Ultimate Tournament Chess Set with New Silicone Chess Mat, Canvas Bag and Super Triple Weighted Chessmen with 4" King

This is probably the best value tournament chess set you can buy. I have previously purchased a tournament chess set, also by Wood Expressions, that was about half the price of this one but the quality was very much lacking due to badly molded pieces and extremely smelly vinyl mat. That set is no longer in my possession so I decided to try this one, and I paid a premium for the expectation of better quality pieces that are also triple weighted and a mat that does that smell of dangerous, invasive chemicals.To my horror, the same smell, albeit not as strong, emanated from the canvas bag upon opening. Before contemplating whether I should return this set, I laid out the chess mat to let the smell dissipate. I proceeded to inspect the pieces. The pieces were indeed better quality with no badly molded edges. The weight of the pieces were...a bit lighter than I expected for triple weight. Also, the weight of some of the pieces seemed lighter than others you would expect to be heavier. For example, the rooks felt...heavier and more "solid" than the queen and king. Perhaps that is just because the piece is just "stockier." It's not a huge problem though. My biggest gripe with any of the pieces is the fact that the Queen's "crown" is very sharp. It is apparently brittle too since the four queens that came with the set were wrapped with business cards that the seller hand cut and attached using rubber bands. It's a bit unprofessional to see that, but is it necessary to really make the queen's crown so sharp and brittle? I'm overall much happier with the pieces compared to the ones within Wood Expression's standard single weight pieces included in their base sets. Now what happened to the chess mat? After letting it "dry out" next to a window for three days the smell finally left the mat. Thus, my biggest fear with this set was fixed. I don't know what chemicals were sprayed onto the chess mat, but it was probably completely unnecessary. The feel of the mat though is very nice. It has a rubbery consistency that can be stretched without being deformed. This silicon material can probably be washed too if it ever gets dirty.I don't have much to say about the canvas bag since I haven't had the opportunity to use it. It seemed like the same bag you would get with WE Games' cheaper sets. From the set I had earlier, the zippers seemed a bit flimsy. The bag does have nice accommodations like pockets for a clock and writing utensils.Now, what about the price? Do I think it's worth the $50 to $60 that it goes for? No. It's a bit of a premium price to pay for a chess set, but I did want to get something nice since I will be using it for a lifetime; this checks off all my criteria too. I just think it's worth somewhere in the range of $30 to $40.I would recommend this chess set only if you cannot stand the chemical smell from the vinyl mats of cheaper set, desire better crafted pieces that are triple-weighted, want the convenience of portability from the canvas bag, and are okay with paying a premium for these benefits.Pros:Well-crafted piecesBest material for a roll-up chess matCons:Invasive chemical smell on the chess matQueen's crown is unnecessarily sharpPrice is a bit high for my expectations

I've wanted to replace my last "in the truck, vist a friend, impromptu game" set. That set was well used but misplaced. A brown zippered vinyl bag with a loop at the bottom holding a green vinyl roll-up board. Inside just enough room for a 3 1/2" Ultimate triple weighted set, a pen and a scoresheet binder. I ordered the 4" Ultimate triple-weighted set combo. The carry bag is well constructed and roomy enough for the board and 34 piece set. There is also a space to hold a chess colck securely. The Staunton pieces are tall with wide bases perfectly fitting 2-1/4" square spaces, my favorite for slow play. The silicon board does what they are known for. I crumpled it with my hands several times then placed it on a table. It laid down flat as if it were part of its surface. Silicone has an almost tacky feel so this board would not be best for quick or especially blitz games. I also wonder how easily it will hold dirt and grime. I like a clean board and the vinyl types were easy to remove the effects of use with mild soap and water. For quick games I'd prefer a mouse pad type for low drag and fast moves along with the 3-1/2" Ultimate set. There are trade-offs with the different types of boards and pieces. Overall, I was satisfied with my purchace.

The silicone is great. It lays flat on the table even after it has been rolled up for months. Other boards turn up at the end and the pieces fall over.The pawns and pieces have a nice heft to them.Worth the price I paid.

I just received my chess set today and its great.... except for the that opens access to the bag. It cheap and fell apart after trying to open the bag. The three pockets inside are great but not large enough to hold all of the same colored pieces in one compartment. The pieces come in a sturdy Ziploc type bag and that should keep them just fine for now.I'm going to have a local alterations shop replace the cheap zipper with a heavy duty one. Other than that I am pleased with the purchase and the set is just what I wanted, something portable with weighted pieces.Also came with extra black and white queens which is convenient.4 out of 5 Stars because of the cheap zipper.

We have purchased other travel sets by this manufacturer. They have been nice but I wanted better pieces and board. And while the pieces and board were nicer, they still lack that feel of quality that makes you feel you have the best available in that pricing range. The case was well designed and good material but the zippers were very cheap and broke within a couple weeks of use. I am paying somebody to sew in a YKK zipper so the bag may be usable. So on the one hand, my high expectations have not been met and we have had a few problems. But on the other hand, I am not unsatisfied with having purchased this set; it meets its function with a little bit of work and expense on my part. I would wish this company would improve their product and earn five stars. But I would still be willing to buy from them knowing they have only earned three stars. If you understand this, then I would recommend this set over others we have seen and purchased.

Just know that while silicone lays flat and is washable and feels great when you put a weighted piece down on it, it is prone to some heavy static and animal hair and dirt will jump onto it. It washes easily so it's not a big deal. The pieces are excellent. Great size and weight with a classic shape. The bag is exactly the right size. I recommend keeping the plastic tube they send for wrapping the board otherwise the bag is pretty floppy.

Really great set. We read reviews and immediately filed down the points on the queen pieces before giving them to our 7 year old grandson. I thought I had ordered the black board, but it came green, which is ok. The case is nice, but should have two compartments for the pieces rather than three, not sure why they built it that way. Overall, it is a great beginner set, weighted and easy to use.

La entrega es muy rápida, el producto es de buena calidad y todo viene muy bien, a mi me gustó pero lo pedí para regalar a mi esposo pues él quería un triple weighted. Cuándo lo recibió mi esposo me comentó que no estaba seguro de que fuera Triple Weighted, aparte de que al revisar la caja después no estaba marcada la casilla en la que se indica el tipo peso. Sin embargo le gustó y decidió quedárselo pero sí con esa duda del peso.

Muy buena calidad y un precio competitivo para todo lo que incluye, en la maleta cabe perfectamente un reloj y una libreta , lo unico malo es que el tablero aunque es de silicon, si le quedan unas marcas a consecuencia del tiempo almacenado pero minimas en comparación con tableros de vinil, la sensacion de las piezas de triple peso es fenomenal

NO RECIBI LO QUE PEDÍ, Y ME COBRARON UNA CANTIDAD AL HACER EL PEDIDO Y AHORA DICEN QUE ME DEVOLVERÁN MENOS DE LO QUE ME COBRARON

El tablero si es de silicon, el rey si mide 4 pulgadas, el peso de todas las piezas es de 1600 grs. La caja viene marcada como "standard chessmen", no como "triple weighted chessmen ". La caja viene marcada como "green board" pero es negro. La bolsa es de lujo. Me quedo con la duda de las piezas. ¿Serán las piezas "triple weighted"?