Foldable MINI Magnetic Chess Set Portable Wallet Pocket Chess Board Games

I was looking for a travel board to use for working through chess books and puzzles, and this is perfect. I don't know if I'd recommend it for playing on, as the discs seem a bit unwieldy for game use, but that's what makes it so nice for analysis. You can work through a position, fold it up and throw it in your bag, pull it out later and the pieces stay right where you left them. Small enough to put in a bag or coat pocket, but folds out big enough that you're not squinting at the pieces. Five stars, I may very well buy another one!

It is good for keeping a position handy, but two things that I don't like are that it is confusing to know colors when choosing between white on black and black on white (better to have a standard background with pieces printed as clearly white or black), and there is no place to store pieces that have been taken, unless you carry a sandwich bag. These two deficits have led me to buy a small "green and buff" board magnetic set with an extra panel to hold the pieces. In that, I avoided models that have a distinct break in the middle, between the sides of the board.

Lightweight with pieces easy to see and easy to move. Though the hinges are not robust they appear adequate. If they did break a piece of duck tape would be an easy fix. I am very happy with the purchase.

I’ve got 3 of these. Obviously I love them, BUT someone negatively reviewed the piece colors and the manufacturer changed them. The pieces used to be a black outline on a 99% white circle or a thin white outline on a black circle. The pieces were clearly black and white. By filling them in solid white on a black field or solid black on a white field makes them much more confusing. I much prefer the old way. The other problem you may have to solve is where to put the captured pieces The board is the only metal and therefore the only place you can stick the magnetic pieces safely. You can put captured pieces under the board but they don’t seem that secure while on my lap or in a book. I keep one of the metal disks from a canning jar around to stick the captured pieces on. Works great. If they add a metal strip to the side with the board I might have to buy another set. It would also be nice if one could buy an extra set of pieces.

The board is not set up as shown in the picture. The way the board is placed, each player’s side is split in half by the folding part. Overall construction is flimsy but fair for $8. The magnets are not very strong, no place to put captured pieces.

Update.. I find this VERY useful cause I play solitaire chess. It’s slim enough to place within my game book as a marker. Great purchase!

Scratches, bends if pieces overlap in the middle, shoddy craftmanship, and the stupid color-swapped pieces. =( makes me sad. But for $7.50..? I'd strike it down to about $4.50. Yes, I'm being picky, but any business practice requires such a mindset. I swear it said there was a storage spot for the pieces, too? But I'll just tell you now, the WHOLE thing is hard plastic; No pockets on the sides.

Perhaps the best execution of the "checkbook chess set" in my opinion. Note this is hard plastic. The hinges do not look durable but seem to be holding up fine.