Check this out! (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Chess Set)

Member Name: FairyG

Product:	Buffy the Vampire Slayer Chess Set
Date:	18/11/08 (368 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A great chess game for Buffy fans.

Disadvantages: Gettting used to who is who on the board.

The Buffy chess set comes in a purple cardboard box, with Buffy on the front. Inside there's a chessboard that folds in two. When opened up it measures 17 inches/43cm. It's quite an attractive board with glossy purple and black squares and a border with decorative gothic writing and imagery. There's also an instruction sheet, with the rules of the game, helpful if you don't know how to play chess!

The underside of the box shows each of the characters from the series with their name and a brief character outline, as well as the name of their chess piece.

The chess pieces vary in size from 2 3/4 inches/6cm tall to 3 1/4 inches/8cm tall. They are made of plastic and are a little bit bendy, so not easily breakable. The pieces are wonderfully detailed, even down to the creases in the clothes, and the vampire foreheads.

White Chess Pieces (Good Guys)
KING - Angel. Wearing his black leather coat, black boots, red shirt, and blue jeans complete with silvery belt buckle.
QUEEN - Buffy. Wearing black leather jacket, black boots, dark blue jeans with faded effect, white t-shirt, and of course a silver cross.
BISHOP - Giles. Wearing black shoes, beige waistcoat and trousers, with white shirt and blue tie.
KNIGHT - Oz. Wearing black trainers, beige trousers and brown t-shirt.
ROOK - Willow. Wearing blue jeans, white ethnic top with Indian designs, necklace and brown and white sneakers.
PAWN - Xander. Wearing blue jeans, black boots, white t-shirt, and open red shirt.

Black Chess Pieces (Bad Guys)
KING- Spike. Wearing black boots, black jeans, black t-shirt, black leather coat and open red shirt.
QUEEN - Drusilla. Wearing long gothic black dress.
BISHOP - The Master. Wearing black boots, black trousers and black tunic with silver belt. His outfit is the only one with a glossy effect.
KNIGHT - Ethan. Wearing brown trousers, black shoes, grey shirt, and long brown leather coat.
ROOK - Darla. Wearing long green dress from middle ages, and red choker.
PAWN - The Judge. Wearing black boots, and black trousers, brown tunic, and black breastplate.

It's a great chess set for players who like unusual sets, or for fans of the series. I found it adds a totally different level to the game, as opposed to playing with a basic chess set. For anyone familiar with the series, it means there's an added personality to each of the pieces which can make it more interesting, and a bit silly at times. For instance, players tend to refer to Angel and Buffy, rather than King and Queen. Also there's a social heirarchy in the series which also applies to the chess pieces, making it easier to remember the value of each piece.

It's a good way for chess novices to improve their game skills, as it's more of a fun board game than a serious one, but the rules remain the same.

I've seen it on E-bay starting at around £15, and it can also be found in game shops.

Summary: A nicely detailed set, and a fun game for chess novices. Could become a collectors item.