Board game and method of play therefor

A method of play for a board game comprising the following steps:

• a) Providing board game apparatus comprising:
• a plurality of playing pieces;
• and
• a playing board having discrete first and second playing areas delineated thereupon, wherein each playing area comprises:
• a plurality of playing positions, arranged in at least five rows, comprising:
• a central row consisting of at least one playing position, but not more than three playing positions,
• two first adjacent rows disposed parallel to and on opposite sides of the central row, said two first adjacent rows each consisting of the same number of playing positions, that number being at least one greater than, but not more than three greater than, the number of playing positions in the central row, and
• two second adjacent rows disposed parallel to the first adjacent rows, and in a direction away from the central row, said second adjacent rows each consisting of the same number of playing positions, that number being at least one greater than, but not more than three greater than, the number of playing positions in each first adjacent row;
• means for identifying the location of each playing position within each playing area,
• means for relating the location of each playing position to the location of at least one other playing position in the same playing area such that those playing locations are defined as proximate playing locations;
• wherein the first and second playing areas are symmetrical about their respective central rows and functionally identical;
• b) Providing two players, one of whom may be a computer;
• c) Placing each of the playing pieces to be utilized during play on a playing position within the first playing area;
• d) Selecting a first player, who begins play by moving at least one playing piece from the first playing area, subject to the provision that all playing pieces to be moved must be located in proximate playing positions prior to moving, and placing all such playing pieces on playing positions on the second playing area, subject to the provision that all such playing positions in the second playing area are proximate and previously unoccupied, thereby completing a move;
• e) Selecting a second player, who continues play by making a move;
• f) Continuing play, during which the first player and the second player, in alternating turns, make moves until one player forces the other player to move the last remaining playing piece from the first playing area to the second playing area;
• g) Declaring the winner to be the player who forces the other player to move the last playing piece from the first playing area.