Magnetic Travel Pocket Chess Set - Staunton 7x7 Inch Folding Game Board - Handmade in Fine Rosewood - 2 Players, Age 14+

(2022) this is a nice set, i appear to have received something different from other buyers since they had a clasp shut and mine is a magnet shut. An improvement in my opinion, especially because the magnet clasp does not open even with aggressive shaking, and the slots for the pieces are so secure I have no doubt that they would stay put even if the board somehow opened. For me the board is level, has a good weight for its size. Extremely impressive quality given the price. The pieces are wood but appear to be intricate and well crafted which large boards sometimes cant even achieve. The board itself has no problems as far as I can tell. Im really impressed with the quality. Its smooth and varnished (aka satin finish seal), the staining is even, the pieces are all well done. Really just shocking (in a good way) for the price. I nearly took a star off because the magnet on the king pieces does not stick quite as well. It wont be a problem for me but can be fixed by simply replacing the magnet or using a big magnet to charge the little one. Additionally the pieces sometimes catch on each other’s magnets so you may just need to be prepared for that to happen occasionally, its not a huge deal. In general they are all are not strong enough to turn the board fully upside down, but it can be tilted a fair amount. The king is the only piece that will not stay. Then again, I’m not playing chess upside down and just need them to not side around too much in bed. And the magnets seem to be strong enough for that purpose. So given the impressive and surprising quality of the board, and my overall satisfaction I will award this five stars. If you are going to play chess upside down maybe look elsewhere. It is small enough to fit in a purse, perhaps even a pocket for a man. I can keep this easily in my inner jacket pocket. Since there are magnets on the pieces they don't seem so light to be uncomfortable to play with. If you are looking for something super discrete you may want a 5” version, or you could just get lichess for your phone. It came securely packaged, however it did not include the felt bag to protect it from scratches. There was a package of silica that produced an ungodly smell, but it subsided quickly. No big deal to me. I may see about getting a felt bag to carry so the pretty varnish does not get scratched up. If you want it I would say go ahead and get it. You really cant go wrong :)

The 7" size of the board is easy enough to see and compact so that I can take it with me anywhere. The wood pieces are well designed but I did notice a chip at the base on one of the pawns so that the grey magnet shows. Still I think the set is nice and a good value for the price of a quality mobile set.

Pieces: Detailed, well-turned, well-carved in the case of the knights, felt-bottomed, with magnets that are just strong enough to hold the pieces to the board upside down. Many of the pieces had bits of green felt stuck to them by gunk that I assume is a type of low-grade glue, indicating that perhaps the pieces were inserted into the case when the felt-insert glue was still wet, but the gunk came off with some rubbing. Overall, I like the pieces. Board: The inlays are of decent quality, but not perfect. The staining on the edge is a bit uneven on one corner. The quality of wood is not extremely high, as one would expect at this price point, but each board half is flat. The hinges are covered by felt strips to avoid scratching hardwood tables. The board not only does not lie flat, though, it cannot be opened fully to become quite flat; the join itself is slanted slightly. The fact the board doesn't open quite completely is the main reason I've docked a point, but it's not enough to return this fun little board. The kids like it, and it will come in handy for trips.

Beautiful! My daughter bought this for my son (they are between 5 & 10) and he loves it. The box is very high quality with a lovely smooth texture. The pieces are wooden and magnetic. The magnets seem weak at first but all the pieces stay if you hold the board upside down. Also, the spots where you store the pieces inside are contoured to each shape so 1) they don’t easily fall out and 2) at a glance you can see what pieces are missing. Handy! Only quirk is that it comes with a velvet string bag. This is nice for protection but so generic looking that we always forget what’s inside it and is also awkward for stacking games on a shelf. We stopped using the bag and now it just aimlessly floats around our house, popping up under couch cushions and in sock drawers. A clam shell or papered cardboard box would be more practical but that’s a small gripe for the quality and good price. Highly recommend!

For $20 I was expecting a travel chess board that would maybe only last for my trip to Hawaii. But this great little board is really well made. Beautifully crafted and sturdy. I love that the magnetic pieces aren’t so intensely magnetized that you have to yank them to make a move. They stay in place, even if turned upside down, yet move easily. I don’t really understand how the company sells this for only $20. Nicely done!

for the price, this chess set is just ok. pro: - very good travel size - individual compartment makes it easy for kids to make sure all pieces are in - magnetic pieces does help in a way - like the wooden feel con: - package came from india. expect super duper slow shipping to US. i had to go to USPS to pick it up - bishops and queen are hard to tell apart. their shapes are little too close - magnetic pieces can be a problem when removing a piece. sometimes it grabs nearby piece as well - magnetic not strong enough if you were to tilt it or hold it upside down. it's very weak magnetic. can be pro or con - quality of pieces are just OK. you can sometimes see small glue that came out and dried up.

I had HIGH EXPECTATIONS and They WERE ALL MET With This SET! Everything written is just about True! I am quite AMAZED that for a set so small and at this price is so Perfect! The PIECES are Amazing! The board Is Gorgeous and is ALMOST FLAT When Opened. The Packaging was Superb! In fact I will use it to store the board when not in use! Although it looks like that will not be too often! I Plan on looking at using this board A LOT! Yes I did set it up and put it UPSIDE DOWN CAREFULLY! It WORKED! I wouldn't want to Shake it and look for 32 pieces on the floor though! I DO Recommend this to anyone wanting a nice SMALL WOOD SET & BOARD to play with! BUY YOURS NOW! I Think it would look cute next to it's 21 Inch Cousin! In some ways even BETTER!!

I honestly wasn't expecting much at this price point (sub $15). I simply wanted a small travel chess set that wasn't plastic. When I came across this wooden one, I figured it'd be a little shoddy but I was impressed when I finally got my hands on it. There are no alignment issues and everything just looks clean and straight. The latch closes securely and the pieces all sit snug in their own little foam pockets. None of my pieces had any varnish or stain issues, though there were 3 that had somewhat loose felt bottoms (easily addressed with some glue). There were some minor areas on the green foam where glue had run over from the edge, but some Goof Off and a q-tip took care of those. Honestly, the only problem I have with it, and this is really nit-picking here, is that from time to time during play, some of the pieces with stick to a nearby piece. Of course, that's how magents behave in a confined space, so just be aware of that. Other than that, this is easily one of the best purchases I've made here on Amazon!