Civil War Chess Set

The Civil War Chess Set is by far the most popular theme chess set made, the Civil War was a period in time that was very important to our history and how our government has shaped. With this Civil War chess set you will be commanding hero's like General Grant, General Lee, Abe Lincon, And Jefferson Davis. These commanding figures dominate the chess board, usually the pawns are the hardy infantry that composed the backbone of the entire war. the Civil War chess set is the perfect American chess set, I know philosophers, pastors, farmers, everyone! has a lot to say about the civil war, it still lives in the hearts of many, there isn't a more fitting theme chess set to place in your sitting room. The Civil War chess set also adds a touch of history to your house, its a great conversational piece and if you are a civil war nut, you have to own a Civil War chess set, doubly so if you are a chess nut too! With the Civil War chess set you can choose your side and battle over the board like a general commanding his forces with care, although playing with the Civil War chess set wont change history, winning is still victory, the motto for the south being "Victory is sweetest having known defeat." and for the north "Accepting the challenge is the first step to victory." Ok those weren't real Civil War quotes but they fit. The link at the top of this article will give you a large variety of quality Civil War chess sets to browse through and find the one that match's your needs most, enjoy!

Fischer Random Chess Variant Game

You may have heard of this chess variant invented by bobby fischer called Fischer Random. Fischer Random is a positively unique chess variant, the whole idea behind Fischer Random is to give the players more oppertunity to show their chess stratigey rather than theory. Here is a qoute from Bobby fischer, “I don’t play chess anymore, I play Fischer Random. It is a much better game, more challenge. Chess is a dead game, it is played out. Fischer Random is a version of chess that I developed or invented, you could say, where you shuffle the back row of the pieces, not the pawns. Each side has an identical shuffle, so that everything is symmetrical, just like in the old chess. There are just a couple of rules: one rook has to be to the left of the king, one has to be to the right of the king, one bishop has to be on a light-colored square, and one on a dark-colored square. That’s basically it. You can learn the rules in two minutes. It’s a great game, and can become the standard of chess.” If you are interested, here are the Fischer Random Rules . The main goal for Fischer Random is to give the players every oppertunity to be creative rather than having memorized thousands of chess opening moves to fall back on, Fischer random completly anhilates all opening theory for the classic game of chess. Fischer Random is not nearly as populerized as classic chess and just as fun, the producers of this fairly new game are getting the word out about it and it is rumored that this game could be a huge hit. You can learn more about fischer random on this website, http://frcec.chess960.info/ there is a forum made for Fischer Random and all kinds of cool stuff, enjoy!

Chessboard Reviews

Wow there are tons of Chessboards out there, which one to choose can be hard sometimes, and online you have to worry about the chessboard being an imported piece of junk! I am writing a review on chessboards and I am going to give you the links where to find the chessboard i'm writing about. I have hands on access to all these chessboards (and all the products I write about) and I can give you the info you need to make a wise purchase, a purchase you will be happy with once you have it. The first factor to buying anything is price range, I will start off with the cheap chessboards and work my way up the more expensive ones.

Vinyl Chessboard: The vinyl chessboards are more often used for tournament chess sets or travel chess set's, they are very handy because the roll up for storage and several Chess Bags are made just to carry the vinyl chessboard. The vinyl chessboard is also very cheap, but you have to watch out buying cheap vinyl chessboards, many of them are made in china and are imported. Generally the imported cheap vinyl boards aren't to bad but there is one vinyl chessboard that is made in the USA that is better quality. The USA Vinyl Chessboard only comes in one color, green, that is the standard tournament chessboard color. The Imported Cheap Vinyl Chessboard has several different colors to choose from, but not all of them are cut perfectly and they tend to mark up more than the USA vinyl chessboard. All of the vinyl chessboards are rigged for algebraic notation

Floppy Mouse Pad Chessboard: These mouse pad floppy chessboards are the best way to go for a travel roll up chessboard, they are made in a thick mouse pad style that is crease resistant and yet they are soft to the touch, the underside of the floppy chessboard is made from a material that seems to grab the surface it is sitting on and it wont slide ever (unless you are really pulling hard). The floppy chessboard also has algebraic notation.

Wooden Chessboard: Lots of people buy wooden chessboards to dress up their sitting or living rooms, the best wooden chessboards are made by Drueke. The Drueke Wooden Chessboard by far outranks their smaller competing wooden chessboard companys, with each wood chessboard the squares are hand inlaid to perfection and the edges are beveled to percection, they are crafted from solid walnut and pine, Drueke has truly made a legacy out of their chessboards, they truly take pride in their workmanship. Some people don't like the price that is always attached to real quality, and that is where the cheaper wood chessboard company's get their buyers. The Cheap Veneer Wooden Chessboard is a good choice for a cheap wooden chessboard, it is way thicker than most wooden chessboards and has a good flat surface, they are not always cosmetically perfect though. There is also a very good tournament size Cheap Walnut Chessboard, it is a pretty good chessboard the only downside being that it is a little thin, it has four little legs on the underside so it's raised above the surface of the table.

I hope this information was useful to you, enjoy your shopping and good luck.

DGT Electronic Chess Board & Pieces

I seriously believe this DGT Electronic Chess Board is the greatest analysis tool invented yet, it provides you with a full size chess board on which to play, the squares on the board are the standard FIDE size, ( 2 1/8 inches) the DGT chess board dimensions are 21 X 21 X 1/4. The DGT board has the highest grade auto sensory technology made. The pieces that accompany the DGT electronic chess board correspond electronically with the DGT chess board, for each piece the programming is pre-set what color will appear on the computer screen, the DGT chess board has an internal memory system that saves your moves with a limit of 500 moves. It comes with the software needed to run the DGT electronic chess set alongside your computer. Connects to your computer through a USB cable (included) and there is a jack in the chess board that is specially designed for the DGT Chess Clock, the DGT chess clock connects to the board and all the time on the chess clock is transferred through the DGT chess board to the computer. Another great feature of the DGT chess set is that it is compatible with several different chess programs for even greater and more powerful analysis abilities. These are the compatible programs, Chessmaster, Chessbase, Chess Assistant, Shredder, Junior, Fritz, Hiarcs, and many more! The DGT electronic chess board and DGT chess pieces are available in many different styles/colors for you to choose from. For those of you who are on the run and want your DGT chess board and equipment to tag along DGT has come out with a very handy DGT Chess Bag that will house not only the DGT board but the DGT clock, DGT pieces, you name it, it's got it. If you have the cash, the DGT electronic chessboard is the very best way to improve your chess, and if you can't get any better, (coughs, clears throught) this chess board sure is fun!

Themed Battle Chess Sets

A Themed Battle Chess Set is the perfect way to decorate your sitting or living room, while at same time adding a touch of entertainment. Battle chess sets are great conversation pieces for collectors; there is a wide variety of themed battle chess sets available, ranging from the cats and dogs chess set to the lord of the rings battle chess set.

The most famous of all themed battle chess sets is the Civil War Battle Chess Set, the characters kings on the union side usually being Abe Lincon, with either general Grant or Mary Todd Lincon his wife at his side acting as the queen, and for the Confederates the king is usually either Robert Lee the famous rebel general or Jefferson Davis the rebel President. The pawns usually represent the loyal soldiers of the Union and Confederacy, fiercely loyal to their convictions and leaders. The rest of the pieces in the themed Civil War battle chess set are quite varied, and the designers are given the opportunity to be creative.

Owning a Historical Battle Chess Set is like owning a piece of the past, the historical battle chess set section is my favorite category, there is a large variety of these historical battle chess sets ranging from The Battle Of Alamo to the Crusades.


Animal Battle Chess Sets are very popular as well, the range from the famous cats and dogs battle chess set endangered species battle chess set. These animal battle chess sets are perfect to decorate an outdoorsy type of sitting room, or even a farmhouse sitting room (there is a barnyard battle chess set). My personal favorite is the Dinosaur Themed Battle Chess Set, these titans stand face to face looking at each other so intensely they seem to be begging you to play a game of chess, the kings are the great T Rex leading their pre-historic brothers into battle. I don't know maybe I like this battle chess set best because I have always liked dinosaurs. The animal battle chess set figures are so life like that it is amazing, looking at them it almost seems like they are eyeing the opposing team, sizing them up, waiting for the game to begin.

Themed Battle Chess Sets are great gift items as well, they are often used not only for the game itself, but often times people buy battle chess sets to dress up a room that has a particular style to it so they buy a themed battle chess set to match the room, that's not to say you cant play a friendly game of chess on a themed battle chess set though, the symbolic characters make just that much more fun.

Sillver Chess Set: Silver Biblical Chess Set

This Biblical Silver Chess Set is a collector's item in every sense, the silver is coated over a synthetic mould, the gold colored squares are actually gilded silver giving the silver chess set the appearance of gold. This silver chess set is made like a game box, the silver chess pieces are places inside of the box. each piece has its own individual little slot for safe storage. around the outside of the game box is a thick silver ornamentation depicting the holy city Jerusalem. The figures are very life like and very, very symbolic, Moses is the ruling king of the silver chess set with his set of commandments, the queen symbolizes Miriam the sister of Moses, she stands with her lyre ready to sing her victory song proclaiming the end of the game, the rooks are very finely crafted showing each individual crack for every brick, they are patented after the castles that played an important role in the later history of Israel, the knights are camels, the banditos of the chess board, the bishop symbolizes the spies that went to spy out the land of Canaan carrying a large cluster of grapes, personally I think the bishop should have been Aaron the first high priest the brother of Moses, and the pawns are modeled after the famous Maccabi soldiers, always zealous and ready for battle, with fierce, intense loyalty. This Biblical silver chess set holds great historical meaning and symbols, Moses with the commandments, Miriam with her lyre, the spies with their grape cluster, and the camels the transported the children of Israel. it is a work of art, a complete masterpiece.

There are very few silver chess sets available at this time, each one of these silver chess sets are handmade by a fellow in Israel, there are a few types available aside from the silver biblical chess set: View All Silver Chess Sets

Club Chess Sets: Club Chess Set Combos Used In Schools

Club Chess Sets Combos used by school have a very small range of products used, they always use green vinyl roll up boards, black and ivory chess pieces and a cheap chess bag or Chess Piece Pouch. The chess pieces are always the classic Staunton design, you can get weighted Some chess stores have put together chess set combos that have the same chess pieces and boards with different better chess bag options. you are still able to buy the chess set without any bag at all but the extra options are very nice.

The most common chess bag in use is the nylon starter chess bag, it has a zipper pouch with handles and a sleeve, the vinyl chess board easily rolls up for travel and is put in the sleeve, it hangs on the underside of the pouch on the outside of the board. There are two factors that make this chess bag less desirable, the pouch is to small to store a chess clock inside and the pieces are all in one big pouch, black and white pieces jumbled together.

The best chess bag to go with is the Carryall Tournament Chess Bag, the chess board is stored inside of the bag, the pieces have their own pouches, one pouch for black and one for white, the pouches zip up and are very roomy, they are easily capable of storing 4 inch chess pieces. There is a middle pouch for storing the chess clock that zips up as well, also there are 2 small sleeves inside for storing pens or pencils, there is also a separate area for putting chess score sheets, this chess bag has it all. There is even a slot for putting a buisness card! The interior is padded, when full it is able to expand about 4 inches. Lastly it has a strap and very sturdy handles for easy traveling.

All of these Tournament chess set combos are great for travel and the easiest chess sets to store.

Excalibur Chess Clock Game Timer II Digital

The Excalibur Digital Chess Clock II is a good clock for those of you who need a cheaper efficient digital chess clock. This Excalibur game chess clock is loaded with features, including delay, programmable time, and much more. The Excalibur digital chess clock II has a compact design, the body is all plastic and the screen has large easy to read text. The Excalibur digital chess clock is the only chess clock endorsed by the Unites States Chess Federation. Having been made in china hasn't affected the popularity of the Excalibur chess clock a bit, it is by far the most popular of all the cheaper chess clocks and the most often seen.
The downside of the Excalibur chess clock II is the durability (or I should say lack of it) the most susceptible part of this chess clock is the plastic plungers, I have heard horror stories of this clock breaking in mid-game leaving the players without a chess clock. Excalibur Electronics has been creating electronic chess computers and electroic chess clocks for a long time, it is rare that Excalibur chess clocks and computers ever have glitch's or defects.

If you are looking for a durable chess clock with every feature and then some, then the Chronos Digital Chess Clock is the one to go with. The Chronos digital chess clock is the very best chess clock on the market, while it isn't very handsome it has more features than any one chess clock, there is anther thing that adds to this clocks value, the fact that the chronos chess clock is nearly as indestructible as an M1 Abrams (a modern day tank) the outer shell is composed entirely of solid steel makes this chess clock the all time favorite. The chronos chess clock is built for a lifetime of use; I ordered the chronos chess clock online once, and on the way over to my place UPS had jammed a really heavy box onto my package, well when I opened my box I found a chronos chess clock that had been nearly flattened! well I picked that clock up and fired it up, it actually worked! I obviously didn't want a mutilated chess clock so I returned it and got a new one. No other chess clock would have still been working in that condition, so don't get drop jaw syndrome over the price, this clock is worth every penny.

Wooden Chess Game Tables & Backgammon Tables

Wooden Chess Game Tables look great in anybodys living room and add a touch of home and decorum at the same time. Chess game tables come in a variety of styles, giving you the freedom of choice to find what chess game table matches your room or style. I am going to just recomend a few to you that I really think are the best.

The Teak Wood Chess Game Table With Backgammon is one of the most valuable chess game tables available, it is crafted from extremely valuable teak wood, has very high woodgrain quality and incorporates both style and durability . There are two drawers under the chess tabletop to store chess or checker pieces. The corners and edges are fitted together extremely well, the rim of the chess game table has beveled edges and the legs very very sturdy and level. When you take the chessboard off the table the backgammon game is revealed 2 3/4" below the surface of the chess table, the backgammon pieces are stored in there as well in designated slots created just for that purpose. When you turn the chess board over so that the bottom is face up, it is made of the same wood and matches perfectly with the rest of table, appearing to be a normal coffee table. This is by far the best designed chess game table and backgammon table available. Chess pieces are not included with the chess game table but can be bought seperatly, the page on the link recommend a great set of wood 4" chess pieces crafted by drueke.

The cheaper models are clearly built mainly either for style or for practicality, I am going to recomend just a few of the ones that I think are designed better to last.

This Wood Chess Game Table With Backgammon & Checkers is the sturdiest chess table I have found it's rugged design while not as beautiful as most, is far more sturdy and durable. The chess board fits in and out easily, when the board is lifted it reveals a backammon set underneath. This hardwood wooden chess game table is laways going to look like a chess table, not very formal, but very indestructable.

For a very stylish good looking chess game table I am going to recommend the 27" Checker And Chess Game Table It is not nearly as sturdy or balanced as the other two above but it is very elegant. the main thing you will be purchasing will be the table, the chessmen that come with the table are of marginal quality and I would not recomend them in any way, but the table is beautiful. the chess board on this chess game table lifts off and reveals a storage area to store your chess pieces. checkers not included.


View other Wooden Chess Game Tables

Shredder 10 Software Review: Chess Engine & Chess Analysis Tool

Shredder 10 and the Shredderbases:
No program has won as many titles in computer chess events as Shredder, the Shredder 10 chess program written by Stefan Meyer-Kahlen of Germany. The latest version of Shredder 10 software has been substantially improved and plays about 80 Elo points stronger than its predecessor. But the author has not concentrated his attention just in making the program stronger, compared to its rivals on the market. As in the past he has also implemented features that are aimed at making Shredder 10 a very powerful analytical tool, one that chess amateurs and experts alike can use to study chess in a more reliable and systematic way. One of the important analytical features is the unique use by Shredder 10 of the so-called endgame databases. In this article we will describe just one of them.

Shredderbases – 1000x faster:

Today all respectable chess programs use tablebases to great effect, often announcing mates in 20 to 80 moves as the final outcome of their games. Shredder 10 has always been at the forefront of efficient tablebase use.

In version 10 Stefan Meyer-Kahlen has introduced a brand-new and potentially very powerful improvement. He has defined a new format called “Shredderbases” that allows the program to access the tablebases thousands of times faster than was previously possible.

The method used by Shredder 10 is to compress the tablebases dramatically, so that they fit into the RAM memory available in modern computer systems. All three and four-piece endgames occupy just one megabyte in the Shredderbase format; and including all five-piece endings the sum total is 157 MB – compared to the 7500 MB required for the traditional Nalimov tablebases.

This means that Shredder 10 can load the entire three, four and five-piece endgames into memory and requires no hard disk activity to access them. The result is that the access times are reduced by a factor of 1000, allowing the program to consult the endgame databases much more often with hardly any delay. This gives Shredder’s playing strength and analysis capability a substantial boost in certain types of endgame.

Buy Shredder 10!

Source Of Review: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3224

Learn Chess With The Tasc Chess CD Chess Tutorial

Learning how to play chess was never so easy before! With the Tasc Chess CD Chess Tutorial Software you can easily learn chess and learn chess moves. There are five levels of chess training in this chess tutorial CD, the first level teaches you fundamentals such as chess moves, how to move each chess piece, it starts from the beginning and builds a solid foundation for future chess tactics and strategies. Everything you learn in this chess tutorial program (once you have learned it) is tested by doing what you learn yourself and the chess program tests your results. As you progress through the five levels you will learn chess rules and theory and gradually work into basic chess tactics. This chess tutorial system is highly recommended by chess coaches all over the USA, It is one of the best ways to learn chess, learn chess moves, learn basic chess strategy, and learn basic chess tactics. The Advanced memory system on this chess tutorial software stores all your scores and saves them in the data files for you to review your progress. In addition to all this the Tasc Chess CD Chess Tutorial Software is very affordable, at the first appearance of this chess training software prices of up to $100 were not at all uncommon. I can assure you that for the price no better chess tutorial software available, once you have purchased Tasc Chess CD Chess Tutorial Software you or the recipient will be well on their way to mastering the game of chess.

For more information and even video promotionals on the Tasc Chess CD Tutorial Software
go to:

improvemychessmove.com

Xiangqi chess set: Chinese Chess Sets & Chinese Chess Boards & Pieces

Chinese Chess is captivating and enjoyable! Like traditional chess, Chinese chess is very mentally demanding taxing all the mind powers of both contestants. Chinese chess has quickly become accepted in the Western world, both by Asians and Americans. For those of you that have never played Chinese chess, the symbols on each piece quickly become familiar. Chinese chess sets can be obtained from a number of sources. Chinese shops commonly carry a cheaper variety of Chinese chess that has a paper board and wooden pieces, with the customary red and black inscriptions. There is a new generation of Chinese chess sets coming out that has brought together a selection of more desirable and durable Chinese chess sets.

Chinese Chess Sets
This Folding Travel Chinese Chess Set is great for mobility, it conveniently folds in half for storage or travel. Most folding chess sets have a clasp to keep them shut, this folding travel Chinese chess set has powerful intergrated magnets located near the corners on the underside of the board. The board is made of quality wood, the lines in it are actually carved into the board, not cheaply painted, the dimensions of this Chinese chess set are as follows: 12 1/2" x 3/4" x 12 1/2". The pieces that come with this Chinese chess set have the customary red and black symbols and have a substantial weight to them; they are crafted out of ground stone.

The Chinese Chess Set & Traditional Chess Set Package comes with the same ground stone pieces with black and red Chinese chess pieces. The Chinese chess board however can be flipped around revealing a traditional 64 square chess board; this package comes with the reversible Chinese chess board & classic chess board, Chinese chess set, and classic chess pieces. On a rateing of 1-5 i would rate the classic chess pieces at a 2, not all that great. but the chess board has algebraic notation on it and is really a great board, the squares and lines on the board are gold and the wood has a burgundy/red hue to it. Both sets of pieces come with a satin drawstring bag and rules on how to play.

For those of you who don't care to spend as much money on a game you may not have ever played, but would still like to get the game to learn it and enjoy it, the cheaper Chinese Chess Set is also available. This Chinese chess set comes with the heavy plastic Chinese chess pieces, a plastic case, and a thin paper foldable Chinese chess board. This Chinese chess set is obviously a cheaper version and really all you would get that will last is the pieces. It also comes with a set of rules

Chinese Chess History
History of Chinese Chess
Chinese chess, also known as Xiangqi, is a very popular game of the Orient. Tens of millions play this game in Thailand, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong and other Asian countries. Xiangqi means "elephant game" and is pronounced "Shiang-Chi".

Playing Chinese Chess
Chinese chess rules have the Xiangqi board made up of ten horizontal lines and nine vertical lines. These are divided horizontally with a line called the "river". Two "palaces" are positioned in the center opposite sides of the Xiangqi board. Each is made by crossed lines connecting it's four "points".

Traditional chess is played on squares while Xiangqi chess pieces are played on intersecting lines called "points". The pieces consist of 2 Rooks (or chariots), 2 Knights (or horses), 2 Elephants (or bishops), 2 Mandarins (or advisors/assistants/guards), 1 King (or general), 2 Cannons, 5 Pawns (or soldiers).

Chinese Chess Rules

• Red moves first
  
• Win by checkmate or stalemate of the opponent's King
  
• Perpetual check is not allowed and you cannot check your opponent more than three times consecutively with the same position on the board.
  
• You can't force an enemy piece to move to and from the same two points endlessley in order for them to avoid capture. This rule avoids perpetual check type draws.
  
• Game is drawn when checkmate or stalemate are impossible.

Giant Chess Set & Giant Chess Set Pieces

Giant Chess Sets are great fun, you may have seen them on hotel lawns, european tours, at schools or even on cruise ships. But now is your chance to own one yourself! Made in Germany by Rolly Toys, these giant chess sets are renowned for their sturdy near indestructable build. The Giant Chess Pieces are 25". The bases of the giant chess pieces are hollow, they unscrew in the middle giving you the option to weight them. The Giant Chess Mat is 10x10 sq ft with 64 snap together squares, each square has a mesh style design, which lets water drain freely out, preventing rain puddles. The giant chess mat and the giant chess pieces can either be sold as a complete Giant Chess Set Combo or they can be purchased seperatly, many people prefer to make their own giant chess mat out of matieral such as Tile, painted cement, even specially cut PVC pipeing! If you are looking into buying a giant chess set you cant go wrong with this one, it is by far the most popular one made.

The Sicilian Alapin CD By Rogozenko: Sicilian Alapin System

The Sicilian Alapin is a positional, aggressive approach. In contrast to open Sicilians and most other openings, the Sicilian Alapin is a very safe way for White to play for a win. There are many apparently simple positions which look equal, but actually offer White many hidden resources to quickly develop a strong initiative or a deadly attack (see for instance the games Godena-Antunes 1997, or Nisipeanu-Chuchelov 2003). The Sicilian Alapin is a universal opening, which can be played by everyone. Even almost all top Grandmasters have employed it occasionally. generally speaking the evedince shows that the Sicilian Alapin suits best for positional players who can also calculate well variations and have a feeling for hidden tactical ideas.

Buy It Now

See more product details at: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3172