Race to the white house board game

This is a continuation of Provisional Application No. 61/124,970 filed Apr. 21, 2008 Confirmation No. 4139

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to games, and more particularly to a method and game which combines traditional board game elements and activity such as accumulating electoral votes in a race to the White House.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Parlor games such as board games are widely employed in socializing with friends and acquaintances. Parlor games enable participants to relax from pressures and demands of day to day living. Sociable gatherings also frequently center about current events. One such event, in which conversation usually plays a significant role, relates to elections. When the election is to the highest office in the country, the interest of participants can become intense.

The role of host in gatherings can be quite time consuming, especially where significant time must be devoted to preparation and serving of food and beverages. This can interfere with the host\'s attention to and interaction with guests. One approach to dealing with guests, while a host is occupied with other duties, is to have guests participate in games, particularly board games which can be conveniently played indoors or outdoors

It will further be appreciated that parlor games can be a significant element of a social gathering. It is desirable to provide a game which can attract significance attention during the course of play.

The present invention addresses the need for providing entertaining activities, such as parlor games. It also addresses the problem of accommodating the conflicting demands on the time and attention of hosts.

To these ends, there is set forth a board game which incorporates at least some of the tasks associated with elections, particularly those for high public office such as the Presidency of the United States.

The novel game includes a board game, player tokens or pieces which are moved along spaces arranged in paths on the board, an implement, such as a die for determining the progress of each player piece at each turn or move, and cards bearing instructions.

Several categories of cards can be provided. Activity cards can be color coordinated with spaces on the board and require an action by each player landing on a space associated with the cards. For example, an activity card may bear a question requiring a response. A correct answer to a question appearing on an activity card entitles the player to proceed. Arrival at the end of each path determines, by order of finishing, which players receive which offices. Instruction cards are provided to guide each player in accomplishing his or her tasks. Preferably, there is a single path to be negotiated by all players, with victory at the terminus of the path.

The invention provides a method of playing a game by accumulating responses until a prescribed totality has been attained, comprising the steps of: providing a path with sequentially disposed position spaces, moving a plurality of pieces along said path by selectively alighting on the position spaces, wherein each player\'s piece represents a specified identity, and each space can indicate a message assigned thereto which is determined when a piece alights on the space of that message; and playing the game until a prescribed number of messages have been attained.

In accordance with one aspect of the method, each of said position spaces corresponds to the electoral vote of a different state and a player alighting on a particular space is eligible to obtain the electoral vote of the state corresponding to said particular space.

In accordance with another aspect of the method the further step of permitting said player to selectively capture said electoral vote and prevent any other player from obtaining the selected electoral vote

In accordance with a further aspect of the method the further step of having said player landing upon a space draw a card indicating a further action to be taken by said player.

In accordance with a still further aspects of the method the further step of having said drawn card indicate that said player has violated election laws and is to go to jail for a specified number of player turns; the further step of said drawn card indicate that said player is receive addition campaign contributions; and the further step of having said drawn card indicate that said player is to pay a fine for electoral violations.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the method. the position space on which a player lands is determined by chance; further steps of having the chance determination provided by the toss of a die. said die with no more that three choices to limit the excursion by each play of the game.

In accordance with the invention, apparatus for playing a game by accumulating responses until a prescribed number of responses has been attained, includes a path with sequentially disposed position spaces, a plurality of pieces for moving along said path by selectively alighting on the position spaces, wherein each player piece represents an entity and each space can indicate a message assigned thereto which is determined when a piece alights on the space of that message; and means for displaying when a prescribed number of messages have been attained.

The apparatus, wherein each of said position spaces corresponds to the electoral vote of a different state and each particular space includes means for permitting a player alighting thereon to obtain the electoral vote of the state corresponding thereto