Vertical Chess

"I play my best chess standing up, and looking at the board from side on" is a comment I have never heard a Kibitzer say. But Steve Bailey has taken this concept one step further by designing a vertical chess board. Of course most players are already familiar with the concept, via demonstration boards or computer screens, but his is a slightly more involved construction. It uses shelves (and mirrors) but the pieces are fixed by magnets, to stop them from being knocked off. While this may seem to be an unnecessary refinement, his suggested venue for the boards might make you think again. His idea is to put them in bars, in a similar way to dart boards. That way you could have a few beers, get a little exercise, and play a few games of chess, all at the same time. As this news article says, it is early days, but who knows, chess may become a 'pub game' after all.