GB2101490A - Card game for tennis, etc - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for simulating a ball game, such as tennis, squash, football, hockey or cricket, has a board representing an area of play, a set of cards, a token ball and a random selector. The cards represent types of strokes characteristic of the game and various events that might occur in the game. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A game This invention relates to apparatus for playing a game and is particularly, though not exclusively, applicable to a game which at least partly involves cards and is intended to represent or reproduce some form of competitive ball game. The invention may for instance be applied to a game such as tennis, squash or cricket and may possibly also be applied to team games such as football, rugby, hockey or baseball.

The invention is based on the idea that in many competitive ball games each shot or stroke to some extent requires a particular type of stroke or shot in reply and may also limit the number of possibilities available to the opponent. Thus in most situations each player has theoretically a wide number of options which are in practice reduced by the skill of the other player, possibly with a chance factor also involved. In the invention many of these possibilities are introduced into a form of card game representing the actual ball game.

Broadly stated, from one aspect, the invention consists in apparatus for playing a game representing a competitive ball game, comprising a plurality of cards or markers each carrying an indication of a type of stroke, shot or movement of the ball, and means to determine the type of stroke, shot or ball movement required in replay.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the type of stroke, shot or ball movement in reply is set out on (at least some of) the cards or markers. Alternatively, or in addition, the means determining the type of stroke, shot or ball movement required in replay may comprise a set of separate rules.

In a particular form of the invention, the apparatus is intended for playing a rackets game, and comprises a plurality of cards which include instructions or indices representing one or more of the following: service, forehand, backhand, cross-court, passing, drop, lob, net, fault, out, foot fault.

In any case the apparatus may include a board, cloth or base representing the playing surface, and a token representing a ball, and may also include a random selector such as a miniature racket with rough and smooth sides.

The invention may be performed in various ways and one specific embodiment, with a number of possible modifications, will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a cloth or board representing a tennis court on a reduced scale; Figure 2 is a diagram representing two scoring devices with a miniature tennis racket; and Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the eleven different cards used in the game.

In this particular example of the invention, the game represents tennis and the equipment for playing the game comprises the base cloth or board of Figure 1, the two scorers and the miniature racket of Figure 2 and a pack of cards built up of various numbers of the eleven cards illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. In addition, the equipment includes the rules as given below.

THE RULES OF COURTSHIP (or Tennis at the Card Table) GENERAL 1. This is a Card Game based on the general principles of Lawn Tennis. It is best played by either two (Singles) or four (Doubles) people, the latter playing as two pairs, but it can be played by three people as well (See Section 22).

2. The pack contains 52 cards, consisting of a variety of STROKE CARDS and HAZARDS.

STROKE CARDS HAZARDS Service Ace (A) (4) Fault (F) (4) Service (S) (12) Net (N) (2) Forehand down Line (FDL) (5) Out (O) (2) Forehand across Court (FAC) (5) Backhand down Line (BDL) (5) Backhand across Court (BAC) (5) Lob (L) (4) Smash (SM) (4) The function of each card is given in Sections 1 11-1 7.

3. The first player (or pair) to win 6 games will win the SET. A MATCH can be played over any odd number of SETS as agreed before play starts. (See Section 20 for details of scoring.) THE PLAY 4. In order to decide who deals and has the first Service at the start of each Set, one player calls ROUGH or SMOOTH, and the opponent spins the RACKET. If the RACKET falls with the side, which has been called, uppermost, the caller wins the toss or vice versa. In the case of Doubles, either member of the team which won the toss, may deal.

5. The dealer then deals 6 cards, face downwards to each player, and the remainder of the pack is placed face downwards in the centre of the table. In Doubles, partners sit opposite each other, so that as play progresses in rotation to the left, each team plays alternately. After the deal, each player picks up his cards, keeping them hidden from the other players.

6. Each POINT must start with a SEVEN ACE or SERVICE. At the start of each SET, the dealer has the opportunity to Serve, or in Doubles, either member of the team which won the toss, may Serve. If the dealer (in Singles) or neither partner (in Doubles) can Serve, the chance passes to the opponent (or opponents).

7. In the unlikely event that no player can Serve, the dealer then picks the top card from the pack and if that is a SERVICE (or ACE) it is played to start the game. If it is not a SERVICE (or ACE) that card or any other from the player's hand must be discarded face upwards in the centre of the table, and the process is continued by each player in rotation until a SERVICE (or ACE) can be played.

8. When a SERVICE (or ACE) is played, the card is placed face upward in the centre of the table (on top of any previous discards, if appropriate), and play continues in rotation until a point is won, each card being placed face upward on top of the previous one. Ways in which points are won are given in Section 1 8. Every time a card is played a replacement is taken from the top of the pack, so that the original number of cards in the hand is always maintained. When the pack is exhausted, the discard pile is turned over and reused.

9. The player who wins the point then Serves for the start of the next point. If no SERVICE (or ACE) is held, the opportunity passes to the next player, and, if necessary, the procedure of Section 7 is followed. Play is continuous, both between points and games, with the same hands.

10. At the end of each SET, the pack is shuffled and redealt. The winner of the previous SET has the right to Serve.

STROKE CARDS 11. SERVICE and SERVICE ACE. One of these must be played on the start of each point. A SERVICE ACE has no reply, and automatically wins the point. Only one Service is allowed, and if that is Faulted by an opponent, the point is lost.

12. FOREHAND ACROSS COURT, FOREHAND DOWN LINE, BACKHAND ACROSS COURT and BACKHAND DOWN LINE. These are the normal strokes in play and can follow a SERVICE, each other, or a SMASH, provided that they are the correct reply to the previous stroke, as shown below.

A Forehand must follow: A Backhand must follow: A Forehand across court. A Forehand down line.

A Backhand down line. A Backhand across court.

A Smash to the forehand. A Smash to the backhand.

In order to simplify play, the appropriate reply is marked on each card.

1 3. LOB. This can be played in reply to a SERVICE, any Stroke in Section 12 or a SMASH. The LOB requires a SMASH in replay.

14. SMASH. This is the only reply to a LOB, apart from a HAZARD card, and it cannot reply to any other Stroke Card. A SMASH (To the Forehand) requires a Forehand replay and a SMASH (To the Backhand), a Backhand reply. A SMASH can be followed by another LOB.

HAZARD CARDS 1 5. FAULT. This can only be played in reply to a SERVICE, when it wins the point. A SERVICE ACE cannot be Faulted.

1 6. NET. This can be played in reply to any Stroke in Section 1 2 or a SMASH, when it wins the point. It cannot reply to a LOB.

1 7. OUT. This can be played in reply to any Stroke in Section 12, a SMASH or a LOB, when it wins the point.

WINNING POINTS 1 8. Points can be won in the following ways:- (a) By playing a SERVICE ACE.

(b) By playing a FAULT on a SERVICE.

(c) By playing a NET or OUT on the appropriate Stroke of your opponent.

(d) By your opponent failing to reply to a SERVICE with FAULT or appropriate Stroke Card.

(e) By your opponent failing to follow a LOB with a SMASH or OUT.

(f) By your opponent failing to follow a SMASH with the appropriate Stroke Card or HAZARD.

(g) By your opponent failing to follow any Stroke in Section 12 with the appropriate Stroke Card or HAZARD.

SCORING 1 9. Two Scorers are provided and each player (or pair) should be responsible for keeping their own Score. In addition, the Score should be called after each point is won, so that all players know the state of the game, and mistakes are less likely.

20. The first point scored by a player (or pair) is marked "1 5", the second "30", the third "40" and the fourth "Game". In the event that players (or pairs) reach a score of 40 all (Deuce), the one who gains the next point goes to "Advantage". If the same player (or pair) takes the following point as well, the Game is won. If, on the other hand, the opponent wins the second point, the Score returns to Deuce, this process continues until one side wins two consecutive points. At the end of each Game BOTH Scorers should be returned to zero (Love).

OTHER FORMS OF PLAY 21. Although the "Short Set" (i.e. the first to 6 Games, wins) has been given in Section 3, other variations, normally used in Lawn Tennis, such as "Two up" if 5 Games all is reached, or a "Tie-break", could be introduced if players agree.

22. The game can be played by three people, one playing singly, and the other two, as a pair. The single player would take every Stroke, whereas the pair would play alternately.

23. This game would be ideal for Tournament play, involving and number of people, either on a "Knock-out" or "League" basis. Any number of Matches could be played at the same time if the appropriate number of sets of equipment (i.e. packs of cards and Scorers) were available.

The method of playing the game will be apparent from the rules and it will be noted that after each stroke played by one player, the opponent needs to find a particular form of return stroke in order to keep the ball in play. If the appropriate type of card is not available, the player loses the point. Likewise hazards can be introduced by playing the cards such as "net", "fault" or "out".

As mentioned previously, the invention may also be applied readily to other games. For example in the case of rugby, the cards may include a variety of plays, counter plays and hazards seiected from the following: "kick ahead", "catch", "tackle", "scissors", "dummy", "heel", "maul", "hold", "wheel", "Gary Owen", "jink", "in touch", "offside", "knock on", "drop kick 40 yards", "penalty kick 30 yards", "drop out".

As in the previous game of tennis, each play from one side will require a specific counterplay and the rules of the game will determine the advantage or disadvantage that applies if the appropriate card is not available.

In the case of cricket, the cards will include a selection governing the type of delivery by the bowler such as slow, medium, fast, wide, off stump, middle stump, outswinger, inswinger, off break, leg break, full pitch, short pitch, yorker. Depending upon the type of ball bowled the batsman may play a stroke represented by one of the following cards for example: "cut", "square-cut", "offdrive", "ondrive", "hook", "half volley", "boundary 4", "boundary 6".

In addition, there will be cards representing possible events such as "no ball", "bowled", "caught", "lbw". "run out". Also there may be other hazards representing factors such as the state of the wicket, whether or not it accepts spin and the speed of the outfield.

Whatever particular form is adopted it will be seen in all these examples that the invention provides a type of card game which gives each player an opportunity to use a degree of choice or skill combined with random luck to determine the run of play.

Claims (7)

1. Apparatus for playing a game representing a competitive ball game, comprising a plurality of cards or markers each carrying an indication of a type of stroke, shot or movement of th a ball and means to determine the type of stroke, shot or ball movement required in reply.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 in which the type of stroke, shot or ball movement in reply is set out on (at least some of) the cards or markers.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the means determining the type or stroke, shot or ball movement required in reply comprises a set of separate rules.

4. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims for playing a rackets game representing tennis, squash or the like, in which the cards include instructions or indices representing one or more of the following: service, forehand, backhand, cross court, passing, drop, lob, net, fault, out, foot fault.

5. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims including a board, cloth or base representing the playing surface, and a token representing a ball.

6. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims including a random selector such as a miniature racket with rough and smooth sides.

7. Apparatus substantially and hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.