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Customer Reviews on the Product
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Average Rating : 
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Review On Feb 20, 2010by B. Brown of Fruitland Park, FL
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ChessCafe Special Chess Set |
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I originally bought a Berkshire Combo which included these very nicely proportioned pieces. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality vs price...(The Knights are one piece). I want to buy another set soon, as the price is lower now! :-) |
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Review On Feb 20, 2011by Terence Hardison of Colchester, VT
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Great set |
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I bought 3 sets a few years ago so that I would have extra queens and spare pieces. I love this set and bring it to all my tournaments. I great set that I plan on using for years and years. I especially like the looks of the knights. |
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Review On Sep 21, 2011by Anonymous of Chicagoland, IL
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Very pleasing French style chess set |
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For those looking for a traditional French style wood set, intended for use with a wood board with 2 squares, this set should do the trick nicely. It's a very well turned set with good detail, made of surprisingly high quality boxwood with good color and tight grain (hard and less porous). The set is remarkably heavy for its size.
The pieces are very consistent in shape, no doubt due to a highly automated modern production facility. The pieces are rock stable as they sit on a wood board. No rocking or wobbling. Felt pads are plush and tightly affixed, although they are not perfectly cut circles. I touched up my pads with a sharp sissors for a cleaner look, which only took a few minutes. |
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Review On Jul 29, 2004by John Warth of New Albany, IN
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I bought this wooden version of the Club Special set two years ago when the USCF offered it. It is nicely weighted and balanced and a great value for the money for anyone wanting a durable and affordable set of wooden chessmen.
Like many of the wooden sets I have (I'm a collector) I couldn't resist giving the men a good coat of fast-drying spray lacquer to enhance the beauty of the color and grain. The one thing I would change about the set, (and this is minor), would to make the formee crosses on the kings just a bit shorter. Because I am handy with wood carving tools, I was able to whittle them down myself before lacquering them. When I was all finished, the set was gorgeous! I may order another one... ! |
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Review On Jul 31, 2004by Marty Marion of Hagerstown, MD
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This is an excellent set! There is no reason anyone should play with plastic considering the price. I have dropped pieces while playing many times w/o damage. The only areas of concern are the lack of extra queens and the pawns - the slim collar has a tendency to break (repaired with wood glue). All in all, a nicely done set. |
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Review On Dec 12, 2004by Jeff of Bodega Bay, CA
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This is such a good price for a boxwood set!--I wonder if it is made by child or slave labor or something, there in India. I think it is mostly made with machines somehow, because all the pawns are perfectly even, but to what extent? The design is excellent, the bishops the same as in the long-time running plastic sets from China, with their typical bishops' big slits that look like big frowns. The knights are inspired, and almost abstract, yet definately very horsy. If looked at from the back, they look like samurai; if viewed from the side, horses with possibly two sets of eyes, one open one sleeping. If viewed head on, they look somewhat ghostly absurd sticking out tongues. (If it is a particularly difficult oppenent, face the knights straight forward for a full frontal raspberry!) The rooks are simple, straightforward, and not too small. The queens are solid with no delicate tiaras that would break, and the kings are tall, stark. The pawns are easy to view for long periods. The size and shapes are tournament standard, no one could deny playing on this set. A very good set to take to the tourney, or for a good 'ol all-around knock-about set. (But don't really knock it around--treat it nice!) |
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Review On Aug 27, 2005by Bob M. of Atlanta, GA
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I was pleasantly surprised by this set. If you've never owned one it will make a nice addition to your collection.
So believe these reviews praising the set and order yourself one. DO IT NOW before you talk yourself out of it! :) |
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Review On Sep 1, 2005by les of Baltimore, MD
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I just purchased this set bundled with the Bundesliga board using my USCF member discount. Purchased in this manner, the set is an excellent bargain.
The set's appearance is very close to the website photograph. The white pieces are not as yellow as pictured (neither is the board) and not quite as shiny. You will see numerous imperfections/small gouges/etc. in a set in this price range. As previously reviewed, you will have to have some white glue handy as the collars on two pawns and one king were broken as received. Fortunately the breaks were clean and the pieces still in the bag. The repair is not even noticeable unless you look for it.
Yes, the knight is pretty funky but the set is weighted and very playable. The relatively small base diameter on the king would allow play on a 2" square board as well as the roomier 2 1/4" board.
If I had to purchase this set at the non member price, I would opt for the HOS Classic pieces which are a quantum leap in quality but at almost twice the price. These pieces serve my needs for study as I already have a nice HOS set to impress opponents at home. When playing in tournaments with your property, I think plastic pieces are best. |
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Review On Apr 28, 2006by Garret of Torrance,, CA
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A good price for a wooden chess set. I think some of these reviews were a little overdone. I have many wooden sets, and for the money, if you want a "beater upper" set for tourney play, this will do great. All the hoo-haw about the knights though - these knights are ugly, do you want artistic knights? Go with the HOS sets, etc. A run of the mill set that mirrors almost exactly those cheap plastic sets- except in wooden form, they look good. |
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Review On Dec 7, 2006by Joseph Donahue of Boonsboro, MD
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I recently purchased this set and am very pleased with it. Ordinarily I would probably give it a 3 or 4 out of 5. The extra star is for the USCF service with regards to the set. Two of the black pawns were damaged in shipping and after sending an e-mail explaning the situation I was sent two replacement pawns via express mail, which I am very thankful for. Excellent customer sevice. |
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