Chess, checkers and backgammon using billiard table and balls

Abstract

Sets of white and colored billiard balls each displaying unique indicia of rank or type of ball are provided for playing chess, checkers and backgammon on a standard billiards table. Each of the games has a uniquely appropriate series of rules for playing such games in a billiards table environment keyed to the indicia marked on each of the billiard balls.

1 . A method of playing a billiards and chess hybrid game by at least two players, the game apparatus comprising a game table having a table top, side rails bordering the table top, a plurality of consecutively numbered pockets in the table top, a plurality of bumpers wherein the number of bumpers corresponds to the number of spaces between the pockets, at least one standard cue stick to be used by players to strike the billiards, comprising the steps of:
 selecting the number of players to play the game and the order in which a first player plays first and a second player plays second;   providing a set of billiard balls for playing the hybrid game comprising a total of 15 billiard balls, said set of billiard balls being divided into a first subset comprising 7 billiard balls that are substantially white, and a second subset comprising 7 billiard balls that are substantially colored a color other than white, and another ball having equal portions of white and colored areas;   providing first and second cue balls, said first cue ball to be used by said first player, and said second cue ball to be used by said second player;   placing the set of 15 billiard balls in a triangular formation on the foot spot location, placing said first cue ball behind the head string and placing said second cue ball on the center spot of the head string;   each player alternatingly playing the game, such that said first player strikes said first cue ball using the cue stick such that said first cue ball collides with said set of 15 billiards located on the foot spot of said billiard table breaking them apart from their triangular formation, in order to pocket said first subset of billiard balls into the second, fourth, and sixth pockets, or to pocket the said another ball into any pocket;   said second player strikes said second cue ball with the cue stick such that said second cue ball collides with one or more of said second subset of billiard balls in order to pocket each of them in the first, third, and fifth pockets, and then the said another ball into any pocket.   
     
     
         2 . The method of play of the hybrid billiards chess game of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of
 providing within the first subset of 7 billiard balls a grouping of 3 billiard balls displaying a first indicia including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank and a stripe without any indicia and 4 billiard balls displaying a second, third, fourth, and fifth indicia, respectively, including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank and a stripe with a number of uniform markings also indicating the billiard ball's rank;   providing within the second subset of 7 billiard balls a grouping of 3 billiard balls displaying a first indicia including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank and a stripe without any indicia and 4 billiard balls displaying a second, third, fourth, and fifth indicia, respectively, including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank and a stripe with a number of uniform markings also indicating the billiard ball's rank;   providing said another billiard ball having equal portions of white and colored areas with a sixth indicia including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank and a stripe with a number of uniform markings also indicating the billiard ball's rank,   
       said billiard balls all bearing indicia of the billiard ball's rank indicating the order in which each of the billiard balls of each subset are to be pocketed in turn. 
     
     
         3 . A method of playing a billiards and checkers hybrid game by at least two players, the game apparatus comprising a game table having a table top, side rails bordering the table top, a plurality of consecutively numbered pockets in the table top, a plurality of bumpers wherein the number of bumpers corresponds to the number of spaces between the pockets, at least one standard cue stick to be used by players to strike the billiards, comprising the steps of:
 selecting the number of players to play the game and the order in which a first player plays first and a second player plays second;   providing a set of billiard balls for playing the hybrid game comprising a total of 15 billiard balls, said set of billiard balls being divided into a first subset comprising 7 billiard balls that are substantially white, and a second subset comprising 7 billiard balls that are substantially colored a color other than white, and another ball having equal portions of white and colored areas;   providing a cue ball to be used by said first player and said second player;   placing the set of 15 billiard balls in a triangular formation on the foot spot location, placing said cue ball behind the head string;   each player alternatingly playing the game, such that said first player strikes said cue ball using the cue stick such that said cue ball collides with said set of 15 billiards located on the foot spot of said billiard table breaking them apart from their triangular formation, in order to pocket said first subset of billiard balls into the second, fourth, and sixth pockets, or to pocket the said another ball into any pocket;   said second player strikes said cue ball with the cue stick such that said cue ball collides with one or more of said second subset of billiard balls in order to pocket each of them in the first, third, and fifth pockets, and then the said another ball into any pocket.   
     
     
         4 . The method of play of the hybrid billiards checkers game of  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of
 providing the first subset of 7 billiard balls with a first indicia including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank on opposite face sides of the billiard balls and a repeating diamond-shaped stripe of the color other than white extending around the circumference of the billiard ball equally separating the opposite face sides;   providing the second subset of 7 billiard balls with a first indicia including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank on opposite face sides of the billiard balls and a repeating diamond-shaped stripe of the color white extending around the circumference of the billiard ball equally separating the opposite face sides;   providing said another billiard ball having equal portions of white and colored areas with a different indicia including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank and a repeating diamond-shaped stripe extending around the circumference of the billiard ball equally separating the opposite face sides, said stripe being of the color white in the colored area of the billiard ball and of the color other than white in the white area of the billiard ball,   
       said billiard balls all bearing indicia of the billiard ball's rank indicating the billiard balls of each subset which are to be pocketed in turn. 
     
     
         5 . A method of playing a billiards and backgammon hybrid game by at least two players, the game apparatus comprising a game table having a table top, side rails bordering the table top, a plurality of consecutively numbered pockets in the table top, a plurality of bumpers wherein the number of bumpers corresponds to the number of spaces between the pockets, at least one standard cue stick to be used by players to strike the billiards, comprising the steps of:
 selecting the number of players to play the game and the order in which a first player plays first and a second player plays second;   providing a set of billiard balls for playing the hybrid game comprising a total of 15 billiard balls, said set of billiard balls being divided into a first subset comprising 7 billiard balls that are substantially white, and a second subset comprising 7 billiard balls that are substantially colored a color other than white, and another ball having equal portions of white and colored areas;   providing a cue ball to be used by said first player and said second player;   providing first and second different colored dice having numbered sides from one through six, said first numbered die determining the number of strokes the player will have to pocket the billiard ball located at the foot spot location of the billiard table and said second die determining the numbered pocket into which said billiard ball is to be pocketed;   said first player places one of said billiard balls of the first subset of billiard balls on the foot spot location and places said cue ball at the center spot of the head string, rolls the dice to determine the pocket position and number of strokes for that turn, and then strikes said cue ball using the cue stick such that said cue ball collides with said one of said billiard balls of the first subset of billiard balls in order to pocket said first one of said first subset of billiard balls into the second die designated pocket within the number of strokes according to said first die;   said second player then places one of said billiard balls of the second subset of billiard balls on the foot spot location and places said cue ball at the center spot of the head string, rolls the dice to determine the pocket position and number of strokes for that turn, and strikes said cue ball with the cue stick such that said cue ball collides with said one of said billiard balls of the second subset of billiard balls in order to pocket said first one of said second subset of billiard balls into the second die designated pocket within the number of strokes according to said first die.   each player alternatingly playing the game, such that said first and second players continue to place respective ones of said billiard balls of the first subset of billiard balls and ones of said billiard balls of the second subset of billiard balls on the foot spot location until all of said billiard balls are pocketed, in turn, and then places said another ball having equal portions of white and colored areas at the foot spot location and places said cue ball at the center spot of the head string, said dice are rolled to determine the pocket position and number of strokes for that turn and that ball is pocketed into the second die designated pocket within the number of strokes according to said first die.   
     
     
         6 . The method of play of the hybrid billiards backgammon game of  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of
 providing the first subset of 7 billiard balls with a first indicia including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank on opposite face sides of the billiard balls and a repeating diamond-shaped stripe of the color other than white extending around the circumference of the billiard ball equally separating the opposite face sides;   providing the second subset of 7 billiard balls with a first indicia including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank on opposite face sides of the billiard balls and a repeating diamond-shaped stripe of the color white extending around the circumference of the billiard ball equally separating the opposite face sides;   providing said another billiard ball having equal portions of white and colored areas with a different indicia including a face marking of the billiard ball's rank and a repeating diamond-shaped stripe extending around the circumference of the billiard ball equally separating the opposite face sides, said stripe being of the color white in the colored area of the billiard ball and of the color other than white in the white area of the billiard ball,   
       said billiard balls all bearing indicia of the billiard ball's rank indicating the order in which each of the billiard balls of each subset are to be pocketed in turn.