Chess Armory 15" Wooden Chess Set Review

How do you pick the right chess set for you? Each person probably has a different set of criteria. However, it’s probably safe to say that most players who want their own chess set prefer something that’s easy to play with, easy to bring along, and, of course, easy on the budget.

It also helps if it looks great. To satisfy all these requirements, you may want to take a look at this Chess Armory 15″ Wooden Chess Set.

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Features of the Chess Armory 15″ Wooden Chess Set

Here are some features that you may expect from this very affordable chess board and pieces:

This uses the classic folding chess board design, and inside the fold there’s enough space for you to keep the chess pieces.
The hinges lie flat with the board so that you don’t have any protruding metal bits. This is important, as it eliminates the possibility of hinges marring the table surface when you flip over the board.
The pieces are set in the traditional Staunton design. However, these pieces have all been handcrafted so that each is unique. For example, none of the pawns look exactly alike.
The chess board is about 15 inches long on each side. On the playing area, each square measures 1⅝ inches on each side.
The size of the chess pieces nicely matches the size of the playing squares. Here the king stands three inches tall.
When you put the chessmen inside the board storage space, you’ll find that the interior surfaces have been lined with felt. What’s more, you can secure the pieces with a strap.
This is often given as a gift for children, and to get them started it comes with a handy chess guide.

Pros

This board offers nice benefits for those who buy it:

Lots of people will regard the dimensions of the board as just right. It’s big enough that you can get a good look at the game as you play. The 15-inch length of the board also doesn’t make it too difficult to bring along with you to the park or coffee house where you meet your friends to play chess.
The pieces are also sized nicely and are proportional to the board. They’re not all crowded together, so picking up the pieces and moving them to another square does not require any extra care. The size makes the pieces easy enough to handle, and newbies and young children won’t have any trouble with them, either.
The design of the pieces also looks nice enough. They’re in the traditional Staunton design, so experienced players won’t have to look twice to identify which piece is which. The handcrafting gives a unique look to each piece, but you can tell the pieces apart with no trouble. Also, gazing at the pieces for long periods of time doesn’t have to be quite a chore.
It’s great that the interior of the board has felt lining to protect the pieces from getting damaged by rubbing against the board. Also, they’re strapped in place, so they don’t rattle around when you’re moving the board. They also don’t bump into each other, and this prevents parts of the pieces from breaking off. Also, having straps for each piece prevents you from inadvertently placing pieces on top of each other when you fold and close the door, which may again damage the pieces.
Here you also don’t have any sort of metal part like the hinges that can scratch the surface of the table the board is on.

Cons

If you buy this, you may need to take the following potential issues into account:

The chess pieces haven’t been specially weighted at the base to make them steadier. While this may not be a problem for some because the wood comes with a nice weight, it can still be an issue for others. To keep the pieces upright when you brush against them when you move, you may want to buy a set of washers and glue a washer on the other side of each piece. Then you can cover the washer with felt.
The main problem with handcrafting is that you aren’t exactly sure about the quality of the craftsmanship. So it’s possible that you may find some rough spots that still need a bit of sanding.

Verdict

Many casual players of the game aren’t exactly enamored with the idea of playing with a vinyl board and plastic pieces. The Chess Armory 15″ Wooden Chess Set offers wooden materials for the board and the chess pieces, and they look great.

The size is just right, and the inside of the chess board offers protection from damage for the chess pieces. Just try to DIY the weighted base issue and you’ll have excellent chess set for many years to come.