Someone, sorry we forget who posted the pic or the thread it was in... they had added to the knights some type of rollie bead eyes that made us laugh. Maybe if they see this they'll repost the photo...
why do people like goofy knights?
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to the OP. yeah I have the same disease. the desire for good wood when the only opposition I can get is digital.
kind of makes me wish i could force some bored novice player to play game after game- just so I can play with my beautiful set.
(by the way the Bored novice player is indeed my kid; and I'm trying hard NOT to push it on him....)
Sep 23, 2015
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#6
mcostan wrote:
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When all is said and done though, I don't know why I bother. I can't find anyone to play with in real life and I've become used to the flat computer board image so when I try to plan my game using a real set I blunder even worse than usual...
Have you checked the USCF web site to see if there's a club in or near your town?
Regarding the physical set, maybe try setting up the set next to your PC and transferring the computer's moves to the real set?
Its all personal taste in which chess design people like IMO. The Zagreb set you have is about as good as it gets. A Chess Set sometimes calls out to you & then you know this is The One.!
Sep 24, 2015
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#8
If you like the Zagreb knight from HOS, I'm sure you saw his cousin, the Leningrad knight.
Sep 24, 2015
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#9
thegreat_patzer wrote:
... the desire for good wood when the only opposition I can get is digital.
...
Sounds nasty
I love the look of the liberty or pinney knights. No attempt at looking "real" or Greco-Roman. Just a minimalist interpertation ofa horse that's made to be played with. And as I type this I fully understanded that is the exact reason many others dislike it.
Sep 24, 2015
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#11
mcostan wrote:
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Do you find that some designs lend themselves to a better game than others?
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I'd be interested to know if my experiences are typical or atypical in regards to the general chessplaying population...
When I'm just casually looking at a chess set, I'm able to think about the asthetics of the piece designs. However, once I've actually started a chess game and I'm concentrating on the pending moves, I tend to completely forget about the piece designs. As long as I can easily determine that a knight is a knight, a bishop is a bishop, etc. (I've only played with Staunton sets, no theme sets), I'm completely oblivious to the asthetics of the designs.
Thats a very nice point you make.! I am not really concerned when playing a game with what the Knight looks like as long as its a Staunton style Knight.
Sep 24, 2015
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#13
I guess it has to do with what you think a knight should look like.
Or, just what looks good to you.
No, I would not buy this set. What is that?!?
Most of the sets I purchase are just for me... I do not take them out of the house. When I play against the computer, I move the pieces on a board.
The set I take out... well, that depends on where I go. Some chess players just can't appreciate anything other than coffee stained grime covered old plastic chessmen with vinyl boards that look they have been dragged from the bumper on the way to the coffee shop... you get the picture im sure.
Buy the nice sets for yourself, nice does not have to cost $1,000, and enjoy them. Chessmen are like old guys plastic army men 
you can never have too many. Just that i don;t blow them up with fireworks anymore
dont get the ornamental display chessmen.
Here is a pic of knights, from a past thread. I just posted it because I thought it was cool.
What style knight is in the middle on the top row?
Sep 25, 2015
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#17
UpcountryRain wrote:
kenardi, where do you find these pics?
it's not a real chess set, thank goodness.
http://www.deadzebra.com/tag/dead-zebra/
Sep 25, 2015
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#18
mcostan wrote:
Here is a pic of knights, from a past thread. I just posted it because I thought it was cool.
i like all of those.... except maybe bottom row third from the left, not sure about that one.
I like the knight on the top row third from the left. anyone know what set that is from? Dubrovnik, yes, but it does not look familiar.
Sep 25, 2015
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#19
kenardi wrote:
mcostan wrote:
Here is a pic of knights, from a past thread. I just posted it because I thought it was cool.
i like all of those.... except maybe bottom row third from the left, not sure about that one.
I like the knight on the top row third from the left. anyone know what set that is from? Dubrovnik, yes, but it does not look familiar.
Ken, the one third from the left on the top is not a Dubrovnik, but a Zagreb or possibly a Leningrad. The one third from the left on the bottom is a Dubrovnik from Chess Bazaar. The one third from the right on the bottom is a Chess Bazaar rendition of the Marcel Duchamp's Buenos Aires set.
mcostan escribió:
Here is a pic of knights, from a past thread. I just posted it because I thought it was cool.
Hey :)
Those are mine.
Knight in the middle of the top row is from an old russian set (40 years old). I'm trying to sell that set because it is a little bit confusing for me.
The knight on the top row third from the left is a Zagreb. Good for 40mm board. I'm also trying to sell it now.
Now my collection has grown and is even bigger :))
At least they're goofy to me. I'm mostly talking about the lardy and spanish knights. They look like moose, or camels for cripes sake.
Then there's the plethora of zombie knights. Is it the historical significance of the set?
The knight is my favorite piece, I guess because there is more variation between them. I doubt I will ever own one of those fancy schmancy expensive sets that have the beautiful knights with the flowing manes. I'm thinking very ornate ones would be a distraction, or at least an excuse
I have a zagreb set (my first "real" set) and have ordered the economy bridle series set from chess bazaar because I wanted another smaller set to go with my smaller board and I wanted an offical bishop.
I'm kind of curious as to how the knight will look, the pics don't show him at all angles.
It's seems like there would be more knights with bridles but I guess that's more steps in the carving process. Which also makes me wonder what an economy knight will look like.
When all is said and done though, I don't know why I bother. I can't find anyone to play with in real life and I've become used to the flat computer board image so when I try to plan my game using a real set I blunder even worse than usual.
Does anyone else have a favorite piece, or a disliked design? Do you find that some designs lend themselves to a better game than others?
I myself don't care for theme sets. Before I got my zagrab set I had (still have) a thornwood african set my mom found at a thrift shop. I tried to play with it but it was too confusing. I actually have it on ebay. The set was a mystery to me for the longest time but I stumbled upon a site called "chess museum" and it had info about it.
I thought of keeping it for a display set, cause it's kind of cool but I'm afraid it will get damaged, which would be a bitter irony as I've had it for over 30 years. My avatar is the king and queen. It isn't generating much interest on ebay so if it doesn't sell I'm going to take that as an omen that it's meant for me to keep and display.
Here are the knights.