“Chess is a war over the board. The object is to crush the opponent’s mind.” – Bobby Fischer

This is the attitude we took when designing CHESSFORBLITZ©. A friendly game of chess is an oxymoron. Chess is a battle of minds. It is like boxing, in that each opponent strikes out at the other and protects themselves in the process. Fischer saw it that way and even expressed outrage that people would pay millions to see physical boxing but pay nothing to see the mental pugilism of a chess match.

Beautiful combinations, sacrifices, and tactics fascinate and win the affection of chess players around the world. But fury, aggression, and frenzy often characterize blitz chess, especially in the last seconds of the game. It is this sense of struggle that informs each part of our CHESSFORBLITZ© set.

Staunton Design

Chess sets can be quite beautiful. Heavy, artistically rendered pieces are a pleasure to play with. Detailed figurines can add a dash of realism to the game, reminiscent of the warfare that it’s meant to simulate. That’s great for casual play but blitz chess demands function over form. And in terms of function, the Staunton design is a perfect model.

Staunton pieces are the perfect balance of simplicity and differentiation. They are broadly familiar but have distinct designs for lightning-fast recognition. Beyond that, they are made to be easily moved and stable enough for the rapid placement needed in blitz play. We’ve picked up where Staunton left off in 1849 by fine-tuning this iconic chess set for the aggression of blitz game.

Overall Design

CHESSFORBLITZ© pieces are steel weights coated with thick polymer shells. The consistent internal weight eliminates the need for glue and prevents rattling. The uniformity of internal weight also creates a pleasing balance, particularly when taking pieces. To synchronize muscle memory, the Knight, Bishop, and Rook all have identical weights.

The polymer used in production is unique – it exhibits many desirable mechanical and thermo-physical properties which no other polymer has. It offers high tensile and impact strength, exceptionally high abrasion resistance with minimal wear and tear and very good tribological properties (adhesion to steel weight). Other interesting properties include excellent hydrolysis resistance, very low water absorption, high barrier properties against fuel and oxygen, and outstanding chemical resistance. In other words, the chess pieces will remain clean and good looking. To preserve the color, the direct sunlight should be avoided. We believe that the multiple polymer’s advantages outweigh this only concession. 

The polymer shell is glossy and finely detailed. It is hard enough to prevent chipping and fully encapsulates the inner weight, eliminating the need for a bottom cover. 

We are the only manufacturer that offers this design due to complexity and time-consuming production. It is much easier and faster for other manufacturers to turn on the machine and stamp 40 parts per minute. Then they put the weight in and glue the lid. No one cares that this structure will fall apart soon. We have a different approach and focus on quality despite the fact that the production of one part takes 30 times longer.

Our manufacturing process ensures the appeal and durability of the pieces, but we didn’t stop there. Each individual piece required its own design changes. Let’s get into the adjustments we made.

Our Knight

Our knight is a pride of the set – it has the same diameter base as rooks and bishops giving it the equal stability. Staunton chess pieces are faceless and the only piece that could express both emotions and the true nature of chess is the Knight. Our Knight portrays them in full measure and its stern look exemplifies the relentless determination needed for chess mastery.

– The base is broadened for more stability

– The ears have been cropped to reduce poking

– The head size has been increased to facilitate grabbing

– These adjustments boost its suitability for blitz chess.

Our Queen

The Queen is the most dangerous piece on the board. It presents the greatest threat but also the greatest promise for victory. As such, both Queens must be maximally visible to attend to threats and exploit opportunities. To respond to this, we’ve given the Queens opposite-color crowns. This extra contrast highlights the deadly importance of this piece and will help you better use it to devastate your opponent. The Queen’s crown has also been smoothed to cut down on poking.

 Traditional design

Our design

Our King

It is a well known fact that size matters. Pertaining to blitz chess, it is the king’s size. Pieces must be tall enough to be grabbed easily and small enough for any two pieces to be comfortably taken with one hand. In our 5 years of dedicated play, we’ve found that 3.5 inches is the ideal height for this piece. This quarter inch shortening from the typical King height cuts down on the bulk of the piece, making for faster, smoother movement without sacrificing visibility. Reflecting the King’s ultimate vitality, we’ve also given him an opposite-color crown.

Our Pawn

The Pawn is the piece you will move the most. As such, it will suffer the most wear. Our Pawn’s skirt has been thickened to cut down on chipping.

Traditional design

Our design

Our Rook

Rooks have a bad habit of losing their crenelations. To strengthen their defenses (and yours) we’ve given the Rook’s crown four stout blocks that will resist crumbling.

Traditional design

                                             

Our design

The Carrying Case

If your mind is addled before you begin a match, you’re starting with a disadvantage. To stay focused on your way to play you need a good carrying case.

Our carrying case balances weight, comfort, and protection so that your mind is free of frustration before playing.

-Foam insert keeps pieces in place to reduce rattling and weight-shifting

-Formed shell provides lightweight protection from bumps and crushing

-Durable, synthetic wrapping resists scrapes and holds up to outdoor elements

-Ample space to store a vinyl board. 

The foam inside the upper lid serves as a press to keep the pieces in place. It can be easily removed and substituted by a roll up board folded three times. 

For many, the case is an afterthought. For us, it is a critical factor for ensuring that you’re in the optimal mindset to dominate your matches.  

The Bottom Line

Blitz chess is a crucible. It demands absolute performance and punishes weakness, whether mental or physical. If you want to improve your blitz game, you need to attend to both the physical and mental aspects of play.

That is what we set out to do with CHESSFORBLITZ© and that is precisely what we’ve done. If you are as dedicated to mastering the game as we are then you need this set. It resolves the problems of physical chess play so that your mind can focus on dominating the game.

After all, your rivals are us.