Maztermind Premium Chess Set
Maztermind.com

MAZTERMIND – THE COMPANY

Founded in Vietnam, Maztermind is made up of a group of designers and artisans with a passion for creating handmade, high-end traditional board games. Reaching Internationally, Maztermind has built a catalog of timeless games with an emphasis on component quality and craftsmanship. You’ll find unique, custom made games, each with their own story and made from premium material available for order from their website and all with their own unique flair.

I recently had the opportunity to review their Premium Chess set. My daughter has caught the chess bug and it was appealing since I knew playing on a high-end board would only encourage her interest.

PREMIUM LOOK & FEEL

My initial impression of the Premium Chess Set was of a black case with the “Maztermind” etched on the cover. It’s wasn’t totally over the top, but it still had a high-end feel and it did give a bold first impression.

Opening the case, I was immediately blown away with the quality like a breath of fresh air blown into the pieces while still retaining their classic nuances. The board itself is made of a beautiful walnut wood. It’s heavy, soft and smooth to the touch. The board is 280mm x 280mm x 54mm and is checkered with black and white PU leather. Contouring the play area is a copper strip creating a rich, elegant border.

The game pieces rest inside the case sealed with a magnetic closure. The game pieces are made from a resin-concrete with a copper base. The sculpts are clean and traditional and feel amazing. They’re heavy and gently cling to the leather play area. The resin-concrete texture is completely different from any marble or glass chess pieces—providing a unique chess playing experience. Specific pieces (the king, queen and bishops) have an additional touch of gold paint tying it into the polished copper base. Each piece has its place, cut custom in the interior of the board—made from a quality, black foam—ensuring the pieces are protected and don’t rattle around.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

As I mentioned previously, we had recently begun playing more chess at my house because my daughter has really gotten into it. I do think chess is an underrated game and was thrilled to see its revival thanks in part to the Queen’s Gambit mini-series on Netflix a year or so ago. That being said, you can only get so excited about playing with cheap plastic pieces on a folded cardboard play area. This new board has completely removed that ceiling making each game a real pleasure to enjoy,

The craftsmanship here is incredibly solid. The board and pieces feel great to the touch. I love their weight and textures all around. The copper bases of each chess piece provides a nice contrast to the resin-concrete feel of the individual molds and provides a deeper connection with each move. I really appreciate how the board is both heavy and sturdy, but feels soft to the touch. There is definitely an underlying satisfaction knowing everything is hand-crafted. The best gifts are those handcrafted and handpicked by you and the Mastermind Chess Set will certainly elevate your home decor.

Maztermind also provided a domino set that could easily have its own write up. Each domino is made of walnut wood, wrapped in heat-stamped, waxed leather and foil stamped with the domino values. If you’re into dominos, this is certainly the way to live it up. Did I mention it comes in a walnut case with an embossed, leather cover?

Overall, playing on the Maztermind’s Premium Chess Set is a luxurious experience that really elevates each game. Having a chess set of this quality available has definitely encouraged us to play more of this classic game.

ORDER YOURS

I would highly encourage you to visit maztermind.com and browse their selection. They have some amazing videos showing their handmade process and they carry a decent variety of products, including some that you may not be familiar with. Their shipping process was quick and everything was really well packaged for protection. Obviously these are great for you and your family, but they will make a great gift for the gamer in your life. Order now and get the following:

• Free international shipping

• 3-5 business days shipping time

• 15% off for the first order