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Science Games. The following US Patents are examples of board games, each hereby incorporated herein by reference: U. The ' patent shows a board game, having a matrix comprised of rows and columns, and an energy source, which is electricity in the preferred embodiment, that can be selectively positioned to direct energy along a selected column, thereby creating an energy path.

The energy path may be diverted to a row and then back to a column by deflecting pieces. The deflecting pieces may be small mirrors. However, the ' patent does not contemplate a plurality of styles for pieces, directing energy toward a mobile game piece of an opponent, nor the unique elements and rules of the instant invention. The ' patent shows a board game, having a matrix comprised of rows and columns, multiple laser beams that can be selectively directed along a selected row or column, thereby creating a laser beam path.

The energy path may be diverted to a row and then back to a column by selectively-placed deflecting pieces. The object of each player is to direct their laser beams toward the opponent's light-detecting scoring module while preventing the opponent's laser beams from reaching their own scoring module.

The ' patent does not contemplate providing a separate single beam for each player, instead of multiple lasers per player. The ' patent also does not contemplate a game played without a light-detecting scoring module. The ' patent describes illumination of radial and latitudinal paths adjacent to playing pieces, said illumination provided by electric circuitry and lights. The stated purpose for illumination is to help players know when two pieces are flanking thus surrounding, and capturing an opposing piece.

The ' patent does not contemplate using a beam to illuminate playing pieces or mirrors to deflect light and thereby illuminate playing pieces. The ' patent contemplates a game in which the object is to maneuver one's pieces to flank or surround those of the opposing player.

Strategy games may differ in a variety of ways. For example, the boards may contain different layouts or fields of positions. Each player may have the same or a different number of playing pieces. Each player may have the same or different kinds of playing pieces with superior strengths or capabilities. Playing pieces may be placed on the board at the start of the game or throughout the game. The playing pieces may move in a wide variety of ways on their respective boards.

Players may capture the opposing pieces by moving their pieces to jump, surround, occupy the same position as, or otherwise affect the opposing pieces. Some games are limited to two players, while others allow two or more players. Each of these variations affects the strategy of play and the degree of skill required to play the game against a knowledgeable opponent.

Game designs should produce a balance between opposing players or sides. Neither player should have a significant advantage over the other simply based on which side or set of pieces they are playing, or who moves first. The combination of board size and geometry, the types and number of playing pieces, the layout of the interconnecting playable positions, the manner each piece moves on the board, the manner of capture and the number of allowable players should all be taken into consideration when designing a strategy game.

Game designs should involve a desired degree of skill and variation of possible moves and outcomes. They should reward strategy and thought. If the board layout, types and number of pieces, rules of movements, rules of capture and criterion for completion are overly simplistic, the game is too easy, will usually end in a draw or a predictable manner, and quickly become uninteresting for the average player.

Conversely, if the board size and layout, number and kinds of pieces, and rules of movement and capture are overly complicated, the game takes too long to learn is frustrating and uninteresting for the average player. The present invention is a game that employs a game board or playing surface, over which beams e. The present invention combines the strategy of traditional board games with modern technology, for an engaging experience. The rules are simple enough to be learned in minutes, but the options during play are plentiful enough so as to be neither dull nor predictable.

The game of the present invention has the universal and enduring appeal of classic games, such as chess, checkers and go, in an embodiment which incorporates lasers. These beams are reflected and deflected around the playing field by mirrored surfaces of pieces, or stopped by non-mirrored surfaces of pieces. The game is won by a player who strategically maneuvers pieces to reflect a laser beam so as to illuminate a key piece belonging to his opponent, e.

With each turn, a player may move one of his pieces to one of the potentially eight, unoccupied adjacent squares front, back, left, right or diagonal or may rotate re-orient one of his pieces. After moving or rotating a piece, that player presses a fire button that triggers the emission of a beam above and parallel to the playing surface.

If the beam hits a non-mirrored surface of a playing piece, that piece is removed from the board and eliminated from further play, unless it is the key piece, e. The pieces can vary in design and setup, with mirrors being located on multiple e.

For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following representative drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:. Laser game board apparatus 10 provides a game board 11 having an upper playing surface 12 and a lower surface Board 11 has a periphery Raised border 15 is positioned at periphery The raised border 15 includes a plurality of sections or flanges that can be flat or planar as shown.

The raised sections includes horizontal section 16 , outer vertical section 17 , and inner vertical section A playing area 23 is defined by a plurality of smaller areas or squares that can be recessed areas 23 A, each preferably being square in shape.

There are a pair of laser activating buttons 19 , 20 positioned at opposing sides of game board 11 as shown in FIGS. Each of the laser activating buttons 19 , 20 activates a laser. Each of two players has control of a button 19 or 20 during a game. The laser activating button 19 activates laser 21 for a first player. The laser activating button 20 operates laser 22 for a second player. Each of the recessed square areas 23 A is surrounded by a raised border 25 that can be square in shape as shown.

The raised border 25 can be comprised of a plurality of raised elements In the bottom peripheral view of FIG. Cavity 26 provides one or more battery compartments The cavity 26 can be used for containing wiring 28 that interconnects a battery or batteries and lasers 21 , 22 so that power supplied by a battery that occupies battery compartment 27 can be used to power the lasers 21 , During play, a beam 29 is selectively emitted by each laser 21 , 22 when activated by a player's control button 19 or The laser beam 29 that is emitted by a laser 21 or 22 provides a visible indication of whether or not a particular game piece 30 , 35 , 40 , 50 has been hit by the beam An illumination appears on the particular game piece 30 , 35 , 40 , 50 such as for example a red or orange circular illumination or dot.

However, some of the game pieces 40 , 50 provide mirrored surfaces so that while the beam strikes the mirrored surface 45 or 55 or 56 of that particular game piece, it is also reflected toward another game piece 30 , 35 , 40 , In FIGS. Game piece 30 provides a base 31 having a periphery Vertically extending portion 33 of game piece 30 extends upwardly from base In the embodiment shown in FIGS.

However, other forms can be used for key game piece 30 e. King, Queen, etc. Game piece 35 has a base 36 with a periphery Vertically extending portion 38 extends upwardly from base Game piece 35 also provides a generally flat or planar underside Each of the game pieces 35 , 40 is non-mirrored so that if either is struck by a laser beam 29 , it is removed from the game board playing area The game piece 40 shown in FIGS.

The base 41 provides a flat or planar underside A vertically extending portion 44 extends upwardly from base The vertically extending portion 44 provides a mirrored surface As shown in FIG. Thus, the mirrored surface 45 falls upon a reference line 49 that extends from corner 47 to corner When a laser beam 29 strikes mirrored surface 45 , it will turn 90 degrees as will be illustrated more fully hereinafter.

The game piece 50 is also a mirrored game piece. Game piece 50 provides a base 51 having an underside 52 and a periphery The underside 52 is preferably flat or planar. A vertically extended portion 54 of game piece 50 provides a pair of mirrored surfaces 55 , 56 as shown in FIGS. Each of the mirrored surfaces 55 , 56 forms an angle of about 45 degrees with any side of periphery In FIG.

Arrows 57 illustrate that game piece 50 can more to an adjacent square in an orthogonal direction while arrows 58 indicate that game piece 50 can be moved diagonally as well to an adjacent space.

A rotational move is important for one of the mirrored game pieces 40 , 50 in that it changes the position of the mirror 45 , 55 , 56 relative to the beam 29 that is emitted by either of the lasers 21 , 22 see FIG.

Two sets of playing pieces are shown, one can be of a dark color e. The particular configuration and combination of pieces, i. The rules for moving and taking turns work well for a wide variety of starting configurations, and it is anticipated that players may begin with any starting configuration for which there is mutual agreement.

Game board 11 can consist of a playing surface 23 , with a recessed grid of rows and columns, and a bounding frame or border Each of the squares 23 A at the intersections of the rows and columns on the board surface are recessed so as to ensure proper alignment of playing pieces.

Correspondingly, the bases 31 , 36 , 41 , 51 of the pieces 30 , 35 , 40 , 50 , which fit into the recessed squares 23 A have the same shape so as to ensure proper alignment. The raised border or frame 15 houses two laser diodes 21 , 22 , or any other collimated light source s. The light sources are oriented such that the beams 29 are parallel to the playing surface 23 or the floor of the game board 11 and are aligned with column 1 and column 10 , as shown in FIG.

The raised border frame 15 also acts as a bounding surface to prevent the laser light beams 29 from extending beyond the boundaries of the game board, i. In the preferred embodiment, the lasers 21 , 22 are powered by a battery or batteries which are housed in a compartment s 27 in the frame cavity Also contained in frame cavity 26 are the wires which make two parallel electrical connections, each making serial links between the batteries, a laser fire switch button 19 , 20 and a laser diode 21 , The laser fire buttons switch can each be a normally open switch which activates the laser 21 , 22 closest to it, for the duration the button 19 , 20 is depressed.

Once a button 19 or 20 is released, the laser is deactivated. The game pieces 30 , 35 , 40 , 50 can be made of translucent plastic so as to glow when stuck by the laser beam on any non-mirrored surface. The game piece 30 i. Pharaoh or key piece , have no mirrored surfaces. The loser of the game is the first to have his or her key game piece 30 e.

Pharaoh illuminated by a light beam 29 , which signifies the end of a game. The game piece 40 possesses one surface which is a mirror 45 that reflects impinging laser light. Other surfaces of the piece 40 are non-mirrored. The mirror or mirrored surface 45 is oriented perpendicular to the base 41 , and along a diagonal line which passes through opposite corners 47 , 48 of the base This mirror 45 orientation, coupled with the square base 41 seating into a recessed square 23 A of the game board 11 , ensures that when the piece 40 is in any space 23 A that puts the mirrored surface in the path of a laser beam 29 , the beam reflects at a right angle.

This results in a change of the beam path in one of two ways, either 1 beams 29 traveling parallel to columns on the game board are reflected to be parallel to rows on the game board 11 , or 2 beams 29 traveling parallel to rows are reflected to be parallel to columns. If the piece 40 is in any space that puts one of its non-mirrored surfaces in the path of a laser beam 29 , the piece 40 is illuminated and removed from play at the end of a player's turn.

The double-mirrored piece 50 can be shaped as an Egyptian Djed column. The piece 50 has two surfaces 55 , 56 which are mirrors to reflect impinging laser light.

These mirrored surfaces 55 , 56 may be totally reflective mirrors mounted back-to-back and oriented perpendicular to the base 51 , and along a diagonal line which passes through opposite corners 60 , 61 of the base 51 see FIG. This mirror surface orientation, coupled with the square base 51 seating into the recessed squares 23 A of the game board 11 , ensures that when the piece 50 is in any space 23 A that puts it in the path of a laser beam 29 , that all or part of the beam 29 reflects at a right angle.

This results in a change of the beam path in one of two ways, either 1 beams 29 traveling parallel to columns are reflected to be parallel to rows, or 2 beams 29 traveling parallel to rows are reflected to be parallel to columns. When partial mirrors are used, a portion of the impinging beam will continue along its original path and will not be diverted, leading to the creation of two beams from a single light source.

Since laser beams 29 impinging upon a double-mirrored Djed piece 50 will always strike a mirrored surface, these pieces are never illuminated and therefore never removed from play.

A turn can consist of a player moving one of his or her pieces 30 , 35 , 40 , 50 to an adjacent, unoccupied square see FIG. One variation permits Djed Column pieces to move into adjacent squares which are occupied by either Obelisks 35 or Pyramids 40 belonging to either player. If this is done, the displaced piece is moved, retaining its rotational orientation, to the square which the Djed Column piece 50 vacates.