Taking It To The Street?

Coming back after a nine-year layoff, I plunged into the Game of Kings headfirst as I tend to do in most areas of personal interest. I bought or rented a ton of books to help repair the corrosion of my game, but soon realized Chessmaster was not going to suffice in that area. I had a rinky-dink plastic set (which I am not going to Epinionate) lying around, and it was hardly going to do the job either. The nature of my day job is such that I would be able to take advantage of spare time with The Game, so I decided a compact magnetic board would be perfect to keep in a desk drawer. On weekends, I could take it along and mess with it while enjoying the great outdoors. I started surfing around and found the answer in Magnetic Chess.

This handy little set has a durable, non-warping metal surface with letters and numerics along the edges to facilitate the study of algebraically noted puzzles and games. It comes in a sturdy little box that folds and locks so that it won't pop open and spill your chessmen all over the place. For added measure, it also has mini-Ziploc bags that you can store the pieces in to keep them from disappearing.

The magnetism of the set is a major factor. It will resist a gusty wind and even a slight nudge, so you don't have to worry about a game literally falling apart if a summer breeze or an accidental bump comes your way (but don't e-mail me if your kids or Fido come thumping on it). Also, unlike small sets, the chessmen are well-molded so that the pieces are distinguishable. I'm sure most players can recall games in which they moved a queen that looked like a bishop and cursed themselves for the rest of the day because of it.

For families, you might even consider picking up a set or two for its intrinsic value. Chess is a great pastime for kids in that it's a great mental exercise and scientifically proven to improve spatial cognition. It may even improve relations between Mom and Pop; there's something sexy about a good-looking woman playing chess. Remember Faye Dunaway in the Thomas Crown Affair? Ah, those windmills.

The game goes for about $7 online and they'll probably hit you for about $4 for shipping for some strange reason. For $11 altogether, this is still a kewl deal. I wound up buying two of them, one for work and one for the truck so I wouldn't have to worry about leaving it in either place. If you've caught the fever recently and can't get enough, or would just want it handy for trips, rainy days or idyllic days at the park, Magnetic Chess is a steal of a deal.