Two wall chessboards on two easels, in a room that looks made for lessons. The photos came from Michele in Italy, soon after the package with his inlays arrived. I looked at them longer than I planned.
~3 min read
What arrived
I had asked Michele for a couple of photos once the package reached Italy. The reply was one line and eight pictures.
Two wall chessboards on wooden easels, side by side, in front of a green curtain.
The left one is in standard orientation. The right one is turned around, with Black at the bottom.
One plays in red and blue. The other in black and white.
Three chapters
Michele's story with ChessboArt has three chapters so far. I did not plan any of them.
First came a standard wall chessboard.
Then a second board, and not a standard one: reversed notation, Black at the bottom. It was not in our collection, so I made it as a custom commission. I told that story in The Reversed Wall Chessboard: A Bespoke Italian Commission.
Now the third chapter, and it is about color. This autumn Michele ordered magnetic inlays in four variants. On the reversed board the pieces now play in red and blue. On the standard one, in black and white.
The board turned around
In a room set up for lessons, as this one appears to be, a reversed board has a practical side. The same position can be shown from White's side and from Black's.
I do not know whether that was Michele's intention, but in a teaching space it makes sense.
What the inlays do
An inlay is a thin metal plate with hand-poured epoxy resin on top, shaped like the piece it sits in. A magnet in the base of the wooden piece holds it in the recess.
Want another color? Lift one out, set another in. The board stays. The wooden frames stay. Only the color changes. I explained how it works in Magnetic Chess Piece Inlays: Change Your Wall Chess Set's Color Without Losing the Wood.
Four colors, two combinations, and around them the same wood: red against blue on one board, black against white on the other. Each pair keeps the two sides easy to tell apart at a glance.
Why I am telling this
A first order says: I like the idea. A second says: that board earned its place. A third, for an accessory I introduced after the first two boards had shipped, says something more: a board's story does not end on delivery day. I do not take that for granted.
Thank you, Michele, for the photos and for letting me share them.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add color to a ChessboArt wall chessboard I already own?
Magnetic inlays are made for ChessboArt wooden pieces, which have a recess and a hidden magnet in the base, so owners can refresh a set without buying new pieces. If you are unsure about your model, write to me before ordering.
Can I order a wall chessboard with reversed notation?
It was not a ready option when Michele asked, and the board in these photos was made as a custom commission. If you have something similar in mind, describe it to me and we will see what is possible.
Want to change the colors of a board you already own? The inlays come in eight ready colors, and made-to-order combinations are possible.
See the magnetic inlays