The smallest chess set in the world?

Small Parts: Not for pets, and children under three years

Necati Korkmaz is a Turkish micro-sculptor who has created the perhaps smallest chess set in the world. The measurement of the board is 9 x 9 mm (0.35 x 0.35 inch).

The word "perhaps" is used, because this is an unofficial record so far. The official Guinness World Record was set up by artist Ara Ghazaryan in 2017.

This "was" the smallest chess set in the world?

The Guinness regulation for the record states:

...that a set has to be exactly to scale and perform the original function as the everyday original. 

Although it is difficult to move a piece to the planned square, it is possible if you keep a very steady hand. Good enough to break the old World Record it seems.

The chessboard

The size of the chess set is best compared with a single blueberry. All chess pieces range from 1.5 to 3mm, smaller than a lentil.

For better visualization, I placed a lentil on my smallest chessboard

In other words, the chess set is really tiny. By using a microscope it is possible to see all the details. The chess pieces are slightly magnetic, otherwise they would just fall over when you breathe on them. Moves can only be mde with self-made tools, as shown in the video below.

It might help to hold your breath while making a move

The inventor Necati Korkmaz told the Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency that he worked on this project six hours a day for six months. 

From time to time, I was very tired but it is a great pleasure to see the work of art finished. I prepared a really usable micro chess set.

One of Korkmaz other recent art pieces is a 2mm tall doctor fighting the coronavirus.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DOKTOR X Corona Virüse karşı 2 mm.

A post shared by Necati Korkmaz (@microsculpture) on May 4, 2020 at 3:01pm PDT

Links:

• Necati Korkmaz Facebook page
• Necati Korkmaz Instagram page
• The world's smallest chess engines