Magnetic Chess Game NZ: Best Travel Sets & Airport Rules

Anyone who has watched chess pieces slide across a lap tray mid-game knows the appeal of a magnetic board. For New Zealanders who want to play on the move, the real question is which set holds up on a bumpy ride and still passes an airport check.

Number of pieces: 32 ·
Board size (typical): 30 cm ·
Magnetic: Yes ·
Weight: ~500 g ·
Price range NZD: 20–80

Key facts at a glance

Seven numbers and design details that matter most when comparing travel chess sets.

The pattern: the table confirms that all magnetic travel chess sets share the same 32-piece layout and foldable design, but material, price, and storage differ by retailer.

Is there a magnetic travel chess set available?

Yes — and New Zealand has more options than most people expect. Specialist stores and general retailers carry portable magnetic boards from pocket size to full travel boards.

What sizes are available?

• 100 × 100 mm — pocket size
• 150 × 150 mm — mini travel
• 200 × 200 mm and 250 × 250 mm — mid-size boards
• 300 × 300 mm — full travel board

Specialist chess retailer New Zealand Chess Supplies lists all five sizes in its Deluxe Magnetic Travel Chess Set range, so the full width of the category is easy to compare in one place.

Where to buy in NZ?

• New Zealand Chess Supplies — largest travel-range selection
• ChessCity NZ — compact wood-style magnetic set
• Mighty Ape NZ — wooden folding magnetic board chess
• Gifts and Games NZ — folding sets for boating and camping
• Harvey Norman NZ — magnetic Chinese chess (Harvey Norman NZ)

Each of these sellers is New Zealand-based, so prices are in NZD and shipping distances stay short. The retailer sources behind the listings are linked throughout this review.

The implication: you do not need to settle for a flimsy pocket set. New Zealand retailers carry genuine travel boards from 100 mm to 300 mm, so the main decision is how much space you are willing to carry.

Can you take a magnetic chess set on a plane?

Magnetic chess sets are a common travel item, but whether yours sails through security depends on size and magnet strength.

Are magnetic chess sets allowed in carry-on luggage?

Reviewers at Raindrop Chess, a chess equipment review site, found that sets under about 10 inches (250 mm) work well on airplane tray tables, while dual-magnet systems — where both the board and the pieces contain magnets — provide the strongest hold on moving vehicles. ChessCity NZ markets its magnetic set specifically for plane travel, alongside road trips and camping.

What about checked luggage?

• A folding board with pieces stored inside packs cleanly into a suitcase
• Airline policies on magnets differ, so confirm with your carrier before flying
• If you are flying from Auckland, sort out parking before you leave — see the Auckland Airport domestic parking guide

The carry-on checklist is straightforward: keep the set under 250 mm, make sure the pieces stay magnetised to the board, and take it out of your bag for screening if the security team asks.

What this means: if you stick to a 250 mm or smaller folding set, you dodge the two most common problems — a board that does not fit the tray table and a magnet policy that slows you down at security.

What is the best magnetic chess game to buy?

There is not a single winner; there is a right answer for each trip. A weekend flight calls for a small pocket set, while a week at the bach justifies a full 300 mm wooden board.

Top-rated magnetic chess sets

• Deluxe Magnetic Travel Chess Set — five sizes, 100–300 mm, $59–$132 at New Zealand Chess Supplies
• Magnetic Chess Set with Wood-Style Pieces and Board — ABS plastic, felted magnet bases, from ChessCity NZ
• Geek Store Magnetic Board Chess — wooden folding board, from Mighty Ape NZ
• Magnetic Travel Chess Set — pieces store inside the folding board, from Gifts and Games NZ

Size is the first filter. The smallest Deluxe board is roughly the size of a smartphone, while the 300 mm board is a real tabletop game that still fits in a daypack. Everything else — magnet strength, material, price — follows from how much board you actually want.

Comparison of features

• Largest size range: Deluxe Magnetic Travel Chess Set, 100–300 mm
• Best for plane travel: ChessCity’s compact ABS set with felted magnet bases
• Best wooden feel: Mighty Ape’s Geek Store wooden magnetic board chess
• Best for outdoor trips: Gifts and Games’ folding set for boating and camping

Those four picks reflect the product descriptions published by each retailer. The side-by-side comparison table appears after the piece-count section below.

Price range

• $59–$132 NZD — the Deluxe travel set family at New Zealand Chess Supplies
• Entry-level folding sets — around NZD 20–80 depending on size and retailer

Price follows size. The 100 mm pocket board sits at the bottom of the Deluxe line, and the 300 mm boards sit at the top, with finish quality pushing the price either way.

Is magnetic chess good?

For travel, yes — that is exactly what these sets are built for. For home play, a magnetic board is a convenience, not a replacement for a proper wooden set.

Advantages of magnetic chess

• Pieces stay put on uneven surfaces like car consoles and picnic tables
• Suitable for road trips, camping, and plane travel (ChessCity NZ)
• Portable and foldable, with pieces stored inside the board
• Compact sizes under 250 mm fit a carry-on bag

Disadvantages

• Weak magnets on small sets can let pieces slide when the board is tilted
• Compact boards feel cramped for adult hands
• Plastic sets feel lighter than solid wooden boards

The weak-magnet warning comes from the same compact-set testing: Raindrop Chess found that weaker magnets allow shifting on a tilting airplane tray or car console.

The trade-off: buy magnetic chess to solve a travel problem, not to replace your favourite wooden board. The magnet is what makes it work on the move; the feel is what keeps it off the living-room table.

How many pieces are in chess?

Standard chess sets, magnetic or not, use the same 32-piece layout.

Standard chess set composition

• Each side: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, 8 pawns
• Total per side: 16 pieces
• Total for both sides: 32 pieces

The count is the same on every board in this guide, which means a magnetic travel set plays a complete game, not a shortened variant. Player discussions on Chess.com’s equipment forum treat the 32-piece layout as the standard for portable magnetic sets.

Why this matters: 32 pieces is the one universal constant in this category. Board size, magnet strength, and price are the variables — and those are the ones worth comparing.

Magnetic chess sets compared

Four strong NZ options, one pattern: the larger the board, the higher the price — and the less pocket-friendly it becomes.

The Deluxe family is the only NZ listing in our research with a fully published price spread; the other three retailers list prices on their product pages, which is standard practice for multi-size or multi-finish boards.

The pattern: if you want a firm price before you click, the Deluxe range is the easiest buy. If you want a specific material or colour, the other three are worth a quick visit to their product pages.

Magnetic chess set specifications

One reference table for the practical specifications you will actually check before buying.

Pros and cons of magnetic chess

The case for and against is simple: it depends on where you play.

The trade-off: buy magnetic chess for the journey, not for the living-room table. Every advantage above matters most when the surface is moving or the board is packed in a bag.

What’s confirmed vs what’s unclear

Our research is solid on availability and prices, thinner on airline rules and quality consistency.

The takeaway: availability is settled; airline policy and magnet consistency are the two variables worth checking before any purchase.

What sellers say

“The chessmen store within the folding playing board which makes this chess set perfect for taking along when you are on the go.”

— Gifts and Games NZ

“Lightweight, portable, foldable and suitable for home, school, journey, bus, picnic, or outdoor use.”

— Mighty Ape NZ

The pattern: sellers keep returning to the same two promises — pieces that stay put and a board that disappears into a bag. That consistency is the strongest signal that magnetic travel chess delivers what it claims.

The takeaway

Magnetic chess sets solve a real problem: they let you play in places a normal board cannot survive. The NZ market has solid choices from a $59 pocket set to a $132 Deluxe board, and the right pick depends on how you travel. For New Zealand travelers, the decision is clear: choose a folding magnetic set no larger than 250 mm with felted bases and a dual-magnet system — or leave the board at home.

Related reading

• Auckland Airport Parking Domestic — plan your airport run before you fly
• Kmart Air Fryer NZ Review — more value-focused NZ shopping analysis

Frequently asked questions