Patent Application
20070205557
This invention relates to a new card game, custom deck of cards and a method for playing the new card game and more particularly to a card game, custom deck of cards and method for playing a card game for recreational and educational purposes.
Numerous types of playing card decks and card games are known. Such games include poker, hearts, pinochle, rummy and bridge which are generally played using conventional decks. Other games require customized decks of playing cards. For example, a U.S. Patent of Mundle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,059 discloses a card game containing a deck of sixty cards. The deck is divided into four distinguishable categories. Each category comprises a plurality of cards numbered consecutively. The deck also includes two non-numbered cards. A pre-determined number of cards have point values. During game play, tricks are played with each player playing a card having the same category as the category of the card leading the trick. After each player has had a turn at playing a card of the trick, the player that played the highest numbered card of the trick takes the trick along with points, if any in the trick. The player that took the last trick leads a card for the next trick. A player is forced to take a trick when that player plays a multiple-point value card during a trick and an opposing player counters by playing a non-numbered card in the same trick. The object of the game is to avoid acquiring points.
A more recent patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,484 of Strauss discloses a method for a novel card game. The game employs a deck of cards with two or more suits and each suit having cards consecutively numbered starting from zero. The player selects how many suits they will hold in their hand and the number of cards forms each suit. The cards are then dealt and each player, in order places a card face up in the middle between the players. Each consecutive player then places a higher numbered card in the middle of the table until one player has no cards or until no cards can be played by any of the players. A winner is then declared based on the player who has no cards or the player with the lowest total value of face cards in his/her hand.
A United States Patent Application Publication of Pellham, No. 2003/0173741 discloses a method and apparatus for a recipe game. As disclosed, a game can be played using two different classes of tokens according to the disclosed method to assemble sets of tokens. The tokens may be playing cards and the two different classes may be, for example, a group class made up of cards each of which identify a number of the group, namely a type of coffee beverage. The second class of cards could then be the ingredients for each type of coffee beverage, with each ingredient being identify on a separate card. Wild cards may be included. Sets are assembled by collecting a recipe card and the ingredient cards that correspond to the recipe card.
Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there is a potential market for a new card game, customized deck of cards and method for playing the new game. There should be a demand because the new card game, custom deck of cards and method for playing the game in accordance with the present invention are educational and provide recreational entertainment. Further, such games have relatively simple rules and are relatively easy to play. Notwithstanding the ease of playing, such games should appeal to a wide range of ages and can be used to educate relatively young players to match cards in the same category and in understanding a product, its components and assembly. As for example, a menu of food items, there ingredients and directions for making the items.
In essence the present invention contemplates a card game and customized deck of cards each of which has a front surface and a back surface. The deck includes a first set of cards having back surfaces with similar appearances and a second set of cards having common back surfaces distinguishable from the cards in the first set of cards by the appearance of the back surfaces. For example, the back surfaces in both sets may incorporate an identical design however; the back surface of the first set may be of one color such as blue while the back surface of the second set is red. The first set of twenty cards includes pictorial representations of a plurality of items on the front surface with a single item displayed on the front surface of each card in the first set. Further, a distinguishing color on a front surface of each of the cards in the first set of cards distinguishes each of the cards from the other cards in the first set. At the same time, the second set of cards includes two cards corresponding to each of the cards in the first set of cards and includes a corresponding color on a front surface thereof. As for example, a distinguishing color is shown in each of the four corners of the card. A first of the two cards in the second set includes information about the components or ingredients in the pictorial representations that is the corresponding item in the first set of cards. In addition, the second of the two cards contains supplemental information on the item in the corresponding card as for example, the directions for making the item or assembly of the items. The purpose of the game is to dispose of one's cards by discarding one or two corresponding cards to complete a series of three in a discard pile.
The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings.
A card game and customized deck of cards for playing the card game are illustrated in
The 20 picture cards each include a picture and printed name of an item. For example, different food items, recipes, set of sport games, and historical events may be illustrated on each of the picture cards. Each of the picture cards also includes a distinguishing color as for example on the four corners of the front surface of the card.
The 40 matching cards include two matching or information cards that correspond to each picture card. The two matching cards illustrated in Figures a-F include information that relates to a picture card. For example, the matching cards that relate to a menu item could include ingredients on one matching card and directions for preparing the item on the other. The matching cards also include distinguishing colors that correspond to the colors on the picture cards so that a picture card and two matching cards will have the same colors on the four corners on the front surface or faces thereof.
The joker 35 which may be referred to as the start card does not necessarily need a distinguishing color on its face and need not be referred to or includes an image of a Joker. In essence it is used to identify an individual in a circle of players who is to start the game.
A method for playing a card game in accordance with the present invention will now be described in connection with
In step 42, all of the 61 cards are shuffled and 60 cards are dealt around the circle so that each player receives an equal number of cards. The last card i.e. the 61st card is turned up in the middle of the circle. The player who has the joker or start card 35 begins play by discarding the joker and a card that corresponds to the face up card in step 44. However, if the player has one of the matching cards i.e. with the same distinguishing color in the corners as the face up card he discards it. If the individual has both corresponding cards he can discard both cards at this time.
If the player who starts the game does not have a matching card, play moves to the next player as for example to the left or right and continues around the circle in step 46 until one of the players has a corresponding card or both corresponding cards, they are discarded. However, if the next player does not have a corresponding card play moves on to the next player and the next until all three cards in a set have been discarded. Then, the player who discarded the last of a third matching cards begins the next round by discarding another card from his hand in step 48. If the player has two matching cards they may discard both cards.
Play is then continued until one player has discarded all of his cards to thereby win the game in step 50. Scoring can be calculated by assigning each player the number of cards remaining in their hands so that the player with the least points would be the overall winner after a predetermined number of games.
While the invention has been described in connection with its preferred embodiments, it should be recognized that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
