Game piece

Abstract

A game piece for transferring an object across the surface of a board game or the like. The game piece generally comprises a carrier body having an upper end, a lower end, an entry opening proximate the lower end, and a socket in communication with the entry opening. The entry opening is sized to allow the transfer object to pass therethrough so that the transfer object is thereafter retained within the socket. Additionally, the socket is adapted to receive a second game piece having a similarly configured socket and entry opening. When the entry opening of the second game piece is pushed over the transfer object, the object is transferred from the socket of the original game piece to the socket of the second game piece.

1 . A method of capturing a transfer object, comprising:
 positioning a first game piece above the transfer object, the first game piece having a carrier body with an upper opening, a lower opening, and a socket defined between the upper and lower openings;   moving the lower opening of the first game piece toward the transfer object until the transfer object passes through the lower opening and is captured by the first game piece;   positioning a second game piece over the transfer object captured by the first game piece, the second game piece having a carrier body substantially the same as the carrier body of the first game piece; and   moving the carrier body of the second game piece toward the carrier body of the first game piece until the transfer object captured by the first game piece passes through the lower opening of the second game piece and is captured by the second game piece.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 positioning the transfer object on a game board surface before it is captured by the first game piece.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein moving the carrier body of the second game piece toward the carrier body of the first game piece further comprises:
 stacking the second game piece directly on the first game piece, the carrier bodies of the first and second game pieces being configured to nest with each other so that at a portion of the first game piece is received in the second game piece when stacked.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer object is substantially spherical, the lower opening of the first and second game pieces is smaller than the upper opening of each of the game pieces and the diameter the transfer object, and moving the lower opening of the first game piece toward the transfer object further comprises:
 moving the lower opening toward the transfer object until the transfer object passes through the lower opening and is thereby captured by the first game piece, wherein the lower opening flexes to allow the transfer object to pass therethrough.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein moving the carrier body of the second game piece toward the carrier body of the first game piece further comprises:
 moving the lower opening of the second game piece toward the transfer object captured by the first game piece until the transfer object is captured by the second game piece.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer object has a neck portion and a head portion wider than the neck portion, the upper openings of the first and second game pieces are smaller than the lower openings of each of the game pieces but larger than the head portion of the transfer object, and moving the lower opening of the first game piece toward the transfer object further comprises:
 moving the lower opening toward the transfer object until the head portion of the transfer object passes through the upper opening of the first game piece, wherein the upper opening flexes to allow the head portion of the transfer object to pass therethrough.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein moving the carrier body of the second game piece toward the carrier body of the first game piece further comprises:
 moving the upper opening of the second game piece toward the transfer object until the transfer object passes through the upper opening of the second game piece and is captured by the second game piece.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 moving the second game piece away from the first game piece, wherein the transfer object continues to be captured by the second game piece.   
   
   
       9 . A method of moving a transfer object across a surface, comprising:
 positioning a first game piece on a game board surface;   capturing the transfer object on the game board surface with the first game piece;   positioning a second game piece over the transfer object captured by the first game piece, the second game piece having substantially the same configuration as the first game piece; and   transferring the transfer object to the second game piece by:
 moving the second game piece toward the first game piece and into contact with the transfer object while the transfer object is captured by the first game piece, the second game piece including a flexible portion that deflects upon contact with the transfer object; and 
 further moving the second game piece toward the first game piece so that the flexible portion moves past the transfer object and returns to an initial undeflected position, the transfer object being captured by the second game piece after the flexible portion returns to its initial undeflected position. 
   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the transfer object is substantially spherical and the first and second game pieces each have a carrier body with an upper end defining an exit opening, a lower end defining an entry opening smaller in diameter than the exit opening and the transfer object, and a socket defined between the exit opening and entry opening, and wherein capturing the transfer object on the game board surface with the first game piece further comprises:
 moving the entry opening of the first game piece toward the transfer object until the transfer object resides in the socket of the first game piece.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein transferring the transfer object to the second game piece further comprises:
 moving the entry opening of the second game piece toward the transfer object residing in the socket of the first game piece until the transfer object resides in the socket of the second game piece.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the transfer object has a central opening and the first and second game pieces each have a substantially conical carrier body with an upper end, a lower end, and a base section extending outwardly from the lower end, and wherein capturing the transfer object on the game board surface with the first game piece further comprises:
 positioning the transfer object on the game board surface; and   moving the base section of the first game piece through the central opening of the transfer object, the base section flexing inwardly to move through the opening and then returning to its initial undeflected position so that the transfer object is thereafter supported on the base section.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein transferring the transfer object to the second game piece further comprises:
 moving the base section of the second game piece toward the upper end of the first game piece and through the central opening of transfer object, the base section of the second game piece flexing inwardly to move through the opening and then returning to its initial position so that the transfer object is thereafter supported on the base section of the second game piece.   
   
   
       14 . A method of capturing a transfer object, comprising:
 positioning a first game piece above the transfer object, the first game piece having a carrier body with an upper end defining an exit opening, a lower end defining an entry opening smaller in diameter than the exit opening, and a socket defined between the exit opening and entry opening, the socket being flexible at the entry opening;   forcing the entry opening of the first game piece over the transfer object so that the transfer object passes through the entry opening and thereafter resides within the socket;   positioning a second game piece over the transfer object residing in the first game piece, the second game piece having a carrier body substantially the same as the carrier body of the first game piece; and   moving the second game piece toward the first game piece until the socket of the second game piece is received within the socket of the first game piece and the transfer object passes through the entry opening of the second game piece, the transfer object thereafter residing within the socket of the second game piece.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the carrier bodies of the first and second game pieces each include an inner wall defining the socket and an outer wall extending between the upper and lower ends, the outer wall surrounding the inner wall so as to define a cavity therebetween, and wherein moving the second game piece toward the first game piece further comprises:
 stacking the second game piece directly on the first game piece so that the upper end of the first game piece is received in the cavity of the second game piece.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the carrier body of the second game piece further includes at least one flexible member defining at least a portion of the entry opening, and wherein moving the second game piece toward the first game piece further comprises:
 moving the second game piece toward the first game piece until the flexible member contacts the transfer object while the transfer object resides in the socket of the first game piece; and   further moving the second game piece toward the first game piece so that the flexible member deflects to allow the transfer object to pass through the entry opening and then returns to an initial undeflected position so that the transfer object is captured by the second game piece.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 assembling the first game piece by coupling a first section of the carrier body to a second section of the carrier body, the first and second sections each defining at least a portion of the outer wall.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein assembling the first game piece further comprises:
 positioning a ring member around the outer wall of the carrier body to facilitate coupling the first section to the second section.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 assembling the first game piece by positioning a removable insert into a recess at the upper end of the carrier body of the first game piece, wherein the removable insert defines the socket and is configured to be retained by the recess.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 moving the second game piece away from the first game piece, wherein the transfer object continues to reside within the socket of the second game piece.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 positioning a third game piece over the transfer object residing in the second game piece, the third game piece having a carrier body substantially the same as the carrier bodies of the first and second game pieces; and   moving the third game piece toward the second game piece until the socket of the third game piece is received within the socket of the second game piece and the transfer object passes through the entry opening of the third game piece, the transfer object thereafter residing within the socket of the third game piece.