I believe that you can never own too many chess sets. There is no way that I am able to play all of them at the same time, but the multitude of opportunities to play chess in life almost facilitates the need for a person with a passion for our game to own multiple sets. In my case, I am a huge fan of small-to-mid range sized sets. My Chessmate Ultima and USCF pocket set are two of my personal favorites. However, I recently came across a new set offered by USCFSales.com that has finally fulfilled my desire for a high-quality, travel-sized tabletop set: the USCF Analysis Combination Set.
The analysis chess set and board combination comes in two styles, although this review focuses mainly on the standard combination board. The other set, which is called the Marshall Series, has a fancier Staunton design, costs $10 more, and in my opinion, is not necessary unless you are purely interested in the aesthetics of your analysis set. The primary style (as I call it), is a small plastic set in the same mold and style as the larger USCF-approved tournament sets. This is one aspect that made this particular chess set very appealing to me. I really like playing on the larger USCF– approved boards and this made it easy to really carry one of them around.
The set is made of high quality plastic and vinyl, which is perfect for a home like mine that is dominated by toddlers. The pieces are very sturdy and I can attest to their survival through multiple “fall tests” on to ceramic tile. The vinyl board is about 14″ x 14″ and is perfect for playing on smaller surfaces. The pieces are not weighted and do not qualify for use in tournament play, but the set itself is perfect for using while watching an instructional DVD or playing a skittles match.
At $5.95 a piece, these chess sets are a perfect addition to anyone’s chess set collection. I have two of these and am considering purchasing more for use with my multiple correspondence games. The pieces also fit the 12″ analysis board from Wholesale Chess, which comes in green, black, and blue. The USCF Analysis set is an excellent combination of portability, durability, and usability for the chess player with limited space.
OffMyChess.com Verdit: ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟