Free Chess Sets From Manufacturers-An Editorial

Give Me A Break...

Some members have been disclosing lately that they have been receiving free sets from some manufactures. I've been approched in that regard and I'm appreciative of those offers and this is NOT directed at the manufactures, you're just doing your job. However it is directed at a few members here that are cashing in here. Note: I've turned down any offers I've received... So, just remember that when you read "someone elses" thread of how great a set is yadda yadda yadda with all there nice pro pics etc. At least If I have something to say about a particular set one way or another, it's genuine. Be assured that I have absolutely no conflict of interest as they say in the legal world, I have no affiliations with any particular company, nor do I have anything to gain which would be considered a conflict of interest when reporting on a chess set. That's right, I'm calling ya out, cause it's about time someone did. Members that are getting free sets and then promoting them comes along with a price tag that is not necessarily monetary... So don't buy into everything y'all read and judge for yourself.

What y'all don't see, that I see, are not the number of replies my threads get or some of those negative comments, but the number of hits that my particular threads get. Mine are in the tens of thousands, no BS. That's right, and have they sold a few sets or two... you bet your ass they have...

Checkmate...With no pieces exchanged...

Unless I am missing something dosen't pxn = No Checkmate?

The queen is also checking on the h1-a8 diagonal

Rats... I missed the Queen.!

Actually, it was the only game I ever played that I mated with no exchanged pieces... What kills me is that it was a friendly game and we didn't record all the moves. Lesson learned, but that's why I call it my lucky chess set. Was one of the most memorable games I've ever played... I took that pic at the time as well...

9kick9 wrote:

Rats... I missed the Queen.!

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No worries 9... So did the other guy rated at 1600+ lol :)

More to the topic: I don't have any problem with someone writing a review on a set they got for free; especially if it's someone who's been on the site for awhile and generally knowledgeable about nice sets.

Thanks for your reply... Don't misunderstand me though... It's not that I have a problem with someone (anyone) getting a free chess set... I do have a problem when their overdoing their reviews up and beyond what would be considered a straight up look. More like a salesman for the company so to speak. It's pretty obvious from some of my reads...

Oh... Now I suppose if Jaques Of London offered me one of those pretty ones with the classy stamps and leather bottoms for free it might be an offer I couldn't refuse LOL ! :)

Maybe you may never have met anyone who is honest since you made your living in Hollywood and hang around country club elitist.  

I felt the least I could do was try to review every aspect of the set I was sent and I did just that. I have been super honest on all my reviews and did not hold back on CB either, and a few months ago you could have probably said I touted CB. Now they refused to sell me a set that they are selling on their web site. I am guessing that stems from what I thought they shoul dhave donw when they found out there stain rubbed off on the pieces since it wasn't applied right.  

So please just talk about your own character and DO NOT try to assassinate my character. 

Carl did not force the set on me and I even told him I would have to decide whether to accept it or not and he gave me all the time I wanted. Since this set was so much nicer than my Colectors set from HOS that was so highly acclaimed I thought I couldn't describe the set to do it justice. Yes the quality of the workmanship is that good. 

I actually wasn't refering to you however, thanks for the confession...

Maybe I should call Shawn up at HOS and tell him he should send me a free set for review.  Somehow I don't think that's ever going to happen.

I guess I buy my sets from the wrong companies, The House of Staunton and Noj.  Both of these companies sell products that are the best in the industry and they do not need to send out free sets for marketing purposes.

Of course I also buy from Your Move Chess and Games, The Chess House and The Chess Store.  And with these guys there's no freebies for review, especially chess sets that retail for over $100 and then some.

Well, if anyone does want to send me a free Chess set, even real Ebony I suppose, I will accept it and give it a review.  However the person that sends it to me needs to be ready for a brutally honest review.  On that, I agree with Robb that WiscMike has done an honest review of things and is not one to be bought out by free stuff.

Everyone as far as I know said the same thing they were suprised with the quality/carving/finishing/workmanship/ whatever you may call it. Every thing to the last detail is done nicely. No felts to trim, bottoms perfectly flat which is amazing in itself to find these days.

Buy Eye Carl who owns the company already stated he gets his sets from the same carvers HOS gets theirs from.  But I do think that HOS now goes to other sources for their cheaper sets. I doubt if AIW makes any of their lower and mid priced sets and in this case The English Company is getting even their ebonized sets done with the SAME PRECISION as the HOS Thousand Dollar Sets. All I am saying.

If you werren't referring to me, as I had the longest review out there on my set, who were you referring to?  There are only 2 others.

YOU SAID IN YOUR ORIGINAL POST AND I QUOTE "However it is directed at a few members here that are cashing in here. " THAT INCLUDES ME SO DO NOT BACK TRACK.  You must have been a politian at one time since you do not mind twisting words and denying thengs after you said them?  You must have been a Harry Reid supporter.  

That is your original quote.  And you also say we take "pro pics"  What a laugh I can hardly operate the camera on my phone and that's all I have.  You refer your reviews as genuine while you question the three of us by inference.  

For the record, any company that would like to give me free sets to publish good reviews, I am down.  Hit me up!

I had no idea this was a thing.

Wis'Mike, for what it's worth, I took your review to be an honest, objective opinion on a set that was given to you, unsolicited, by the vendor. Best wishes, John C.

This is an official note to all company owners and representatives.

I am more than happy to receive any and all chess sets, boards, clocks, cases, bags, score sheets, electronic score keeping devices, stand alone chess computers, chess playing software, DVDs, or anything even remotely related to chess, and many things not related, for free.

AND, this is certainly not a solicitation for any of the above mentioned Chess stuff.  So it truly is and will be unsolicited.

So, send me the free stuff

Companies giving away stuff for free? That's just crazy, even for me.

Eye how about giving away some free eye examines. I wil be right over.  

For you, Mike, of course.

Let me know what time you will arrive in Peoria, Il, just a few miles South and a bit West for you, and I'll either get us into an office or I will use my portable equipment to give you an exam, free, no problem!

Remember, you got a free chess set that's really nice.  I bet you didn't even have to give any review, even though you did.  I certainly will give a review of a set I get for free.