[Updated Images & Video] *First Chess Set Disaster*

Ordered the XL Best Chess Set Ever with Quadruple weighted pieces from Amazon last week, said it was back-ordered until June, but I didn't mind waiting. Two days ago the date bumped up to May 08, and it actually delivered today! I was super psyched! 😆

Open the box..nice green silicone board, one or two creases, but I can live with that. Then came the two bags which held both piece sets...

White bag was a little yellowish and the lettering was peeling, but I thought, "Ah, no big deal." Go to set everything up...  it's missing two pawns, a bishop and a knight.

🤔 "Ok, wait a minute.."

Open the Black bag... it's missing two pawns...a bishop...  and a knight.

😑 "Oh my god."

You know the scene in Friday where Craig pours the milk but there's none left? It was kind of like that.

So now I'm irritated because it's a no-go and has to be returned. With the first chess set in my lifetime all I get is a little taste of holding actual pieces. Then, to make things worse..I begin really holding each piece and there are way more than a few that have no weight at all. Like, all four rooks were substantially lighter than any pawn. Two of the queens were lighter than the other queens and a knight was the same. It's like they were hollow or something.

Finally, this wasn't even the XL set they sent, it was the basic set with triple weighted/missing pieces.

Idek what to say right now. Should be playing..   now I have like 30 tabs open, diff postings from chess.com, searching for another set.

Budget is around $100. Curious about these -->

https://amchesseq.com/collections/tournament-style-chess-pieces/products/bobby-fischer-ultimate-chess-pieces-with-new-and-improved-weighting-system?variant=32118482993210

* New & Improved weighting sounds like a gimmick

https://www.wholesalechess.com/shop/chess-pieces/plastic-chess-pieces/premier-chess-pieces-4-1-8-king

https://amchesseq.com/collections/tournament-chess-boards/products/we-games-rosewood-maple-grain-mousepad-chessboard-20-inches-made-in-usa?variant=7197402955834

Please help me decide. I want the best possible experience with large and heavy pieces, preferably on a silicone or mousepad board. 

Also considering this one as it kind of looks like the one Kasparov uses in the masterclass

https://www.chessusa.com/product/34-031.html

Another option is the Legend Alegria from Legend Products. 

It is a quadruple weighted chess set. 60 ounces.

https://www.legendproduct.com/lp1.html

You can read the review on a thread below,

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/plastic-sets-legend-alegria-kings-indian-from-legend-products-oregon

Sounds like a dishonest person lied and swapped out that used 3X set to steal from Amazon saying it was an XL (4X) set when it was returned for a refund. And you somehow ended up with it. That sucks.

@Rishi9 Thank you so much! Those are the ones!  😁

@Pawnerai - Do you think I should give Chess Geeks another shot and maybe try to order direct from the site? You're probably right about someone switching out the set since it came in so early. Bad thing about that is Amazon, I believe, only offers refunds in the form of giftcards.

File a complaint with Amazon and they should take care of you especially if you paid by CC.  Otherwise if the purchase was covered under their A to Z Guarantee, you're covered also.  Usually I've had good luck with refunds and exchanges at Amazon.

I would give Amazon a chance to make it right. Amazon might not even want that old swapped chess set back. That will save you a trip to the UPS store. The BCSE XL set is a good set. It's a classic Staunton style. There are a 2-3 high-end plastic Staunton sets from different manufacturers that look very similar. But none of them are exactly the same. Slight differences. They use different molds, plastics, weights, better level of finishing.

If you are ok with the price, you will be very happy with the BCSE XL set. 

And if Amazon screws up again then go for the full refund. You really can't go wrong with Amazon customer service. 

That Alegria set from Dennis/Legend Products for $55 usd (shipped) is something special if you want something unique. And of course Shelby's Ultimate set from Amazon for $45 usd (w/Prime thanks for the heads up @Schachmonkey) is good, if you're ok with the style. 

Those are three I would consider if you have the budget: The BCSE XL, Alegria, and Ultimate v3.

Highly recommended along with the HoS plastic Hastings and Collector's.

And definitely get a mousepad board - silicone sucks and vinyl is marginal, IMO.

Decided to give Amazon another shot, also reached out to BCS customer service to let them know what's going on. While the Alegria set does look amazing, I believe BCS will be the better starter set, considering I've yet to adopt more than 3 mating patterns . . .

I did have a lot of hope going into the purchase and that really only changed when pieces were missing. To be honest, I probably would have kept it even though it was standard and not XL just from the sheer excitement. In any event, a return's in place and we'll see how things go.

Thanks for all the advice and helpful help. 🙂

* Still so excited, I believe Chessfactor uses BCSE in their instructional's - can't wait!

no

@ShelbyLohrman possibly sometime in the future, thanks Shelby

@BRYANT43 I would suggest the plastic 3.75" Marshall set from wholesale chess. Then get a Flex Pad board from chesshouse. Another good plastic set is the Guardian set from thechessstore.com

Flex Pad Club Chess Board (USA) – Chess House

Marshall Series Plastic Chess Pieces with 3.75" King | Chess Pieces | Wholesale Chess

Guardian Plastic Chess Set Black & Camel Pieces - 4" King (thechessstore.com)

Also you can get a tournament bag from either place. 

For me the best combination:

https://amchesseq.com/collections/tournament-style-chess-pieces/products/bobby-fischer-ultimate-chess-pieces-with-new-and-improved-weighting-system?variant=32118482993210

or https://www.chesshouse.com/collections/plastic-chess-pieces/products/the-bobby-fischer-ultimate-chess-pieces

and

https://www.chesshouse.com/collections/club-style-chess-boards/products/20-vinyl-roll-up-chess-board?variant=32275371393

@MCH818 😆😂 All-Time dude!! Oh my god, that movie... probably have like half of it memorized. jus crackin up 🤣

* Received a pretty quick reply from BCS after leaving a voice message - they're trying to set things straight.

@bananamoon It's nice to get a response on the Fisher pieces as those were the main ones I was eyeing before the Alegria recommendation. What's your take on the 'new and improved weighting system' they mention? I remember reading a post here somewhere talking about having the weights attached differently or something? Maybe this is what they meant.

The vinyl board I'm also considering since they're so cheap. Probably end up using that one more actually since it doesn't have that softness the silicone and mouse pad ones have - I wanna hear the *thunk*. 

@MCH818

🤣🤣

If you want the best plastic setup, the following would work:

1. The new Ultimate Chess set from Shelby at American Chess Equipment.  Yes, this has a new weighting system which will not come loose.

2. Legend Products, Dennis Petersen, Alegria set.  

3. FlexPad board from The Chess House.  This is the best thin mousepad board on the market.

4. if you want a vinyl board, you can also order one from The Chess House.  They are not expensive.  You can easily order both.

5. If you will be taking the set out of your home, get a bag.  You can order one from either American Chess Equipment or the Chess House.

6. If you want a clock and don’t want to spend too much, The Chess House people can help you as well.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out for you.  Pictures are always nice as well.

Thanks for your recommendations @Eyechess - it could be the start of a new hobby, so this info will be really helpful in the future. 

BCS customer service was very easy to deal with - they were prompt and also sent text messages in case I didn't check email inbox. A replacement is on the way and I couldn't be happier. Here's a few images: one of the set I received, one of BCE reply, and one from an Amazon review showcasing both the 3x and 4x pieces. Once the new set arrives I'll conclude with a short update. Thanks everyone 🙂

The new XL set came in yesterday. Here's a few images and a video if you'd like to watch. The video's kinda long, but I open the box for the first time and showcase what's inside. So far nothing bad really comes to mind other than how sticky the silicone is - you can see little hairs and dust in a couple of the shots.  Really thankful tho, surprised at how fast they shipped it out and looknig forward to getting more OTB experience.  Take care

https://streamable.com/2954g0

I'm really satisfied with it. The pieces are a little large for the squares, but the extra weight is a good trade-off.  Is there anything you tried doing to help how much dust it attracts? Did a quick search - landed on an engineering site where they recommended polyurethane sealant?? So far all I did was wash it down and use some hand wipes. Didn't wanna get too crazy with experimenting -baking soda, ammonia..all that.