The new LEGO Traditional Chess Set is a clean, simple build. Its squares are colored dark brown and beige, which creates the impression of polished wood. Its pieces match and have a smooth, simple finish.
The length/width of the chess board is 12-by-12 inches—enough space that one can manipulate the pieces without disturbing the ones surrounding it, and can visually distinguish the rows and files. It is, in other words, a chess set that's designed to play chess with, rather than simply look at. And for a LEGO set, that's pretty cool.
You build the chess set as two symmetrical halves—first the "white" side of the board and all the white pieces and then the "black" side of the board and all the black pieces. The two halves fasten together via clasps at the middle of the board.
The chess pieces are attractive—single elements bonded at single connection points to create the castle roofs of the rooks, or the crown element of the queens, or the eyes/ears of the knights. The king, rather than being topped with the traditional cross, has a tiny LEGO Minifigure on its head. It adds a little levity to what is otherwise a straightforward build.
LEGO could have gotten fancier with things, and it has in the past. It could have created "living pieces'' with faces and outfits. It could have jazzed the set up with additional, decorative elements on the board itself.
But as anyone who's ever owned a chess set can attest: Any extra flourishes or gimmicky aesthetics decrease the likelihood that a person will actually play with it. An ornate set becomes a conversation piece and a decorative prop—a facsimile of a chess set rather than an actual chess set.
LEGO didn't want to make a set that sits on a shelf and collects dust. LEGO wants to be a lifestyle brand, fully integrated into the lives of its adult fans.
An adult's LEGO enjoyment must come from more than the act of building itself, or from the initial satisfaction of having completed a set. The common dilemma for any adult who buys LEGO is, "Where am I going to put this after it's done?" LEGO has partially answered this question by integrating sets into home decor, like with the Starry Night set or this art deco skyline of Gotham City.
And that brings us back to the LEGO Traditional Chess set and its utility. When most people play chess—casually or competitively—they use a simple board, with lines that are easy to read and pieces that are easy to identify at glance. And in that way, the build can be a part of a player's life, rather than apart from it.
LEGO Traditional Chess Set, Set #40719, retails for $74.99 is composed of 743 pieces. It is available now at the LEGO Store.
