ChessMate Pocket/Travel sets - excellent

 Oh, no, it was a wallet alright. Perhaps Ultra Ultima. The most expensive wallet he was selling—I don’t know now, I didn’t check anything since then and I’m nott planning to.

  So imagine taking out from your coat a wallet full of corrosion—how ugly that is, like you found it in the trash can...The board is nice, but before you get to the board it is a wallet, and you can use it as a wallet, to  store your credit cards and stuff. With that kind of corrosion, that’s out of the question, it looks like a homeless person’s wallet!

  Ridiculous! A slim iPad can store thousands of books along with your opening repertoire and annotations: so much for using those dated sets for analysis!! What a marketing sham.

troy: I like playing with 3D sets.  Can't do that on an iPad.

Sure, me too. But to use them as analysis devices on the go, they’re grotesque because that analysis, in order to be efficient, must be stored somewhere, and also an iPad allows for a much more efficient way to train and review certain lines, entire games, ( like using Chessbase or simply from its memory), past annotations, review books pertinent to those lines—all in one device. As opposed to setting up the pieces, not being able to store the findings in your final repertoire place, not being able to carry with you your whole chess library and so on.

  3D is good for playing with somebody else only, although I don’t like small sets to play with, but the biggest they come. But to go to work and in your office analyze something, an iPad wins hands down.

I certainly understand how you like your iPad.  I am writing this on mine.

You need to realize that people have different tastes and likes.  Plus there is no ultimate right or wrong in this.

Gary Kasparov has a Master Class program where he tells you in his first video that it is important to use a real, 3D set.

I understand your frustration with the product that was bad.  As I suggested you might want to contact David to see if he can make it right for you.  Good luck.

Wow, that is nice.  Yes, I do not own that one.

  It is important to use a 3D set, but that’s an advice for novices, who don’t need to write down thousands of annotations of various opening moves which must be memorized.

 It is only when you have time, space and not travel much that you can use both—analyze moving the pieces, then store them in your device. It does waste a lot of time, though.

 But as a single device, light, portable and extra-potent, an iPad is most useful.

Old School here, love my 3D chess sets of all sizes especially travel sets , love to collect them, have one from David, chessmate.com, he makes top quality items. Love printed books vs, ebooks and even love my old DN books from 1800's to about 1980 when most converted to what we have now. Like the fact I can play or record in two different languages a lot like one can speak two languages 

Different stroke for different folks and I respect the people who like Ipads and ebooks for playing and analyzing.  

Also I am sure the owner of chessmate.com will replace a defective item even after some time has passed. he is very fair and takes pride in his work. If he sees he material was defective I would think he would make good.  

He did, but the defective product was replaced by another defective product! With the same defect!

i don’t think he’s the owner of his website: he was complaining of the lack of space for pictures on his phone, precisesly when the pictures of the defective product started showing up on his phone!

 Again, I am only talking about his most expensive wallet to date.

Wow if that is the case I am sure he would take care of it. I know David to be well above board dealing with problems. He goes out of his way to help people.  I would try again if I were you. 

I don’t think the problem can be fixed: it’s the material that looks good in the beginning, and then suddenly starts showing up small white spots at first, then bigger and bigger ones. After a couple of months it looks like it’s been used for years.

 The second one I haven’t used at all and did last longer: but for lasting 4 months with no use at all, before showing up the same white spots, in the same places—tend to paint a trend here.

Did you buy the Kasparov Masterclass program?  I was thinking of getting it but from the previews it looked like it was geared more towards the beginner/novice level.  Would appreciate your comments if you did indeed purchase it.  Thanks.

Just a note that the Drueke magnetic set that almost everyone sells is no more. Carrom Co. stopped making them. I liked the set, some didn't but I know it held its value. The price of these sets over the next 5 years will go up in my opinion. It was well made and lasted a life time, that is why you see so many for sale. I even have one made in the old walnut cabinet.  So there is no trace now on the Carrom sight that reflects Drueke. Makes me wonder why they wanted to buy them out in the first place? They discontinued one great product after another.  

Is this the set you're talking about:

https://www.chesshouse.com/products/8-drueke-gift-magnetic-chess-set

Yes it is. I checked with them today and they confirmed. Cost was getting to high to keep making these sets in the USA. They did not want to go to China because of the initial set up and  numbers they would have had to order were too large so they decided to do away with it.  Last of a legend, except pf course for the new Drueke board being made by the Grandson. 

Hey Troy7915,

This is David Weinstock, the maker of ChessMate Pocket and Travel sets.

I’m not sure why you are referring to those two flawed Wallets that I had replaced (and even offered to refund) as Ultimas.

Those earler wallets sets have been discontinued for some time now, and the ChessMate Ultima set is a completely different set, one that you have not purchased from me, to the best of my knowledge.

I've had my ChessMate set for more than a year now. Still looks brand new, and I've used it nearly every day for months.

Hey all, this is David Weinstock with ChessMate.com & Thinket.com.

I want to take a moment to thank all of my customers for the kind words and positive feedback about my handmade ChessMate Pocket & Travel Chess Sets, and I also want to again mention my 100% Customer-Satisfaction Guarantee, which is this:

If any of my customers is not completely satisfied with their ChessMate Pocket Chess Set or their ChessMate Travel Chess set purchase, please contact me within a reasonable period of time to let me know about  issues, and to make arrangements to return it to me (in original condition) for a full product replacement or a full refund of the product-price, at your choice.

As my customers are aware, I'm fully committed to customer satisfaction, and I'll do everything within my power to make sure that each of my customers is happy with their ChessMate experience.

Thank you all again for the kind words and feedback about my handmade ChessMate chess sets, it is very much appreciated!

-- Best, David Weinstock

ChessMate.com & Thinket.com

Purchased my ChessMate Pocket ID wallet some years ago with absolutely no regrets.

Still in very nice shape. David is a stand-up guy and makes quality products.