Board Game and Method of Playing the Same

Abstract

The present invention provides a board game and a method of playing a board game in which players attempt to be the first to have their set of game pieces move from a start to a finish space along a path formed of a plurality of path spaces. Each player moves by selecting a movement card with indicia directing the player to either move a game piece a number of spaces or providing the player with “jump”, “sack”, “switch”, or “return” instructions. If a numbered card is drawn, the player is permitted to move substantially any game piece, either the player's piece or any opponent's piece, on the board the allotted number of spaces. If a moving game piece lands on a space occupied by another game piece, the occupying game piece is returned to the start space.

1 . A method of playing a game, comprising the steps of:
 providing a game board, said game board having a path divided into path spaces, a start space located at one end of said path, and a finish space at the other end of said path;   providing a plurality of sets of game pieces;   providing a plurality of cards for indicating movement of game pieces about said game board, each of said cards including indicia thereon indicating movement, said indicia being chosen from a group comprising: a jump indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to a predetermined space along said path, a sack indicia indicating switching a game piece in the start space with a game piece on said path, a switch indicia indicating switching a game piece on said path with another game piece on said path, a return indicia indicating returning a game piece on said path to the start space, and numbered indicia being chosen from a group consisting of a one indicating moving a game piece forward one space, a two indicating moving a game piece forward two spaces, a three indicating moving a game piece forward three spaces, a four indicating moving a game piece forward four spaces, a five indicating moving a game piece forward five spaces, a six indicating moving a game piece forward six spaces, a seven indicating moving a game piece forward seven spaces;   drawing a card to determine movement of said game pieces along said path; and   winning said game by moving a set of game pieces to said finish space.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 sending a game piece back to the start space by landing in said game piece's path space by another game piece.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 providing a plurality of adjacent approach spaces along said path immediately before the finish space;   wherein a player drawing a card with numbered indicia selects and moves any game piece that is not on an approach space or on the finish space.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of adjacent approach spaces comprises:
 providing seven approach spaces at the end of said path, wherein a game piece on one of said approach spaces is only movable to the finish space if a card is drawn with numbered indicia equal to the number of spaces said game piece's approach space is away from the finish space.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the path includes at least a first, second, and third jump space, wherein the step of providing a plurality of cards with jump indicia further comprises:
 providing a card with jump to first jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the first jump space;   providing a card with jump to second jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the second jump space; and   providing a card with jump to third jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the third jump space.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of cards with sack indicia further comprises:
 providing a card with sack an opponent with an opponent indicia indicating switching a first opponent's game piece in the start space with a different opponent's game piece on the path;   providing a card with sack yourself with an opponent indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path with an opponent's game piece in the start space; and   providing a card with sack an opponent with yourself indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces in the start space with an opponent's game piece on the path.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of cards with switch indicia further comprises:
 providing a card with switch an opponent with an opponent indicia indicating switching a first opponent's game piece on the path with a different opponent's game piece on the path; and   providing a card with switch yourself with an opponent indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path with an opponent's game piece on the path.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of cards with return indicia further comprises:
 providing a card with return an opponent indicia indicating returning an opponent's game piece on the path back to the start space; and   providing a card with return yourself indicia indicating the player drawing cards returns one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path back to the start space.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the steps of:
 sending a game piece back to the start space by landing in said game piece's path space by another game piece;   providing seven adjacent approach spaces along said path immediately before the finish space and at least a first, second, and third jump space along said path prior to said approach spaces;   providing a card with jump to first jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the first jump space;   providing a card with jump to second jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the second jump space;   providing a card with jump to third jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the third jump space.   providing a card with sack an opponent with an opponent indicia indicating switching a first opponent's game piece in the start space with a different opponent's game piece on the path;   providing a card with sack yourself with an opponent indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path with an opponent's game piece in the start space;   providing a card with sack an opponent with yourself indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces in the start space with an opponent's game piece on the path;   providing a card with switch an opponent with an opponent indicia indicating switching a first opponent's game piece on the path with a different opponent's game piece on the path;   providing a card with switch yourself with an opponent indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path with an opponent's game piece on the path providing a card with return an opponent indicia indicating returning an opponent's game piece on the path back to the start space;   providing a card with return yourself indicia indicating the player drawing cards returns one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path back to the start space;   wherein a game piece on one of said approach spaces is only movable to the finish space if a card is drawn with numbered indicia equal to the number of spaces said game piece's approach space is away from the finish space; and   wherein a player drawing a card with numbered indicia selects and moves any game piece that is not on an approach space or on the finish space.   
     
     
         10 . A method of playing a game comprising the steps of:
 providing a game board, said game board having a path divided into path spaces, a start space located at one end of said path, a finish space at the other end of said path, seven adjacent approach spaces along said path immediately before the finish space, and first, second, and third jump spaces spaced apart along said path prior to said approach spaces;   providing a plurality of sets of game pieces;   providing a plurality of cards for indicating movement of game pieces about said game board;   sending a game piece back to the start space by landing in said game piece's path space by another game piece;   drawing a card to determine movement of said game pieces along said path wherein a player drawing a card with a numbered indicia on said card selects and moves any game piece that is not on an approach space or on the finish space; and   winning said game by moving a set of game pieces to said finish space, wherein a game piece on one of said approach spaces is only movable to the finish space if a card is drawn with a numbered indicia equal to the number of spaces said game piece's approach space is away from the finish space.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of providing a plurality of cards comprises:
 each of said cards including indicia thereon indicating movement, said indicia being chosen from a group comprising: a jump indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to a predetermined space along said path, a sack indicia indicating switching a game piece in the start space with a game piece on said path, a switch indicia indicating switching a game piece on said path with another game piece on said path, a return indicia indicating returning a game piece on said path to the start space, and numbered indicia indicating moving a game piece forward a number of spaces equal to the number of said numbered indicia.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said numbered indicia being chosen from a group consisting of a one indicating moving a game piece forward one space, a two indicating moving a game piece forward two spaces, a three indicating moving a game piece forward three spaces, a four indicating moving a game piece forward four spaces, a five indicating moving a game piece forward five spaces, a six indicating moving a game piece forward six spaces, a seven indicating moving a game piece forward seven spaces. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of cards with jump indicia further comprises:
 providing a card with jump to first jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the first jump space;   providing a card with jump to second jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the second jump space; and   providing a card with jump to third jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the third jump space.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of cards with sack indicia further comprises:
 providing a card with sack an opponent with an opponent indicia indicating switching a first opponent's game piece in the start space with a different opponent's game piece on the path;   providing a card with sack yourself with an opponent indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path with an opponent's game piece in the start space; and   providing a card with sack an opponent with yourself indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces in the start space with an opponent's game piece on the path.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of cards with switch indicia further comprises:
 providing a card with switch an opponent with an opponent indicia indicating switching a first opponent's game piece on the path with a different opponent's game piece on the path; and   providing a card with switch yourself with an opponent indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path with an opponent's game piece on the path.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of cards with return indicia further comprises:
 providing a card with return an opponent indicia indicating returning an opponent's game piece on the path back to the start space; and   providing a card with return yourself indicia indicating the player drawing cards returns one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path back to the start space.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of providing a plurality of cards comprises:
 each of said cards including indicia thereon indicating movement, said indicia being chosen from a group comprising:   numbered indicia being chosen from a group consisting of a one indicating moving a game piece forward one space, a two indicating moving a game piece forward two spaces, a three indicating moving a game piece forward three spaces, a four indicating moving a game piece forward four spaces, a five indicating moving a game piece forward five spaces, a six indicating moving a game piece forward six spaces, a seven indicating moving a game piece forward seven spaces;   jump to first jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the first jump space;   jump to second jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the second jump space;   jump to third jump space indicia indicating moving a game piece from the start space to the third jump space;   sack an opponent with an opponent indicia indicating switching a first opponent's game piece in the start space with a different opponent's game piece on the path;   sack yourself with an opponent indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path with an opponent's game piece in the start space;   sack an opponent with yourself indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces in the start space with an opponent's game piece on the path;   switch an opponent with an opponent indicia indicating switching a first opponent's game piece on the path with a different opponent's game piece on the path;   switch yourself with an opponent indicia indicating the player drawing cards switches one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path with an opponent's game piece on the path;   return an opponent indicia indicating returning an opponent's game piece on the path back to the start space; and   return yourself indicia indicating the player drawing cards returns one of the drawing player's game pieces on the path back to the start space.