of the piece on the playing surface can be changed to locate the face having the selected characteristic in a preferential position relative to other faces of the piece to thereby provide a visual indication of the number of moves allowed for the piece, said identifying characteristics being numerical values displayed on said faces, and said selecting means comprising a die having numerical values on its faces corresponding to those on said playing pieces.

Claim 17

In a game played by a plurality of persons wherein each person is assigned at least one playing piece, and including a playing surface having designations indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the improvement comprising, a. At least one playing piece for each player, b. said playing piece having a plurality of identifying faces, c. each identifying face of every playing piece having an identifying characteristic different from the characteristics of any other identifying face on the same playing piece, d. said identifying characteristics used to determine varying capabilities of movement of the pieces over the board''s surface, and e. selection means bearing a plurality of independently positioned and different identifying characters, each of the identifying characters being related to a particular identifying characteristic on an identifying face of a playing piece, the selection means being provided for operation by each person to select by chance on each operation of the selection means a particular one of the identifying characters for positioning the piece on the playing surface with the identifying character on the playing piece which corresponds with the selected identifying character on the selection means being in preferential position relative to the other playing piece faces to provide a visual indication of the capabilities of movement of the piece on the surface of the board.

Claim 18

In a game played by a plurality of persons wherein each person is assigned at least one playing piece, and including a playing surface having designations indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the improvement comprising, a. At least one playing piece for each player, b. said playing piece having a plurality of identifying faces, c. each identifying face of every playing piece having an identifying characteristic different from the characteristics of any other identifying face on the same playing piece, d. said identifying characteristics used to determine varying capabilities of movement of the pieces over the board''s surface, and e. selection means bearing a plurality of independently positioned and different identifying characters, each of the identifying characters being related to a particular identifying characteristic on an identifying face of a playing piece, the selection means being provided for operation by each person to select by chance on each operation of the selection means a particular one of the identifying characters for positioning the piece on the playing surface with the identifying character on the playing piece which corresponds with the selected identifying character on the selection means being in preferential position relative to the other playing piece faces to provide a visual indication of the capabilities of movement of the piece on the surface of the board.

Claim 19

A game in accordance with claim 15 wherein the playing pieces comprise substantially flat elements having upper and lower faces for displaying said characteristics.

Claim 20

A game in accordance with claim 15 wherein said pieces comprise three-dimensional elements with at least three different identifying characterIstics being located on different faces of said pieces.

Claim 21

A game in accordance with claim 15 wherein said playing pieces comprise relatively flat members adapted to be stacked one upon the other, and including separate identifying characteristics displayed on the opposite faces of said pieces, said separate identifying characteristics determining the ownership of said pieces by a particular player, and wherein said selection means includes means for determining which face of the playing pieces on the playing surface is turned upwardly.

Claim 22

In a game played by a plurality of persons wherein each person is assigned at least one playing piece, and including a playing surface having designations indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the improvement comprising, a. at least one playing piece for each player, b. said playing piece having an identifying face, c. a plurality of identifying elements each removably attachable to an identifying face of a playing piece, said identifying elements having different identifying characteristics when compared with the characteristics of any other identifying elements, d. said identifying characteristics used to determine varying capabilities of movement of the pieces over the board''s surface, and e. selection means bearing a plurality of independently positioned and different identifying characters, each of the identifying characters being related to a particular identifying characteristic on an identifying element, the selection means being provided for operation by each person to select by chance on each operation a particular one of the identifying characters for positioning the identifying element which corresponds with the selected identifying character on the identifying face of a playing piece, the identifying element being located on the identifying face in a preferential position to provide a visual indication of the capabilities of movement of the piece on the surface of the board.

Claim 23

In a game played by a plurality of persons wherein each person is assigned at least one playing piece, and including a playing surface having designations indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the improvement comprising, a. at least one playing piece for each player, b. said playing piece having an identifying face, c. a plurality of identifying elements each removably attachable to an identifying face of a playing piece, said identifying elements having different identifying characteristics when compared with the characteristics of any other identifying elements, d. said identifying characteristics used to determine varying capabilities of movement of the pieces over the board''s surface, and e. selection means bearing a plurality of independently positioned and different identifying characters, each of the identifying characters being related to a particular identifying characteristic on an identifying element, the selection means being provided for operation by each person to select by chance on each operation a particular one of the identifying characters for positioning the identifying element which corresponds with the selected identifying character on the identifying face of a playing piece, the identifying element being located on the identifying face in a preferential position to provide a visual indication of the capabilities of movement of the piece on the surface of the board.

Claim 24

In a game played by a plurality of persons wherein each person is assigned at least one playing piece, and including a playing surface having designations indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the improvement comprising, a. at least one playing piece for each player, b. said playing piece having a plurality of identifying faces, c. each identifying face of every playing piece having an identifying characteristic different from the characteristics of any other identifying face on the same playing piece, d. said identifying characteristics used to determine the ownership of the pieces by players of the game, e. selection means bearing at least one of each of the identical identifying characteristics of the faces of the playing pieces for operation by each person to select by chance on each operation a particular one of said identifying characteristics for positioning the piece on the playing surface with the selected identifying characteristic face in preferential position relative to the other faces to provide a visual indication of the ownership of the piece on the surface of the board.

Claim 25

In a game played by a plurality of persons wherein each person is assigned at least one playing piece, and including a playing surface having designations indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the improvement comprising, a. at least one playing piece for each player, b. said playing piece having a plurality of identifying faces, c. each identifying face of every playing piece having an identifying characteristic different from the characteristics of any other identifying face on the same playing piece, d. said identifying characteristics used to determine the ownership of the pieces by players of the game, e. selection means bearing at least one of each of the identical identifying characteristics of the faces of the playing pieces for operation by each person to select by chance on each operation a particular one of said identifying characteristics for positioning the piece on the playing surface with the selected identifying characteristic face in preferential position relative to the other faces to provide a visual indication of the ownership of the piece on the surface of the board.

Claim 26

In a game played by a plurality of persons wherein each person is assigned at least one playing piece, and including a playing surface having designations indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the improvement comprising, a. at least one playing piece for each player, b. said playing piece having a plurality of identifying faces, c. each identifying face of every playing piece having an identifying characteristic different from the characteristics of any other identifying face on the samE playing piece, d. said identifying characteristics used to determine varying capabilities of movement as well as the ownership of the pieces over the board''s surface, and e. selection means bearing a plurality of independently positioned and different identifying characters, each of the identifying characters being related to particular identifying characteristics on an identifying face of a playing piece, the selection means being provided for operation by each person to select by chance on each operation of the selection means particular ones of the identifying characters for positioning the piece on the playing surface with the identifying characters on the playing piece which corresponds with the selected identifying characters on the selection means being in preferential position relative to the other playing piece faces to provide a visual indication of the capabilities of movement and of the ownership of the piece on the surface of the board.

Claim 27

In a game played by a plurality of persons wherein each person is assigned at least one playing piece, and including a playing surface having designations indicating positions that can be occupied by the playing pieces, and wherein the game requires movement of the playing pieces over said surface from one position to another, the improvement comprising, a. at least one playing piece for each player, b. said playing piece having a plurality of identifying faces, c. each identifying face of every playing piece having an identifying characteristic different from the characteristics of any other identifying face on the samE playing piece, d. said identifying characteristics used to determine varying capabilities of movement as well as the ownership of the pieces over the board''s surface, and e. selection means bearing a plurality of independently positioned and different identifying characters, each of the identifying characters being related to particular identifying characteristics on an identifying face of a playing piece, the selection means being provided for operation by each person to select by chance on each operation of the selection means particular ones of the identifying characters for positioning the piece on the playing surface with the identifying characters on the playing piece which corresponds with the selected identifying characters on the selection means being in preferential position relative to the other playing piece faces to provide a visual indication of the capabilities of movement and of the ownership of the piece on the surface of the board.