The Story of How My Son Became Familiar With Chess
About a decade ago I was trying to find a way to introduce chess to my son. I managed to play a couple of games against him in order to learn chess but I could notice that he didn’t enjoy the learning process. He was making excuses in order to stop playing and it was obvious that he couldn’t focus to learn a game that he couldn’t win, not to mention that the chess set that we were using, didn’t inspire him. So I had to find a way to make gameplay more enjoyable to him.
Chess players are benefited a lot from the game, their mind becomes more sharp and accurate. Therefore, it was crucial to find the solution to this problem. I searched the web and I found that there were many Harry Potter chess sets for sale. So I bought one of them that looked similar to the set Harry was playing in the first movie. Back then, he adored Harry Potter and had seen many times all the movies that had been released. At a time, he was watching after school one Harry Potter movie every single day for two months! It was the appropriate way to introduce him to the game.
The results were outstanding because, not only he was inspired to play chess with me, but additionally he played with the set in his free time. In order to further inspire him to practice, I gave him one of my books about chess. Ever since chess became a habit to him and he started searching for useful books about the game. This Harry Potter chess set was proved to be an incredible investment.
The Review of My Harry Potter Chess Set
This Harry Potter chess set looks amazing and it is an exact copy of the set depicted in the first movie. The manufacturers have given attention to every detail. There is an artificial aging on the pieces so they would look like those in the movie. The pieces have the proper weight, especially the Rooks, despite the fact that the pieces are made out of plastic. In general, I would prefer other materials instead of plastic because I am not crazy about the feeling of plastic in my hands. That’s something that I don’t like but, the design of the pieces is so impressive that undoubtedly overcomes this setback. My son took close pictures of the pieces in order to make your own conclusions.
Rook
The Rooks are my favorite pieces. The length of them is 4,7 inches. I like the weight of those pieces and the soldier at the top is the icing on the cake.
Knight
The Knights look really nice because as you can see in the picture they are galloping horses. The length of them is 4,3 inches. It certainly has a very beautiful design.
Bishop
The Bishops are the pieces that I like the least. The length of them is 5,3 inches. The design of them is not something unique and creative but I cannot say that they look bad. I think the other pieces look to have something extraordinary and I would like you to share with me your opinion on Bishops, in the comment section.
Queen
The Queens have definitely the most elegant design. The length of them is 4,9 inches. The design reflects the power of these pieces.
King
The Kings have a design that resembles power and dominance. The sword is a great addition and the length of the Kings is 5,3 inches.
Pawn
The Pawns may look simple but I find them really nice. The length is 2,4 inches.
Chessboard
The chessboard is plain and it’s made out of thick cardboard. The chessboard is big and its dimensions are 20×20 inches.
Conclusion
In general, this set has more positive than negative characteristics. The conclusion I have made is subjective and you may have a different one. The advantages are:
- Cool design, just like in the movie
- Right weight and size of the pieces
- Good durability
- Affordable because it offers good value for money
- Excellent for introducing the game to children
The disadvantage is that the pieces are made out of plastic and they don’t look luxurious.
Similar Harry Potter Chess Sets
Amazon.com is has a big variety of chess sets, even on Harry Potter Chess Sets. Unfortunately, the seller who sold me this set doesn’t sell it on Amazon anymore. If you make a little research then, you will find some Harry Potter Chess Sets similar to mine. So, I have made a list of sets that gave me a good impression.
1. Harry Potter Final Challenge Chess Set
Features:
- Dimensions are 20 x 20 x 4,5 inches
- Authentic movie replica crafted by The Noble Collection
- The 32 chess pieces are made to exact detail and measure from 2 1/2″ to 5 1/2″ in height
Conclusion
It’s certainly the best set available and it’s considered a collectible item. It has received many excellent reviews and hardly any bad ones. A Harry Potter fan will adore this set but its price has been doubled compared to the price that I bought it, making it a little bit expensive, given that there are not many items available in the market. Check it out here on Amazon.
2. Original Harry Potter Chess Set from Sorcerer’s Stone Film
The design is extremely similar to the set that I own. There is not that much aging on the pieces but it’s still an amazing looking chess set. The chessboard is similar but different than mine.
Features:
- The pieces are made out of plastic
- Dimensions are 10,5×10,5×2,5 inches
Conclusion
It’ a cool set that has received mainly great reviews. You can find it at an affordable price. Check it out here on Amazon.
3. Harry Potter Wizard Chess Set
Features:
- Dimensions are 10,5×10,5×2,5 inches
- The material of the pieces is plastic
Conclusion
This set has received many positive reviews and it’s affordable. Check it out here on Amazon.
Final thoughts
I hope that you found the story about how my son was motivated to chess as interesting and instructive. We – me and my son – enjoyed a lot the Harry Potter chess set and we are rich with happy memories. In case you want to have a Harry Potter chess set you should consider some parameters. One should buy something that serves completely his needs without spending beyond his budget. I strongly advise you to check Amazon.com, for there are a lot of sets and reviews and make your decision much easier.
Also, on this site, you can find many reviews about Russian, stone and marble chess sets. If you found the article worthy to share I would be obliged to see you sharing with friends. Please do not hesitate to comment. Enjoy the game!