Chess is an intense battle of intelligence that requires great creativity, problem solving skills, foresight and risk assessment. As such, the game has become an iconic symbol of status and intellect. Mate by Sean Connell is a wall-hanging chessboard that symbolizes the creativity of the game. The board hangs vertically on the wall to provide a new and challenging perspective of the battle field. The design serves as a minimal piece of functional art that allows players to enjoy casual games without having a traditional board stealing table top space or collecting dust in the corner. Another advantage is that Mate fosters community or family involvement by allowing players and an audience to comfortably watch the game. Further, instructors can use the wall-hanging board to teach the game without forcing students to stand around a crowded table looking over someone’s shoulder.
Mate is perfect for chess enthusiasts, casual players or discerning individuals. You cansupport this project on Kickstarter.

Italian portrait photographer Francesco Ridolfi created Chess Portraits fine art series. He shot the same models in contrasting white and black outfits as a “set of archetypes that convey different aspects of human nature”. It took nine months to realise the project, including researching the right period costume for each of the twelve characters. Mr Ridolfi said: “I have always been fascinated about Chess. When I was a child, my father taught me the rules of the game and we used to play together. That said, I’m certainly not an expert on it, but still today I love to play chess with friends. So, probably this is the roots of the whole idea.” Take a look!

Want to play chess with really creative chess set? Then this Skyline chess set is for you! This set recreates the London cityscape over the checkered black and white plane of the beloved, ever-popular board game. Designers Ian Flood and Chris Prosser have translated traditional set pieces into prominent London landmarks, drawing from both the symbolic value of the built form as well as their role on the chess board. Pawns become the quintessential London abode, a humble terraced house; the bishops become the gherkin (50 st. Mary Axe); knights are the all-seeing London eye; the rooks manifest as the iconic Big Ben; the queen is appropriately the most dominant building on the London skyline, Renzo piano’s shard ; finally, the might and presence of the king take on the form of Canary wharf. While the skyline chess set is still in prototype phase, a Kickstarter campaign has been launched to bring the game to the market and offers a full set starting at £75 and a cast metal version starting at £350. “We don’t want to stop at London…..we have visions of global domination! Why not play your home city against that of your friends or family; London vs. Paris, New York vs. Rome, Dubai vs. Shanghai.”

There are plenty creative chess sets developed recently. Today we want to show you another creative example. Developed by Israeli industrial designer Neora Zigler “Chess for the mass” proposes “an alternative solution for existing chess game pieces by implementing current methods for plastic injection manufacturing, while still preserving traditional identification symbols. Prior to modern ages, chess characters were produced using wood turning technologies, which had a direct influence on the shape and form of the pieces. Today they are manufactured mostly by plastic injection molding, yet they still maintain the traditional shapes relevant to wood turning. the “Chess for the mass” components are shaped in a shell-like form fitting the production process, allowing for stackability and compact packaging.” Take a look!

The history of chess is more than 1500 years. It’s the oldest skill game in the world. Ancient chess are represented in the museums in all over the world. They are amazing. But times change. Nowadays modern art gives the artist more leeway in technical execution as well as concept expression and arrangements of design elements. There are no strict rules and obligations the artists must stick to. Today we have compiled a list of the most fancy and stylish chess sets modeled by different designers. Some of them you can buy though they might cost you a handful of loose diamonds. Some exists in a single copy. Enjoy!