How To Play Travel Chess

Chess is a marvelous game: it's perfect for the elementary school set and the elderly, and all ages in between. Success is not dependent on the role of a dice or a knack for remembering trivia. Players’ ability to plan strategy, think a few moves ahead and get inside the minds of their opponents determine whether they live or die on the chess board.  

There is no better game to be played by the fireplace, at the dining room table, on the front porch – and, yes, while traveling. Travel chess games, compact yet complete, are convenient to use in the backseat of a car or on a tour bus. They are perfect carry-on items for airplanes, and can be easily transported to the beach or a park bench. Travel chess games can go anywhere, and they can be enjoyed by everyone.   

Travel chess sets come in different materials; they are usually made of wood or plastic, and are often magnetic. For those who like the challenge of playing against a computer, there are also electronic travel chess sets. Travel chess games come in every price range – from the inexpensive version found on a shelf at the dollar store to the high-end model available at a quality gift store. It’s strictly the buyer’s choice.  No matter the price – as long as the set includes two armies, one black and one white, with each consisting of one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns, the travel chess game fits the bill. No decision to purchase a travel chess game can ever be wrong.  The rules are exactly the same as for standard chess, and most travel chess games come with a self-contained storage area to reduce the chance of losing pieces.

Children quickly get bored with playing cards, counting how many red cars they see or identifying out-of-state license plates on the interstate. Chess allows them to interact with a friend or sibling in a game that is far more challenging and much more intellectually stimulating than handheld video games.

Travel chess can make time speed by in airports when a flight is delayed, when the hotel room isn’t ready or when it’s not quite the appointed hour for dinner. Instead of watching the minutes creep by or spending the time frivolously, you can gain intellectual stimulation and get your competitive juices flowing with a friendly game of travel chess.

Chess never goes out of style, and it’s always in good taste. So a travel chess game will not be used just once, put in a drawer and forgotten. - it will become a necessary item on every travel list, as indispensable as a toothbrush.