Discussing the Advantages of Automatic Piece Recognition Raphael: Hi, it’s Raphael with Chess House, here to explore the advantages of playing chess against a computer with automatic piece recognition. Joining me is Thomas of Millennium Chess in Germany. Millennium Chess has a well-balanced line of chess computers for your home. Welcome Thomas! Thomas: Hey Raphael, good to see you again. Raphael: I would love to jump right in and talk about what is automatic piece recognition, first of all. Pressure Sensitive Board the Most Common Right Now Thomas: When you make the moves on the chess board, t ..read more

In 2012, a Senator tree in Florida tragically burned and fell to the ground. This wasn’t just any old tree. It happened to be 3500 years old, declared by President Calvin Coolidge as a ‘National Historic Monument’, and a centerpiece of Big Tree Park in Longwood, Florida. If you do the math, this bald cypress was just a sapling during Moses’ time. As he led the Israelites across the Red Sea, this tree was just gaining its roots. Fortunately there was a silver lining. Artist Jeffrey Matter, known for his exquisite work, has helped breathe new life into this tree’s legacy. From the moment the tr ..read more

As someone who has seen many chess board designs over the years and designed some myself, I was curious when Andrew stopped by with a bubinga chess board concept. It appeared to me as quite original. Already a fan of the edgeless “minimal” boards like my own design, the STACK, I thought this unique bubinga chess board deserved a closer look! What I noticed right away was the floating board – exactly Andrew’s goal.  I also liked the contours of the surrounding frame. Like many others, Andrew has enjoyed the richness of Bubinga wood and found a supply. He eagerly grabbed the opportunity t ..read more

We received a new shipment of our most popular 25″ Giant Chess Pieces in the warehouse. Here’s a great deal this week through Saturday 10/21/2017. All you need is a chess mat or suitable playing surface with 12-18″ squares and you’ll have a fantastic play area. To receive price of $474 and free shipping at Chess House 1. add to cart below 2. apply discount code GIANT25 at checkout. If you prefer to order it on Amazon, you can do so here. The post Giant Chess Flash Sale appeared first on Chess House ..read more

RegiumChess almost convinced us. But be warned, it’s a scam. We want to believe this chess computer will exist some day. Sadly, all evidence now points to a sophisticated scam complete with a Kickstarter set to attract cash on February 25. Please do your own due diligence before considering supporting it. Last Saturday, the 22nd of February, Chess House subscribers received an email that essentially gave RegiumChess a generous shout out. Since then, we received overwhelming evidence that RegiumChess is either an outright, crafty fraud or one or more individuals completely incompetent at addre ..read more

If you’ve ever wanted a painted chess set, completely one-of-a-kind, Sydney Gruber may just be the person you’re seeking! Sydney’s work is growing in popularity and she has a number of favorite chess sets at Chess House on which to ply her unique alchemy style. On this page are a few of her most recent works, including the above Staunton design chess set on display at the Kentuck Art Center in Alabama. You can view Sydney’s Artist page on ChessHouse.com to see what designs may be available from Chess House, or you can contact Sydney directly through her website to discuss a custom painted ch ..read more

Two kids, Gabby & Garrett Heller started Chess 4 Charity in 2011 to hold a chess tournament for charity, hoping to raise money for great causes. With their fifth event in October 2017 they not only reached this year’s goal of $7500 for the Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation, they attracted the attention of U.S. Women’s Chess Champion Sabina Foisor.  Chess4Charity 2017 was a huge success with many kids and adults having a fantastic time. All told, since 2011, the Heller kids have now raised about $35,000 for charities. I asked their parents, Brian and Stacey Heller, to share some tips ..read more

In May 1859, American Chess Master Paul Morphy was presented with a pocket watch from the Testimonial Committee of the New York Chess Club as a tribute to his genius and worth. Morphy had recently returned from Europe where his dominant play gave rise to a hero’s welcome back home in America. The watch, made by American Watch Company, was an elegant specimen of art and ingenuity. Unfortunately, it vanished sometime after 1921. Not much is known about what happened to the pocket watch given to Morphy for his achievements; today only the original dial survives, on display at the NAWCC Watch a ..read more

A couple of chess enthusiasts and creative woodworking professionals in Hungary began making a unique wall mounted chess board to solve something they encountered while playing chess. The challenge of keeping the figures in place while playing chess over multiple days was compounded by the reality that their dog also enjoyed the chess figures. Hence they wished a more elevated chessboard on which to make moves while passing by. I caught up with David, co-founder of this new, exploratory venture. They are seeking to make an excellent wall mounted chess board with not just their skills, but in ..read more

In Somerset, England, Berkeley Chess designs and manufactures high quality theme chess. I asked Michael, founder of Berkeley Chess his thoughts on this exciting new venture. “Having spent 14 years in the themed chess business I was well aware of the demand that exists amongst chess players together with their families and friends for a unique gift related to their hobby. Themed chess sets offer a perfect, complementary product which combines an interest in chess with that of history, literature and occasionally whimsical subjects such as movie related topics. I combined the experience that I ..read more