English Chess Forum

I'm looking for a recommendation for a travelling set - I'm beginning to think that all of those people who say you need to actually move the pieces, not play moves on a screen may have a point.

I recall an old thread where someone made a similar request - but cant locate it.

Functional rather than fancy, dont mind whether pegs or magnetic - but needs some mechanism to keep pieces in placem as will be on train, plane, beachbar, etc.

I did have one of the green folding ones from Malcolm - but the 'hinge' finally gave way after 20 years ...


Many thanks,

Paul Dargan

Paul Dargan wrote: I did have one of the green folding ones from Malcolm - but the 'hinge' finally gave way after 20 years ...

As far as I am aware, Malcolm and the other chess suppliers still sell these.

Paul,

I don't think you can beat this one

Paul Dargan wrote:I did have one of the green folding ones from Malcolm - but the 'hinge' finally gave way after 20 years ...

My old pocket set is still going strong - it still has the inscription 'G Borrowdale form 3C' inside the lid, which would date it to 1973/74. Small wooden board with good quality plastic pieces with pegs, in a zip-up case, with an improvised piece of foam inside to stop the pieces falling out, branded 'House Martin'. Only problem, it is missing a black (red) pawn, so best for looking at Open Sicilian games, or exchange variations of anything, which would probably explain some of my opening repertoire. I have tried in vain to replace it, but can find nothing. Modern equivalent much poorer quality, I have to say, and replacement pieces likewise. Good luck with your search.

John Upham wrote:Paul,

I don't think you can beat this one

Yep John, had one of those, the folding hinge has given-up and sellotape/gaffer tape no longer working/attractive


Paul

Roger de Coverly wrote:

Paul Dargan wrote: I did have one of the green folding ones from Malcolm - but the 'hinge' finally gave way after 20 years ...

As far as I am aware, Malcolm and the other chess suppliers still sell these.

It’s surprisingly hard to get a good pocket set. One that folds flat. I’d like one that’s A4 size when folded out. I’d also like one half that size.

i.e. exactly like the dark green/light green ones that C&B used to sell but don’t any more.


Their little set folds in three rather than two and you have to put captured pieces in a plastic pouch. Neither are ideal.

Their larger set doesn’t seem to be magnetised off the board area so there’s nowhere to put captured pieces.

I bought one of those 'plug in' sets a while back. It’s not magnetic but it does fold flat. On the downside the pieces fall out easily and it’s fiddly when you want to look from black’s point of view.


In short: if anybody has a good recommendation for a travel set I’d like to hear it too.

You're all out of date - Malc now sells small pocket magnetic sets (in a black folder) which are much better (stronger magnetism) than those old green ones. There is a much reduced chance of losing pawns down the back of the sofa or through the cracks between the floorboards.

Reminded me of this thread from chesspub - http://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/Y ... 1358731660. The black thing with the board being unhinged and instead hinged areas for captured pieces to fold over it seems awfully logical to me. Better than hinging the board itself surely?

Not much help in terms of finding the things in that thread though!

Mike Gunn wrote:You're all out of date - Malc now sells small pocket magnetic sets (in a black folder) which are much better (stronger magnetism) than those old green ones. There is a much reduced chance of losing pawns down the back of the sofa or through the cracks between the floorboards.

Do you mean this one Mike?
http://shop.chess.co.uk/Magnetic-Wallet ... b02877.htm


This is the one I don’t like because it folds in three and has the plastic wallet thing for captured pieces (which they’ve folded out of sight for the picture).



This one
http://shop.chess.co.uk/Travel-Magnetic ... b04547.htm


would be perfect but for the non-magnetic 'off board' area.

With the first one I don't use the plastic pocket but place captured pieces above or below the board in the small gaps there. It looks like you might lose the pieces if you pack it up like this but in practice you don't (strong magnetism again).

http://shop.chess.co.uk/Magnetic-Wallet ... b02877.htm

I have this one, very good size; only annoyance, the design of the pieces is slightly unusual, look at those bishops.

http://shop.chess.co.uk/Travel-Magnetic ... b04547.htm

This one I did not like when looking at the shop because it's too big for my taste.

The perfect one would be the first one with the piece design of the second.

Mike Gunn wrote:With the first one I don't use the plastic pocket but place captured pieces above or below the board in the small gaps there. It looks like you might lose the pieces if you pack it up like this but in practice you don't (strong magnetism again).

Sure you can do that - but then you have that ugly superfluous flap. I also found hiding the pieces on the side after capture meant they were too close to the board when analysing.

Each to their own I suppose. I does have the advantage of being cheap, I grant you that.

The other place getting a bit desperate it seems with duplication now.

Paul, I usually find the local, weekend (second-hand) markets around here (everywhere?) have a steady turnover of travelling chess sets at ridiculously cheap prices. Varying quality, but after a few visits I found one that suited me just fine. I'm sure you'd find them at car boot sales also.

Carl Hibbard wrote:The other place getting a bit desperate it seems with duplication now.

In what way? Have I missed something there about pocket sets?