Circular playing surface having coded indicia

[57] ABSTRACT

A circular playing surface, specifically suitable for use in a circular chess game, consisting of sixty-four spaces of alternately light and dark color arranged in eight radial files and eight concentric ranks of eight spaces each, wherein discrete coded indicia are provided individually on the spaces to indicate spiral moves along series of diagonally adjacent spaces of like color. Such discrete coded indicia are letters and numbers, having like indicia for each spiral.

Claims, 3 Drawing Figures

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PATENTED KC 41973

3,776,554

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3,776,554

CIRCULAR PLAYING SURFACE HAVING CODED INDICIA

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Chess, as is well known, is an ancient game. Circular chess has been suggested in the past, although it has never been commercially successful. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,003.

In our view the insuperable problem in circular chess which renders its play extremely difficult is the inability of the player to visualize the traditional diagonal moves, since such moves in circular chess take place along right- and left-hand spirals which overlap and cross at every turn. It is therefore an objective of this invention to obtain means to improve the visibility of “diagonal,” spiral moves on a circular playing surface.

This objective can not be obtained by the use of spiral lines running from space to diagonally adjacent space from the outside to the inside of the circular playing surface. These lines do of course facilitate visibility along the spirals so lined, but do not aid visibility along any other, unlined spirals. We have found that the use of such spiral lines along all spirals does not aid in visibility because of the confusion created by so many lines crossing each other, even if the various lines are of different color. It is therefore a further objective of this invention to increase visibility of spiral moves along diagonally adjacent spaces without the use of spiral lines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the invention in the form of a circular playing surface having indicated thereon a standard set of 32 chess pieces.

FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the playing surface illustrated in FIG. 1 with a single Bishop piece, showing the spiral moves available.

FIG. 3 is a drawing of the playing surface like FIGS. 1 and 2 with a single Queen piece located at a space, showing the various spiral, radial and circular moves available to it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention consists of a playing surface comprising 64 playing spaces alternately dark and light in color arranged in circular fashion into eight radial files and eight concentric ranks of eight spaces each and forming spirals composed of series of diagonally adjacent spaces of like color running from outermost to innermost rank, wherein said surface has associated therewith discrete coded indicia individually for all said spaces, having like indicia for each spiral from the outermost rank to the innermost rank.

In a preferred embodiment the discrete coded indicia comprise an individual combination of two unlike indicia on each space, one of which applying to left-hand spiral moves, and the other to right-hand spiral moves. It is preferred that these indicia are on the one hand letters and on the other hand numerals, i.e., A-H and 1-8. It is also preferred that the indicia be placed upon a playing surface constructed of transparent material, suitable for arrangement upon a like playing board; in which case the transparent playing surface may be removed by the players at will.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will be described as a pre60 ferred embodiment consisting of a playing surface having 64 playing spaces arranged in circular fashion and associated therewith coded indicia to indicate spiral moves. As can be seen from the figures, the discrete in5 dividual coded indicia are, on the left-hand side of the playing spaces, capital letters A—H and, on the righthand side, numerals 1-8. The invention, however, contemplates other types of indicia, such as dots or other marks of different colors arranged in spiral sequence, 10 or marks of different shapes. It is also possible not only to employ coded indicia to render visible spiral moves but also by additional code to render more visible circular moves, as will be detailed hereinafter. All of these alternative, but not illustrated, embodiments are in15 tended to be within the scope of this invention.

FIG. 1 shows the preferred playing surface of the present invention. The surface is composed of 64 spaces, alternately light spaces 11 and dark spaces 12, arranged in circular fashion into eight radial files and 20 eight concentric ranks of eight spaces each. A standard set of chess pieces is shown schematically on the playing surface in the appropriate starting positions. These pieces include the white pieces: King 13, Queen 14, Bishops 15, Knights 16, Rooks 17 and Pawns 18, along 25 the two outer concentric ranks. The black pieces are also shown in the two inner concentric ranks in their proper positions opposite the white pieces.

FIG. 2 shows the spiral moves available to the Bishop 15 shown thereon; either along left-hand spiral 19 or 30 right-hand spiral 20. FIG. 3 shows the moves available to the Queen 14; along left-hand spiral 19 or right-hand spiral 20, along radial file 21 or along circular rank 22.

In each of the three figures discrete individual coded indicia 23 are shown. These indicia in the embodiment ³³ illustrated consist of eight capital letters A-H and eight numerals 1—8. The coded indicia are arranged in a manner such that spiral moves are available from a space to any other space having like indicia; e.g. from space A-l along a left-hand spiral to all spaces having ⁴⁰ an “A” as part of its individual coded indicia, or along a right-hand spiral to all spaces having a “1” as part of its individual coded indicia. Referring specifically to

FIG. 2, the Bishop on a space having D-8 as its discrete individual coded indicia has available to it a left-hand spiral move to spaces D-2, D-4, D-6 or D-8 (i.e., spiral 19 of FIG. 2), and a right-hand spiral move to spaces B-8, D-8, F-8 or H-8 (i.e., along spiral 20 of FIG. 2). Finally the Queen 14 in FIG. 3 on space E-7 has available to it diagonal moves to E-l, E-3, E-5, E-7, C-7, A-7 or G-7, as well as radial moves along file 21 to A-3, H-4, G-5, F-6, D-8, C-l or B-2, and circular moves along rank 22 to D-6, C-5, B-4, A-3, H-2, G-l, or F-8. of can be seen that on the chess board shown, the play is far more flexible than in conventional chess, which results in added excitement and demands increased concentration. Concentration is facilitated considerably by the use of the discrete individual coded indicia, preferably located on a transparent overlay, since it is immediately apparent where diagonal moves can be made, i.e., for the indicia shown, to any unblocked space having a like letter or number.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that, upon removal of impeding Pawns, white’s Queen’s Bishop (C-3) could attack black’s Queen (C-5) or Queen’s Knight (A-3). Further more, white’s Queen (D-4) could attack black’s King (D-6) or Queen’s Bishop (J-4); and white King’s Bishop (F-6) could attack black’s King (D-6) or

3,ΊΊ6.

King’s Knight (F-8). Similarly, upon removal of impeding Pawns, white’s pieces are also vulnerable to attack, for example, the white Queen (D-4) from the black Queen’s Bishop (J-4) and the white King (E-5), from the black Queen (C-5) or King’s Bishop (E-7). 5

It follows then that several of the more conventional openings are far riskier on the circular chess board. Thus the traditional 32 P-K4” white opening (i.e., from F-4 to H-2), known as Ruy-Lopez, would leave the Queen (D-4) vulnerable upon black’s move of its Queen’s Knight’s Pawn from E-l, or its Queen’s Bishop’s Pawn from 1-5.

It follows then both that the traditional chess openings and play used in conventional chess become far riskier in circular chess, and that traditionally weak and uncommon moves in conventional chess assume a new importance. Moreover, the insuperable problems of circular chess as heretofore suggested are overcome with the discrete individual coded indicia of the present invention.