Checkers type board games and apparatus for playing the same

Abstract

Games pieces, other apparatus, and methods for playing checkers type board games, are disclosed. Game pieces may include game action indicia indicating a game action to be performed, such as moving a game piece in a manner other than that as provided by the rules according to which a traditional game of checkers is played. Game action indicia may be selectively displayable, such as with a game piece that includes a pivotable portion bearing game action indicia, which may be folded into a generally perpendicular orientation relative to a base portion. Games may include a game board, a set of rules, and a set of game pieces for each player, with some game pieces including different game action indicia than other game pieces. Some methods of game play may provide that a player may choose to perform the game action indicated by a game piece displaying game action indicia.

1 . A game piece for use with a game board, the game piece comprising: 
 a base portion including a top side and a bottom side; and    a pivotable portion foldably coupled to the base portion, the pivotable portion further including game action indicia adapted to indicate a game action to be performed;    wherein the pivotable portion is foldable between a first position, in which the pivotable portion is generally parallel to the base portion and in which game action indicia is concealed when the game piece is placed on a game board with the bottom side down and displayed when the game piece is placed on a game board with the bottom side up, and a second position, in which the pivotable portion is generally perpendicular to the base portion and in which the game action indicia is displayed.    
   
   
       2 . The game piece of  claim 1  wherein the bottom side includes a recess and wherein the pivotable portion is configured to fit substantially within the recess when the pivotable portion is in the first position.  
   
   
       3 . The game piece of  claim 1  wherein the top side and the bottom side collectively include correspondingly configured interlocking structure such that two game pieces may be stacked by engaging the interlocking structure of a top side of a first game piece with the interlocking structure of a bottom side of a second game piece.  
   
   
       4 . The game piece of  claim 3  wherein the top side and the bottom side are adapted to align two stacked game pieces in a predetermined relative orientation.  
   
   
       5 . The game piece of  claim 3  wherein one of the top side and the bottom side includes a plurality of ridges arranged to describe a substantially circular shape, and the other of the top side and the bottom side includes a correspondingly positioned plurality of channels shaped to accommodate the plurality of ridges.  
   
   
       6 . The game piece of  claim 1  further including player alignment indicia adapted to indicate player alignment.  
   
   
       7 . The game piece of  claim 6  wherein the player alignment indicia includes a color.  
   
   
       8 . A game for use with the game piece of  claim 6 , the game comprising: 
 a plurality of game pieces according to  claim 6 , the plurality including a first game piece and a second game piece;    a game board; and    a set of instructions for game play;    wherein the player alignment indicated by the player alignment indicia of the first piece is different from the player alignment indicated by the player alignment indicia of the second piece.    
   
   
       9 . The game piece of  claim 1  wherein the game action indicia includes a distinguishable icon.  
   
   
       10 . A set of game pieces of  claim 1 , the set comprising at least a first game piece and a second game piece, wherein the game action indicated by the game action indicia of the first game piece is different from the game action indicated by the game action indicia of the second game piece.  
   
   
       11 . A method of playing a board game with one or more game pieces of  claim 1 , the method comprising: 
 placing the one or more game pieces in a first position, with the bottom side down, on a game board;    playing a game with the one or more game pieces according to the rules of checkers;    folding a game piece that has been moved to the king row to the second position;    performing the game action indicated by the game action indicia on the pivotable portion.    
   
   
       12 . A method of playing a board game for two players, each with one or more game pieces of  claim 1 , the method comprising: 
 each player placing one or more game pieces in a second position on a game board so that the game action indicia on the pivotable portion is concealed from view from the other player;    playing a game with the one or more game pieces according to the rules of checkers;    one player performing the game action indicated by the game action indicia on the pivotable portion of a game piece in a second position after showing the game action indicia to the other player.    
   
   
       13 . A method of playing a board game with one or more game pieces of  claim 1  the method comprising: 
 placing the one or more game pieces in a first position, with the bottom side up, on a game board;    playing a game with the one or more game pieces according to the rules of checkers;    turning a game piece bottom side down after performing the game action indicated by the game action indicia on the pivotable portion.    
   
   
       14 . A game, comprising: 
 a game board;    a plurality of game pieces for use with the game board, the plurality of game pieces including a first game piece and a second game piece, each of the first and second game piece further including: 
 a base portion including a top side and a bottom side;  
 a pivotable portion foldably coupled to the base portion; and  
 player alignment indicia adapted to indicate player alignment; wherein:  
 the pivotable portion of each of the first and second game piece is foldable between a first position, in which the pivotable portion is generally parallel to the base portion and in which game action indicia is concealed when the game piece is placed on a game board with the bottom side down and displayed when the game piece is placed on a game board with the bottom side up, and a second position, in which the pivotable portion is generally perpendicular to the base portion and in which the game action indicia is displayed;  
 the player alignment indicated by the player alignment indicia of the first piece is different from the player alignment indicated by the player alignment indicia of the second piece; and  
 the pivotable portion of at least one of the plurality of game pieces further includes game action indicia adapted to indicate a game action to be performed.  
   
   
   
       15 . A method of playing a board game that includes a set of rules and plurality of game pieces, each game piece including a base portion, the base portion having a top side and a bottom side, each game piece also including a pivotable portion foldably coupled to the base portion, wherein the pivotable portion of each game piece is foldable between a first position, in which the pivotable portion is generally parallel to the base portion and in which game action indicia is concealed when the game piece is placed on a game board with the bottom side down and displayed when the game piece is placed on a game board with the bottom side up, and a second position, in which the pivotable portion is generally perpendicular to the base portion and in which the game action indicia is displayed; the method comprising: 
 placing one or more game pieces in a first position on a game board;    playing a game with the one or more game pieces according to the rules of checkers; and    performing the action indicated by the game action indicia on the pivotable portion upon the occurrence of a predetermined game event as provided in the set of rules.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein a predetermined game event is folding the game piece to the second position after the game piece has been moved to the king row.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein placing one or more game pieces in a first position on a game board further includes placing the game pieces bottom side down, and wherein the method further includes one player showing the game action indicia on a game piece to another player prior to performing the game action indicated by the game action indicia on the pivotable portion.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein placing one or more game pieces in a first position on a game board further includes placing the game pieces bottom side up, and wherein the method further includes turning a game piece bottom side down after performing the game action indicated by the game action indicia on the pivotable portion.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , further including concealing the game action indicia on a game piece after performing the game action indicated by the game action indicia on the pivotable portion.