Games and associated device and methods

1. A game piece dispenser comprising:

a base having a first and a second depression in a top face thereof, the first and the second depression closer to a front edge than to a rear edge of the base and having a depth dimensioned to hold a unitary game piece therein; and

a game-piece holder comprising a first and a second receptacle, each adapted to hold a plurality of stackable, substantially planar game pieces and each having an opening at a bottom end thereof, the game-piece holder slidably affixed atop the base and movable between a rear position wherein the first and the second receptacle openings are in spaced relation from the first and the second depression, respectively, and a forward position wherein the first and the second receptacle openings are in covering relation to the first and the second depression, respectively.

2. The dispenser recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the base has a slot therein extending generally perpendicular to the front edge;

the game-piece holder having a slide member extending therebeneath, the slide member having a top portion dimensioned to slide within the slot and a bottom portion positioned beneath the slot and dimensioned larger than the slot.

3. The dispenser recited in claim 1 , wherein the base further has a pair of laterally extending wings adjacent the rear edge for permitting a user to grasp a one of the wings with a first hand while sliding the game-piece holder with a second hand.

4. The dispenser recited in claim 1 , further comprising a removable cover dimensioned to cover at least a portion of the game-piece holder for concealing game pieces residing within the first and the second receptacle when in use.

5. The dispenser recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second receptacle each have an asymmetric shape, for holding asymmetrically shaped game pieces therein.

6. A game apparatus comprising:

a game piece dispenser comprising:

a base having a first and a second depression in a top face thereof, the first and the second depression closer to a front edge than to a rear edge of the base; and

a game-piece holder comprising a first and a second receptacle, each having an opening at a bottom end thereof, the game-piece holder slidably affixed atop the base and movable between a rear position wherein the first and the second receptacle openings are in spaced relation from the first and the second depression, respectively, and a forward position wherein the first and the second receptacle openings are in covering relation to the first and the second depression, respectively;

a plurality of game pieces adapted to be held in a stacked configuration within a one of the first and the second receptacle, each game piece dimensioned to reside entirely within a one of the first and the second depression, the first and the second depression having a depth insufficient to contain more than one game piece, each game piece having an indicium on at least one face thereof.

7. The game apparatus recited in claim 6 , further comprising a removable cover dimensioned to cover at least a portion of the game-piece holder for concealing the indicia of game pieces residing within the first and the second receptacle when in use.

8. The game apparatus recited in claim 6 , wherein the first and the second receptacle each has an asymmetric shape in horizontal cross-section, and each of the plurality of game pieces has an asymmetric shape adapted for insertion into the first and the second receptacle, for preserving directionality of insertion thereinto.

9. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein the first and the second receptacle are shaped differently, and the plurality of game pieces comprises a first and a second plurality of game pieces, each of the first plurality of game pieces having a different shape from a shape of each of the second plurality of game pieces, the first plurality of game pieces adapted for insertion into the first receptacle and the second plurality of game pieces adapted for insertion into the second receptacle.

10. A method of playing a game comprising the steps of:

dispensing a first game piece and a second game piece having indicia thereon for display to a plurality of players from a game-piece dispenser, the dispenser comprising:

a base having a first and a second depression in a top face thereof, the first and the second depression closer to a front edge than to a rear edge of the base and having a depth dimensioned to hold a unitary game piece therein; and

a game-piece holder comprising a first and a second receptacle, each adapted to hold a plurality of stackable, substantially planar game pieces and each having an opening at a bottom end thereof, the game-piece holder slidably affixed atop the base and movable between a rear position wherein the first and the second receptacle openings are in spaced relation from the first and the second depression, respectively, and a forward position wherein the first and the second receptacle openings are in covering relation to the first and the second depression, respectively; and

permitting the plurality of players to perform a game move utilizing the indicia on the first and the second game piece, the game move governed by an established rule set.

11. The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the dispensing step comprises sliding the game-piece holder from the rear position to the forward position and then back to the rear position in order to deposit a first and a second game piece into the first and the second depression, respectively.

12. The method recited in claim 11 , further comprising the step, prior to the dispensing step, of loading a plurality of game pieces into each of the first and the second receptacle, a face bearing the indicium on each game piece facing upward.

13. The method recited in claim 12 , wherein the dispenser further comprises a removable cover and further comprising the step, following the loading step, of placing the cover over the game-piece holder to conceal the game-piece indicia from the players.

14. The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the base further has a pair of laterally extending wings adjacent the rear edge, and wherein the dispensing step comprises grasping a one of the wings with a first hand while sliding the game-piece holder between the rear position and the forward position with a second hand.

15. The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the game move comprises covering an indicium of a game card matrix with a marker, and wherein the rule set comprises permitting a marker to be placed on an indicium of the game card matrix when the indicium correlates with a one of the indicia on the game pieces dispensed into the first and the second depressions.

16. A method for fabricating a game apparatus comprising the steps of:

fabricating a game piece dispenser comprising:

a base having a first and a second depression in a top face thereof, the first and the second depression closer to a front edge than to a rear edge of the base; and

a game-piece holder comprising a first and a second receptacle, each having an opening at a bottom end thereof, the game-piece holder slidably affixed atop the base and movable between a rear position wherein the first and the second receptacle openings are in spaced relation from the first and the second depression, respectively, and a forward position wherein the first and the second receptacle openings are in covering relation to the first and the second depression, respectively;

fabricating a plurality of game pieces adapted to be held in a stacked configuration within a one of the first and the second receptacle, each game piece dimensioned to reside entirely within a one of the first and the second depression, the first and the second depression having a depth insufficient to contain more than one game piece, each game piece having an indicium on at least one face thereof;

printing a rule set for the game; and

packaging the dispenser, the game pieces, and the printed rule set together.

17. The method recited in claim 16 , further comprising the step of fabricating a removable cover dimensioned to cover at least a portion of the game-piece holder for concealing the indicia of the game pieces residing within the first and the second receptacle when in use.