MATCHING GAME FOR LEARNING ENHANCEMENT

Abstract

A matching-based competitive game is used to reinforce the association, correlation, translation, or equation of values. The values are indicia on the face of the tiles, where each tile has at least two different indicia. These values may be cross-language vocabulary words, geographic entities, arithmetic valuations, or chemical symbols, as examples. The classic game of dominoes provides a single tile for every combination of two values in the value set, including the identity element. Because the mathematical increase in combinations, and thus the size of the tile set, becomes prohibitively large for a reasonably-sized value set, the tile set is reduced, resulting in a group of smaller tile sets, having essentially the same statistical matching capability of a normal domino set. The winner(s) of the game are defined as the first player(s) who complete a predetermined number of matches of the indicia values on their tiles.

Description

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to games in which the players choose pieces with n indicia thereon, for which an object of the games is to make a string of the pieces for which indicia of adjacent ends match. The game ends when the string of one of the players has a predetermined number. More specifically, the present invention relates to games in which the players choose a manageable subset of pieces with n indicia thereon, for which an object of the games is to make a string of the pieces, for which indicia of adjacent ends match.

2. BACKGROUND

The classic domino set entails a total of seven (7) values or indicia, which, in exhaustive combination with one another (including the identity tile in which both halves of the tile have the same value) produces a 28-piece tile set. The mathematics of such combinations yields progressively larger tile sets for each additional value, so that, e.g., a zero-to-nine domino set has 55 tiles, and a zero-to-twelve domino set has 91 tiles.

Therefore, games involving matching indicia of adjacent ends of the tiles require increasingly larger tile sets as the number of values or indicia increases. Such games having increasingly larger tile sets may be accompanied by increased cost.

There is a need for games involving matching indicia of adjacent ends of the tiles to have a manageable subset of pieces with n indicia thereon to reduce the cost of such games when the numbers of values or indicia increases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first aspect of the present invention provides a game set, comprising: a plurality of pieces. Each piece has a first surface. The first surface has a plurality of oppositely disposed ends. Each oppositely disposed end of said first surface has an indicium of one of n values incorporated within the game set, thereon. N is a positive integer. Said n indicia comprise sets j, k, . . . , that associate, correlate, translate, or equate concepts. Each of the sets j, k, . . . is an aggregate of a plurality S of respective subsets A, B, C, . . . , each subset comprising all combinations of any values which may be represented as 1 to p. The number S of said subsets A, B, C, . . . is greater than 1, i.e. does not include the identity subset A. Each n value comprises {jA₁, jA₂, . . . JAp, jB₁, jB₂, . . . , jB_p, jC₁ . . . } and {kA₁, kA₂, . . . , kA_p, kB₁, kB₂, . . . , kB_p, kC₁ . . . }. The n values assigned to j(1 to n) and k(1 to n) are mathematically shuffled such that a regular tabulation of the values of (j,k){A₁, A₂, A₃, . . . C_p} loses full correlation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a top plan view of a game set, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 depicts a side cross-sectional view of the game set illustrated in FIG. 1, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 depicts a top plan view of a game set 10, comprising: a plurality of pieces 11, 13. The pieces 11, 13 may be tiles or cards or any appropriate solid object. In one embodiment, the pieces may advantageously be fabricated wood, plastic, metal, paper, linen, or an electronic representation. Each piece 11, 13 has a first surface 17, 22 respectively. Each oppositely disposed ends 35, 33 and 37, 36 of said first surface 17, 22 of each piece 11, 13 has an indicium of one of n values incorporated within the game set 10, thereon. The oppositely disposed ends 35, 33 and 37, 36 of said first surface 17, 22 of each piece 11, 13 may be separated by dividers 30, 32, respectively. N is a positive integer. Said n indicia comprise sets j, k, . . . , that associate, correlate, translate, or equate concepts. Each of the sets j, k, . . . is an aggregate of a plurality S of respective subsets A, B, C, . . . Each of the sets j, k, . . . is an aggregate of a plurality S of respective subsets A, B, C, . . . , each subset comprising all combinations of any values which may be represented as 1 to p. The number S of said subsets A, B, C, . . . is greater than 1, i.e. does not include the identity subset A. Each n value comprises {jA₁, jA₂, . . . , JAp, jB₁, jB₂, . . . , jB_p, jC₁ . . . } and {kA₁, kA₂, . . . , kA_p, kB₁, kB₂, . . . , kB_p, kC₁ . . . }. The n values assigned to j(1 to n) and k(1 to n) are mathematically shuffled such that a regular tabulation of the values of (j,k){A₁, A₂, A₃, . . . C_p} loses full correlation.

The game set 10 described herein is intended to assist the memorization of correlated facts such as foreign-language vocabulary, countries and capitals, or chemical symbols, in a learning environment suitable to primary grades through secondary education.

The game set 10 is based upon the classic game Dominoes. The pairing, or matching, facet of the domino concept can be used to accommodate the translation of concepts. There are, however, several limitations to classic dominoes, were that game used for this purpose.

First, the classic domino set entails a total of seven (7) variables, which, in exhaustive combination with one another (including the identity tile, both halves the same value) produces a 28-piece tile set. The mathematics of such combinations yields progressively larger tile sets for each addition of a further variable, so that, e.g., a zero-to-nine domino set has 55 tiles, and a zero-to-twelve domino set has 91 tiles.

Second, the classic domino set makes no provision for concept-translation; i.e., it is a simple one-to-one match.

Third, the objective of dominoes—to exhaust one's tiles—requires a length of time disproportionately large to the time usually available in a classroom for such activity, particularly since any increase in the value set (above the basic seven variables) results in concomitant increases in the length of time to play the game; conversely, as a teaching tool, using the historical seven values provides results of limited worth for given effort.

One objective of the present invention is to replicate all the members of the value set in both representations; for instance, a value set of 18 vocabulary words in English (the “j” set) is also instantiated as the same 18 words in Spanish vocabulary (the “k” set). The words are divided into three pairs of subsets of six values each. The domino “match” requires that juxtaposed domino placement translate from the j set to the k set or vice versa. However, the division into subsets in the two sets is different, so that as one moves back and forth between matching j and k, the play moves in and out of the different subsets, providing access throughout the game to all values within the game. Concurrently, the division into subsets limits the total number of tiles to a reasonable value. Last, although the game may be played as a classic domino game, a suggested outcome determined by the length of a tile string forces an end to the game within a short period of time, making it suitable for the classroom environment.

Referring to FIG. 1, the game described herein may use a game board 18, e.g., a horse-race track, in an embodiment for placing at least one string 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 of pieces 11, 13 on surface 16, extending from starting line 12 to finish line 14. Alternatively, the pieces 11, 13 may be placed on an unspecified playing surface. The choice of a game board, 18, such as a horse track, is an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 2 depicts a side cross-sectional view of the game set 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, and described in associated text herein. Pieces 11, 13, may have second surfaces 30, 29, respectively, that face away from the surfaces 17 and 22 and face toward the surface 16 of the game board 18, so that the pieces may lie on the surface 16 of the game board 18. The string of pieces 11, 13 may extend in an array from the starting line 12 to the finish line 14 of the game board 18.

In one embodiment, a pairing of set membership of each piece is selected from the group consisting of {j,j}, {k,k}, and {j,k}.

In one embodiment, a pairing of set membership of the respective ends 35, 33 and 37, 36 of each piece 11, 13 is unrelated to any content of any other face or end 35, 33 and 37, 36 of each piece 11, 13.

In one embodiment, n is greater than 6.

In one embodiment, the pairing of set membership of each piece 11, 13 is {j,k}, and the j set comprises words or phrases, in one language, and the k set comprises translations of the words or phrases into another language.

In one embodiment, divisions within the datasets or subsets are unbalanced.

In one embodiment, the indicia of forms j, k . . . may be any of a glyph, a picture, a word, or expansion thereof.

In one embodiment, the pieces are arranged in a string(s) 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 of pieces 11, 13.

In one embodiment, the pieces are arranged in multiple strings 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 of pieces 11, 13, wherein one of the strings 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 of pieces 11, 13 has a predetermined length which determines the end point of a game. In one embodiment, the string length is advantageously 10 pieces 11, 13.

EXAMPLE 1

In one example, the game set 10 uses a set of eighteen (18) variables (values) in each of two correlative datasets. While this would in its normal environment most likely be, for instance, eighteen words in each of English and Spanish languages, for the purposes of this example these variables shall be assumed to be eighteen letters of the alphabet in each of upper case and lower case, and the correlation component of the game to require that a lower case letter is matched to the corresponding upper case letter and vice versa.

The surface 17 of each end 35, 33 of piece 11 is imprinted with indicia from an input value set j (upper case): A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R. The surface 22 of each end 37, 36 of piece 13 is imprinted with indicia from an input value set k (lower case): a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, I, m, n, o, p, q, r. Each of these data sets is organized into three subsets. The j subsets are formed by a simple partition of the data into three segments: {A, B, C, D, E, F}; {G, H, I, J, K, L}; and {M, N, O, P, Q, R}. The k subsets are formed by sequential distribution of the values into the subsets, yielding: {a, d, g, j, m, p}; {b, e, h, k, n, q}; and {c, f, i, l, o, r}.

A game set 10, less the identity (“doubles”) piece (identical indicia), is then formed of each of the six subsets; these subsets, in the aggregate, yield the following complete set of 90 unique game tiles, listed in Table I.

TABLE 1
Game set 10, less the identity (“doubles”) piece (identical indicia).
AB, AC, AD, AE, AF, BC, BD, BE, BF, CD, CE, CF, DE, DF, EF;
GH, GI, GJ, GK, GL, HI, HJ, HK, HL, IJ, IK, IL, JK, JL, KL;
MN, MO, MP, MQ, MR, NO, NP, NQ, NR, OP, OQ, OR, PQ, PR, QR;
ad, ag, aj, am, ap, dg, dj, dm, dp, gj, gm, gp, jm, jp, mp;
be, bh, bk, bn, bq, eh, ek, en, eq, hk, hn, hq, kn, kq, nq;
cf, ci, cl, co, cr, fi, fl, fo, fr, il, io, ir, lo, lr, or.

For a given instantiation of a number of j elements n and the number of j subsets S, the game set 10 size becomes (n*(n/S−1)). The game set 10 has thus, in the manner described, been reduced to a size at once manageable and yet sufficient to play a dominoes-like game.

The medium on which this embodiment is played is a game board 18 for placing the strings 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 of pieces 11, 13 on surface 16, extending from starting line 12 to finish line 14. This gives the impression that the players are racing horses; the winner of the game is the owner of the “horse” (string) that first attains a length of ten pieces 11, 13.

The game set 10 can be played as a solitaire or two-player game. Alternatively, it may be played as competitive domino strings of ten matches with three to five players.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of this invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many modifications and variations are possible.

Claims

1) A game set, comprising:

a plurality of pieces, wherein each piece has a first surface, wherein the first surface has a plurality of oppositely disposed ends, wherein each oppositely disposed end of said first surface has an indicium of one of n values incorporated within the game set, thereon, wherein n is a positive integer, wherein said n indicia comprise sets j, k,..., that associate, correlate, translate, or equate concepts, wherein each of the sets j, k,... is an aggregate of a plurality S of respective subsets A, B, C,..., each subset comprising all combinations of any values which may be represented as 1 to p, wherein the number S of said subsets A, B, C, does not include the identity subset A, wherein n value comprises {jA1, jA2,..., JAp, jB1, jB2,..., jBp, jC1... } and {kA1, kA2,..., kAp, kB1, kB2,..., kBp, kC1... }, and wherein n values assigned to j(1 to n) and k(1 to n) are mathematically shuffled such that a regular tabulation of the values of (j,k){A1, A2, A3,... Cp} loses full correlation.

2) The game set of claim 1, wherein a pairing of set membership of each piece is selected from the group consisting of {j,j}, {k,k}, and {j,k}.

3) The game set of claim 1, wherein a pairing of set membership of the respective ends of each piece is unrelated to any content of any other face or end.

4) The game set of claim 1, wherein n is greater than 6.

5) The game set of claim 2, wherein the pairing of set membership of each piece is {j,k}, and the j set comprises words or phrases, in one language, and the k set comprises translations of the words or phrases into another language.

6) The game set of claim 1, wherein divisions within the datasets or subsets are unbalanced.

7) The game set of claim 1, wherein the indicia of forms j, k... may be any of a glyph, a picture, a word, or expansion thereof.

8) The game set of claim 1, wherein the pieces are fabricated from materials selected from the group consisting of wood, plastic, metal, paper, linen, and an electronic representation.

9) The game set of claim 1, wherein the pieces are arranged in a string.

10) The game set of claim 1, wherein the pieces are arranged in multiple strings, wherein one of the strings has a predetermined length which determines the end point of a game.