Chess is an ancient game of beauty and aesthetics - it's also a modern game of big business!
In particular there is a huge market for chess sets, and in that market, this one in particular may well be the ugliest chess set ever...The Simpsons Chess Set!
To appreciate the aesthetics of a chess board, you need to think about the game itself.It's a game of mental agility and psychological warfare, and it's the battle element which has bearing on the design of a set of pieces.
The little pawns may seem like cannon fodder, lambs to the slaughter, and indeed that's what they are usually used for in a game, but a single pawn has the ability to turn the whole game.The image of them as little uniform foot soldiers is important.
Then behind the pawns come the big pieces that can move in various different directions, most importantly the King, which has to be protected at all costs, because to lose the King is the end of the game.
On a 'traditional' chess set, all these pieces have standard shapes and designs, you can spot them easily. Nowadays though, as the chess set has become a staple item of any subject that has a big merchandising angle, the basic designs have been lost, and with it the beauty of the pieces.
The worst culprit, and therefore the ugliest chess set in the world...The Simpsons antique set.
Ooh, it's a shocker.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the Simpsons as much as anyone, but the 'antique' chess set has the various characters in various poses, which not only makes it difficult to see which character is actually is, it also makes it hard to work out which chess piece it is.
Chess is hard enough when the pieces get spread out, without having to work out which is your Queen, and which is your Bishop!
Some chess sets are glorious pieces of work, lovely to look at, but unfortunately the Simpsons antique one isn't - and you can see why I think it's the ugliest chess set in the world!
In particular there is a huge market for chess sets, and in that market, this one in particular may well be the ugliest chess set ever...The Simpsons Chess Set!
To appreciate the aesthetics of a chess board, you need to think about the game itself.It's a game of mental agility and psychological warfare, and it's the battle element which has bearing on the design of a set of pieces.
The little pawns may seem like cannon fodder, lambs to the slaughter, and indeed that's what they are usually used for in a game, but a single pawn has the ability to turn the whole game.The image of them as little uniform foot soldiers is important.
Then behind the pawns come the big pieces that can move in various different directions, most importantly the King, which has to be protected at all costs, because to lose the King is the end of the game.
On a 'traditional' chess set, all these pieces have standard shapes and designs, you can spot them easily. Nowadays though, as the chess set has become a staple item of any subject that has a big merchandising angle, the basic designs have been lost, and with it the beauty of the pieces.
The worst culprit, and therefore the ugliest chess set in the world...The Simpsons antique set.
Ooh, it's a shocker.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the Simpsons as much as anyone, but the 'antique' chess set has the various characters in various poses, which not only makes it difficult to see which character is actually is, it also makes it hard to work out which chess piece it is.
Chess is hard enough when the pieces get spread out, without having to work out which is your Queen, and which is your Bishop!
Some chess sets are glorious pieces of work, lovely to look at, but unfortunately the Simpsons antique one isn't - and you can see why I think it's the ugliest chess set in the world!
