John N. Hansen: Chess 4, Black

This is like Chess, but it has never been so different. I bought this to play with my friends at the chess club. everyone was quite blown away about the fact that it could be played up to four people! the contents are depicted by the picture of the board. there is board, a small guide on how to play, and four chess colors to choose from (white, black, silver, and, gold).the game starts out like any other chess game, but it changes really quick. one move can put someone in check while at the same time leave a gap behind your defenses (vice-versa). the game can be played individually or by teams, either way it leads to a thrilling game because you do not really know what might happen even though you are an experienced player or not.the game really does feel like the box depicts it, a WAR haha. it's a war because of the teamwork, you have to work silently and know each others movements because the other team can hear you. Another reason is because of betrayal. if the party of players does happen to play individually, you might think someone is helping you, but at the last second they have check/ checkmated you (or two people at the same time). This is what i meant by the game being played individually or by teamwork.It is truly a fun game to enjoy. I had lots of fun with my friends and i definitely recommend this to any chess lover, the reason is because it's a new refreshing way to play.The Pros:a whole new way to play chessa glossy and shiny boardfine crafted piecesThe Cons:The placement of the carpet material on the bottom of the pieces are slightly not centered (some are misplaced)To anyone reading this, the Cons are something that didn't really bother me. I just fixed it myself by taking them out and putting them in the center. I am so glad i bought this, to me the quality of the product is superb, but what's more amazing is the laughs and memories you will enjoy with your friends and family.

Oh boy. What an excellent item this was to buy. First and foremost, this set is an amazing buy if you have at least 3 friends that also love playing chess. It's very easy to pick up the style of play but incredibly difficult to be strategic against 3 opponents. This is a good thing since it adds a thrilling new dimension to the game. A great gift for avid players.Pros:This set can either be a 4 person game or 2 1 vs. 1 games if you have an extra board.Can provide endless hours of entertainment and critical thinking with skilled players.Very nicely weighted pieces.Board folds up into a quarter of the 4 person size for easier storage.--> Full board is 20" x 20", folds into 10" x 10"Board has a nice glossy finish and marble appearance.4 person board also has a 1 vs. 1 board on the back in case you don't have 4 players and still want to play a game.Cons:The glossy finish, in direct sunlight, can make it easier to miss pieces that are on the board, leading to mistakes in the moves made.4 person games, in my experience, have taken about an hour at minimum to finish, so it's not really something you can do on a break or between classes.Final word:Buy it if you enjoy strategic thinking and have enough other players to make use of it. I'm a college student who bought it for a group of friends who play chess a lot and we all agree it's a great thing to have for our down time.

Let me break this down to different parts:The Chess Pieces:1. Size is perfect2. Design & looks are interesting & yet recognizable.3. Color is good4. Although it's plastic, the weight is still ok, it can sit still on the board.The Board:1. Nice durable & sturdy carton.2. Can be folded into quarter of its size.3. The seams are not noticeable when you unfold it.4. The design looks good except the artwork on each square that's sometimes giving me the dizzy feeling when i look at it for too long.The Game:This is the best feature of this product - i've been playing Chess for over 30 years & the concept of this game is G-R-E-A-T...just like the description on the box- it's not just a game, it's a WAR! I suggest that you may want to revised the rule just like what other reviewers had mentioned esp when a player conquered a "kingdom". And since this could be a great game for a party, I'm planning to create my own version of this game with larger pieces & not so dizzy game board. I already ordered a Staunton Chess pieces which of course will come in Black & white; then I will order another similar set & will dye it with a different color like Gold & Silver. I recommend this to anyone who is a Chess afficionado, not for novice peeps. Hope this helps...I'm getting one for my Chess Buddy who lives in Australia!

This is exactly what my friends and i have been waiting for. A game of chess with more people. It get quite crazy and epic once you get into it. The only thing keeping me from giving this product a 5 Star Rating is the rules page. It needs just a bit more detail to end certain confusions first timers may have. All in all great game, concept, and product.

Fun game for the family (we have five kids) and the quality (plastic pieces) is adequate for the price. Also has a regular chessboard on the opposite side. We play the four-way chess game with the extra rules that a pawn can move in any of the four straight directions and attack in any of the four diagonal directions. We also play that if you checkmate an opponent, then his remaining pieces on the board come under your control. We also sometimes play "Warrior King" chess where the king can attack like a queen and a knight but the object of the game is to kill all your opponents pawns.The game play starts out a little slow at first as you get your pieces out in the field. And then it becomes a Game of Thrones free-for-all with alliances being quickly formed and then maybe some backstabbing later on.