August Board and Card Game Patents

1. A computer system that stores not only the scores for each player, but also their playing style. In the example given, you would be able to choose an opponent for an online game of Mah-Jong based not only on the other player's score, but on his or her playing style.

2. The game of blackjack, where the dealer's face up card is dealt before the first bet, and then the game continues as normal.

One wonders if every single possible variation on games played in casinos is patented.

3. A card game where the player is given a set of cards that add up to a total, and must guess the remainder that will result when this total is divided by a hidden card.

4. An online game system that allows players to pay to sign up and then rewards cash prizes to winners. Non-subscribers can also play, but won't be eligible for the prize. This is an attempt to circumvent gambling laws in the U.S. (i.e. it calls it "subscribing" instead of "betting").

5. This is the most interesting patent I've seen so far. It tries to address the perception that going to a casino is a losing game. I.e. the longer you play, the more money you will lose over time.

It proposes an idea of a cash prize to be awarded at the end of a fixed period. Each player wins "tokens" the longer that he plays. At the end of the fixed period, the cash prize is divided proportionally among all token holders according to the number of tokens that each one possesses.

Therefore, when you play for longer periods, you may lose more to the casino, but you end up getting a larger share of the cash prize ... unless everyone else has the same idea.

Quite ingenious, actually.

6. A poker variant: three cards, a three of a kind = 30.5 points, an AKQ of one suit = 31 points, otherwise your hand equals the sum of point values in any one suit.

7. Strategy game: "Certain game pieces have fixed properties and other have properties that can be changed by the player during the course of the game at strategic times. A player can change the properties of a game piece by paying the cost associated therewith using the currency he or she has earned by moving game pieces and/or taking an opponents game pieces. The game can be won by capturing a special game piece of the opponent; by moving a special game piece into across the length of the playmat and into the opponent's area for storing game pieces which have not been summoned; by changing the properties of a special game piece or through the surrender to the opponent."

8. The ornamental design of a Christian board game.

9. A computer server that lets you watch other people playing strategy games, such as Chess or Shogi.

10. A computer system that stores not only the scores for each player, but also a smiley or frowney face based on whether or not the player won his or her last game.

11. Yet another blackjack variant that allows a player to withdraw half his bet midway if he reaches a certain total.

12. An educational card game system, with question and answer cards.

13. A roll and move trucking game.

14. A board game that teaches "safe affection", and provides a plastic "kissing shield" for when the players have to kiss. Oh brother.

The game seriously proposes to teach children that kissing through a plastic membrane is safer than kissing directly, and this safe practice will reduce the spread of diseases such as AIDS.

15. A game with collectible fantasy pieces. It involves throwing the pieces onto the board in order to collect "hands". If I'm not mistaken, this sounds like Clout Fantasy.

16. A math game, where the object is to create mathematical equations.

Yehuda