Political and economic trivia board game

Abstract

A trivia game and a method for two or more players playing a trivia game is provided. The method includes selecting one of a plurality of trivia cards and performing one of a plurality of predetermined tasks associated with the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards. The plurality of trivia cards includes two or more sets of trivia cards and each of the two or more sets of trivia cards includes trivia cards of only one of at least two types of trivia cards, one of the plurality of predetermined tasks being associated with each of the two or more sets of trivia cards. The one of the plurality of predetermined tasks associated with the one of the two or more sets of trivia cards of the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards is performed in accordance with the associated one of the at least two types of trivia cards. Performing the one of the plurality of predetermined tasks includes one or more players responding to a trivia question associated with the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates generally to trivia board games, and more particularly relates to a political and economic trivia board game for two or more players and a method therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Board games are a well known method and device for providing entertainment and, possibly, education for one or more players. Typical board games include a game board having a playing surface. A number of play spaces are disposed around the playing surface and players move their game pieces around the playing surface from one play space to another, typically in response to a roll of one or more die or a spin of a spinner. As each player lands on a play space, a task is performed in accordance with the nature of or instructions pertaining to the play space. Trivia board games are also a well known entertainment and/or education device. Typically, a player moves around the playing space of a trivia board game in accordance with how successfully the player answers various trivia questions.

In the United States of America, people work hard to meet their needs and the needs of their families, but there are some things they cannot purchase themselves. For example, the taxes paid to state and local jurisdictions help pay for police and fire protection, local recreation areas such as parks and other public facilities, and for help for those who are poor or ill. Federal income taxes help pay for defense for the country, as well as capital facilities such as highways and other transportation services. These are all services that individual citizens cannot purchase the way they can buy food, clothing and the other necessities of life. When people live together in a society, all of its citizens must bear the cost of providing such services through taxation. Taxation is the means by which society finances its public needs and costs by imposing charges on citizens and corporate entities.

The federal, state, and local tax systems in the United States have been marked by significant changes over the years in response to changing circumstances and changes in the role of government. Most Americans do not realize that there are thousands of various taxes placed every year on individuals and businesses. And the list seems to get larger and more complicated each year. Though economic and political climate is constantly changing and, in some ways, evolving, the basic economic and political building blocks are typically a matter of historic record.

Thus, what is needed is a trivia board game which utilizes board game play and political and economic trivia questions to both entertain and educate about politics and economics. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the Detailed Description, a trivia board game is provided for two or more players. The trivia board game includes a game board, a randomizer, at least two player tokens, faux currency bills and a plurality of trivia cards. The game board has a play surface on one side with a plurality of play spaces disposed on the play surface. One of a plurality of predetermined tasks is associated with each of the plurality of play spaces. The randomizer generates a positive integer number. Each of the two or more players is assigned one of the at least two player tokens and, during each game turn, each of the at least two player tokens moves from one of the plurality of play spaces to a destination one of the plurality of play spaces in response to the randomizer. The destination one of the plurality of play spaces indicates which one of the plurality of predetermined tasks is to be performed by the one of the two or more players assigned to the one of the at least two player tokens landing on the destination one of the plurality of play spaces. The faux currency bills are of various denominations and may be utilized by each of the two or more players when performing the one of the plurality of predetermined tasks corresponding to the destination one of the plurality of play spaces. Each of the plurality of trivia cards has a trivia question associated therewith. The plurality of trivia cards comprises two or more sets of trivia cards, each of the two or more sets of trivia cards comprising trivia cards of only one of at least two types of trivia cards. Also, each of the two or more sets of trivia cards is associated with at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces and each of the two or more sets of trivia cards has one of the plurality of predetermined tasks associated therewith.

In addition, a method for playing a trivia board game for two or more players is provided. The method includes a game board, a randomizer, and at least two player tokens. The game board has a play surface including a plurality of play spaces disposed on one side of the game board, each of the plurality of play spaces having one of a plurality of predetermined tasks associated therewith. The randomizer generates a positive integer number, and each of the at least two player tokens is assigned to each of the two or more players. The method includes performing a first game turn and subsequent game turns, the subsequent game turns repeated until a game completed condition has been met. The first game turn is performed by each of the two or more players activating the randomizer to generate a positive integer number, moving to one of a plurality of predetermined payment spaces of the plurality of play spaces in response to the positive integer number, and collecting faux currency bills in a predetermined amount, the predetermined amount determined in response to the one of the plurality of payment spaces. Each subsequent game turn is performed by each of the two or more players activating the randomizer to generate a positive integer number, moving to a destination one of the plurality of play spaces in response to the positive integer number, and performing one of the plurality of predetermined tasks associated with the destination one of the plurality of play spaces.

Further, a method is also provided for playing a trivia game among two or more players. The method includes selecting one of a plurality of trivia cards, each of the plurality of trivia cards having a trivia question associated therewith, and performing one of a plurality of predetermined tasks associated with the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards. The plurality of trivia cards includes two or more sets of trivia cards and each of the two or more sets of trivia cards includes trivia cards of only one of at least two types of trivia cards, each of the two or more sets of trivia cards also having one of the plurality of predetermined tasks associated therewith. The one of the plurality of predetermined tasks associated with the one of the two or more sets of trivia cards of the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards is performed in accordance with the one of the at least two types of trivia cards associated therewith, wherein performing the one of the plurality of predetermined tasks includes one or more players responding to the trivia question associated with the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a top planar view of a game board playing surface in accordance with a present embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a front, left, top perspective view of a pair of dice for utilization as randomizers for play on the game playing surface of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present embodiment;

FIG. 3, comprising FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D, is a top planar view of various denominations of faux fund currency for utilization in accordance with play on the game playing surface of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present embodiment;

FIG. 4, comprising FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D, is a top planar view of various starting play spaces of the game board playing surface of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present embodiment;

FIG. 5, comprising FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D, is a top planar view of various asset cards for utilization in accordance with play on the game playing surface of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present embodiment;

FIG. 6, comprising FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D, is a top planar view of a first side of various sets of trivia cards for utilization in accordance with play on the game playing surface of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present embodiment;

FIG. 7, comprising FIGS. 7A and 7B, is a bottom planar view of a second side of sets of a first type of trivia card for utilization in accordance with play on the game playing surface of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present embodiment; and

FIG. 8, comprising FIGS. 8A and 8B, is a bottom planar view of a second side of sets of a second type of trivia card for utilization in accordance with play on the game playing surface of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present embodiment.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a play surface 100 of a game board for The United Games of America, The Board Game™, a trivia board game in accordance with the present embodiment, is depicted. The play surface 100 depicted in FIG. 1 is presented on one side of a two-sided flat game board and includes a plurality of play spaces forming a polygonal path 102 around the play surface 100. While an octagonal path 102 is depicted in FIG. 1, the path 102 in accordance with the present embodiment may be any closed path which includes a plurality of play spaces and the shape of such closed path is not limited to a polygon (e.g., the path 102 may also be circular or oval). While a second side of the game board could be used for presentation of the game name and/or logo, use of the second side of the game board is not limited to a printed name or logo. Additional play surface in accordance with the present embodiment, or a play surface for another game, or visual or printed information related to the present embodiment or otherwise could be presented on such second game board side.

The trivia board game in accordance with the present embodiment is a game for two or more players and highlights the political and social tension between private citizens and public government. Each of the players is assigned a player token (i.e., an object or device used to move along the path 102) for use during the game and, during each game turn, the player token moves from a first play space, designated a game turn start play space, to second play space, designated a game turn end play space. As each of the players travel around the path 102 varying costs are incurred and varying methods of income are experienced in accordance with predetermined tasks associated with each of the plurality of play spaces forming the path 102. The plurality of play spaces forming the path 102 include pay/receive spaces, such as payment spaces and income spaces, as well as movement impact spaces.

Referring to FIG. 2, each of the players utilizes a randomizer, such as a pair of dice 200 or a spinner with a spinning arrow which points to one of a plurality of predetermined numbers, to generate a positive integer number (e.g., the pair of dice 200 randomly generates numbers from two to twelve, inclusively). In response to the number generated by a player's use of the randomizer (e.g., roll of the dice 200 or spin of a spinner), the player moves his token around the path 102 from the game turn start space to the game turn end space.

A financial progress of each of the players is measured during the game by the amount of faux currency bills and/or assets held by the player. Referring to FIG. 3, the faux currency bills are in various denominations, such as a $1,000 bill 302 (FIG. 3A), a $10,000 bill 304 (FIG. 3B), a $50,000 bill 306 (FIG. 3C), and a $100,000 bill 308 (FIG. 3D). The faux currency bills are not limited to the denominations of FIGS. 3A to 3D and may include denominations less than $1,000, more than $100,000, and/or additional denomination between $1,000 and $100,000. It is contemplated that the present embodiment will include faux currency bills of eight denominations: $1,000, $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, $100,000, and $200,000, and each denomination will have artwork related to the political and/or economic theme of the board game. In addition to measuring the financial progress of each of the players, the faux currency bills are utilized by the players when performing some of the predetermined tasks corresponding to the play spaces as each player's financial condition is altered during each game turn.

In accordance with the present embodiment, the players do not receive a fixed amount of faux currency bills at the start of each game. Instead, each player starts a game with a randomly selected initial financial condition. Accordingly, each player rolls the dice 200 to determine their initial financial condition. Depending on the initial role of the dice 200, each player will be placed on one of four game start spaces and will receive an initial amount of faux currency bills in response to the game start space. Enlargement of the game start spaces, inheritance spaces 402, 404, 406, 408, are depicted in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D, respectively. Thus, as seen in FIG. 4A, a dice roll of two, three or four will entitle the player to receive a $50,000 inheritance and start the player on the inheritance space 402. Likewise, as shown in FIG. 4B, with a dice roll of five, six or seven, the player will receive an initial inheritance of $100,000 and start the game on the inheritance space 404. A dice roll of eight, nine or ten, as seen in FIG. 4C, will entitle the player to receive a $150,000 inheritance and the player will start the game on the inheritance space 406. Lucky players who roll an eleven or a twelve will begin the game with a $200,000 inheritance and start the game on inheritance space 408, FIG. 4D.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the inheritance spaces 402, 404, 406, 408 are located at the center of alternate legs of the octagonal path 102 and, as explained above, after the first game turn each of the players' tokens begins the game on a randomly selected one of the four inheritance spaces 402, 404, 406, 408. During each subsequent game turn, one of the players rolls the dice 200 and moves the corresponding player token along the path 102 in a clockwise pattern a predetermined number of spaces corresponding to the number generated by the rolled dice 200, the player performing the predetermined task corresponding to the play space on which the player's token lands (i.e., the game turn end space on which the player ends his movement). Then each subsequent player to the left follows accordingly and travels along the path 102 in response to numbers generated by rolls of the dice 200. Each time a player lands on one of the inheritance spaces 402, 404, 406, 408 during a subsequent game turn, the inheritance spaces 402, 404, 406, 408 are treated as income spaces and the player receives the specified inheritance as an amount of predetermined faux currency bills from the Game Treasury.

While any or no special rule could apply to a roll of the dice 200 which produces “doubles” (i.e., the top face of the both dice is the same), in accordance with the present embodiment, the following rules apply: When a player rolls doubles, the player moves the designated number of play spaces, performs the predetermined task at the ending play space, and then rolls the dice 200 again to move again. If a player rolls “doubles” twice in a row, the player finishes his second movement and predetermined task, and rolls again to move again. Finally, if a player rolls “doubles” three times in a row, the player receives $200,000 from the Game Treasury, and the player's turn ends.

As described above, during each game turn, each of the players moves to one of the plurality of play spaces and performs a predetermined task associated with that game turn end space. The plurality of play spaces include a number of pay/receive spaces with associated make or receive payment tasks which, in accordance with the present embodiment, provides the players with predetermined tasks highlighting contemporary and historical methods and systems of government taxation, as well as various aspects of personal and business income generation that usually require a portion to be paid in the form of taxes. Thus, when a player whose player token lands on a pay/receive space as a game turn end space, the player receives income in a predetermined amount of faux currency bills or makes a payment in a predetermined amount of faux currency bills in accordance with the predetermined task on the game turn end space, thereby presenting a plurality of financial and situational predicaments for each of the players.

As depicted in play surface 100, the pay/receive spaces include income spaces, including two fixed amount income spaces 120 payable from a holding place for the faux currency bills and other assets termed the Game Treasury, the four inheritance spaces 402, 404, 406, 408 payable from the Game Treasury, two variable amount income spaces 122 wherein an amount payable from the Game Treasury is determined in response to a number generated by the randomizer (i.e., determined by a roll of the dice), and one income from players space 124 wherein a fixed amount of faux currency bills is received from each player.

The pay/receive spaces also include payment spaces wherein all taxes, penalties and other required payments are to be paid into a Social Welfare Fund 140 located in the center of the play surface 100. The pay/receive spaces include two fixed amount income spaces 130 payable to the Social Welfare Fund 140, two variable amount payment spaces 132 wherein an amount payable to the Social Welfare Fund 140 is determined in response to a number generated by the randomizer (i.e., determined by a roll of the dice), and one percentage of cash on hand payment space 134 wherein a fixed percentage of the amount of faux currency bills held by a player, such as fifty per cent of a player's “cash on hand”, is paid to the Social Welfare Fund 140.

The plurality of play spaces also include commodity asset spaces, profession/property spaces and profession/property purchase spaces which challenge the players to balance and/or manage their income in the form of, for example, salary, investments, business profits, and inheritance(s) against continuous outgoing payments such as federal, state and local taxes, business losses, medical expenses, and political contributions by buying, selling or holding one of a plurality of asset representative devices, such as a card or a three-dimensional article, corresponding to an asset. The asset can be a commodity such as gold or silver, where a player can purchase an asset representative device representing a gold or silver bar, for a first price and then, later in the game, sell the asset representative device for a second price. The asset could also be a profession, such as a medical or law practice, and a player can purchase an asset representative device representing the profession for a price, during the game collect predetermined service fees from players landing on a play space corresponding to the profession, and, possibly, sell the asset representative device for the price at which it was purchased. In addition, the asset could be a property, such as a resort or office building, and a player can purchase an asset representative device representing the property for a price, during the game collect predetermined rent from players landing on a play space corresponding to the property, and sell the asset representative device for the price at which it was purchased. Further, other types of assets could be employed with differing income- or loss-producing schemes and investment capital gain or loss methods to further the entertainment and educational aspects of the trivia board game.

Referring to FIG. 5A, a commodity certificate 502 is an asset representative device which a player can purchase, hold and, during a later game turn, sell. When a player lands on one of the commodity asset spaces 150 (FIG. 1), the player may selectably purchase one of a limited number of commodity certificates 502 as an investment so long as one of the limited number of commodity certificates 502 is available in the Game Treasury and so long as the player has sufficient faux currency bills be able to pay a predetermined commodity asset purchase price to the Game Treasury. In accordance with the present embodiment, three commodity certificates representative of gold bars and three commodity certificates representative of silver bars are provided and a player purchasing a commodity certificate must wait at least one game turn before redeeming the certificate for an increased amount of faux currency bills.

Referring to FIGS. 5B and 5C, a business license 504 (FIG. 5B) is a profession/property token which is an asset representative device that a player can purchase, hold and, during a later game turn, sell. Likewise, a title deed 506 (FIG. 5C) is also a profession/property token which a player can purchase, hold and, during a later game turn, sell. When a player lands on one of the profession spaces 154 or property spaces 156 (FIG. 1), the player may selectably purchase the business license 504 corresponding to the profession space 154 or the title deed 506 corresponding to the property space 156 so long as the business license 504 or the title deed 506 is available in the Game Treasury and so long as the player has sufficient faux currency bills to be able to pay a predetermined profession/property purchase price to the Game Treasury. In accordance with the present embodiment, when a player who is not an owner of a particular business license 504 or title deed 506 lands on a corresponding profession space 154 or property space 156, such player must pay the owner of such business license 504 or title deed 506 a profession/property fee associated with the play space 154, 156. In this manner, a player may select to purchase a business license 504 or a title deed 506 as an income-producing asset and, in accordance with the present embodiment, fees are received from other players as professional service fees, taxes, environmental impact fees, lease fees or rents.

A profession/property protection token 508 is depicted in FIG. 5D. The profession/property protection token 508 is an insurance card which is exemplary of a profession/property protection token 508 that is an asset representative device that a player can purchase, hold and, during a later game turn, use or sell. When a player lands on a profession/property protection space 158 (FIG. 1), the player may selectably purchase the profession/property protection token 508 corresponding to the profession/property protection token 508 space 158 so long as a profession/property protection token 508 is available in the Game Treasury and so long as the player has sufficient faux currency bills to be able to pay a predetermined profession/property protection purchase price to the Game Treasury. In accordance with the present embodiment, the profession/property protection token 508 is an insurance card and when a player who is not an owner of a particular business license 504 (e.g., a medical business license) lands on the corresponding profession space 154, such player may, instead of paying the owner of the business license 504 a profession/property fee associated with the play space 154, provide the profession/property protection token 508 to such owner. During any game turn after purchase of the profession/property protection token 508, a player possessing the profession/property protection token 508 (either the purchaser of an unused profession/property protection token 508 or the recipient of a used profession/property protection token 508) may redeem it for an increased amount of faux currency bills from the Game Treasury.

Referring back to FIG. 1, at the four corners of the playing surface 100 outside the path 102 are four trivia question spaces 160, 162, 164, 166. Since the four trivia question spaces 160, 162, 164, 166 are outside the path 102, during play, these four trivia question spaces 160, 162, 164, 166 are reached by ‘flying’ from one of the trivia question jump spaces 170, 172, 174, 176. One set of trivia cards is stacked on each of the four trivia question spaces 160, 162, 164, 166. Players landing on one of the trivia question jump spaces 170, 172, 174, 176 and ‘flying to one of the four trivia question spaces 160, 162, 164, 166 must perform a predetermined task associated with a top one of a set of trivia cards stacked thereon. Generally, the predetermined task associated with the top one of a set of trivia cards requires one or more of the players to answer a question which illustrates an educational, and often surprising, fact about the President, the Congress, Wall Street, capitalism, or governmental taxation and spending policies. In this mariner, players experience an increased competition and educational experience as compared with prior art trivia board games.

In accordance with the present embodiment, increased diversity and challenge of play is provided by each of the four sets of trivia cards having trivia cards of different types and requiring performance of predetermined tasks differing in who asks or answers trivia questions on the trivia cards and what amount of the faux currency bills are exchanged in response to the correctness of responses to the trivia questions. Types of trivia cards may include trivia cards with true/false trivia questions, trivia cards with multiple choice trivia questions, or trivia cards with fill-in trivia questions, where fill-in trivia questions are questions that require an answerer to provide information such as omitted words. Themes of the trivia questions on the trivia cards may include political economic, taxation, historic and/or current affair themes.

In accordance with the present embodiment, each set of trivia cards includes trivia questions on political economic and taxation themes. FIG. 6, including FIGS. 6A to 6D, depicts the top panel of an exemplary one of each of the four sets of trivia cards. A first set of trivia cards includes United States executive branch questions concerning the White House and the Presidents and a top panel 602 (FIG. 6A) specifies that all players must answer the trivia question with $20,000 being paid by ‘asking’ players for correct responses and $20,000 being paid to ‘asking’ players for incorrect responses. When trivia questions are asked to multiple players, the player to the left of the ‘asking’ player answers first. FIG. 6B depicts a top panel of a second set of trivia cards which includes questions concerning United States taxation and government spending. A top panel 604 of the second set of trivia cards also specifies that all players must answer the trivia question with $20,000 being paid by or to the ‘asking’ player in response to correctness of answers provided.

A third set of trivia cards includes United States legislative branch questions concerning the Capitol and the Congress. A top panel 606 (FIG. 6C) of the third set of trivia cards specifies that ‘asking’ players select one of the other players to answer the trivia question with $50,000 being paid by or to the ‘asking’ player in response to correctness of answers provided by the selected players. Likewise, a fourth set of trivia cards includes economic questions concerning Wall Street and capitalism and a top panel 608 (FIG. 6D) specifies that ‘asking’ players select one of the other players to answer the trivia question with $50,000 being paid by or to the ‘asking’ player in response to correctness of answers provided by the selected players.

While predetermined tasks in accordance with the present embodiment are detailed on the top panels 602, 604, 606, 608 of the four sets of trivia cards, other predetermined tasks could be spelled out. For example, instead of faux currency bills being exchanged between the ‘asking’ player and one or more players responding to the trivia question, the faux currency bills could be paid to or from a social welfare fund on the social welfare space 140 or to or from the Game Treasury. In addition, instead of the player landing on a trivia questions space 160, 162, 164, 168 asking the trivia question, such player could be required to respond to the trivia question. Also, all players could be required to respond to the trivia question.

FIG. 7, including FIGS. 7A and 7B, depicts the back panels of two of the four sets of trivia cards. A back panel 700 of FIG. 7A includes a true/false question 702 with a corresponding answer 704. Since the answer in the exemplary trivia question on the back panel 700 is FALSE, the correct response 706 is shown, thereby educating the players as to the correct response 706. In a similar manner, a back panel 710 of FIG. 7B includes a true/false question 712, a corresponding answer 714, and a correct response 716.

FIG. 8, including FIGS. 8A and 8B, depicts the back panels of the other two of the four sets of trivia cards. A back panel 800 of FIG. 8A includes a multiple choice question 802, three multiple choice responses 804, and an answer 806. Likewise, a back panel 810 of FIG. 8B includes a multiple choice question 812, three possible responses 814, and an answer 816.

Referring back to FIG. 1, in addition to the pay/receive spaces and the trivia question spaces, the path 102 may contain other pay spaces which have predetermined tasks associated therewith that have not already been discussed. For example, a PICK ANY CARD space 180 permits players landing on this playing station to chose a trivia card from any of the sets of trivia cards and perform the predetermined task corresponding thereto.

Any player who lands on the WEALTH REDISTRIBUTION space 182 will collect all of the faux currency bills on the social welfare space 140 in the middle of the playing surface 100. And, finally, any player landing on the ECONOMIC RECESSION space 184 have the option to lose a turn or pay $50,000 into the social welfare fund.

Thus it can be seen that each of the plurality of play spaces on the path 102 has an associated predetermined task such as receiving an amount of faux currency bills, paying an amount of faux currency bills, acquiring an asset, returning an asset, exchanging an amount of faux currency bills for one or more assets, or exchanging one or more assets for an amount of faux currency bills. As stated above, the object of the game is for each player to maximize the player's income, such as salary, dividends and refunds, while minimizing the player's outgo, such as purchases, taxes and penalties. The game proceeds through subsequent game turns until a game completed condition has been met. The goal of the game is for a player to maintain the player's cash and/or assets longer than the other players, so the game completed condition is when all players except one have run out of cash and assets. The last player that avoids financial disaster caused by more outgo than income wins the game. In other words, the last player to run out of cash and/or assets wins the game. In an alternative embodiment of the game, the players set a playing time limit whereby the player with the highest asset value (at the time limit) wins the game as a game completed condition.

Thus it can be seen that a trivia board game and a method for playing a trivia game has which been disclosed which advantageously provides board game play and political and economic trivia questions to both entertain and educate about politics and economics. In addition, a trivia board game has been provided that is educational, entertaining, challenging, and rewarding and provides players an opportunity to learn fascinating and surprising facts about the unique political structure, governmental system, and free enterprise way of life in The United States of America. While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description of the invention, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist, including a vast number of predetermined tasks that could be assigned to one of the plurality of play spaces and a vast number of trivia questions and trivia question categories.

It should further be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, dimensions, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment of the invention, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements and method of play steps described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A trivia board game for two or more players comprising: wherein each of the two or more sets of trivia cards comprises trivia cards of only one of at least two types of trivia cards and each of the two or more sets of trivia cards is associated with at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces and has the one of the plurality of predetermined tasks corresponding to the at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces associated therewith.

a game board having a play surface on one side thereof and including a plurality of play spaces are disposed on the play surface, each of the plurality of play spaces having one of a plurality of predetermined tasks associated therewith;

a randomizer for generating a positive integer number;

at least two player tokens, wherein each of the two or more players is assigned one of the at least two player tokens and during each game turn each of the at least two player tokens moves from a first one of the plurality of play spaces to a second one of the plurality of play spaces in response to the randomizer, the second one of the plurality of play spaces indicating which one of the plurality of predetermined tasks is to be performed by the one of the two or more players assigned to the one of the at least two player tokens landing on the second one of the plurality of play spaces;

faux currency bills of various denominations for utilization by each of the two or more players when performing the one of the plurality of predetermined tasks corresponding to the second one of the plurality of play spaces; and

a plurality of trivia cards comprising two or more sets of trivia cards, each of the plurality of trivia cards having a trivia question associated therewith,

2. The trivia board game in accordance with claim 1 wherein the one of the plurality of predetermined tasks associated with each of the two or more sets of trivia cards is selected from the group of predetermined tasks consisting of (a) a first player of the two or more players who lands on the at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces associated therewith selects at least one second player of the two or more players to provide an answer to a trivia question associated with a selected one of the plurality of trivia cards, each of the at least one second player either paying a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills or receiving a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills in response to correctness of the answer provided to the trivia question, (b) each of the two or more players except a first player of the two or more players who lands on the at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces associated therewith is an answering player and provides an answer to a trivia question associated with a selected one of the plurality of trivia cards, each answering player either paying a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills or receiving a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills in response to correctness of the answer provided to the trivia question, (c) a first player of the two or more players who lands on the at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces associated therewith is an answering player who provides an answer to the trivia question associated with a selected one of the plurality of trivia cards, the answering player either paying a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills or receiving a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills in response to correctness of the answer provided to the trivia question, and (d) all of the two or more players including a first player of the two or more players who lands on the at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces associated therewith is an answering player and provides an answer to a trivia question associated with a selected one of the plurality of trivia cards, each answering player either paying a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills or receiving a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills in response to correctness of the answer provided to the trivia question.

3. The trivia board game in accordance with claim 2 wherein the predetermined amount of the faux currency bills paid and the predetermined amount of the faux currency bills received are determined in response to the trivia question.

4. The trivia board game in accordance with claim 2 wherein a payor of the predetermined amount of the faux currency bills and a payee of the predetermined amount of the faux currency bills is selected from the group consisting of (a) the first player, (b) the answering player, and (c) a fund of faux currency bills not associated with any of the two or more players.

5. The trivia board game in accordance with claim 2 wherein the at least two types of trivia cards is selected from the group consisting of (a) trivia cards having multiple choice questions thereon, (b) trivia cards having true/false questions thereon, and (c) trivia cards having fill-in questions thereon.

6. The trivia board game in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of the two or more sets of trivia cards has a trivia card theme selected from the group consisting of (a) a political trivia card theme, (b) an economic trivia card theme, (c) a taxation trivia card theme, (d) a history trivia card theme, and (e) a current affairs trivia card theme.

7. The trivia board game in accordance with claim 6 wherein the two or more sets of trivia cards are selected from the group of trivia card sets consisting of (a) a first set of trivia cards having United States Congress and United States Capitol trivia questions thereon, (b) a second set of trivia cards having United States Presidents and United States White House trivia questions thereon, (c) a third set of trivia cards having taxation and government spending trivia questions thereon, and (d) a fourth set of trivia cards having Wall Street, stock market, and capitalism trivia questions thereon.

8. The trivia board game in accordance with claim 1 further comprising asset representative devices obtainable by one of the two or more players in exchange for a first predetermined amount of faux currency bills and having an asset corresponding thereto, wherein the asset is selected from the group of assets consisting of (a) a first asset having a predetermined exchange value associated therewith wherein the one of the two or more players can exchange the first asset at a predetermined time for a second predetermined amount of faux currency bills, (b) a second asset corresponding to a profession and associated with at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces, the second asset having a predetermined service fee associated therewith wherein other ones of the two or more players must pay a third predetermined amount of faux currency bills corresponding to the predetermined service fee when landing on the at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces, and (c) a third asset corresponding to a property and associated with at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces, the third asset having a predetermined rent associated therewith wherein other ones of the two or more players must pay a fourth predetermined amount of faux currency bills corresponding to the predetermined rent when landing on the at least one predetermined one of the plurality of play spaces.

9. A method for playing a trivia board game for two or more players comprising a game board, a randomizer, and at least two player tokens, the game board having a play surface including a plurality of play spaces disposed on one side of the game board, each of the plurality of play spaces having one of a plurality of predetermined tasks associated therewith, the randomizer generating a positive integer number, wherein each of the two or more players is assigned a corresponding one of the at least two player tokens, the method comprising:

performing a first game turn wherein each of the two or more players activates the randomizer to generate a positive integer number, places the corresponding one of the at least two player tokens on one of two or more predetermined game start spaces of the plurality of play spaces in response to the positive integer number, and collects faux currency bills in a predetermined initial amount, the predetermined initial amount determined in response to the one of the two or more predetermined game start spaces and the one of the two or more predetermined game start spaces becoming thereafter a game turn start one of the plurality of play spaces for the corresponding one of the two or more players;

performing a subsequent game turn, wherein each of the two or more players activates the randomizer to generate a positive integer number, moves from the game turn start one of the plurality of play spaces in response to the positive integer number to a game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces, and performs one of the plurality of predetermined tasks associated with the game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces; and

repeating the step of performing the subsequent game turn until a game completed condition has been met, wherein the game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces for each of the two or more players becomes the game turn start one of the plurality of play spaces for the subsequent game turn for such one of the two or more players.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the step of performing a subsequent game turn comprises the step of performing one of the plurality of predetermined tasks associated with the game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces, the plurality of predetermined tasks are selected from the group of tasks consisting of (a) receiving an amount of faux currency bills, (b) paying an amount of faux currency bills, (c) acquiring an asset, (d) returning an asset, (e) exchanging an amount of faux currency bills for one or more assets, and (f) exchanging one or more assets for an amount of faux currency bills and wherein the game completed condition is selected from the group consisting of (a) all of the two or more players except one has no assets and no amount of faux currency bills, and (b) a predetermined time limit for playing the game has expired.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the two or more game start spaces are two or more inheritance spaces, each of the two or more inheritance spaces having a predetermined inheritance income associated therewith, and wherein the step of performing the first game turn comprises the step of each of the two or more players placing the corresponding one of the at least two player tokens on the one of two or more inheritance spaces in response to the positive integer number generated by the randomizer and collecting the predetermined initial amount of the faux currency bills determined in response to the predetermined inheritance income associated with the one of two or more inheritance spaces, and wherein the step of performing the subsequent game turn comprises the step one of the two or more players collecting the predetermined inheritance income associated with the one of two or more inheritance spaces each time the one of the two or more players moves to a game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces which is one of the two or more inheritance spaces.

12. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein one or more of the plurality of play spaces comprises a commodity asset space, and wherein the step of performing the subsequent game turn comprises the step of one of the two or more players selectably purchasing one of a limited number of commodity asset tokens if any unpurchased ones of the limited number of commodity asset tokens are available and if the one of the two or more players pays a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills corresponding to a predetermined commodity asset purchase price associated with the commodity asset space each time the one of the two or more players moves to a game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces which is a commodity asset space.

13. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein one or more of the plurality of play spaces comprises a profession/property space, and wherein the step of performing the subsequent game turn comprises the step of one of the two or more players selectably purchasing a profession/property token associated with the profession/property space to become an owner of the profession/property token if the profession/property token associated with the profession/property space is unpurchased and if the one of the two or more players pays a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills corresponding to a predetermined profession/property purchase price associated with the profession/property space when the one of the two or more players moves to a game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces which is a profession/property space, and wherein the step of performing the subsequent game turn further comprises the step of one of the two or more players who is not the owner of the profession/property token associated with the profession/property space paying a profession/property fee associated with the profession/property space to the owner of the profession/property token associated with the profession/property space when the one of the two or more players moves to a game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces which is the profession/property space.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13 wherein one or more of the plurality of play spaces comprises a profession/property protection purchase space, and wherein the step of performing the subsequent game turn comprises the step of one of the two or more players selectably purchasing one of a limited number of profession/property protection tokens to become an owner of the one of the limited number of profession/property protection tokens if any unpurchased ones of the limited number of profession/property protection tokens are available and if the one of the two or more players pays a predetermined amount of the faux currency bills corresponding to a predetermined profession/property protection purchase price associated with the profession/property protection purchase space each time the one of the two or more players moves to a game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces which is a profession/property protection purchase space, and wherein the step of performing the subsequent game turn further comprises the step of one of the two or more players who is not the owner of the profession/property token associated with the profession/property space and who is not the owner of the one of the limited number of profession/property protection tokens associated with the profession/property space paying a profession/property fee associated with the profession/property space to the owner of the profession/property token associated with the profession/property space when the one of the two or more players moves to a game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces which is the profession/property space.

15. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein one or more of the plurality of play spaces comprises a pay/receive space, and wherein the step of performing the subsequent game turn comprises the step of one of the two or more players performing a predetermined pay/receive task associated with the pay/receive space when the one of the two or more players moves to a game turn end one of the plurality of play spaces which is a pay/receive space, wherein the predetermined pay/receive task is selected from the group of tasks consisting of (a) paying a predetermined amount of faux currency bills associated with the pay/receive space to one or more other ones of the two or more players, (b) paying the predetermined amount of faux currency bills associated with the pay/receive space to at least one game fund, (c) receiving the predetermined amount of faux currency bills associated with the pay/receive space from one or more other ones of the two or more players, and (d) receiving the predetermined amount of faux currency bills associated with the pay/receive space from at least one game fund.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the step of the one of the two or more players performing the predetermined pay/receive task associated with the pay/receive space comprises the step of determining the amount of faux currency bills associated with the pay/receive space in response to a positive integer number generated by an additional activation of the randomizer.

17. A method for playing a trivia game among two or more players, the method comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of trivia cards, each of the plurality of trivia cards having a trivia question associated therewith, wherein the plurality of trivia cards comprises two or more sets of trivia cards, each of the two or more sets of trivia cards comprising trivia cards of only one of at least two types of trivia cards, and wherein each of the two or more sets of trivia cards has one of a plurality of predetermined tasks associated therewith; and

performing the one of the plurality of predetermined tasks associated with the one of the two or more sets of trivia cards of the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards in accordance with the one of the at least two types of trivia cards associated therewith, wherein performing the one of the plurality of predetermined tasks comprises one or more of the two or more players responding to the trivia question associated with the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards.

18. The method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the at least two types of trivia cards is selected from the group consisting of (a) trivia cards having multiple choice questions thereon, (b) trivia cards having true/false questions thereon, and (c) trivia cards having fill-in questions thereon, and wherein the performing step comprises responding to the trivia question associated with the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards by providing a multiple choice response, a true/false response or a fill-in response in accordance with the one of the at least two types of trivia cards associated with the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards.

19. The method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the step of performing the one of the plurality of predetermined tasks comprises one or more of the two or more players responding to the trivia question associated with the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards, the one or more of the two or more players selected from the group of players consisting of (a) a selected one of the two or more players, (b) all of the two or more players except a selector of the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards, (c) the selector of the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards, and (d) all of the two or more players.

20. The method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising the step of transferring a predetermined amount of faux currency bills in response to whether one or more of the two or more players responded correctly to the trivia question associated with the selected one of the plurality of trivia cards.