Drueke 877.10 Magnetic Chess Set
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List Price: Our Price: $22.49 You Save: $0.51 (2%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Sports See more product details |
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Description of Drueke 877.10 Magnetic Chess Set
This easy-to-transport set allows you to play chess anywhere, anytime. The Magnetic Chess Set is perfect for long car and plane rides. The plastic chessmen are equipped with a magnetic bottom so they won't move or slide when you encounter some rough terrain. The magnetic set is also perfect for when time is short. Squeeze in as much chess as you can during break, place it away when time is up, and then return to your game with the pieces exactly where you left them during your next free moment.Sports reviews of Drueke 877.10 Magnetic Chess Set
Customer Review: Chess Pro Rates Drueke Magnetic 5 Stars
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
I'm an international master (although I haven't competed for years), and here I am, getting *another* Drueke set. I've probably had a dozen over the decades! For me it is the optimal set for analysis while studying. It's a perfect size to use with a book (or many books). The pieces are easy to see and distinguish, and even more important to move around. The colors are comfortable. The fact that you can cover it up and resume after travel is nice.
But there are flaws.
The rooks are such that, if you have them on the side and cover the board, and put something on top, you could break off bits of the top. It's a design flaw which Drueke probably hasn't dealt with, although it would be s simple 1/16th inch reshaping of the cover. (The flat part before it rises should be made smaller.) I got in the habit of moving them inward before putting on the cover. Another solution, which I did a few times before getting lazy, was to hacksaw off a bit the rook tower just below the widened top, then superglue it back on, making it shorter. This also brought the rook more in balance with the rest of the set. This would in fact be an easier solution for Drueke, i.e. probably cheaper to implement by redoing the rook molds.
They *did* get cheaper at some point, or maybe post-pressing of the pieces was minimized; now you have to get out an X-Acto knife and remove bits of excess plastic around the tops of most of the pieces. Rite of purchase. Oh, and the *bottoms* -- they're slightly too long, stick out past the magnet. See below.
The previously mentioned loose magnets. And, since its availability, the superglue solution.
The queens' crowns' spokes will break off. C'est la guerre.
Yes, it will deteriorate, scratching the board mostly. If you razor off the pegs in the magnets so they don't overshoot, you mostly prevent that, or at least it'll take longer.
I noted, but was not bothered, by the King not being the tallest piece any more. I don't remember, was it only the rooks which towered over?
I'm a critical sort (I was assistant editor at the chess federation for a while, mostly proofreading!), but don't mistake: I *LOVE* this set! I played over so many world-class games from books and magazines that it took on an aura; I would let people use it to play. Now you know I'm nuts. :-)
IM Elliott Winslow
Customer Review: great set
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
This set is great: it is small and compact, the magnets are strong enough that the pieces stay put even when the board is sideways or upside down, and when the cover is on, the pieces can be left on the board to keep a game in progress going. My 5 year old son, a chess fanatic, declares this is his favorite toy, and has taken to carrying his current game in progress with him wherever he goes around the house or in the car.
The only complaint I have about this set is durability. Two things: 1) the pieces have a tendency to detach from the magnetic bases. Although the bases are easily snapped back on, it is a bit annoying when you lift a piece to make your move and find that you have left behind the magnetic base. We are considering simply using super glue to permanantly attach the magnets to the pieces. 2) the board has a shiny finish which, after just a few weeks regular use, is showing many scratches. I expect in a couple of months it will look pretty banged up.
However, shiny looks are not nearly as important to us as how well the board works, and this is the only board we've seen that allows my on-the-go son to carry his games in progress with him everywhere, so we are still very happy with the product.
Customer Review: PERFECT TRAVEL SET
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
Perfect size (not too small and not too big).
Plastic cover is stronger than I expected.
Board is very nice (black and gold metal).
Pieces have large base and magnet which keeps them firmly in place.
Magnet is donut shaped with plastic from piece extending though the middle of the magnet. This allows for a tight and strong "grip" of the magnet to the piece.
I noticed that on some of my pieces, the plastic protruded too far through the hole in the magnet, which made piece "wobble" on board. It took about two minutes to file all pieces so protruding plastic was flush with the magnet on the bottom and the pieces all "sat" perfectly on the board.
Another great feature is that the magnets are powerful enough that you can leave a game or study session in progress and simply place the cover back on "box" and pieces don't move. When you want to use again, all the pieces are right where you left them. I really works quite well.
I highly recommend this set to anyone looking for a convenient magnetic set for study or travel. It is very well designed and made. I was quite impressed and pleasantly surprised.
Customer Review: Pick up where you left off
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
This is a fine set. The only one like it that I have been able to find. The pieces are a decent size. The lid can be placed on with the pieces in the upright position so you can save your game and pick it back up where you left off. I drop them occasional and the pieces usually stay in place and the outside cases aren't scratched. I have an academic chess club and we have several different types of travel boards. These are so different and superior to all our other travel boards that they should have a different classification- perhaps completely mobile chess sets?
There are two problems worth mentioning. The magnets are very strong and tend to come off of the pieces and remain stuck to the board, and the metal playing surface gets scratched very easily. I am ordering several more of these sets and intend to buy a spray can of polyurethane to coat the metal playing surface. I will also take a few min to pop off the magnets and super glue them back onto the pieces. This sounds like a hassel but there are no other boards like these on the market and the extra few min are well worth the effort.
Customer Review: Perfect Lil' Traveler Chess Set!!!!
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
Everybody who sees me with this great little magnetic set wants to know where they can get one! I've loved this set for years and have bought many for my friends as gifts. I even have an extra one on hand for the next guy that asks me for one. My only criticism is the bishops are too difficult to distinguish from the pawns. BUT - I've solved that minor problem by painting the subtle ball on the top of the bishops with red fingernail polish. It's not distracting at all yet it sets them apart from the pawns perfectly. I love this set because it "momorizes" the position of an incompleted game (because the pieces are magnetic - pretty strong magnets too!)and the lid covers the set perfectly when not in use. Another nice feature is there is enough border around the playing field that you can comfortably store captured pieces there so everything remains self-contained during play. This set is a great buy! And this Drueke set is the only one of its kind that I can find anywhere! You won't be disappointed.