ChessHouse's Flex Pad with 1.75" squares!

I've been on a bit of a quest to come up with a travel setup that I like; something that I can leave in my bag and have available if I want to play an impromptu game with my kids when we are out & about. As I've tried out some various options, I've come to refine my requirements wish list a bit.

My latest iteration - the World Chess Studio board - is great for what it is, but I've found it a bit bulky and heavy to carry around all the time. It's not a "leave it in my backpack and forget about it" kind of board.

The vinyl boards that I have, while being lightweight and easy to throw in a backpack, aren't exactly robust, and playing on a board that doesn't lie flat is annoying - especially with reduced-size pieces that aren't super heavy themselves.

I've found myself wishing that I could find a board exactly like Chess House's "Flex Pad" but in a reduced size. I keep a flex pad in the trunk of my car, where it has held up to all kinds of abuse, and is still perfectly flat, and still looks great. It is a perfect "take anywhere" companion to the "Bobby Fischer Ultimate" pieces that I also keep in my trunk. This makes a great setup for playing when I'm out with the kids.

So what I've actually come to want is that setup - but smaller and lighter. Enter the awesome customer support team at Chess House - who suggested that I could use the "design your own" customization that they provide through their website to design exactly what I wanted. (https://www.chesshouse.com/products/custom-print-flex-pad-club-chess-board?_pos=8&_sid=f190892bc&_ss=r)

I tried that out, and the boards arrived today - they look great!

While ordering those I also ordered a set of their "Marshall" pieces - they looked like the ideal size for a 1.75" board, and being made of plastic, I'll be a lot less fussy about my kids playing with them with greasy fingers than the vintage Chavets I usually carry around with the travel boards. Those pieces are great too, and a perfect pair for the new board.

I'm thrilled with the new setup - can't wait to take it out with me this weekend and break it in with some games out at the local pubs!

In order to reduce the cost per board, I ended up ordering 5. At least one is earmarked for a friend of mine, and I think I will keep two for myself (one for home, one for the backpack). But I might have an extra one or two that I could sell on if there is interest. (Of course - you can always configure your own through their website - their customization app works great!)