Magnetic Chess Sets for Travel: Board Sizes and Folding Cases

A magnetic travel chess set has pieces with magnetic bases, so they stay on the board in a car, a plane or a camper. For travel, a 10-inch wooden folding set is the easiest to pack, a 12-inch plastic set suits kids, and a 14-inch set has bigger squares and pieces for anyone who finds small sets hard to read.

Magnetic chess sets by board size

On a magnetic chess set, board size sets almost everything else: the size of the squares, the height of the king and how easily the case fits in a bag. These House of Staunton sets show the range, with sizes from the maker’s product pages.

For comparison, FIDE’s standards for tournament play call for a king about 9.5 cm tall, or 3.75 inches, on squares of 5 to 6 cm. Even the 14-inch travel set is smaller than that, which is why travel sets work best alongside a full-size set rather than in place of one.

The smallest folding chess sets for a bag or backpack

A 10-inch folding chess set is the smallest size on this page. House of Staunton’s 10-inch folding wooden magnetic set opens to 10 by 10 inches and folds to 10 by 5 inches. It has 1-inch squares and a 2.25-inch king, and it is made of sheesham and maple. When closed, foam inserts inside the board hold the pieces.

That folded size fits a laptop bag or a seat pocket.

Larger magnetic chess sets with checkers included

House of Staunton’s 12-inch magnetic set uses plastic pieces with a 2.5-inch king on 1.38-inch squares and comes with a set of checkers. Plastic pieces cost less to replace if one goes missing, which suits a child’s backpack or the back seat on a road trip.

The 14-inch set from the same maker folds into a snap-closed plastic box with plastic hinges and opens to a 14 by 14 inch board with 1.625-inch squares. Its king stands about 3.25 inches tall, and non-magnetic checkers are included. House of Staunton suggests it as a prize for chess clubs and teachers, and its larger pieces are easier to see for players who find small sets fiddly.

What to check before buying a magnetic chess set

Check four things on any magnetic chess set listing. First, the folded size, since that decides whether the set fits the bag it will travel in. Second, the square size, because pieces with wide bases need room to sit cleanly in a square. Third, how the case closes: a snap or latch keeps it shut in a bag, while a loose fold can open and spill pieces. Fourth, whether the pieces store inside the board in a lined tray or loose in a bag.

Gifts to go with a travel chess set

A small book of chess puzzles makes a good pairing for a long trip, since it gives a solo player something to do with the board. A player who travels and also plays online may prefer an electronic board instead: our guide to electronic chess boards covers sets that link to chess apps.

For a set to keep at home, see which chess set to give, with tournament, wooden and giant sets, or browse the rest of our chess gift guides.