Post your Travel Chess Sets

I just want to include two more sets that are a bit special.

#1 This one is an Indian made set. It's special because it's neither magnetic nor pegged. But it qualifies as a travel set because it's compact and the pieces are nicely made, so it can be used on stable ground (not while traveling, but after you arrive to a destination). I received this as a gift.

#2 This other set is a Chinese cheap and bad set. It's bad because the pieces are too thin and thus have really poor stability. I purchased it mainly for the Backgammon pieces. But then I decided to turn it into a pegged set as an experimental project. I drilled holes in the board and pieces and I stuck bits of bamboo toothpicks (which I purchased specially for this project) into the holes. The result is now a usable pegged set; I no longer have to worry about the pieces falling over.

Drilling the holes was harder than I expected. The material is not wood, but more of a wood paste that was not as easy to drill into as I thought. Also, I messed up a couple of holes in the pieces when I got the drill to come out on the side. I wanted to use bamboo toothpicks because I thought they would last better than regular one. Given the process, I call this my "Vlad the Impaler" set.

Here's a closeup look at the home-made pegs:

Cheers!

Absolutely love your collection! I had set #3, however the Knights and Bishops were hard to distinguish from one another, so I gave it away. I bought it for $7.00 in Greenwich Village, NYC when I worked in The World Trade Center, in lower Manhattan.....1980.

@Laurentiu-Cristofor

How would a pegged chess set compare with a travel magnetic chess set. Which won holds better.

I think that a well built pegged set is superior. First, you always have the pieces properly centered in their squares. Second, a pegged set (a well built one, not a flimsy model) could better resist an accident like an object dropping on the board by accident: magnetic pieces will still slide around, but pegged pieces will stay where they are as long as the pegs fit tightly and are long and solid enough.

Look at the Romanian pegged set that I posted earlier. That one, when it was in its prime, was an ideal set: the pegs are solid and angled, so they can be pressed into the holes for a tighter hold, which means that they'll stay there even if you turn the board upside down. Unfortunately, sets like that are not being made anymore. All the other sets that I have have cylindrical pegs and some of the pieces will fit loosely in some squares.

Here's a set a acquired last a couple of days ago on EBay. It's technically a "travel" set since the pieces have pegs at their bases to plug into the board, but it's larger than travel sets usually are - the Kings are 3 inches tall, excluding the peg. I've been told it was designed for use on cruise ships. From the design of the pieces I believe that it was made by Ayres.

Nice!

This is mine from Deleted link mod KS

Here's the link if anyone's intrested: Deleted link as advertising is not allowed in the forums Mod KS

Check out my home chess set at the "post your chess sets" thread: https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/post-youre-chess-sets?page=158#last_comment

I like the brass hinges. This makes me think it's for a naval officer. It looks like it folds as well?

I'd love to hear more about this.

@Pilowsky are you associated with mychessets.com in any way?

@chesslover0003 nope

Why are your only comments advertisements for mychessets.com and their products? This seems very suspicious to me.

@chesslover0003 How is this advetising? I posted my chess set which is from my chess sets.

I see no reason to not mention where you got the product from as it's kinda the point of the thread...

Well what I see is a fake photoshopped picture of a chess set, which so happens to be the exact same picture used on that website. I can see why its legitimacy would be questioned.

When all your posts on chess.com mention products from a single seller and provide links to the same seller... that can be advertising. Especially if you have any association with that seller.

We do like to talk about our sets and take pictures of them. The photos you claimed are yours also appear on the product pages on the seller's website. This made me believe you may be the seller but are not being honest about your relationship with them. There are other sellers and manufacturers here... they often state their relationship upfront. I've heard of some sellers providing fake reviews here as well.

BOUGHT IN 1957 I TIJUANA MEXICO FOR $20,00 DOLLARS.

HAND CARVED WOOD NON WEIGHTED IT FOLDS IN THE MIDDLE.

Jumping in to share another perspective. Many others have also shared having one of these boards.

The rubber chessboard with cloth surface (aka mouse pad or flex pad) board is 55 mm squares. This is my go to travel setup. The rubber board doesn't show indentations like my older vinyl rollup. I replaced my previous triple weighted plastic pieces with blue silicone pieces (3.5" king) for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Fun colours for the pieces and board. Not weighted and some people do a more exaggerated thunking sound as they make a move (like they're playing dominos).

The other two boards are new for me. I got them for analysis. The rollup board is large and needs a flat surface so not the most convenient sometimes.

The veneer walnut board is made by Rechadapos Ferrer (RF) and has 35 mm squares. I like the small border. Fits nice on my desk. With a tote bag I think this can be travel. There's also a folding one that I'd like to get to make it even more portable.

The RF board is the width of my 13" MacBook Pro.

The third board is the 9" Leather Travel Set from Chesshouse that many others have mentioned. This is new for me. I think it can work as an analysis board AND for traveling (such as when on a train where space is limited). It's rigid and magnetic so pieces will stay in place. I have sausage fingers so I don't think I could use smaller. It's the same depth as my 13" MacBook Pro.

And the pieces for comparison as well. I wish I could get a few different styles of pieces for the RF board.

Wishlist:

• World Chess Travel Set (31 mm squares)
• World Chess Studio Set (45 mm squares, folding RF board)
• Marshall 3.75" red and natural plastic pieces
• Maybe a purple silicone or rubber or silicone board

The workmanship of the board and pieces looks very similar to that of the set I posted on the previous page, which I suspect is made in Pakistan. The style of the board is different, but I have seen it used by some recent sets from India as well. If you find more information about your set, please share it.

INFO PLEASE: Does anybody recognize this modest elegance?
I've opened my newly delivered time capsule from Quebec.
The case is in top condition, finally a mobile, humbly-classy coffee shop set.
K = 3-1/8 "
Folding Wood Board = 1-5/16"squares = 10-1/2" x 10-1/2" surface, and 21-3/4 " x 21-3/4 " x 3/8 " overall
Case = 13" x 7" x 2-1/2"

I made them a bed

I own 3 or 4 of these folding sets, in various states of disrepair. I've always believed them to date from about 1890-1920 or so. They are usually advertised as "Whittington style" (although I believe this is wrong). The wood is mahogany, the pieces bone and the hinges and clasps made from brass.

I'd be interested to see the modern equivalents made in India and Pakistan that you mention. I saw the one you posted on the previous page - it looks to be well made but I don't think it's the same as the one in post 787. I think the key is whether the pieces are bone or plastic. The pieces in post 787 look like bone, but I'm not certain - usually the dark pieces are stained red in these old sets ("cochineal red") whereas these are black.

This one popped up on a local craigslist a couple of days ago. Anything Drueke is quite rare around here so I'm quite happy with it. Sadly it's not a version with a plastic case but rather in a cardboard box with a brown wood print. I understand that these were made until recently, any idea which period this one stems from?