Chess is one of those games that people seem to really love or really hate. My older children have been playing off and on for several years but it was always too challenging for my five-year-old son even though he wanted to play with them. You can imagine this created a bit of drama in our house at times, which is why I was delighted to give Fun Family Chess by Brain Blox a try.
When the game arrived, they were excited to unbox it, check it out, and get started. They loved how it all fit together inside of the box and I loved how it was sturdy and durable (with four kids, I don’t need games that are easily destroyed). The contrast of the black and white pattern made it eye-catching and appealing.
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There were two sets of instructions included with the Fun Family Chess set. The first set was for a simplified game that is a great introduction to chess. In this game you use a special die that tells you which piece to move instead of using more strategy to determine your next move. There are also two reference cards which show how each piece can move to help players get used to the various pieces. The board itself is a wooden board that folds in the middle to create a box to hold the pieces, die, and reference cards. It is painted black and white and the pieces are also black and white. Also, if you prefer, there are video instructions located on their website to help with any questions.
We had the opportunity to play the game multiple times over the last few weeks. The older children played against each other, taught their grandmother, and finally taught my five-year-old how to play chess. We would pull out the game in the evenings and two people would play while we all sat around the living room talking and laughing together. The die and easier rules leveled the playing field for younger (or newer) players and gave everyone a chance to win while getting familiar with the rules of the game.
The older children felt like the easier set of rules was a step backwards for them and preferred sticking with the regular chess rules, but we found that the easier set of rules was perfect for my younger son. The great thing about the game is that you can use the same game with either set of rules making it something that the whole family can play. It packs neatly into the case and therefore would make a great game to bring with you on a vacation or road trip to keep everyone occupied in a hotel room or at a campsite.
Overall, we enjoyed the game and think it is a great fit for families with younger children or those who are new to chess. It probably is not necessary for those that are already actively playing, unless they are wanting to teach younger siblings or friends who are not familiar with the game. However, since it is a standard chess set it can be easily used by those that wish to play by the regular chess rules.
I highly encourage you to visit Brain Blox for more information and then click on the graphic below and check out the experiences of the other Crew members. You can also purchase the set from Amazon. Also stay tuned for a review of another Brain Blox product, Wooden Building Planks, later this week.
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