Post your Travel Chess Sets

Nah, the acrylic paint doesn't seem to be a problem on the K-Mart pieces.  I never even thought about roughing up the plastic.  As for the silver model paint on the Drueke set, it seems to be pretty much worry-free as well.  I'm thinking about painting all the bases of all the Drueke pieces the same way I did the rooks, and just adding paint to the battlements of the rooks.  It's playable as-is, but a friend recently asked me why the rooks got such special treatment... I didn't have a good answer.

I'm glad to hear it, Mr. Brunson.  It gives me an incentive to try it on the draughts.

Here's my simple, tiny solution for captured pieces on disc-style "checkbook" sets... a cheap, everyday run-of-the-mill business card holder.  Highly pocketable, and those pieces aren't going anywhere.

There doesn't seem to be many options available for a good quality travel set except for the few like Ebay, chess house & chess bazaar. I purchased 10-inch foldable travel chess set from chess bazaar nearly 4 years ago. IMO below 10 inches, sets are almost useless for serious chess. It easily comes in my backpack and goes everywhere with me. Board and pieces are nicely crafted for the price and magnets are quite strong. CB made some superb travel sets. I've also purchased their d0144 travel set but that is non-magnetic other than that it´s one of the best.

Here are my 10" travel set pictures from CB

Sometimes the best birthday presents are the ones we just go out and get for ourselves.  Just arrived today: the Kidami folding magnetic travel set, 10"x10"... $20 on Amazon.com.

IM John Bartholomew had some issues with the Kidami set:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBGwq0cDlTU&t=186s

That glowing review is what actually helped me make up my mind on ordering... I was on the fence until I saw this video describing the set as nearly perfect.

The odd square size is kind of weird.

It is a bit odd in theory, and I wasn't sure to what degree it would make a visual impact, but I was pleasantly surprised when I unboxed it and set 'er up... even having preemptive knowledge of the issue, in-person it's maybe 3% as distracting as I was fearing.  Also, the magnets aren't as weak as some reviewers on Amazon make them out to be (I think the tad bit of weakness stems from the bottoms of the pieces actually being felt-covered rather than just exposed magnet).  But if you're just picking the set up to move it to another table, or if the board receives a brief jolt from bumping the table while standing up, the magnets handle themselves just fine.  Overall, I'd have to say I'm satisfied with the purchase.

That is quite the set Matthew. Another nice one. 

Beautiful small wood travel set, 5 X 7 X 1-1/2 inches overall size. Tag says hand made in Nepal.
Wooden  pieces are 3/4" tall. Beautiful wooden cabinet. Playing area isn't quite square; 4 1/2 X 4 1/4 inches. I don't know the age or any other information.

Looking at the pieces and the board design, glennsdepot, I'd estimate this Indian/Nepalese set was made in the 1980s or 1990s.  Post #17 displays a smaller set with similar pieces and board but with a simple, friction fit top and base.

Here is another of my travel sets.

 Size is 12x12x2 inches. Everything is in great shape, all pieces are there and the wooden top is individual squares. Looks like some very fine craftsmanship.

The Kings are 2" tall. All pieces were molded in pieces. They screw together. I'm not sure of the material, looks to be a really dense plastic possibly?

The only identification is "JAPAN" stamped into the bottom of both Kings.

Good deduction, Robert.  If you download Glenn's photo showing the disassembled king, it is large enough to see the typical dark and light grain in the king's crown.  It does indeed appear to be ivory.

I find it interesting the red pieces are painted and not stained with cochineal dye as in German Uhlig sets of the same size.  Unfortunately, the paint tends to conceal the grain, which can clearly be seen in the dark pieces of our peg-in Kita Shoji K K sets.  Still, Glenn has a nice set here, one I have never seen before.

By the way, Glenn, if you want to clean up the natural, un-painted pieces of your set you can do so with a tooth brush, a not too abrasive tooth paste and water just like keeping one's pearlies bright and clean.

WOW......Ivory.......really??

I would have never guessed that. I got this real cheap at a local flea market. The guy picked it up in a group of stuff at a garage sale in New Orleans, LA. Any idea on how old??

Here's a enlargement, I may need to try a better close up............

Thanks for all the help guys

It looks like my cheap flea market find is a real gem!!

Ivory is very special....it's hard for me, to get too excited about Ivory finds....like in the Music World..pianos keys, inlays on fretboards, tuning pegs, etc.....thinking about where the material comes from.  Music Mates and i in discussion agree on the Beauty and Durability of the material, but the conversations have sadness.   no offense, Chessmates ; i would be excited by your find if it were myself rescuing the obscure pieces. i am glad it is someone who appreciates it.....thanks for sharing your discovery.

I think carved and polished bone is just as good as ivory.  I wouldn't have a problem with using mammoth ivory, but the thing is, that could be a cover for sourcing elephant ivory...I don't totally trust it.  

To the last two posters, this is an old, vintage set and not a new one, so what's the problem with the ivory?  Besides, it wasn't the ivory in chess sets that devastated the elephant population, it was its use in billiard balls in the 19th and early 20th centuries, before the invention of phenolic resin.  Take a look at these photos.  Quite devastating in retrospect.