Fun Gifts for Chess Players

T-shirts, mugs, and other custom-made and customizable products that chess players of all ages will enjoy. You can also make your own mug or T-shirt.

I recently learned that the son of a friend has won 6th place in a chess championship. I thought I'd make a shirt for him on Zazzle, or, better yet, choose from some nice designs on Zazzle.

As I thought about T-shirt designs walking home one day, I also thought about how life is and isn't like chess. As someone put it on a forum, "To me, chess is logical, life on the other hand . . .?" I feel the same way. Someone responded on that forum saying that life is about losses and sacrifices but also about keeping moving/playing the game and learning to make better decisions.

I have to say that to me chess, like literature, is about multiple narrative threads and multiple outcomes. About shoulda, woulda, coulda and what if I did that? It also teaches me that there can be a strategy to life if we think many moves in advance (not something I'm prone to do in all areas of my life), and, also, that we can keep in mind alternate plans in case the first moves don't pan out as expected.

Enjoy Your Game Outdoors

Chess Game in the Garden

Pixabay

got game? T-Shirt

Ad Zazzle

And Now the T-Shirts. Got Game?

My favorite one is probably the "got game?" one, modeled after the fabulously successful ads of the nineties, "Got Milk?" The kid may not be familiar with that campaign, but the "got game" design works on its own as well. In fact, in time, the "Got Milk?" message morphed successfully in "Got Jesus?" / "Got Beer?" / "Gut Deer?" and so on (I see no "Gut Beer?" online – I should probably make some on Zazzle). Edit: I did create "gut beer?" T-shirts, mousepads, etc., but Wizzley's search engine for Z. can't find them. If you wish to see this gut beer meme, you can easily find it on Z.)

"Got game," however, is better than all the above (and it could have also sprung from gaming rather than from the afore-mentioned ads), I think, so I will gift one such tee to the boy and hope he will enjoy it.

Trust Me, I'm a Chess Player

This one may also appeal to people of different ages. As I said in the beginning, I believe the future can be planned in some areas by envisioning a series of chess-like moves. And some people succeed at designing their future and their life just as they envision it (or very close, at any rate).

Also, as Emanuel Lasker, a German chess player (1868-1941) put it, "When you see a good move, look for a better one." According to Wikipedia, "His contemporaries used to say that Lasker used a 'psychological' approach to the game, and even that he sometimes deliberately played inferior moves to confuse opponents."

For all the above reasons, the "Trust me, I'm a chess player" is a powerful statement.

Trust Me I'm a Chess Player T-Shirt

Ad Zazzle

King of the Board

Then there are statements like "King of the board" for the winners who like to advertise this aspect of their game.

Ad Zazzle

Instant Chess Player. Just Add Coffee

For the older chess players out there (the boy mentioned is only eight and a half), there's a mug modeled on the "Instant Human. Just Add Coffee" meme, which inspired many similar statements. "Instant Mom. Just Add Coffee" is one of them; this one is another. In fact, this designer made lots of other "Instant... Just Add Coffee" designs: Instant economist/social worker/neuroscientist/accountant/cardiologist/harmonica player, etc.

The "Instant Chess Player" design is available on several types of mugs and also on a good number of other products: cards, tote bags, etc.

Ad Zazzle

Have Fun Picking a Great Gift for Your Favorite Chess Player

There are many other gifts for chess players on Zazzle. Click on any of the images on this page and take your time to explore them. You can also make your own mug or T-shirt or personalize the ones shown in this article.

Make Your Own T-Shirt

Ad Zazzle

Make Your Own Mug

Ad Zazzle

Updated: 07/20/2018, Mira

Thank you! Would you like to post a comment now?

Comments

Only logged-in users are allowed to comment. Login

Mira on 12/04/2015

Thank you for stopping by, Miha. Many people do come to Zazzle to make their own products. But sometimes it's fun to shop around on the site as well :)

mihgasper on 12/03/2015

Zazzle has so many unique and fun designs, we often forget its main characteristics is - to make our own ones. Great selection of chess themed gifts!

Mira on 12/04/2014

Thank you, Nelda, for visiting! Yes, I agree that there are wonderful designs on Zazzle, but that shouldn't discourage the rest of us :). I believe that everybody can get creative enough to sell of Zazzle. You just have to make the best of your limitations.

Nelda_Hoxie on 12/04/2014

Zazzle designers have many unique gift ideas. They always arebetter than what I can come up with!

Mira on 10/17/2014

Tehreem on 10/17/2014

Great gifts for chess enthusiasts :) tweeting . .

Mira on 10/14/2014

Glad you like them, ologsinquito.

ologsinquito on 10/13/2014

These are really cute. I really like the Checkmate and King of the Board shirts.

Mira on 10/11/2014

Your comment reminds me I still need to make that T-shirt for my friend's son! His birthday is coming up. I should get it by then. So thanks for the visit and the reminder :)

WriterArtist on 10/11/2014

I think this would be perfect gift for chess players. going back the memory lane, I always lost when I played the game with my brother. Reminds me of my good old childhood days.

Show all comments (28)

Inspirational Quote Rings in Affordable Sterling Silver

Valentine’s Day is a time when many people buy rings for their special one. C...

Give the Gift of Quote Necklaces and Other Quote Jewelry

Make a statement with inspirational jewelry with quotes, or gift it to someon...

Disclosure: This page generates income for authors based on affiliate relationships with our partners, including Amazon, Google and others.