Chess set concept commemorates Nakhchivan’s 100th anniversary

If you’re the type to collect special edition chess sets, you’re probably always on the lookout for those that have a pretty unique design. You also probably don’t really play these sets on a regular basis but you’re more likely to display it somewhere in your space or if you’re planning to open a chess museum or something. If you’re also into sets that seem to belong on a set of fantasy epics like Game of Thrones, then this is something you might want to look at if this becomes a reality.

Designer: Adam Yuniso and Hatam Yunisli

Nakhchivan may not be a household name when it comes to places that you’d like to visit someday but based on what I’ve “researched” (read: Googled) so far, it is a place worth considering. The official name is Nakchivan Autonomous Republic, and is a “landlocked enclave” of the Republic of Azerbaijan bordered by Armenia, Iran, and Turkey. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, a souvenir project was proposed and it’s a stunning looking chess set (that also seems expensive).

Instead of the usual chess pieces, each one is designed to represent various Nakhchivan architecture like the Garabaghlar Mausoleum, Nakhchivan Memorial Museum, and several other mausoleums that hold significance to the republic. They look like they would look right at home at a classic castle that displays awesome-looking chess sets. Instead of being positioned in the traditional way that the pieces are placed, the designers said that they are placed in relation to the other chess pieces.

Now I don’t know if that means the rules are quite different ofr this Nakhchivan Chess Set but it does look pretty impressive based on the product renders. It may also not be something you’d play on a regular basis but a chess set that can be displayed especially if you have a strong connection to Nakhchivan.

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Take your chess game on the road with unique, portable set

I never really properly learned chess or at least remembered the basic rules, although I did enjoy Netflix’ The Queen’s Gamit. I also have close friends who really enjoy playing the game or watching people play the game. But the problem sometimes is that chess sets are pretty hard to carry around if you wanted to play outside your home like in the office or when traveling. There are some small, portable chess sets that you can bring around but it’s probably not as stylish as this one.

Designer: Sofia Gegunde

The Hyde Chess set is built for practicality and portability but is also designed to look like something different from your usual chess sets. For one, the pieces aren’t the traditional ones that you see but are a re-imagining of the pawns, rooks, knight, bishop, queen, and king but in circular pieces that can fit easily into the smaller and portable set and box. They’re all the same height except for the king and queen. There is a cylindrical holder inside to store the pieces when they’re not in use and there are also slots on the chess board to “stabilize” them when you’re actually using them to play a game of chess.

When not in use, everything is just stored inside a small box. But when it’s time to actually play chess, just open it and assemble the chess board with the rectangular pieces. You can then remove the circular chess pieces from their storage and arrange them on the board like you would a regular set and start the game whenever you’re ready. The pieces are made with a CNC router while the wooden parts are made from guatambu and dark cedro.

The assembly and disassembly are pretty easy and learning the different pieces should be pretty easy. Even though they’re circular pieces, the designs are based on the traditional chess pieces. If they actually produce and sell this, it would be a pretty neat gift item for my chess-loving friends and they may even eventually convince me to play with them.

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Rimowa Chess Attache offers a luxurious way to carry your luxurious game pieces

Chess is a game that spans centuries and while the basic mechanics haven’t changed much, it has taken various forms over the course of its very long history. Chess sets today come in a variety of styles, from cheap plastic to fragile class, from classic designs to abstract geometric shapes. Some sets, usually the expensive ones, are kept safely at home, while others go wherever their owners go, ready to challenge a fellow enthusiast at a moment’s notice. Rimowa, best known for making premium luggage and bags, is trying its hand at striking a middle ground with a high-quality aluminum chess set housed in a signature Rimowa case, ready to travel and make you the envy of all your chess colleagues.

Designer: Rimowa

Portable chess sets do exist, but the most common design you might see is a thick wooden board that folds in the middle to transform into a miniature suitcase for the wooden pieces. It’s practical and, to be fair, a bit sustainable, but also terribly uninspiring. Nothing lights a chess enthusiast’s fire better than a captivating and elegant chess set, one that embodies the long-lasting legacy of a game that had enchanted and beguiled even monarchs.

The new Rimowa Chess Attache is both a homage to the classic chess design but also a rejuvenation with a more modern aesthetic. Each chess piece is crafted from black and silver (for white) anodized aluminum, emblazoned with a laser-engraved Rimowa monogram. The board, though made of wood, is wrapped in leather materials and has magnets that keep the pieces steadily in place until you or your opponent is ready to make the next move. That board’s aluminum frame also bares Rimowa’s logo, signifying its place in the brand’s selection of premium products.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a Rimowa product if there is no travel container involved, and indeed, a major part of the Chess Attache’s appeal is exactly that attache case. The small suitcase’s rounded edges and ribbed faces carry the hallmarks of Rimowa’s iconic design language. Inside, the chess pieces like in compartments cut out from foam and a suede-like microfiber, securing them in place until the time comes for them to be taken out and played. A delicate protective leather layer then sits in between the pieces and the magnetic wooden board that’s secured to the attache with premium leather straps.

Of course, there’s also plenty of Rimowa branding to be found inside, from the black leather lining down to the monogram-engraved snaps of the leather straps. Every inch of the design screams luxury product, and it’s probably good that a metallic lock system is integrated directly into the case’s shell. Whether it’s the chess set itself or the case that carries them, this Rimowa Chess Attache elevates not just your game but also your traveling experience.

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Home tools displayed as chess pieces in unique metal display

When you’re living alone for the first time, one of the things that people advice you to have at home is a box of tools for whenever something needs tinkering or fixing. I do have one but it’s mostly just stuck in a drawer somewhere since I don’t really know how to tinker or fix things. But for those who use these tools a lot, this concept for a set of tools and how they are stored would be pretty interesting.

Designer: Seongjae Park

Tips for Chess combines metal tools and a chess set so fans of these two will probably be interested to have such a thing displayed in their homes. In fact, even if you don’t use them a lot, it’s still an interesting piece to have in your home and may fool people into thinking you’re a toolhead or a chess aficionado. This is mainly made from metal, from the “chess board” to the various tools included in the set.

The different chess pieces are represented by different kinds of tools. You get hexagonal wrenches with different sizes to serve as your pawns. The rook is the square and triangular wrench, the Bishop is the crosshead screwdriver, while the Knight is a a flat-blade screwdriver. Representing the main pieces are the hexagonal wrench as the Queen and the U-shaped screwdriver as the King. In case you won’t be able to remember which is which, the chess roles and the tool roles are imprinted on the bottom of the tip.

To make it even more interesting (or confusing to people like me) the chessboard itself also provides information. The coordinate system (right angle and straight line) provides a scale of cm and inches. I would probably just have this as a display since it’s too pretty to actually use although they are built to be functional. Also, as mentioned, I don’t know how to use them so they’ll just be on display at home.

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This Ingenious LEGO Chess Board folds into a Sculptural Tower when not in use

You could design a board game to be so compact that it folds into practical nothingness when not in use… or alternatively, you could turn it into an object of art that disguises the board game as home decor. Ferbrick1’s Tower Chess LEGO build takes the latter approach. The cleverly designed chess board morphs into a castle tower when not in use, storing the chess pieces in built-in racks, while the board wraps around to become the tower’s brick facade. Nobody would guess that an entire chess set is hidden underneath, but the minute you open the setup, it’s guaranteed to drop a few jaws and elicit some audible gasps!

Designer: Ferbrick1

An incredibly clever entry into the LEGO Ideas forum, this particular build comes from the mind of LEGO creator Ferbrick1. Designed to look like the tower of a castle or the ‘rook’ chess piece in the game, it fits all the players inside its hollow design and has the LEGO board wrapping around it to conceal the pieces. When you want to play a game, unwrap the board and lay it on a flat surface, before taking the pieces off their individual racks. Once a piece is killed off in the game, it can be placed back on that rack to keep the entire game organized.

The kit transforms into a standard chess board with 64 squares and 32 chess pieces

The Tower Chess Set’s beauty lies in its biggest constraint – it’s made ONLY out of LEGO bricks that have been assembled ‘legally’. That means no gluing pieces together, no wedging them into one another, and no using non-LEGO pieces to build the set. Ferbrick1 hasn’t fashioned us with any details about the number of pieces or the overall dimensions, but his entry into the LEGO Ideas forum does have over 6,000 votes from the LEGO community. If it does get to the coveted 10,000 mark, it’ll be reviewed by LEGO’s internal team before being turned into a retail box set. If you want to see that happen, I’d recommend giving the Tower Chess your vote!

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A ‘Phygital’ Approach to Board Games Gives A Fresh Take On Traditional Chinese Chess ‘Go’

For all chess enthusiasts and parents seeking engaging board games for their children, the EIFplay chessboard is a groundbreaking product that offers a host of innovative features to address the common concerns associated with traditional board games. From worries about storing pieces and missing parts to issues of portability and child safety, this intelligent chessboard from EIFplay, a startup company based in Shenzhen, provides an elegant and practical solution.

Designer: Kai Xia

Go is an abstract strategy board game for two players in which the aim is to surround more territory than the opponent. If you are an avid ‘Pentoku’ or ‘Go’ player, you might have experienced the inconvenience of storing the pieces and the frustration of losing them over time. The EIFplay chessboard presents a revolutionary concept that eliminates these issues, making it an ideal choice for chess and similar game lovers. By employing a unique button system, this smart chessboard can effortlessly switch between the two pieces in Go (Chinese board game), showcasing two different colors to represent the pieces for each game. This innovative design allows for seamless transitions and ensures that your game is never interrupted due to missing pieces.

Parents often face the challenge of choosing suitable board games for their children, and traditional chess boards can pose a range of problems. Not only do they present the same issues of missing and storing pieces, but they also raise concerns about the safety of very young children who might accidentally ingest the small pieces. Furthermore, busy schedules can hinder quality bonding time over board games.

Fortunately, the EIFplay chessboard caters to the needs of parents as well. For families with young children, the intelligent design of the chessboard’s button system ensures that the game remains safe and free from small parts that could be swallowed. This eliminates the risk of serious consequences and makes the chessboard an ideal choice for family fun.

Additionally, the EIFplay chessboard provides the option to play against the computer, offering a man-machine mode with adjustable difficulty levels. This feature is precious when parents find it challenging to dedicate time to play board games with their children due to busy work schedules. Now, kids can enjoy the game at their convenience while sharpening their strategic thinking skills without having to engage with any smartphone or device, therefore, reducing distractions.

With their cumbersome size and numerous chess pieces, traditional chess boards are not the most portable gaming options. However, the EIFplay chessboard addresses this issue efficiently. With a compact size of 21mm*21mm, smaller than an A4 paper, this chessboard fits conveniently into school bags or travel cases, allowing you to carry your favorite board game anywhere you go.

The chessboard’s lithium battery, rechargeable through a type-c interface, provides a battery life of more than 4 hours. This impressive longevity ensures uninterrupted gameplay during long journeys or when access to power sources is limited.

The EIFplay chessboard is a remarkable innovation that caters to the needs of chess enthusiasts and parents alike. Its intelligent design, compact size, and long battery life make it a convenient and hassle-free option for playing chess games on the go. Whether you are looking for an engaging board game to enhance your strategic thinking skills or a safe and enjoyable activity for your children, this intelligent chessboard from EIFplay promises to deliver an exceptional gaming experience. Embrace the future of chess with the EIFplay chessboard and bid farewell to the worries associated with traditional chess boards.

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Chess gets a minimalistic, fresh upgrade to elevate your gameplay experience

Chess, a game of strategy and intellectual prowess, has been enjoyed for centuries. While the rules and gameplay remain unchanged, the aesthetic appeal of chess sets has evolved. One remarkable example is the conceptual design for a minimal chess set with partly self-balancing pieces, presented through this stunning Chess set.

The minimal chess set immediately catches the eye with its clean lines and contemporary aesthetics. The designer’s vision combines simplicity and elegance, resulting in a visually pleasing set that stands out among traditional designs. The focus is on creating a modern interpretation of chess, offering players a fresh experience while retaining the game’s essence.

Designer: Louis Berger

One of the standout features of this chess set is the innovative use of partly self-balancing pieces. Each individual piece has been meticulously designed as a rotational body, enabling it to achieve a delicate equilibrium when placed on the board. This remarkable engineering not only enhances the visual appeal but also adds a touch of functionality by improving the stability of the pieces during gameplay.

The chess set is available in two material variants, each offering unique characteristics and visual appeal. The first variant is crafted from solid beech, a durable and environmentally friendly wood known for its warm tones and natural grain patterns. This choice provides a classic and timeless look, blending seamlessly with various interior styles. The second variant utilizes 7000 series aluminum, a lightweight and robust material often used in aerospace and automotive industries. The aluminum variant infuses a sleek, modern touch into the design, adding a contemporary flair to the chess set.

To achieve the desired design language, the production process involved the use of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining. The designer employed a subtractive method, gradually removing material in a minimal number of passes. This approach creates simple yet distinctive elements that enhance the visual appeal and functionality of the chess set. The precision and attention to detail in the manufacturing process ensure that every piece meets the highest standards of quality.

The conceptual design for this minimal chess set with partly self-balancing pieces represents a perfect harmony of aesthetics and functionality. With its clean lines, innovative engineering, and choice of material variants, this chess set offers a fresh take on a classic game. Whether you prefer the warmth of solid beech or the sleekness of 7000 series aluminum, this exceptional design will undoubtedly captivate chess enthusiasts and design lovers alike. Embrace the elegance of the minimal chess set and elevate your gameplay experience to a whole new level.

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How the most powerful chessboard is giving a centuries-old game a 21st-century upgrade

Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry today, but video games come and go, regardless of how popular or revolutionary they may have been. Very few games have stood the test of time compared to chess, which has been around back when years were counted in single digits. Its simple yet challenging mechanics have endeared the game to people from all walks of life across the centuries. And despite its age, chess continues to be a favorite not only among professionals but also among hobbyists of all ages. While the game itself has more or less already reached perfection, that doesn’t mean there’s no longer any room to spice things up. Imagine an almost magical playing experience worthy of Hollywood. That’s the new kind of joy that this ingenious chessboard brings to the table, no pun intended, giving chess a fresh coat of paint that will entice and encourage even novices to pick a side.

Designer: Daniel Leibovich

Click Here to Buy Now: $199 $279 ($80 off). Hurry, less than 48 hours left! Raised over $2,000,000.

Chess pieces move on their own.

Some people see chess as a game of strategy, while others consider it more of memorizing and replaying dozens of moves. Whatever your opinion might be, the one thing that remains true is that you need someone to play it with, unless you’re a master of playing against yourself. Finding an opponent isn’t always easy, especially if you’re just starting out. Thanks to today’s technologies, that’s not really a problem anymore, especially with online or even AI opponents. GoChess, however, takes that a huge step further by turning chess into a magical Hogwarts-like experience, complete with self-moving pieces.

Your game is automatically set up.

Of course, the only magic involved here is the magic of science, specifically that of magnets and small robots underneath the chessboard that can move each piece to its target square. You might think this is just some whimsical feature, but imagine playing with someone half a world away. Rather than the boring and impersonal game on a computer or phone screen, you get to play with actual physical chess pieces and still see them move in real time as if the other person is just across you. The king even falls on its own when checkmated. The GoChess app syncs with the chessboard and lets you connect with other chess lovers and learners over popular online platforms such as Lichess.org and Chess.com, turning the whole world into your arena.

Smart lights guide and coach you.

This ability for pieces to move on their own is especially important when playing with AI, which is your friend rather than some nefarious disembodied brain out to defeat humanity. In addition to being a worthwhile rival, the GoChess AI is also a patient and knowledgeable mentor that can guide you and challenge you as you learn the ropes. In fact, the advanced chessboard has plenty of features that aid players of all levels. Each side’s pieces light up when it’s their turn to move, providing visual cues at each turn. Picking up a piece also lights up the squares where it can land, making it easier for beginners to memorize the moves.

Despite these technological marvels, GoChess remains a work of expert craftsmanship that players will be able to appreciate. Made from fine materials and with great attention to detail, the well-designed product adds tactile and visual elegance to an already impressive chessboard. Whether you opt for the $199 non-robotic GoChess lite or the $269 GoChess 1XR with a single robot or the $359 four-robot GoChess 4XR, you will be getting a game that’s steeped in the traditions of the past, brimming with modern features, and crafted to last well into the future, providing you with enjoyment and learning for years to come.

Click Here to Buy Now: $199 $279 ($80 off). Hurry, less than 48 hours left! Raised over $2,000,000.

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Chess gets an inclusive makeover with this playful yet engaging chess set

The visually impaired face numerous challenges in their daily lives, often struggling with independent activities and missing out on the simple joys that others take for granted. Social isolation becomes a prevalent issue, depriving them of meaningful connections and shared experiences. However, an empathetic designer has emerged, determined to make board games accessible to all individuals, by incorporating the language of the blind – braille – into the game. Dot Chess is a remarkable example of this inclusive design, aiming to bridge the gap and provide an opportunity for the visually impaired to showcase their skills and intelligence just like everyone else.

Designer: Hyunjae Noh

Rendered on KeyShot: Click Here to Download Your Free Trial Now!

One of the primary objectives of Dot Chess is to improve the accessibility of gameplay for the visually impaired, thereby combatting social isolation. By introducing chess, a universally loved game that stimulates the mind and fosters intelligence, this evolution seeks to alleviate the isolation often experienced by the visually impaired. Dot Chess enables both visually impaired and non-visually impaired individuals to engage in the game together, sharing diverse experiences, understanding one another, building intimacy, and ultimately developing empathy.

Dot Chess is a unique form of chess that appeals to three senses and can be enjoyed by both visually impaired and non-visually impaired individuals. The game utilizes a combination of color and braille on its pieces, making them easily recognizable by players of all abilities. The strategic use of color and upper and lower case indicators in braille allows both players to distinguish their own pieces from those of their opponents. Moreover, each piece is represented in both the alphabet and braille, facilitating easy identification of each piece’s role for both groups.

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The board of Dot Chess incorporates NFC (Near Field Communication) chips within each chess piece, enabling the board to recognize their movement. This movement is then displayed in braille on the Dot pad through piezo actuators. This ingenious feature empowers visually impaired individuals to immediately understand the progress of the game, read their opponent’s moves, and develop strategies accordingly. By providing real-time feedback through braille, Dot Chess ensures an inclusive gaming experience for everyone involved.

During gameplay, important information such as an invalid move or a checkmate is conveyed through a speaker located on the side of the game board. This functionality ensures that both visually impaired and non-visually impaired players can receive information audibly, thereby enjoying an immersive and engaging gaming experience. By incorporating voice guidance, Dot Chess eliminates barriers and allows all players to stay informed and fully participate in the game.

Dot Chess is a testament to the power of inclusive design. By incorporating braille, color, and audio feedback, this remarkable board game empowers the visually impaired to participate in the intellectually stimulating game of chess, previously deemed inaccessible to them. Beyond the game itself, Dot Chess fosters inclusivity, empathy, and connection between visually impaired and non-visually impaired individuals. It showcases the potential for design to break down barriers, foster understanding, and create a more inclusive society. Dot Chess is a significant step toward a world where everyone can engage in activities and experiences, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.

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This beautiful handmade chessboard makes it looks like you’re playing on water

Chess is a game that dates more than 1,500 years ago, and while the basic structure of the game has remained the same, it has taken on different visual forms over the centuries. From wood to ivory to even purely digital pieces, you might think that you’ve seen all there is to see when it comes to chess design. That couldn’t be farther from the truth, of course, seeing as how there are so many beautiful but odd-looking chess sets that might even leave you scratching your head in bewilderment. This handmade set, however, doesn’t change how the pieces themselves look but instead gives the board a more mesmerizing appearance of seemingly floating on water, turning a tense chess match into something almost enchanting and relaxing.

Designer: Wood Season (RVRgroup)

Some say that chess is a game of strategy and critical thinking, but others would argue that it has become simply a matter of memorizing and replaying moves these days. Whatever the case might be, the fact is that the game has never changed for hundreds of years now, from the mechanics to the pieces themselves. What has changed is how those pieces are sometimes represented, deviating from the standard medieval theme of kings, queens, and knights to become sometimes unrecognizable pieces of steel, glass, or any other eye-catching material.

The chessboard, in contrast, has remained virtually frozen in time, 64 squares arranged in 8 rows of 8 columns of alternating colors. That almost leaves very little room for creativity, but the Floating Chess defies those expectations. Painstakingly crafted by hand from oak and different coatings of epoxy, this chess set gives the illusion of a tranquil game of chess being played over a pond, in contrast to the tense, nail-biting games you’d see in professional competitions.

What gives the Floating Chess set its almost ethereal visage is the different layers and colors of epoxy used. These range from the transparent liquid used to contrast with the “dark” wooden blocks to the green pigment that submerges dried pine cones to the pearlescent mix used as the base of all of these. An LED strip lies underneath the board, controlled by a phone to shine different intensities and hues of light to add an even more unearthly glow to the chess set. The chess pieces themselves are also made from epoxy to complete the theme.

The Floating Chess is definitely a head-turner, with or without the help of colorful lighting. The use of epoxy resin, though possibly less harmful than polyester resin, might raise a few concerns about sustainability but also leaves the door open for greener alternatives. Regardless, the set creates a completely different environment than what you might associate with the game, making the pieces look like floating on water while you float on air.

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