The end result is absolutely stunning - I think I’ve found my final chess set. The attention to detail and utter quality is dripping off this set - pictures simply don’t do it justice. The warm subtle swirls in the European Boxwood are tremendous and the rich Ebony with faintly visible brownish grain is off the charts! This isn’t just a chess set - it’s a piece of art.
One last thing I’ll highlight are the elegant dendriform stems of the pieces which create visual space or “breathing room” on tight chess boards. You can easily see around and through the pieces as they don’t obstruct one another. This is important to me as I plan to actually play chess with this set!
Enough of my yammering - here’s what you came for. Enjoy 
(Photo Credit: Kaspar Ensikat)
Friends,
It’s been a while since I’ve started a thread - so I return with a bang! I’m now the proud owner of an original Porat Jacobson “Smyslova” Chess Set in Ebony and European Boxwood and I’d like to writeup a short review for your reading pleasure.
Backstory
I’ve always been taken with Soviet-style chess sets and spent much time perusing this forum and reading Chuck Grau’s blog. I have a great respect for chess history and the long line of champions from this part of the world. Wouldn’t it be nice to own a set which harkens back to such great lineage!
But which set!? There are many styles to choose from and seemingly hundreds of minor variations between each major “family”. Will you purchase a less-than-perfect reproduction or seek a (potentially battered) true original?
The Smyslova
After months of research I stumbled upon a thread by @TheOneCalledMichael which showcased a Soviet-style chess set by Berlin-based artist Porat Jacobson (our very own @utpic). The Smyslova is an original design which blends prominent features across various Soviet eras - all tied together under the careful eye of a chess collecting enthusiast and true artisan.
I was struck by the cold austere simplicity of the set - which remained interesting after many views. After viewing hundreds of chess sets, one begins to develop a sense for which designs have “staying power” and which will become boring over time. After careful analysis - I reached out to Porat!