From my boardgamegeek.com review:
In my opinion, people who love the game of chess TEND to be chess-purists for whom tinkering with the system they have spent so much effort to master occurs as a reduction of the advantages they have fought to hold. However, I can heartily recommend this variation to you if you fall into any of the following 3 categories: 1.) You enjoy chess and are open to new ways of playing. 2.) You have already played other chess variants and enjoyed them. 3.) You know how the pieces move but want to even the playing field against players with more chess skill than you.
I'm not sure this game is well suited to players who don't have a ready familiarity with classical chess. I have found 3MC to be more open-ended and nebulous in its tactical and strategic options, and a player without much chess experience might well be overwhelmed.
The game has been well thought-out and the rules sheet (1 page, front and back!) has proven to be functionally inclusive of any and all situations I have encountered thus far in play, despite a slightly awkward presentation; it's as if you were looking at the designer's notes, unedited. The rules concerning the "moats" between opposing players' rooks are particularly crucial and a bit tricky- make sure you understand them comprehensively.
Don't underestimate how much different a round chess board is from a square one! The realized concepts of the void in the center of the board and the curving paths along the diagonals are extraordinarily innovative! Likewise, the fact that the rows of squares have become RINGS creates an extremely compelling departure from familiar chess. The lines denoting these curving paths will undoubtedly cause some peering which could strain the eyes a bit, but I'm not sure how they could be improved upon; if they were made brighter and more distinct from one another they would very likely create a much more distracting and confusing mess of the board's overall appearance.
The game is a bit broken in a limited sense. Simply put, if two of the players consistently work in tandem to defeat a third player, no amount of skill can likely prevent that player's defeat. However, the same can be said of ANY "cutthroat" game I can think of playing. In games of 3 Man Chess, temporary and momentary alliances form and shift which makes for very dynamic play, but there never seems to be an impulse for it to become entirely 2 against 1.
It could be considered a drawback that the player count must always be exactly 3. Also, one of the players will frequently have to wait while the remaining two finish. Overall, though, I have found the merits of this chess variant easily outweigh its shortcomings.
Lastly, I do think the price is a bit high for the components, but the board IS pretty cool and I have enjoyed it beyond my money's worth regardless. I wish it were named differently, because my opponents have often been women. :)
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Additional Details
Small Business
Shop products from small business brands sold in Amazon’s store. Discover more about the small businesses partnering with Amazon and Amazon’s commitment to empowering them.
Small Business
This product is from a small business brand. Support small.
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card
Frequently bought together
$49.95
Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16
In Stock
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Top rated similar items
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Climate Pledge FriendlyProducts with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn morePRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)
The Forest Stewardship Council certified products support responsible forestry, helping keep forests healthy for future generations.
Reviews with images
A great way to strain relationships. =P
I've only played a few games so far, but with the way one can mobilize pieces, you're never truly safe. The pieces are formed plastic and the board is made out of thick plastic type material that folds into thirds. The only complaint I have that kept me from giving five stars is that the printing on the board is off-center, resulting in this blank white crescent moon looking semicircle on the perimeter(see picture). It's purely cosmetic. I highly recommend it, even if it's nothing more than a conversation piece.
