For centuries, people have been fascinated with chess, a game that requires deep concentration and logical thinking. Its pieces, symbols of a society that once dominated all walks of life, represent everything, from the ordinary people (Pawn) to the highest power (King). It's no wonder then, that Hanayama decided to make Marcel Gillen's designs into a special edition collection of their flagship brand, the Cast Puzzles. For me, at least, it was enough to fascinate me all over again, just as much as when I first learned how to play chess.

The Cast Chess collection is a series of six different puzzles, each representing a piece from the original game of chess. Since the Pawn is the first to move in the "battlefield", I thought it best to start with it as well. It's a simple piece, but never underestimate a pawn...

The Chess puzzles are among the most beautiful by Hanayama. They're chrome plated, which gives them this premium and polished look. They're also about the same size as a regular Cast Puzzle, with the Pawn measuring 5.5cm x 3.7cm (2.2" x 1.5"). Each puzzle has hidden inside a coin with its respective name and symbol engraved on it, and your goal is to find out how the mechanism works in order to free the coin.

As for their difficulty level, the Chess puzzles are not officially rated by Hanayama, so it's more of an opinion based on whoever solves them. Each Chess puzzle has a different solution, so their difficulty will be varied as well. Nevertheless, expect a challenging puzzle and you won't be disappointed. I would rate the Pawn in the Hanayama scale as a level 4/6.

The Pawn has a very deceiving and clever mechanism which, even though it can be challenging to figure out, it can be solved by accident. I know, because it happened to me. I solved it, but I didn't know at the time how I did it. I had to inspect and study the mechanism to really understand how the puzzle locks and unlocks, which in itself is a challenge on its own.

Closing Comments:

The Chess Pawn is a great start to this special collection by Hanayama. It can be attempted by anyone, even if they're not familiarized with puzzles and, as a collector, it's with great pleasure that I add this stunning-looking puzzle to my collection. Great as a gift for both lovers of puzzles and chess. Can't wait to review the rest of them.

Availability: You can get the Cast Chess Pawn and all the others in the series at Brilliant Puzzles.