Children's Chess

A chess set that assumes you cannot play chess, which is a refreshing change.

Most chess sets sold for children are just small chess sets, which is not the same thing as a way in. This one is built around the teaching problem: the board carries diagrams printed on both sides showing the pieces and how each of them moves, so the reference sits under the game rather than in a booklet somebody has already lost. Made in India by Creative Educational Aids, on FSC board.

The pack is a play board, a set of chessmen and a fully illustrated book covering the pieces, their moves and the fundamentals. It will not satisfy anyone who already knows what an en passant is, and it is not meant to. What it does is get a seven-year-old from nothing to a genuine game without an adult needing to remember the rules first, which is the actual obstacle in most households.

Perfect for: The parent who was taught chess badly once and has quietly avoided the subject ever since.

2 players | Board, pieces and illustrated book | Age 7+