Your soldiers never go AWOL
At its essence, timeless design marries function and aesthetics
in a way that endures through generations.
Chess Board Design
Chess Public
Imagineer - Jon Crooke
2017 witnessed the invention and design
of a chess board called 'Chess Public'.
It features playing pieces that move via
a matrix of slots that permanently tether the pieces
to the board.
This means, that for the first time in history,
chess sets can be deployed in public spaces.
Chessmen Design
The modern Staunton army from Chess Public,
complete with the addition of two historic leapers.
Great Chessmen
In 2015 Jon Crooke designed a new take on the
Staunton Chess pieces.
Featuring sturdy bodies with new body detailing,
a taller Tower to reflect its power and
it's size 'relative' to a real life siege tower it represents,
and a Knight with a synergised body.
​
Footnote: Recently the designer became aware of a
1891 Staunton design variation
by William Moffatt. See picture below.
A taller Tower and a synergised Knights body.
History is full of surprises.
Royal Chessmen Imperial Mark 2
Designer - William Moffatt
In 1900, the British Chess Company (BCC 1891-1907) issued the
new Royal Chessmen Imperial Mark 2 set or “Improved Staunton”.
One of the distinguishing features was that the BCC owner and designer, William Moffatt, pursued the approach of aligning the
size of the pieces with their playing value, which led to a clear enlargement of the towers to signal their higher playing value compared to the knights and bishops.
He also gave the Knight a body to match his comrades.
“Original Staunton”
Designers
John Jaques - Nathaniel Cooke
​
The Staunton set style and its variations have been
the only chess set design allowed
in major chess tournaments, since the 1920s.
​
Prior to 1849, complaints from players about the
unsuitability of many of the contemporary
chess piece designs for practical play,
led noted wood and ivory tuner John Jaques and
journalist - neoclassical architectural enthusiast,
Nathaniel Cooke, to draw up a standard design,
which Jaques could produce at a reasonable cost.
​
The chess design was patented in March 1849
by Nathaniel Cooke and the pieces
were named after the leading English chess master
Howard Staunton, who endorsed it.
​
The rest is history. The Staunton pattern chessmen
quickly became the World standard for serious and casual play.
The relatively low production cost brought chess to the masses
and did much to popularize the game.
Its clean, simple design looks as beautiful today as it did upon its introduction almost two century's ago.
Game Design
Great Chess
Game development
In 2010 Jon Crooke developed GREAT CHESS, played on a
8x8, 8x10 or 10x10 plus 4 corner Citadels.
With the re-introduction of two historical 'leapers' and
some move changes, GREAT CHESS is a fast, action packed game,
with a myriad of new tactical possibilities.
Imagineer
Jon Crooke
​
The Jon Crooke is passionate about designing refined, elegant and exciting products.
​Jon works in the areas of game design, architecture and automotive design.
​​
New Game
In the 80's, Jon Crooke ventured into board game design
and in 2010 envisaged a 21st century take on the 'Western Game' of chess.
He re-introduced two long forgotten leaping pieces from antiquity
and implemented two additional moves for existing pieces.
He called the game Great Chess.
New Battle Field
In 2017, after a lifetime of contemplating the standard design of
the chess board the world had played on for more than two millennium,
Crooke conceptualized, designed and engineered a new type of chess board.
He called it 'Chess Public'.
It features playing pieces that move via a matrix of slots, that permanently tether the pieces
to the board, ensuring that your soldiers can never go AWOL.
This means, that for the first time in history, chess sets can be deployed in public spaces.
​