Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
236 words
A method of playing a chess-type game by a plurality of players, comprising the steps of: providing a three-dimensional game board having a right regular square pyramidal shape with four stepped sides and a flat top forming multiple levels of different heights including a lowest level and a highest level, the highest level being the flat top, the levels being divided into a plurality of identifiable playing spaces of alternating colors; providing each player with a distinguishable set of playing pieces having selected playing pieces of the conventional chess game and at least one catapult playing piece; placing the playing pieces of each player at predetermined locations, including placing each of the catapult pieces at a playing space at a corner of the lowest level; each player, in turn, moving one of his playing pieces from one playing space on the game board to another according to movement capabilities assigned to each piece, each of the catapult playing pieces being stationary at its respective position for guarding selected playing spaces on the lower level and along a diagonal line of the game board; capturing, during moving, another player's playing pieces according to given capturing rules; removing any playing piece of another player which is moved to a playing space guarded by the catapult playing piece; continuing the steps of moving and capturing until one of the players wins the game according to a predetermined winning rule.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
236 words
A method of playing a chess-type game by a plurality of players, comprising the steps of: providing a three-dimensional game board having a right regular square pyramidal shape with four stepped sides and a flat top forming multiple levels of different heights including a lowest level and a highest level, the highest level being the flat top, the levels being divided into a plurality of identifiable playing spaces of alternating colors; providing each player with a distinguishable set of playing pieces having selected playing pieces of the conventional chess game and at least one catapult playing piece; placing the playing pieces of each player at predetermined locations, including placing each of the catapult pieces at a playing space at a corner of the lowest level; each player, in turn, moving one of his playing pieces from one playing space on the game board to another according to movement capabilities assigned to each piece, each of the catapult playing pieces being stationary at its respective position for guarding selected playing spaces on the lower level and along a diagonal line of the game board; capturing, during moving, another player's playing pieces according to given capturing rules; removing any playing piece of another player which is moved to a playing space guarded by the catapult playing piece; continuing the steps of moving and capturing until one of the players wins the game according to a predetermined winning rule.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of providing sets of playing pieces includes providing at least one mace playing piece for each set, and the step of moving includes moving a mace playing piece selectively to an adjacent playing square on an adjacent level and to a playing square on a present level without being blocked by other playing pieces of the player.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the game is for two players, and wherein a player who checkmates a king playing piece of the other player wins the game.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein a player who is the first to move a king playing piece of his set to the highest level of the game board wins the game.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the game is for at least three players, and the step of placing places the set of playing pieces of each player in a corresponding corner region of the game board.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as in claim 5, wherein the game is for three players, and wherein the method includes providing a dummy set of playing pieces including one dummy catapult piece, and placing the dummy set in a corner region not occupied by the sets of the players, including placing the dummy catapult playing piece at a corner playing space on the lowest level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as in claim 5, wherein a player who is the first to move a king playing piece of his set to the highest level of the game board wins the game.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as in claim 1, wherein the playing spaces in vertical projection form a square matrix having twelve file rows and twelve rank rows.