Abstract: A toy made from a semicircular channel and configured as a substantially circular loop and having an arcuate interior wall straddling the interior circumferential ring of the loop. The loop is shaped such that a ball sized to roll unimpeded along the channel can be maintained in circulation by imparting a small parallel oscillatory motion with a hand when gripped by a user's fingers. An integral cup or ring either disposed on the loop or at the center of the toy provides a target through which the ball may be directed.

Abstract: A toy made from a hollow tube configured as a substantially circular toroid with an open center portion and an air gap defined by a segment of arc removed between an input end and an output end of the tube. The tube is shaped such that a ball sized to roll unimpeded through the hollow interior can be maintained in circulation by imparting a small parallel oscillatory motion with a hand when gripped by a user's fingers.

Abstract: The present invention is a poker-based dice game in the tradition of Yacht, but involving simultaneous play by all competitors and the use of a joker to increase the odds of achieving desired combinations, thereby speeding play. All game variations involve rapid inspections of roll results, rapid calculations of probabilities, and quick decision making. The game includes first through sixth sets of six-sided dice, each die of said first through sixth sets of dice having five faces identically marked and bearing numerical indicia, and a sixth side, also identically marked throughout said first through sixth sets of dice and bearing a symbol denoting a wild card value; a set of scoring tiles, each tile in said set of tiles bearing a unique point value; and a scoring sheet.

Abstract: A dice game and a method of playing the same, the game including a dice throwing arena having a floor and a circumferential barrier wall for confining thrown dice, a set of chips with each bearing a point value, a chip rack for visually displaying the set of chips in stacks organized according to the indicated point value of the chips, and a set of set of five six-sided dice, either having conventional markings on the respective faces signifying integers 1-6 and wherein odd numbered faces are marked with one color and even numbered faces are marked with a different color, or having alphabetic letters marked on the respective faces. Players roll the five dice in turns and collect chips under a set of rules that encourages strategic decision making to take advantage not only of chip values, but potential bonus points awarded for the particular combinations of chips collected during the course of play.

Abstract: A dice game and a method of playing the same, the game including a dice throwing arena having a floor and a circumferential barrier wall for confining thrown dice, a set of chips with each bearing a point value, a chip rack for visually displaying the set of chips in stacks organized according to the indicated point value of the chips, and a set of set of five six-sided dice, either having conventional markings on the respective faces signifying integers 1-6 and wherein odd numbered faces are marked with one color and even numbered faces are marked with a different color, or having alphabetic letters marked on the respective faces. Players roll the five dice in turns and collect chips under a set of rules that encourages strategic decision making to take advantage not only of chip values, but potential bonus points awarded for the particular combinations of chips collected during the course of play.

Abstract: An improved game of Shut the Box, including a game box and front and back rows of tiles in which tiles are pivotally arrayed in a side-by-side relationship. Each tile bears a number and may be selectively placed in either a vertical orientation so as to show the tile face or a horizontal orientation so as to obscure the tile face. The back row of tiles is positioned immediately behind and above the front row such that each one of the back row tiles is directly behind a corresponding front row tile. For any given pair of front and back row tiles, when the front row is in the vertical orientation, the face of the corresponding back row tile is obscured, and when the front row tile is in the horizontal position, the back row tile is revealed if it is in its vertical orientation. When both the front row tile and the back row tile are in the horizontal orientation, the face of each is obscured. The game is played with dice.

Abstract: A dice cup for use in dice games involving concealment of the dice, including an open top end and an open bottom end, a closed opaque wall extending therebetween, and a longitudinal axis. A plurality of spaced-apart slats are disposed across the bottom end so as to define a plurality of viewing holes. The slats prevent dice from being ejected from the cup when said cup is shaken with said top end covered, and when the cup is inverted to cover dice on a flat surface, the slats provide an impediment to seeing the dice through the viewing holes unless viewed at a sufficiently small angle relative to said longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A dice cup for use in dice games involving concealment of the dice, including an open top end and an open bottom end, a closed opaque wall extending therebetween, and a longitudinal axis. A plurality of spaced-apart slats are disposed across the bottom end so as to define a plurality of viewing holes. The slats prevent dice from being ejected from the cup when said cup is shaken with said top end covered, and when the cup is inverted to cover dice on a flat surface, the slats provide an impediment to seeing the dice through the viewing holes unless viewed at a sufficiently small angle relative to said longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An improved game of Shut the Box, including a game box and front and back rows of tiles in which tiles are pivotally arrayed in a side-by-side relationship. Each tile bears a number and may be selectively placed in either a vertical orientation so as to show the tile face or a horizontal orientation so as to obscure the tile face. The back row of tiles is positioned immediately behind and above the front row such that each one of the back row tiles is directly behind a corresponding front row tile. For any given pair of front and back row tiles, when the front row is in the vertical orientation, the face of the corresponding back row tile is obscured, and when the front row tile is in the horizontal position, the back row tile is revealed if it is in its vertical orientation. When both the front row tile and the back row tile are in the horizontal orientation, the face of each is obscured. The game is played with dice.

Abstract: A piece for a domino game having a first connecting end and a second connecting end designed to assemble with the connecting ends of other similar pieces, the first connecting end and the second connecting end being at a positive angle ? from one another, a marking face divided in two parts, and an external face linking the external edges of connecting ends. The geometrical shape of the piece is such that, whenever several pieces are assembled one after the other so that the first connecting end of a piece assembles with the second connecting end of another piece, and so on until the free connecting ends are at an angle ?? which value is superior or equal to that of angle ?, and inferior to twice the value of angle ?, it is possible to assemble, in a direction opposite to the others, two other pieces with their connecting ends linked to free connecting ends without having these two aforementioned other pieces overlap.