The timeless game of chess has been through so many makeovers that these 69 chess-inspired innovations barely scratch the surface. The game of wits opens itself up beautifully to so many adaptations. From famous cartoon characters to edible versions, the game of chess continues to show its relevance.
Since chess was often considered a gentleman’s past time, it is not surprising that various luxury versions of the classic set have made such a splash. More of a show piece than a plaything, these opulent board games allude to excessive wealth and a cultured sensibility. If a game can say that, it’s no small wonder pricey chess sets sell like hot cakes.
With so many possibilities, this ever adaptable mindgame will continue to stand the test of time handily. I’m sure Bobby Fisher would be proud, whereever he is.
69 Chess-Inspired Innovations
From Portraits of Historical Female Icons to Monstrous LEGO Games:
Susan Keefe — Oct 23, 2011 — Life-Stages
69
15 Awesomely Original Chess Sets
From Weapon Wrought Chess Sets to Mind Games for Gamers
68
Portraits of Historical Female Icons
‘Regal Twelve' by Alexia Sinclair
67
20 Beatlemania Breakthroughs
Beatles Merchandise From Finger Drums to Fab Four Footwear
66
Sci-Fi Robot Games
The Star Wars Droid Chess Set Pits C-3PO Against R2-D2
65
Nerdy Chess Sets
The LEGO Star Wars Chess Set is to Be Played by Dedicated Geeks
64
Disappearing Chess Pieces
The Alice Chess Set
63
$224,000 Chess Sets
186ct Diamond Chess Set is for Serious (Rich) Players
62
Edible Strategy Games
The PIKDA Chessboard Feeds Guests With Food and Fun
61
$40,00 Chess & $27,000 Backgammon Sets
Renault F1 Team Collection
60
Luminous Board Games
Brent Blake's Electric Chess Set Will Give You an Electrifying Experien
59
Glowing Geek Games
The LED Checkers and Chess Set Gives Classic Games a Bright Twist
58
Extravagant Chess Set
Diamonds & Gold Don't Play Games
57
Fantasy Chess Sets
The Pirates vs. Ninjas Checker Set Spices Games Up
56
Massive Chess Sets
Spanish Designer Jaime Hayon Creates 'The Tournament' Board Game
55
Fashion-Forward Board Games
The Hammond Chess Set from Ralph Lauren is One Luxurious Design
54
Chess Robots With Fake Arms
Novag 2Robot Chess Game
53
Stylish Strategy Games
Strategize Stylish Moves With the Paul Smith Chess Set
52
Mind-Blowing Block Games
The 4,000 Piece LEGO Chess Set by Derek Seiple
51
Green Chess
Recycled Auto Part Chess Set
50
Musical Board Games
The Vacuum Tube Chess Set by Paul Fryer is a Vintage Marvel
49
Picturesque Board Games
The Samurai Chess Set Has a Built-In Zen Garden
48
Doubly Nerdy Games
The LEGO 'Empire Strikes Back' Chess Set
47
Strategy Game Furniture
The Flipboard Chesstable Makes Your House Feel Like a Park
46
LEGO Strategy Games
The Mini LEGO Chess Set by Akunthita
45
Minimalist Logic Games
The Naef Bauhaus Chess Set Values Mind Over Material Matter
44
3D Chessboards
Ji Lee Turns Chess Into an Epic Battle
43
Gameboards for Extreme Conditions
New Wave Chess & Checkers
42
Yard-Sized Board Games
Chess Pieces Fit for an Alice in Wonderland Game Experience
41
Mind Games for Gamers
Super Mario Chess is the Ultimate in Geeky Gifts
40
Architectural Strategy Games
The Calatrava Chess Set Features Designs from the Famous Architect
39
Beefed-Up Board Games
Childhood Entertainment Gets Touch of High Class
38
Hair Clip Chess Pieces
The Mirage Portable Chess Set Clips Back Those Hair Complaints
37
Sci-Fi Strategy Games
The Aliens Deluxe Chess Set is Perfect for Aliens Superfans
36
Woodcut Game Sets
The Sustainable Chess Set is Made from Only One Sheet of Plywood
35
Wall-Mounted Board Games
Straight Up Chess
34
Weapon-Wrought Games
The Bullet Chess Set Features Pieces Made from .223 Caliber Shells
33
Monstrous LEGO Games
This Monster Chess LEGO Set is Electronically Controlled
32
Thinking Tables
The AI Chess Table
31
Whiskey Strategy Games
The Jack Daniel's Chess Set is a Superior Drinking Game
30
Stylish Board Games
Brass Skeleton Key Chess Set For the Fashionably Competitive
29
Decadent Chessboards
Chocolate Chess Provides Winner With a Treat
28
Board Game Art
Extraordinarily Creative Artworks Inspired by the Classic Game of Chess
27
Micro Videogame Masterpieces
The Legend of Zelda Chess Set by Ben Howard Brings Life to the Board
26
Cubist Chess Sets
Jaroslva Jurica Designs the Game After Pavel Janak´s Architecture
25
Sweet Strategic Games
The Confectionary Chess Board Cake by DahliaCakes is Delicious
24
Minimalist Board Games
The Cardboard Chess by Londji is Made Entirely from Cardboard
23
Atypical Board Games
Alessia Mazzarella Creates the Wittiest Chess Set of Them All
22
Illuminated Strategy Games
The LED Chess & Checker Set Lets You Play Nocturnally
21
Charitable Automotive Games
The Bentley Chess Set Gets Auctioned off for a Good Cause
20
Revolutionary Chess Sets
Democratic Chess Makes the Classic Strategy Game Fairer for the Pawns
19
Blinged-Out Board Games
The Static vs Kinetic Chess Set has Beauty and Brains
18
Greek-Inspired Strategy Games
The Krisztian Griz Chess Set is Architecturally Sound
17
Interactive Luxury Chess Sets
Make Your Move on the Hi-Tech Barbara Kruger Chess Set
16
Photographers' Strategy Games
The LensRental Chess Set Pits Nikon Against Canon
15
Compact Chess Sets
Lanier Graham Designs Minimalistic Chess Pieces for Easy Traveling
14
Chainmail Chess Sets
David Austin Captures the Past for a Classic Game Remake
13
Solo Strategy Games
Solitaire Chess Hones Your Knowledge and Skill of the Game
12
Chess Boxing
Rocky Balboa Vs Bobby Fischer
11
Political Strategy Games
The America VS. Taliban Chess Set Lets You Checkmake Bin Laden with Bush
10
Trickster Gameboards
Trapdoor Checkers Game Features Strategic 'Potholes'
9
Edible Chess Sets
Play Your Game and Eat it Too
8
Play With Ringo's Hands
Luxury Chess Set
7
Celestial Chess Sets
Jerod Hugghins Designs a Chess Set Similar to Battleship
6
Guiding Game Pieces
The Intuitive Chess Set Helps You Remember All the Moves
5
Strategy Game Bottle Plugs
The Chess Piece Wine Stopper Checks Open Bottles of Pinot
4
Themed Chess Sets
Hockey, Fishing, Cowboys & More
3
Bicycle Chess
3 Person Bikes: Built for 2 Players and a Driver
2
Chessboard Clocks
This Clock Makes You Feel Like a Grandmaster
1
Virtual Chess Games
The DIY Internet Chess Table Uses a Webcam to Transfer Your Moves
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Nostalgic Game-Inspired Timepieces
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A Long-Lost Work from Gustav Klimt Will Embark on a Global Tour
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Show-Inspired Collectible Dolls
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Chocolate Chess Sets
Compartés Created a Luxurious, Edible Chess Set for Chocolate Lovers
Luxurious Luggage Chess Boards
Rimowa Launches a Chess Set That Attaches to its Luggages
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Doll-Inspired Coffee Table Books
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Collectible Plush Board Games
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Multifunctional Magnetic Folding Tables
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Creativity Time Capsules
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Fishy Tabletop Card Games
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LEGO Introduces New Sets to the Botanical Collection
Immersive Jigsaw Puzzles
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Digital Board Game Tables
The Arena from Game Theory Tables Enables Smart Tabletop Gaming
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Wigiwama Presents the Dynamic Moon Chair in Various Hues
Collectible Game-Inspired Props
Minecraft Taps The Noble Collection for a New Collectible Capsule
Foldable Gaming Consoles
This Game Boy Flip Concept Pushes the Boundaries of Handheld Gadgets
Detailed Ceramic Book Vases
Biblio Bloom Vases are Inspired by Timeless Literary Classics
All-in-One Anime Card Games
The Pokemon Trading Card Game Classic is Ready to Play
Fairy Tale-Inspired Puzzle Sets
LEGO Creates Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ Cottage
Architecturally Inspired Chess Sets
Element Visual Studio Designs the Baku Chess Set
War-Inspired 3D-Printed Chess Sets
Cuibiono Designs the Stackable Kindachess – S Set
Pink-Hued Furniture Collaborations
The Barbie x Kartell Chairs Mark the Toy's 65th Anniversary
Award-Winning Magnetic Building Sets
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Art-Centric Dynamic Gaming Chairs
Herman Millers Presents the Artful Embody Gaming Chairs
Board Game-Themed Fashions
The Shoe Palace x Monopoly Collection Includes an Array of Styles
Luxe Luggage Chess Sets
The Rimowa Chess Attache Supports Discerning Traveling Chess Masters
Family-Focused Learning Toys
Chick-fil-A Debuts a Family Game Brand to Inspire Family Playtime
Historical Humankind Coffee Books
Hungry Minds Presents The Book to Nurture Childlike Curiousity
Horror Franchise Board Games
The SAW: The Jigsaw Trials Board Game is for Two to Six Players
Gen Z-Focused Board Games
Mattel Launches Scrabble Together for Non-Competitive Gen Z Consumers
Miniature Toy Billiards Table
Golden Eye Designs a LEGO Vintage Billiards Table
Dream-Centric Toy Guides
The LEGO Group Calls Attention to Its Dream Crafting Concept
Organized Gaming Storage Cabinets
Bauhutte Presents a Special Cabinet for Game Accessories
Cartoon Cat Board Games
Hello Kitty®: Day at the Park Comes with a Limited Edition Figurine
Brainteaser Advent Calendars
The Project Genius Advent Calendar Shares 12 Days of Puzzles
Game-Inspired Playable Puzzle Sets
The Tetris Solid LEGO Set is Impressively Playable
Villainous Board Game Campaigns
The Monopoly All is Fair Campaign Leans into Competition
Multifunctional Game Sets
The 'LEGO' Group is Merging Physical and Digital Play
Updated Traditional Game Experiences
Admiral Clash Reimagines Battleship in New Angle
Whimsically Designed Hotel Interiors
Dorothée Meilichzon Designs the Cowley Manor Experimental
Lego-Themed Escape Rooms
'Lost' Invites Players to Select One of Two Immersive Storylines
Pop Art Skateboard Capsules
THE SKATEROOM Unveils a Collection Inspired by Roy Lichtenstein
Whimsical LEGO Sets
LEGO® Wicked™ Sets Draw Inspiration from the Upcoming Musical Event Film
Wizard-Themed Board Games
The Monopoly Harry Potter Edition is Hogwarts-Inspired
Multiple Dice-Inspired Digital Watches
Timestop Introduces a Look at Its D-20 Digital Watch
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Chess Club Pop-Ups
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Mint-Tonal Retro Radios
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Jelly Bean-Inspired Toy Collections
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Historical Architecture Game Blocks
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Magnetic Building Tiles
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Retro Arcade-Themed Capsules
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AI-Powered Drawing game
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Timeless Furniture Series
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Pirate Bento Games
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Wireless Clock Charger Concepts
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Inclusive Colorblind-Accessible Games
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Witchy Toy Building Sets
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Dynamic Expanding Design Series
James de Wulf Adds More Designs to the Ongoing Exo Series
Superhero Headquarter Puzzle Sets
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Interactive Entertainment Board Games
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Chess-Style Puzzle Games
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Phone Puzzle Games
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Colorblind-Accessible Games
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Spiritual Film-Inspired Board Games
Beetlejuice Ouija from Op Games Celebrates the Bio-Exorcist
Captivating Maze-Solving Games
Maze Mastermind Tasks Players with Escaping in Less than 10 Moves